POLL: Who is your favorite Star Trek President?

Today is Presidents Day in the USA, a day to celebrate the nation’s past leaders. The world of Star Trek has also given us some ‘Presidents’. Today we celebrate those fictional future presidents, and ask you to pick your favorite.    

 

Who is your favorite fictional Trek president?

 

(Excaliban) President Lincoln
(TOS: "The Savage Curtain")

Star Trek’s original series introduced our first ‘president.’ While the original Kirk and crew are exploring signs of life from an apparently lifeless planet, they are suddenly presented with an image of what appears to be President Abraham Lincoln floating in space, who then beams on board. We later learn this Lincoln was an Excaliban, a race that decided to test the crew’s notions of good and evil, with Lincoln on the side of ‘good’.

Notable dialog: (when meeting Uhura) "What a charming negress."

President Hiram Roth
(Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

The fourth Star Trek feature film wrapped up the "Genesis Trilogy" and introduced the President of the Federation who was doing his best to deal with the crisis of the whale probe. But it took Kirk and crew’s traveling back in time to work that one out and so when they came back, the president was all forgiveness over that whole stealing the Enterprise thing from Star Trek III (much to the chagrin of the Klingons). Sure he demoted Kirk from Admiral back to Captain, but then he gave him a brand new Enterprise. Although in the film he was never given a name, he was later dubbed ‘Hiram Roth’ in the novels.

Notable dialog: "Captain Kirk, you and your crew have saved this planet from its own short-sightedness and we are forever in your debt"

President Ra-ghoratreii
(Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

Only two movies later and once again we meet another President of the Federation, this time it is a new species, Efrosians. The President in Star Trek VI has to deal with the delicate diplomacy with the Klingons (again with the Klingons) following the explosion of Praxis and the arrest of Capt. Kirk and Dr. McCoy. He rejected a plan to invade Klingon space to rescue Kirk, but ironically it was Kirk and crew who later saved him from being assassinated at the Khitomer Conference. Again his character had no name in the film, but he was later named Ra-ghoratreii by A.C. Crispin in the novel "Sarek." 

Notable dialog: "This president is not above the law"

Jaresh-Inyo
(DS9 "Homefront" & "Paradise Lost")

The next time Star Trek presented us with a President was in the 24th century on Deep Space Nine. The Dominion War was heating up and people were seeing shape-shifters everywhere. The Grazerite President of the Federation Jaresh-Inyo was faced with grappling issues of freedom vs. security, as forces from within Starfleet manipulated things in attempts to stage a coup, only to be thwarted by Ben Sisko. Unlike the past two presidents, this one was actually given a name on the show. 

Notable dialog: "It took centuries for Earth to evolve into the peaceful haven it is today. I would hate to be remembered as the Federation president who destroyed Paradise"

(Capt. Proton) President of Earth
(VOY "Bride of Chaotica")

On Voyager Tom Paris like to play "Captain Proton" in a ‘show within a show’ based on old time black and white pulp sci-fi. But as is the custom, one day the holodeck goes haywire and some aliens think it is the real thing and so The Doctor is called in to play the part of "The President of Earth" in order to do some diplomacy. This is yet another unnamed president, and he didn’t even get one in the books. 

Notable dialog: "Chaotica has designs on Earth too. But we’ve withstood countless attacks, all thanks to one man: Captain Proton"

Time to vote…who is your favorite fictional Trek president?

Do you have a favorite fictional Trek president? Would you vote for any of these guys? Well you can in our latest poll (see right column).

[poll=548]

 

Nitpick Alert: Isn’t Archer also a Federation President? Well yes the events of Enterprise’s "In a Mirror, Darkly" do have a history of Archer that says he would go one to become the Federation’s first President. However we never saw him ‘as president’, and so he didn’t make our list.

 

 

77 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Hm…. Not sure! All so good! 8D

I would think Lincoln being in there would sway the results as he had real accomplishments (or at least the man he is portraying) where as all the others are completely fictional. I guess not since he isn’t actually ahead…

Or Nan Bacco?

sorry, we stayed with on-screen Presidents

Really torn between Hiram Roth and Ra-ghorabreii. I love them both in different, yet equal ways.

Also, I never knew their names before today. I am now a man.

Lincoln all the way on Presidents Day!

Nitpick/pedantic point.

The federal holiday is still named for our greatest President. It is officially “Washington’s Birthday”

“This holiday is designated as “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.”

As far as Trek Presidents, I’ll take Lincoln. “Help me Kirk!”

And that lame-ass anti-Nixon jab about ‘this President not being above the law’ in ST VI was about twenty years late. Like making Ike jokes.

I would vore for Nanietta Bacco, but she isn’t a canon President. So I’d say Jaresh-Inyo. Ra-ghorabreii is a close second.

I liked Lincoln honestly, guy had balls. Kinda weird that Ra-ghorabreii is in the lead, considering he was willing to let Kirk and McCoy die, but I guess some people support his choice (like he’s a real president, lol).

While I like the list, my vote is with President Nan Bacco from the post Nemesis book universe. She is my all time favorite Federation President.

Excaliban Lincoln. “Help me Kiiiirk.” A great episode and another of three that substantiates that TOS happened two hundred years in the future and not three as TNG and the movies retro-actively changed. That’s one of my pet peeves. Just check the exchange in the briefing room between Kirk and Scotty, McCoy and Spock.

Plus some great Kirk Fu in it.

Happy President’s Day everyone.

Smart to put a nitpick alert in the article. I should employ this tactic!

I’m going with President Ra-ghorabreii. Mainly because he was also Annorax, and Red from That 70’s Show.

“This President is not above the law, dumba**!”

#13 yeh Red was brilliant. I’d make him President. lol
Vote for me, or I’ll stick my foot in your ass!
Kurtwood Smith is a great actor.

Definitely Lincoln in space. Question is, who should play Lincoln in space in the Star Trek sequel?

It’s funny how they used the same costume for Star Trek VI as in ST IV, as if the President has a uniform, or they were too cheap to make a new one.

Write-in candidate: JFK, without which the events of “Assignment: Earth” would not have been possible. (No Moon rocket.)

Anthony, they did use many TNG sets for VI, including redressing Ten-Forward for the President’s Office. So it is plainly obvious that they were being “cheapskates”LOL.

Ra-ghorabreii of course!

We know where the Federation puts their foot when needed!

(Excaliban) President Lincoln: “Help me Kiiiirk.”

EXCELLENT!!

Quick correction:

President Ra-ghoratreii was named in Sarek, but that novel was written by A.C. Crispin, not Keith R.A. DeCandido. KRAD kept that name in Articles of the Federation.

Actually, I always thought Trek looked fantastic regardless of the dough factor. :-)

Kurtwood Smith = Clarence Boddicker
“Vote for me and everybody gets a state of the art bang-bang!”

#23 Its funny you mention Clarence Boddicker. “Robocop” has some strong Star Trek connections. Three of the main stars ( Kurtwood Smith, Ronnie Cox and Peter Weller) all had roles in some popular two-parters.
Kurtwood Smith ( Year of Hell,VOY ) Ronnie Cox (Chain of Command,TNG) and Peter Weller ( Terra Prime and Demons, ENT).

Kurtwood Smith by a mile. I’ve always been into Trek, but I wasn’t always up-to-spec on every aspect of it. I thought for YEARS there were only 5 classic Trek films. I never knew anything about Star Trek VI … so it wasn’t until AFTER I’d been a huge high-school fan of That 70’s Show I caught Undiscovered Country on cable one time …

Apart from the novelty of Red Forman as Trek president, imagine my surprise to find a Trek film I’d never seen, totally on accident, and turns out it was THE best of the ten. (Arguably. I mean … Khan is Khan. They’re good for different reasons, though.)

But anyway, I’ve always wanted to know more about the near-sighted, gruff Efrosians thanks to Kurtwood Smith.

While we’re talking presidential characters, Bruce Greenwood did play the President in National Treasure 2…and he played JFK in “Thirteen Days.”…so, my write in candidate is Bruce Greenwood. Since you mentioned “Robocop”, Miguel Ferrer (Robert Morton) was the first officer on Excelsior in ST-III.

I can’t believe Jaresh-Inyo is last! This is a disaster!!!

(Seriously, I loved this thoughtful and intelligent president and these are two of my all-time favorite Trek episodes. Go back and watch “Homefront” and “Paradise Lost” and check out the the prescient portrayal of fear run amok when compared to the U-S-of-A circa 2002. Scary.)

Oh, forgot something else…the President asks Ben Gates in “National Treasure 2” about what is on page 47 in the secret book…

Ra is where it’s at. He has cool John Lennon glasses and you know he smokes a bit…

#28
Now that’s a good Easter egg catch…

Jaresh-Inyo — just because those episodes are so awesome and prophetic. Funny how so much of DS9 seems to have been ahead of its time.

I don’t get how Lincoln could not be in a huge lead. First of all, he’s a real president with amazing accomplishments. Even if you disregard that, he had a much more developed and philosophical role in “The Savage Curtain” than all the other Presidents, who had smaller roles. What gives? Is it really cool glasses? Is this how Trek fans elect presidents?
Then again, most of us are Americans here (yes, including me) …so I’m not surprised.
“There’s so much of their work left to be done in the galaxy, Spock….”

Lincoln has Lincoln Logs!

None of these other guys has such a lasting achievement.

Pres. Abe “Don’t MAKE me take off my stove pipe hat” Lincoln FTW!

Almost went for Lincoln just cause he’s floating in space but I voted for the Doc. cause Bride of Chaotica! is one of my favourite Star Trek episodes of all time.

Hiram Roth – “Captain Kirk, you and your crew have saved this planet from its own short-sightedness and we are forever in your debt”.

This was a tough call between him and Lincoln (who wasn’t technically real). Jaresh-Inyo almost got the Federation overthrown by a Starfleet coup. Ra-ghorabreii left Bones and Kirk to freeze in the “alien’s graveyard”. The Doctor wasn’t a real president (although hilarious).

So, Hiram Roth.

I’m 24 and I’m not surprised by Abe Lincoln not taking the lead. Why? Because I suspect people my age aren’t going to find a way to relate Abe Lincoln to Star Trek, despite his appearance in an episode. I chose President Ra-ghorabreii simply because he had the best writing provided for the character, of which might not hold a candle to the new presidential character that is obviously brewing in the minds of the writers. It’s pretty clear we’ll need a new one for the next Earth-ending, epic political podium scene in Star Trek Something Something.

#7 It’s not Washington’s birthday though. Washington was born on the 22nd.

I’m gonna go with the Efrosian guy.

Bruce Greenwood, as someone said, starred as JFK. So that would be two for JFK as a write-in, as far as I’m concerned. Plus JTK is really JFK in space.

38. Hat Rick – February 15, 2010

Agree.

Wait, wasn’t Hiram Roth in Godfather Part II?

Oh, that was HYMAN Roth.

vote
That 70’s President: President Ra-ghorabreii
“This president is not above the law. Are you stoned?”

btw, wasn’t he intended to be Deltan? As in: the chicks are hairless and the dudes have furry white eyebrows? Like that navigator in ST4, groaning as they built a solar sail? Huh?

38. Hat Rick: “…JTK is really JFK in space.”

FULL AGREEMENT!

Of the canonical presidents, I have to go with Ra-ghorabreii. He was the only one who showed any sort of judgment.

He told the Klingon ambassador he wouldn’t intervene before he actually made a decision. He then held secret consultations with the Romulan ambassador, Sarek, and Starfleet Command about possible options. That shows a degree of cunning that’s rare for the Federation. Even though it wasn’t the decision the viewer wanted to hear, Ra ultimately came to the right conclusions as well. A Federation attack on Rura Penthe would’ve played right into Chang’s hands and ended any prospect of peace with the Klingons. Moreover, because their empire was on the verge collapse, the Klingon response would’ve been to launch an all out assault on anybody they could find.

– Jaresh Inyo was so naive and easily manipulated that I found it incredible anyone would vote for him. His quip about being in politics for 70 years only reinforced the fact that he must be a very slow learner.

– Hiram Roth was better than Jareash Inyo, but not by much. He was very indecisive during the whole Genesis debacle – he was presumably in office during “The Wrath of Khan” and “The Search for Spock” – and the subsequent Whale Probe crisis.

@29: Yeah, those little round shades looked pretty badass. I think on the DVD commentary they said he was supposed to be blind or something, and the specs were like a proto-VISOR. I think.

President Lincoln doesn’t really count as he’s not really a real Federation President and only imitates an American one.

Jareash Inyo seems hopelessly out of his depth – not a bad guy, just not really in control of things. I believe he even says he didn’t want to become President but was simply pressured to by his political allies.

Hiram Roth seems… I don’t know, he doesn’t seem like much. He smiles and he talks about reconciliation and all and he certainly seems to be in command… but somehow he doesn’t rub off well on me. Maybe it’s because he lets Kirk off so easy – yeah, I get it, he literally saved the planet – but somehow handing him back a command and giving him a slap on the wrist demotion (that Kirk really wanted anyway) seems either unrealistic or smarmy (like somehow he expected some kind of gain out of the experience).

So, yeah, I’m going with President Ra-ghorabreii – a President who knows when to use diplomacy but isn’t going to be pushed around either by his allies or his enemies.

@44: I imaginge the majority of Jaresh-Inyo’s tenure was pretty dull.

Early 24th century: KHITOMER!!

Next 50-ish years: Yeah, we’re cool.

DS9 era: BORGSON’ADOMINIONROMULANS! Gah!

Maybe he was supposed to be a “caretaker” president, and just sort of keep things that were already boringly prosperous on an even keel. It also must have come from way out of left field that Starfleet — traditionally the whitest of white hats — tried to backstab him. Still, he’s not exactly what you’d call an inspiring type.

47. “Still, he’s not exactly what you’d call an inspiring type.”

Could say the same about Gordon Brown, yet he is still running us poor Brits! :-(

24

Don’t forget Ray Wise, who played Leon in RoboCop was also in Trek twice, Who Watches the Watchers and Hope and Fear.

Although I wish Lincoln was president right now (He’d have the stones to print U.S. Treasury greenbacks & knock the global bankster syndicate on its’ butt), I don’t really think He belongs in this line-up.

I vote for Ra. He even LOOKS like a great & gracious leader. Maybe the Federation will institute the use of powdered wigs & mustashes for succeeding presidents.