You ’ve probably get word that Barack Obama recruited Massachusetts senator and ketchup - magnate - by - marriage John Kerry to wreak Mitt Romney in mock public debate . But Obama certainly is n’t the first president to all right - tune his skills through impostor smackdowns . In fact , almost every presidential candidate in late years has hire a foster spar partner . Here are 8 all - star stand - In and the politicians they portrayed .
1. Television Monitor as Jimmy Carter (1976)
Gerald Ford give away the first full - scale practice sitting in 1976 . Ford had a few unlike people take on his opponent , Jimmy Carter . But when a human sparring mate was n’t around , Ford used a television monitor to play sound bites from Carter ’s audience withMeet the Press . Mock panelists ask the monitor questions , and Carter ’s pre - taped response would dally back . To commit appear confident , Ford was supposed to gaze forcefully at his television opponent during the replays .
2. Samuel Popkin as Ronald Reagan (1980)
At first , Jimmy Carter thought the notion of practicing with a “ dummy opponent ” was kookie . But the incumbent president softened his posture when he was force to square off with show concern oldtimer Ronald Reagan .
Carter hired political science prof Sam Popkin to play ol’ Dutch . Popkin studied Reagan ’s magniloquence extensively and devised a strategy memo for outwitting him call “ Popping Balloons . ” Popkin told Carter if he could n’t tick one of Reagan ’s stories with a fact , he should seek to beat it with another story . He also seek to familiarize Carter with his opposite ’s folksy oratory style by recycling old Reagan speeches during debates .
3. David Stockman as Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale (1980 and 1984)
Eager to master the art of full - scale argumentation rehearsal , Ronald Reagan had his service department converted into a professional tone video studio apartment and rent congressman David Stockman to stand in for Jimmy Carter . The practice proved helpful , helping to familiarize the veteran actor with a public debate format . . . and landing Stockman a job as budget music director once Reagan was elected .
But in 1984 , all that drill backfire . Reagan ’s squad believe Mondale would be a scrappy battler , so they encouraged Stockman to really bully the president during mock debates . Stockman ’s hilltop beatings destroyed the president ’s self-confidence – to the decimal point where his wife asked , “ What have you done to my married man ? ” After a rough first debate , the Reagan campaign staged a pep exchange at the president ’s Kansas City hotel to encourage his spirits before the 2nd font - off . Reagan rebound – and end up winning 49 out of the 50 states .
4. Fred Thompson as Bill Clinton (1996)
Bob Dole engage former actor Fred Thompson to satisfy the brake shoe of Bill Clinton . A fellow Southerner , Thompson could replicate Clinton ’s raspy drawl with staggering accuracy . And when it come to attacking Dole , Thompson did n’t pull any punch . “ I tried to pound him down ! ” Thompson once tell NPR . “ If you could generate a bit of ill will , that ’s a estimable thing . ”
5. Bob Barnett as George H.W. Bush/ Dick Cheney (Many Times)
This Washington D.C. attorney play a Republican rival in five campaigns – fill in for George H.W. Bush in 1984 , 1988 , and 1992 and Dick Cheney in 2000 and 2004 .
Barnett ’s relentless baiting drive his mock opponent sick . During his 1984 practice debates with Geraldine Ferraro , the vice presidential hopeful often became so irritated with Barnett that she walk over and slugged him on the limb . And after grueling 1992 argumentation preparations , Bill Clinton said , “ I was just so glad I did n’t have to deliberate [ him ] . The election might have turned out differently . ”
6. Judd Gregg as Al Gore/John Kerry (2000 and 2004)
New Hampshire senator Judd Gregg acted as popular doppelgangers in 2000 and 2004 . For Gregg , playing Gore was a piece of patty . He claimed that the then - frailty president was mechanically skillful , scientific , and uber - predictable . But he had a tougher prison term playing Kerry . He maintained that the notoriously summerset - flop senator was hard to pin down because he go in a few unlike directions when he spoke .
But disregarding of whom he was playing , Gregg ’s Book of Job was to push George Bush ’s buttons – and he was good at it . On one function in 2000 , Gregg ’s relentless ambuscade ( no pun intended ) sent the presidential aspirant over the edge . Bush became flustered and set off angrily reprise the same point in a raised interpreter . Worried that the pseudo spar match had gotten too actual , an aide stopped the public debate to permit affair cool down .
7. Greg Craig as George W. Bush/John McCain (2004 and 2008)
In the past two elections , Democrats call on Washington lawyer ( and former White House counsel ) Greg Craig to prep presidential hopefuls to face - off with Republican rivals . Craig was no stranger to controversial debates – he gain an acquittal for John W. Hinckley , Jr. , the human race who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan . Moreover , Craig directed the team defending Clinton against impeachment following the Monica Lewinsky scandal . The powerhouse attorney was no Dana Carvey ; he did n’t mime his doppelganger ’ body language or speech pattern . Instead , he focused on suffocating his fraud - opponents with airtight logical system .
8. Rob Portman as Half the Democratic Party (1996-)
For years , Ohio representative Rob Portman has been the GOP ’s go - to guy for getting inside the head of popular rivals . Since 1996 , Portman ’s filled the shoes of Al Gore , Joe Lieberman , John Edwards , Barack Obama , and even Hillary Clinton .
Portman had an weird ability to seize the mannerisms of the candidates – right down to subtle body movement and outspoken intermission . Republicans claimed he magically “ became Barack Obama ” during the 2008 practice argument with John McCain . Rick Lazio , who black market against Clinton for the Senate , observe on his dumbfounding power to channel the first noblewoman – even without a wig or makeup . And Joe Lieberman jokingly referred to Portman as his alter ego . Lieberman once said , " I ’ve tried on social function when I could n’t make it to a speaking engagement to send Rob Portman . "
And Three All - Star Vice - Presidential Stand - ins …
Jennifer Granholm as Sarah Palin
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Tina Fey and Julianne Moore are n’t the only women to portray Sarah Palin onstage . Michigan governor and fellow beauty pageant winner Jennifer Granholm help oneself Joe Biden practise debating the Alaska regulator in 2008 . Granholm analyze Palin nonstop . To get in lineament , she wore glasses and a crimson suit . But did she go the extra nautical mile and try her hand at that famously folksy Alaska accent ? You betcha .
Randy Scheunemann as Joe Biden
To prep Palin for the 2008 vice presidential debates , neoconservative lobbyist Randy Scheunemann wager Joe Biden . He really got into case – so much so that Palin could scarcely keep a straight face . Scheunemann peppered his performance with frequent reference of “ God love ya ” and “ literally . ” He also copied Biden ’s chatty utter style , going on bombast about everything from gun control to his own female parent .
But while Palin was for certain convert by her faux - opposition ’s performance , she keep unexpectedly calling him “ O’Biden . ” That ’s when Scheunemann suggested that she take a folksy approach shot and start up calling him “ Joe . ”
Dennis Eckart as Dan Quayle
Former Ohio Congressman Dennis Eckart had a passel in mutual with the then - vice Chief Executive . Both were new , telegenic Midwesterners who loved golf . Eckart joked that he commence into character by spend hours at the Congressional Country Club . Once he even fail through a mock debate with a golf game teeing ground bind behind his auricle . Eckart , a former college role player , said he have it away “ beat into the head ” of people he play . But when reporter asked him what he found inside Quayle ’s head , he answered , “ Room to direct . ”
