A Wonderful “Temp”

In the movie “Dave,” Kevin Kline’s Dave is called upon to impersonate the President of the United States one night while the real President gads about. When the real President suffers a massive stroke, his staff presses Dave into continuing the charade while the evil Chief of Staff plots to blame the honest Vice President for the political crimes committed by the White House and, in doing so, get the Oval Office for himself.

What drives this movie is that Dave is a decent and honest man who recognizes that he has an extraordinary opportunity, while playing President, to do some good…which he does. The Deus ex machina of the film allows Dave to exit gracefully, clearing the name of the Vice President who vows to continue the President’s (Dave’s) good works and exposing the corrupt staff that surrounded the corrupt President.

One of the best messages of this film comes near the end when Dave is addressing a joint session of Congress. He observes that the power of the White House can go to your head and that it is best to remember that the Presidency is only a job and a “Temp” job at that.

I thought of this movie and this moment as I reflected on the passing of Gerald Ford. Here was a man who never wanted to be President, who never ran for President, and who, through an incredible twist of fate, was appointed Vice President and then President of the United States. And unlike many of the vast egos who have held this office in the past, who have held it since, and who viewed this achievement as some form of divine right ascendancy, Jerry Ford saw this as a temp job and so, rather than try to create a legacy, he decided to do this job with as little fanfare and pomp as possible. He was a man of integrity and good humor and, when he left office, he left the limelight behind and became good old Jerry Ford…probably one of the best “temps” we’ve ever had.