Who in their right mind would... (JLU Spoilers)

[Knight]

...vote Luthor for President?

Even if he now is pardoned his criminal acts are still know by most of the general public. He did spend time in jail no matter if he has been pardoned or not. Just because he has been cleared by the US government doesn't mean he has been cleared by the people. How does he explain his actions against the Justice League in the past? The armored attack outfit? He even tried to sink a ship to get away from the JL in "Tabula Rasa". You think anyone on that boat will be voting for the guy who tried to kill them. A run for President on paper seems like a virtual lock to lose by Luthor.

[Temple Fugate]

You can correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a law somewhere that prevents anyone who was convicted of a felony from running for president? Or has his official pardon wiped his arrest record clean as well?

Guess it doesn't matter, he's totally gonna win because America is stupid and hasn't been watching the JL's exploits on CN.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

To my knowledge, there is no federal law barring a former felon from running for President. The only restrictions on who can be elected President are the ones in the Constitution.

As for why people would vote for Luthor, offhand:

1. He's really really filthy rich

2. He's always come down as a "humanity should rule its own destiny and not bow down to the meta-humans," which is a stance that can play well among the people who don't have metas. It also opens up a nice conspiracy theory angle to his conviction and imprisonment, especially because it was metas who collected the evidence against him.

3. He's fabulously wealthy

4. I get the sense that serious critics of Luthor and Lexcorp tend to disappear, with the possible exceptions of Perry White, Lois Lane, and the Daily Planet in general. The public may view their frantic reporting as being biased.

5. If he broke with tradition, admitted wrongdoing, and said he was really very very sorry, that might get him enough people to vote for him as a "second chance" kind of thing.

6. He's got enough money to fuel Metropolis for a few days just by burning his cash pile

7. Peepul Iz Stoopid

8. We only know his positions on metas. If he has enough decent policy formulations for other stuff, it's possible that people will vote for him because of those, and let the "psychotic metahuman hater and convicted criminal" thing slide. Considering that a lot of America feels like the recent elections have been "the lesser choice of who cares?", as they said on The West Wing once, and that someone winning ALL the swing voters and none of the partisans could win an election, I don't think this is quite as farfetched as it may seem.

9. Did I mention he's really really filthy rich?

10. He hired the Penguin's PR firm that got him elected Mayor of Gotham City in the Batman Adventures comic book.

11. How come nobody notices that Clark Kent looks JUST LIKE SUPERMAN, only with glasses and maybe with his hair parted different? :)

12. He's got more money than Saudi Arabia.

-- Ed/Ace

[Captain_Lothar]

I'd say a good reason would be that Lex is highly intelligent. He'd probably make a mockery of his opponent and pull in a massive landslide. He has all the qualifications of a politician and a president. He's calm, cunning, calculating, intelligent, filthy dirty stinkin rich, he has loads of resources, he has done a lot for the world (hey, he can't only invent destructive things and cause problems and STILL have as much fame and fortune as he does).

The guy was meant for it really. Heck, if you're going to vote for a president, either vote for the guy you know is truly honest, or just vote for the guy who's lying the most (atleast you know what he's really thinking).

Well, something like that.

And I believe you have to be American Born, atleast 35, and uhhh....something else to run for president.

And let's make sure we keep this as a DCAU political talk, not a RL political talk everyone. I just hate seeing good threads go bad after all.

[Knight]

So being rich and intelligent would get a person to vote for a pardoned criminal? I don't see how people can overlook his record as a whole. Although he may be able to twist the whole incident into a it was a misunderstanding thing.

It would be interesting to see him try to use a anti mea humans stance to campaign by but that wouldn't be a good idea at all and would almost surely backfire(Look what happened to G. Gordon Godfrey you cant criticize the people who save your but day in and out).

[Borg4of3]

One angle Lex could take, and has taken, is to blame his more openly criminal actions on all the crazy things that are possible in the JLU's world. For example, even Supes was brainwashed and used by Darkseid, and the public seems to have forgiven him for that - he could claim the same thing. That kind of thing seems to happen to people all the time there.

"My fellow Americans, sorry for nuking three of your cities - I was under the influence of an supervillain alien invader's ghost from an alternate post-apocalyptic future at the time. You know how it is,"

And not everyone has met Lex, and he knows just how to cash in on people's lack of knowledge, and how to turn the knowledge they do have to what he wants them to think, and everyone here's contributed a few different ways on how he does that.

[Toddman]

One angle Lex could take, and has taken, is to blame his more openly criminal actions on all the crazy things that are possible in the JLU's world. For example, even Supes was brainwashed and used by Darkseid, and the public seems to have forgiven him for that - he could claim the same thing. That kind of thing seems to happen to people all the time there.

He could also claim that a side-effect of his Kryptonite-disease was delussional paranoia and irrational behavior.

I'm not sure that would make me want to vote for him any more than before, however....

And don't be surprised if Luthor does something else underhanded during the election. Anything from vote tampering to framing his opponent could help his chances.

Toddman

[Avilos]

Of course I was never a fan of Luthor becoming President in the comics either. Within the context of the animated universe it makes even less sense. Where Luthor has become a full fledge Super-Villian.

[PeterFries]

People have laughed at the idea of certain Presidents in my lifetime ever being elected, and yet...

[Knight]

I bet after The Return when the JL saves his but from AMAZO he will turn that into a real photo op shaking the hands of the heroes, praises for the team and all that.

[Karkull]

Didn't we elect a professional wrestler, several actors (both good and bad), and a failed Texas oilman to public office? At least a Luthor is a successful businessman, and as a professional supervillain he seems to know how to get things done, :p.

[Avilos]

Beyond the issue of realism, more importantly I just don't think it has much story potential. I think the comics proved this. I feel that people just think "Lex Luthor is President = Cool idea" without thinking what to do with the idea. In the comics he did not really seem all that different than when he had just been the richest man in the world. I would rather see him as a behind the scenes political consultant who is influencing events. In "a Better World" it worked as a Worst-Case Scenerio in the alternate reality. But what would be the resolution here? Something like the Superman/Batman arc in which Luthor is is removed from office and dons the Power-Suit to become a Super-Villian? The animated universe has been there, done that already.

[EddieTheEditor]

Eh, what's the point? He'll just end up pumping himself full of Kryptonite and Venom and end up under some rubble somewhere...

[EJill34]

I'm sure the creative team will come up with a way to make it work...like having Lex Luthor strike a deal with the Invaders from "Secret Origins" and then having them replace Earth's population...I don't think that would work.

[Temple Fugate]

And I believe you have to be American Born, atleast 35, and uhhh....something else to run for president.
Been a resident within the US for 14 years, consecutively or nonconsecutively.
(Yes, I looked that up. :D )

Think Prez Luthor will take some steps to shield himself from the JLU's ever-watching eye? He might hire some metahumans of his own as secret service agents, or even re-organize an underground Injustice Gang/Secret Society to keep the JLU busy.

[Nin-Nin69]

If the American public voted for a bad movie actor to be President, then anything can happen.

[OmegaPaladin]

Luthor is a highly shrewd businessman with a masterful ability to control people. He'd have the people and the media eating out of his hand. Even Lois might be having second thoughts.

There's something else no one has mentioned. Lex was locked up for months in prison, after having the door to Lexcorp slammed in his face by Mercy. It is possible that his approach to superheroes has changed., so he views them as tools, not obstacles.

[maxnugget]

Depending on where the story arc in season 3 takes us, this could make more sense than we might think...

The new JLU seems to be heading toward some kind of fascist rule over Earth. At some point, public opinion might sway toward being very anti-JLU. The humans might realize that having a group of demi-gods as the dominant power on earth is too dangerous a scenario.

Now who would you vote for if you were concerned about the demi-gods taking over (or if they already ARE taking over)? How about a guy who has long held the contention that "the aliens can't be trusted," "No one man should have that much power," etc. How about a man who has the experience, from spending YEARS fighting SUPERMAN, the most powerful of the demi-gods? Luthor is one of the few humans with the balls to stand up and fight the demi-gods, and he has the track record to prove it.

Would people vote for Luthor if they feared the new world order of the JLU? You bet!

All he needs is the opportunity, and it looks like the JLU is winding down the road that will eventually give him one.

It's sort of a similar situation to where things were at after Legacy. Luthor probably would have had a decent shot after Legacy. The public feared and hated Superman, and wouldn't see it as a bad thing to vote for the guy who hates him most.

[Karkull]

It is possible that his approach to superheroes has changed., so he views them as tools, not obstacles.
Yup -- I could see Luthor's presidency as a means to introduce Suicide Squad into the DCAU and -- as part of an anti-JLU campaign of hysteria -- the introduction of a superhero team beholden to American interests = the Justice League of America.

[The Detective]

You also have to factor in who the competition is. Running against an incredibly disliked incumbent, Luthor would have even more of a chance.



And yes, playing up meta paranoia might work too. Especially if he tried to use the "Supes framed me because I don't like him" angle.

[Yojimbo]

Yup -- I could see Luthor's presidency as a means to introduce Suicide Squad into the DCAU and -- as part of an anti-JLU campaign of hysteria -- the introduction of a superhero team beholden to American interests = the Justice League of America.
It doesn't seem that far-fetched, since the Titans are forming a new team perhaps, the Luthor campaign will lead to the Suicide Squad, JLA, Justice League International. JSA might be a stretch since we've had the JGA back in "Legends". A Kingdom Come scenerio might even work with Luthor forming that Liberation Front that included many powerful men like King, Savage, and the son of Ra's al Ghul.

[Knight]

It doesn't seem that far-fetched, since the Titans are forming a new team HUh? They are forming a new team.


perhaps, the Luthor campaign will lead to the Suicide Squad, JLA, Justice League International. JSA might be a stretch since we've had the JGA back in "Legends".
I dont think what happened in that episode has anything to do with a possible JSA appearence. DC just thought if they had went with that storyline with the real JSA it would have made them look bad. Which it probably would have and they had just recently relaunched the book. They did want anyone thinking thats how corny the characters really were.

[Metallo]

Just in point of fact, when you are given a presidential pardon, as Lex Luthor was, it completely washes your criminal record clean; basically you become a pristine citizen, from a criminal record standpoint. That is why Oliver North was able to run for Senate in VA. And that is why Lex Luthor could become president.

[Nick K.]

HUh? They are forming a new team.


Titans East.

And... I guess Metallo cleared everything up.

[Avilos]

Yes but a pardon does not erase the public's memories. Nixon got a pardon form Ford for his involvment in Watergate. But this did not change the public's opinion of him one way or the other.

[Nick K.]

Yes but a pardon does not erase the public's memories. Nixon got a pardon form Ford for his involvment in Watergate. But this did not change the public's opinion of him one way or the other.

The pardon explains why he can run. The public's opinion bein manipulated was explained by him being rich and doing so much for the economy of the country... and whatever everyone else said...

[Eddie G.]

Somehow I think Fox News and Florida would be involved.

It does seem a little out there, but we do have a nation that has forgiven the rich and famous many a time. And there is public manipulation.

See what I think would be an interesting story is if they re-hashed that episode of Batman where Penguin runs for Mayor and Batman runs against him. Bruce vs. Lex for President in 2005!

[shogunthethird]

an evil rich and powerful guy who trusts no one and has police-state like security measures vs. a more or less chaotic good rich and powerful guy who trusts no one and has police-state like security measures...why can I not help but see Green Arrow and Ralph Nader running as third party candidates, and the inevetable "a vote for Queen/Nader is a vote for Luthor" or something like that (as if the nascar dads would vote for a guy with a bow and arrow in green tights, but the "Robin Hood" angle would do well with middle and lower class)

[ArtificialIdiot]

Why not? With the current candiates we have in the real world, I'd even be more then happy to run his advirtising campaign!

http://img26.exs.cx/img26/2804/lexwantsyou.jpg

(Lex Image taken from World's Finest.)

[Toddman]

Just in point of fact, when you are given a presidential pardon, as Lex Luthor was, it completely washes your criminal record clean; basically you become a pristine citizen, from a criminal record standpoint. That is why Oliver North was able to run for Senate in VA. And that is why Lex Luthor could become president.
The exact line from "A Better World" was "a full pardon."

It was never stated that he recieved a presidential pardon.

Toddman