President of the World?

Today on BBC America’s BBC World News America there was segment entitled “Why Democracy?” in which several persons were asked who they thought should be President of the World, if such a position did, in fact, exist.

Those interviewed were from a variety of counties and backgrounds, and as such, gave a variety of answers. Here’s a few that were named (in no particular order):

• Mahatma Ghandi
• Jesus
• God
• Buddha
• Winnie the Pooh
• Bob Dylan
• Thelonius Monk
• George W. Bush (seriously)
• Bill Clinton
• Jimmy Carter
• Mother Theresa
• Al Gore (an inconvenient truth)
• Paul Kagame
• Jacob Bland (OK, I added this one)

What was interesting about the responses is that those who took the question seriously really had to think about who they considered to be a great (living) leader. One man shared a story about a CEO who was asked to name five great world leaders. He couldn’t think of one.

I’m not sure that I could think of five current world leaders period, let alone to distinguish any as great.

I can name five great actors though. And five great records. Five great films. Five great bands.

So what does it say when I know more about what’s going on in Hollywood than I do about what’s going on in the world? Would I have the same problem if I weren’t American? I’d like not to think so, but I can’t be sure — I’ve never been anything other than American.

One thing I can say, is that the very concept of there being a President of the World is difficult to wrap my head around. I’m not sure that I would want to vote for one, let alone know who I would vote for.

Nevertheless, it is an interesting question.

So, who would you vote for in the World Presidential Election, and why?