Which Star Trek captain would make the best US president?

[cultcross]

Sisko. He had the best idea of how to run a community. There's no way Picard would have bribed the barkeeper to stay, but Sisko realised how important that was for his community to thrive. He understood how to translate ideology into practicality, how to make rational decisions and compromise, and although the show was inconsistent on this aspect later in its run (Dax/Ross/The Prophets told me not to, but I'm doing it anyway became a trope in the last couple of seasons), he is initially able to take advice and see its value.
Picard would be a close second choice, but he would need to be less rigid in his style. Janeway and Kirk aren't strategic leaders, they lack big picture thinking, and Archer is an empty uniform and a racist. So no.

 

[Tenacity]

Captain Robau

As president he would of course be AWESOME.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Captain Robau

As president he would of course be AWESOME.

Especially if his term in office was like his onscreen captaincy, really short. The best presidents are the ones who don't have a chance to get up to any mischief!

 

[Spot261]

And get executed on a moment's notice?

 

[Sgt_G]

What about Edward Jellico??

And why has no-one mentioned Robert April or Christopher Pike (the original)??

 

[DimesDan]

Sisko. He had the best idea of how to run a community. There's no way Picard would have bribed the barkeeper to stay, but Sisko realised how important that was for his community to thrive. He understood how to translate ideology into practicality, how to make rational decisions and compromise, and although the show was inconsistent on this aspect later in its run (Dax/Ross/The Prophets told me not to, but I'm doing it anyway became a trope in the last couple of seasons), he is initially able to take advice and see its value.
Picard would be a close second choice, but he would need to be less rigid in his style. Janeway and Kirk aren't strategic leaders, they lack big picture thinking, and Archer is an empty uniform and a racist. So no.

I agree with all of this.

What about Edward Jellico??

Yes, that's all America needs, a hawkish war warmongering arse of a man.

 

[cultcross]

He'd make Kellyanne Conway wear proper uniform

 

[DimesDan]

He'd make Kellyanne Conway wear proper uniform

Or sit properly on a sofa!

 

[DonIago]

I agree with all of this.



Yes, that's all America needs, a hawkish war warmongering arse of a man.

I wouldn't argue that Jellico was a hardass, but I must have missed the part where he was obviously either hawkish or warmongering. If you're referring to his negotiations with the Cardassians, I'd note that we see him playing a part there.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Benjamin Sisko

Sisko

yeah I'll go with Sisko.

Sisko.

Don't get me wrong... I *love* Sisko as a character, and as a Starfleet captain.

But his actions in "For the Uniform" should immediately disqualify him from holding any political office with the power of life and death over billions.

 

[Tenacity]

Yes, that's all America needs, a hawkish war warmongering arse of a man.

Who's skill and know how resulted in enemy forces withdrawing from dispute territory and releasing prisoners.

Yes, this is exactly what America needs.

 

[cultcross]

But his actions in "For the Uniform" should immediately disqualify him from holding any political office with the power of life and death over billions.

Kirk's 'Obsession', Picard's 'First Contact', the Captain-can't-shake-his-obsession-and-nearly-loses-everything trope is a Star Trek go-to.

 

[Sgt_G]

Dimesdan said: Yes, that's all America needs, a hawkish war warmongering arse of a man.

Who's skill and know how resulted in enemy forces withdrawing from dispute territory and releasing prisoners.

Yes, this is exactly what America needs.

^^^^^^^^^^^ This.

Being willing to go to war and letting your potential enemy KNOW you're willing to go to war does not mean you WANT to go to war.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Kirk's 'Obsession', Picard's 'First Contact', the Captain-can't-shake-his-obsession-and-nearly-loses-everything trope is a Star Trek go-to.

I don't think it was the obsessive pursuit of Eddington he was objecting to so much as the deliberate poisoning of the atmosphere of a Maquis colony, putting all the human colonists at risk if they didn't evacuate in time. That was far beyond the pale, and I say this as a fan of Sisko in general. It's the reason why I didn't suggest Sisko either; well, that and his complicity in the assassination of a Romulan Senator on a diplomatic mission.

Personally, I think Picard's decision to let that species go extinct in Homeward was pretty abominable too, but by the Federation's warped morality it's better to let a species go extinct than have them be exposed to a more technologically advanced culture and altered by the experience (but still alive and able to adapt), so he was following the Prime Directive.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Wasn't her passion science?

It was coffee. She only got into science to learn how to make the perfect cup of coffee down to the sub atomic level.

 

[Voth commando1]

Janeway balances idealism-pragmatism-machiavellianism necessary for good politicians and hence she would be the best.

 

[Ralphis]

Janeway, times infinity, plus another infinity.

 

[bbjeg]

Here's a poll I ran during the US Presidential elections. It was only out of the main captains but it's good stuff.

 

[GabyBee]

Interesting that you added Sulu into your honorable mentions. There's a non-canon novel that has him serving three terms as Federation President.

 

[bbjeg]

Oh, and Picard's my pick. Kirk and NuKirk would start a war (for good reasons but...), Janeway would try to change the world as she saw fit, Sisko would get preachy (he's brought up Prophets at Starfleet briefings), and honestly, Archer would be my second pick. He and Picard would usher in peace, just Picard would do it better.