The craze that has enveloped the country since Presidential-elect Barack Obama’s big election night has morphed into something beyond the work of campaigning street teams phone banking and political endorsements put together.

In the past few weeks I’ve seen people sporting Obama earrings, notebooks, hats and anything big enough to fit the miniature President-elect’s face. On the one hand, I think it is truly heart warming to see the American people that invested in their next President and showing their support in that way, but on the other hand—statements that John McCain made in the early round of the campaign about Obama being more of a celebrity than a Presidential candidate aren’t far behind. In a lot of ways, McCain was right. At least, in some respect, the hype around Obama and his family translates into some kind of celebrity-like devotion that blurs the lines between how he is seen politically and as a social icon.

After I read an article likening the family-elect to one of the old family oriented sitcoms on Nick-at-Nite I had flashbacks of being curled up in my parents bed and watching shows like Gunsmoke on our old black and white TV (the ones with the dials!), and waking up to my old favorite classic cartoons on Nickelodeon—Mysterious Cities of Gold. Those were the days…

Back when it was still around my mom used to be addicted to NBC’s The West Wing. President Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, gave American TV watchers a White House that was not only a polar opposite Administration from the current one, but an idealistic example of what we could have, if the opportunity presented itself.

After the previous eight years, it is not surprised that the majority of America craved some kind of idealistic symbol that embodies their hopes, concerns, fears and dreams. That is essentially what TV is – the mirror we stare deeply into and ask, “Who is the fairest one of all?”

It might be because I watched a lot of TV as a kid but I always thought of Presidential terms like sitcom seasons. After four years, if the ratings are good, the show will get picked up for another season. And the pre-media buzz about the first family, and the new puppy are like TV spots that run months in advance.

I don’t watch TV much anymore, unless I have to. But I think if Obama had his own show I would watch it. Not for the celebrity stalker like qualities these shows provide, but because of something that Jon Stewart said once on the Daily Show. He said, “This is the thing that gives me some hope for the first time I can remember, and this includes the Clintons, someone is speaking in a matter that matches my sensory perception… this guy speaks: I recognize him as human.”

It makes sense that people look for those kind of synced qualities in their TV shows and political leaders, two different forms of reality meeting on the same plain. Pretty damn cool.

I hope there’s a season two.
—Eming Piansay