The Politician
The Politician ’s Payton Hobart ( Ben Platt ) , an enterprising and ambitious teen was one of the most nuanced fictional booster to have total up in the last X . And a couple of decades before that , we had the politically - driven and quick - witted Tracy Flick ( Reese Witherspoon ) . Tracy was the protagonist of the 1999 movieElection , which is based on the Tom Perrotta novel of the same name .
Both Payton and Tracy want to become student body chairwoman of their respective schools and of form , envision a high up - powered Washington DC career way of life for themselves . But who ’d win the battle of wits if Payton and Tracy were to lead against each other ? Let ’s figure it out with an erstwhile fashioned prospect debate :
Payton is more intelligent: A Better Manipulator
Both presidential aspirants have very dissimilar strategies for win the great unwashed over , so it may not be a fair comparison . But Payton is clearly a more convincing prevaricator . One only needs to consider back to the scene where Payton is at Dusty and Infinity Jackson ’s home to convince the latter to be his running play mate ; he hump exactly how to initiate the topic to the money - grab Dusty so she could convert her grand - daughter to run with him and even offered them a cash loan .
For some reason , we know that if Tracy was in Payton ’s office she would have handled thing very differently with her peak first - bencher energy !
Tracy is The Smartest: Wins Against a Vengeful Teacher
Tracy ’s high school instructor Jim McAllister ’s ( Matthew Broderick ) pathetic and incompatible payback scheme against Tracy falls monotonous when at the end of the motion-picture show Tracy wins the election and Jim loses his job and end up as a tourist guidebook in New York City . But Tracy is a formidable opponent and the fact that she has a fully grown nemesis , netherworld - dead set on destroying her campaign does n’t halt her in her tracks , particularly since she thrives when challenged .
There ’s no telling how Payton would have fared against a resentful teacher who directs so much of his energy towards ending his campaign run ; truth be told , amid the two soph , Tracy is intelligibly less schmaltzy and more potential to succeed under pressure .
Payton Is More Intelligent: Way Better At Confrontations
recollect when Tracy confronted Paul Metzler about move against her ? It was not popular at all , considering how anyone can be given for confrontation ; throughoutElection , Tracy come across as a mortal who is very vocal about how she feels about her opponents . Interestingly , this make her a sapless politician , as she does not attempt to mask her true feelings .
Payton , on the other mitt , recognizes the significance of keeping his foe close and is superbly cautious even while dealing with someone like Astrid , who is scheming but clearly does n’t apportion Payton ’s passion for the presidency . If say , Payton and Tracy were work against each other , this would realize Payton a lot of political street cred .
Tracy is the Smartest: The Epitome of Over Preparedness
Across pop culture and real - life politics , the over - prepared female opponent has been contribute down by misogynous tirade ; Hilary Clinton ’s famed “ And you know what else I train for ? I prepared to be president , ” is something we can totally hear Tracy saying in her cause speech .
This is not just one of Tracey ’s strengths but also key to her eventual winner ; she is prepared to harness every challenge head - on . And while Payton is unbelievably awake and crafty , there are minute inThe Politicianwhen he is leave befuddled ; there are example in the show which may direct the viewers to think , ‘ you know who could solve this problem in a mo ? Tracy Flick ! ’
Payton Is More Intelligent: Dealing With Mediocrity
Both Tracy and Payton are exceeding political aspirants and a twosome of total Hermiones ; they are wired to survive in a cutthroat , unforgiving world . But they are still high schoolers , which entail they are surrounded by a raft of stereotypical run - off - the - mill teenaged elements ( not everyone can be expect to have read Saul Alinsky ’s way - breaking 1971 manualRules for radical , which sits pretty on Payton ’s shelf ) .
But Payton is visibly honorable at coming to terms with averageness of others , without being condescending or gibelike , which in reality advance his political agendas and makes him more relatable ; while Tracy , despite her good feat , sometimes gives in to her Slytherin - ish good sense of superiority .
Tracy Is The Smartest: Not Held Back By Emotions
Stepping over one ’s ex is almost compulsory if you have high up - vaporize political ambitions , but Payton and Tracy have very different problems to deal with . River ’s tragic death affects Payton deeply and leaves him visibly shaken . But Tracy handles a scandalous affair with her teacher highly well , and even after they are notice out and the teacher loses his line , none of it really affects Tracy ’s political ambition .
Payton , much like River , feels everything deeply , though he is very deft in hiding his true emotion in the typeface of crisis . On the other hand , Tracy ’s vigor , both emotional and intellectual , are very obviously directed towards one thing and one matter only : being chairman !
Payton Is More Intelligent: Good At Picking Friends
Payton ’s BFF squad will literally avail him embrace up a slaying ! His girlfriend Alice really tell Payton in the pilot episode that she will have his back even if he kills someone , plus even teaches him how to lie down through a polygraph trial . Payton ’s acquaintance are also his heavy support system , they do bring up some of his best personal and political trait .
Tracy has been quite unpopular , going by the universal feeling of her classmates . Now , plainly Payton does n’t have a revengeful , fully develop teacher pit - bent in countermine his intact campaign as Tracy does , but considering Jim ’s weird vendetta against her , Tracey could really use a admirer . Unlike Payton who relies upon his friends quite a set , Tracy works best when she ’s on her own , although a trusted cluster of allies could have made thing a lot easier for her .
Tracy is the Smartest: Doesn’t Let Class Bog her Down
Payton and Tracy have a huge class divide ; while Payton lives with his wealthy adopt mob and literally has a Valentino - clothe Gwyneth Paltrow as an adopted mother . Tracy make out from a low-down center class house and subsist with her individual mum , and there ’s an element of acerbity that ’s subtextually present in Witherspoon ’s portrayal .
She ’s patently not happy with the rich kid run against her , who ’s just rag on the fellow feeling wave , but she make the most of her situation and does not really allow her social identity come in the way of her dreams . There ’s no notification how politically - motor Payton would be if he had the same economic anxieties and had to go to a suburban New Jersey mellow school day .
Payton Is More Intelligent: Tracy is more likely to switch sides
At the end ofElection , Tracy charter up a job with a Republican Congressman , and that ’s not surprising . Considering her political ambitiousness , obviously , she is on the fast trail for a high - power political career . But knowing how much she likes to win , Tracy is more likely to exchange sides if it helped to succeed her more votes .
But Payton , though equally politically savvy , has a deeply - rooted consignment to his ideals , particularly those which help him win . And of course , he ’s more of a hoi polloi ’s person than Tracy is . He also knows that his drive to be relatable are not in vain , because they aid him connect .
Tracy Is The Smartest: More Detached Emotionally
The grounds why Payton ’s character made such a bass impact on fan of the show is because he ’s so emotionally evolved ; he has a peachy deal of emotional expanse , which score him a really complex anti - hoagy ( if we can call him that ) . Tracy is unsentimental , and can disassociate if motivation be .
This is what have her a more competent politician than Payton , who ’s almost too self - aware and scrupulous . “ I endeavor to do skillful things , correct ? But I ’m not a good person . That ’s my fault . I ’m ambitious . I am political . I ’m scheme , ” he say about himself . Tracy can pick out to leave her personal luggage aside , especially if it stand up in the way of her political ambition .
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