I want to go to the movies with Senator John McCain. Well only in my head really, but we do share strikingly similar tastes in television shows and movies. Now I know you can’t judge a book by its cover. But can you judge a candidate by his pop culture picks? Leave it to the cheeky folks at Entertainment Weekly.com to concoct a presidential survey that entertains and informs. Well, mostly it just entertains and that’s the point.

Some of my all time favorite programs and movies were listed as a candidate’s favorites: and that candidate’s name is Senator John McCain. My favorite television show of all time is “The Wire.” And in fact it means so much to me that I ask people about it as a kind of litmus test. Or maybe more accurately it’s a handy Rorschach. I believe I can tell a lot about a person based on what he ore she thinks of “The Wire” – all seasons and the full HBO version, of course. “The Wire” is one of Senator John McCain’s favorite shows. Good call, Senator!

On the other hand, I am as nostalgic as the next person, but I have to say when Obama pulled out “Mash” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” as the shows he remembers most fondly, I didn’t expect it. Both shows were great, but a l-o-n-g time ago.

You might have figured McCain would be the one to hang on to “MASH” with it’s wry commentary on the Korean War. Not so. But John McCain came through again when asked about the greatest Vietnam movies of all time and he mentioned one of my favorites right away “Coming Home.”

When asked to name the best television or movie president, Obama chose Jeff Bridges in “The Contender”, because he was “charming and honorable.” Hmmm. Might it go a little deeper than that? You be the judge. Here’s an excerpt from a description of “The Contender”

The President then nominates a talented female Senator as his vice president, only to see her accused of sexual immorality by Republicans, possibly with the help of his first choice for VP. Refusing to dignify the ever-escalating attacks with a response, the Vice Presidential nominee poses a tough question: would having adventuresome sex as a college student even be an issue at all if she were a man? Source

Meanwhile McCain declared David Palmer of “24″ to be the best :

Who is your favorite TV or movie president?

President David Palmer [Dennis Haysbert] on 24. He’s fabulous. He’s a guy who makes tough decisions, he takes charge, he’s ready to sacrifice his interest on behalf of the interest of the country. My least favorite is the one that got stabbed by his ex-wife but who, according to your magazine, may come back to life, along with Jack Bauer’s daughter, Kim…

Um, not to put you on the spot – but on 24, Palmer was the first African-American president…

You know, I hope that I and all Americans can be color-blind about any president. Source

Colorblind in America? Not so much. But I give McCain a pass since he chose the guy I like!

My surprise is really not about race. And I am not surprised that Senator McCain picked David Palmer because Palmer was portrayed as a young, smart, very handsome black man; but I am surprised McCain’s had the time to watch 24 over the past couple years. And I also wonder if Obama went out of his way NOT to say Palmer, because, well, you know, he may have been worried about how picking a young, black television president would have played out to white real-life voters.

Truth be told, I want my president to care about issues facing the residents of American inner cities I don’t care what color the skin is or what political party he or she identifies with and that really resonates for me with McCain’s mention of “The Wire.” But in actuality, Obama spent years of his life as a community organizer working with folks just like those featured on “The Wire.”

So I’m gonna stick with Obama in real life even though I would rather watch TV and go to the movies with John McCain.