Rock Solid

As bleak as things have been over the past few weeks, it's important to keep the sunshine over your shoulder. Like the news that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson currently leads Donald Trump in a very premature poll for possible presidential candidates in the 2020 election. What better metaphor for these times than having a professional wrestler turned film actor run for the highest office in the land. As a potential leader of the free world, there are plenty of things to recommend about Mister Rock.
First, he's an icon already. In the mode of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is excluded from this race because his career choices didn't allow him to choose being born in the United States. As it turned out, The Governator did not run California into the ground or turn it into a futuristic dystopia run by robot overlords.
This nearly happened when retired actor Ronald Reagan took office, but that's a matter for the history books to decide.
Speaking of history books, it might be worth returning to those thrilling days of yesteryear when Arnold ran for governor. This was the election that saw one hundred thirty-five candidates vying for the big chair in California, including Gary "Diff'rent Strokes" Coleman and porn actress Mary Carey. Say what you will about California politics, but we know how to put on a show. When the smoke cleared and the confetti was swept up, Maria Shriver's ex-husband had been elected, and a lot of the world scratched their collective heads at this outcome. By the time the Terminator won his second term, there was less collective head scratching. Maybe movie stars really can be politicians.
Like the Mayor of Carmel, California. Congressman Fred Dalton. Congressman Sonny sans Cher. Congressman Fred Iowa Gopher Grandy. And the list goes on, none perhaps as profoundly in this case as Jesse The Body Politic Ventura. Jesse didn't have time to bleed, because he was so busy being a movie star and a wrestler and governor of Minnesota. And hanging out with Hulk Hogan who wasn't a politician and Arnold Schwarzenegger who was.
The Rock has all of that mojo moving forward, but why anyone would give up their nine to five Hollywood gig for a 24/7 life of constant aggravation and stress? Couldn't be the paycheck. Maybe it's the car.