TVSquad

The network that brought you a movie based on the 2000 Presidential Election and would have brought you a movie based on the 2004 Presidential Election had it been more interesting is bringing you another one.

Variety reports that HBO Films has optioned the rights to a book based on the events of the 2008 Presidential Election for another made-for-TV movie. The book, "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime," written by political writers Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, will be released later this year.

So will the movie, written by Blood Diamond screenwriter Charles Leavitt, be fair and balanced? Will it give both sides equal time? I honestly could not care less. As long as it pisses off the Elizabeth Hasselbecks and Joy Behars of the world, that's fine with me.

Besides, all this talk of political equality and fair time is taking time away from a more important debate, at least for this blog. Who will play the principal characters?

I'd like to suggest the following casting choices ...

Barack Obama/Harry J. Lennix - The Dollhouse star may not be as obvious a choice as Will Smith, but that doesn't mean it would not be a damn good one. Lennix has a stoic quality to his acting style that would make for a good on-camera Barack Obama and a wide range for those un-photo op moments behind the scenes. He also has experience playing a president for HBO's Little Britain USA, so his name is probably already in the running.

Joe Biden/Christopher Plummer - This Canadian born actor has a long resume of talent that ranges from important, award-winning roles in Broadway productions of Inherit the Wind and important films like The Insider and A Beautiful Mind to pop-culture junkie faves like 12 Monkeys and the Star Trek: Klingon Academy video game. Hell, being able to play a pitbullish Klingon captain is more than enough experience to play Obama's running mate, or Dick Cheney for that matter.

John McCain/Robert Duvall - Mrs. John McCain made the same casting suggestion, and we couldn't agree with her more. The legendary actor could bring a wealth of experience since he played former military man and President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Ike miniseries. He'd also bring a certain grace and humility to the character, which is more than McCain could bring to his own campaign. The only question is if he would accept the role since he's publicly backed Rudy Guiliani and stated that he wanted to keep Obama out of the White House. Maybe if they tweaked the ending a bit so that McCain not only wins but gets to parachute into the White House, then he might accept the role.

Sarah Palin/Tina Fey - I really didn't want to finger Fey as the single best person to play the Alaskian hockey mom because it's the most obvious choice for a role since casting directors picked Courtney Love to play a loudmouthed junkie in The People vs. Larry Flynt. But let's face it, Palin was so zany and cartoony during the campaign that an equally cartoony impersonation seemed more like a portrayal than a punchline.