Americathon movie posterMy reaction to Obama’s speech last night? John Ritter and Harvey Korman.

Huh?

While bloggers and pundits flood the airwaves today with comments on President Obama’s speech, I ain’t gonna do it.

Oh, I thought about it.

I was inspired when Barack introduced the First Lady and she mouthed the words, “I love you.” What a model marriage for the people of America.

I was touched that almost all standing ovations were bipartisan–until Obama talked about “the deficit we inherited.”

I was totally tickled that I didn’t hear the words “nuclear power” as one of the energy alternatives we need to pursue.

It was the most ambitious agenda by any president that I can remember in my lifetime. We’re gong to fix the economy, tackle health care, reform education, end our reliance on foreign oil, end the war in Iraq and stop terrorists from plotting against America from safe havens overseas. AND, we’re going to cut the deficit in half in four years. Whew! We are witnessing the greatest political drama of our time.

But there are already plenty of opinions flying around so I don’t need to jump into that fray like one more lemming flailing about among the millions.

No, friends, what jumped into my mind is a film most people have never heard of, let alone seen. Americathon was made 30 years too early–in 1979. John Ritter plays the president in a future America (1998) when we’ve run out of oil and cash. Among the hilarious–and insane–predictions for America 20 years into the future were that China would embrace capitalism and become a global economic superpower. Nike, then a fledling little shoe company in Oregon, would become a multinational conglomerate. The USSR would collapse. People would buy expensive, specialty coffee drinks. And America would be deep in debt to foreign investors.

So what does the president do? He decides to hold a telethon in order to prevent wealthy Native Americans from foreclosing on America.

Watch the Americathon trailer and see if you don’t agree it needs to be remade today!

MY IDEA! MY IDEA! Steven Spielberg, I’m waiting for your call…