In what is likely to be my sole bit of Harry Potter geekery ever and inspired by James Joyner, I’m going to challenge you with a little game. Imagine that the presidential aspirants, Democratic and Republican, are young wizards and that you’re the Sorting Hat. To which Hogswart’s house would you assign each candidate? Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this game or, indeed, the Hogwarts houses are about friends and enemies, heroes and viillains. Not all snakes are bad; not all lions are good. This is not about who you like or dislike but about essential character. All presidential aspirants are ambitious. Does that mean that their essential character would cause them to be assigned to Slytherin? I don’t think so.
Some candidates are easy; some are very hard.
I’ll kick things off by proposing a few assignments. I think Hillary Clinton is hard to puzzle out and her assignment depends entirely on whether you believe her primary driving impulse is ambition or policy wonkery or some other motivation. I’m going to be charitable and assert wonkery. That means I’d assign her to Ravenclaw.
John McCain is easy. Gryffindor. Definitely.
I think John Edwards is Gryffindor, too.
Rudy Giuliani is tougher. I’m tempted to assign him to Slytherin but I haven’t made up my mind yet.
Whaddaya think?
Slytherin is about the importance of blood (family), so Hillary would best be assigned there. Or more accurately, if she loses it will be because she is seen as more aristocratic and overbearing.
Otherwise, the caricatures are that the Republicans favor courageous action and the Democrats favor more thoughtful, intellectual approaches. Thus, I would assign McCain, Giuliani, and Thompson to Gryffindor and Obama, Richardson (and maybe a successful Hillary) to Ravenclaw.
The third tier are Hufflepuff because everybody should get a shot.
OK, I’m all in. But I’m only going for the candidates I can name without having to look them up. First, the rubric: I’ve always seen Slytherin about exclusiveness and ambition in somewhat equal mix, with a little sycophancy thrown in; Gryffindor is about having the courage of your convictions; Ravenclaw is about intellectualism; Hufflepuff is about inclusiveness. In a very real sense, the opposite of Gryffindor is not Slytherin, but Ravenclaw: acting/practical vs. planning/theoretical. And the opposite of Slytherin is Hufflepuff: exclusivity vs. inclusivity.
Republicans
Fred Thompson: Gryffindor, mostly, with some Ravenclaw elements
Giuliani: Slytherin – entirely calculating about his own best interests
McCain: Slytherin – no other house could have done McCain-Feingold
Romney: Hufflepuff – he seems to be all about being everyone’s friend
Ron Paul: Ravenclaw – all theory; no thought to consequences
Democrats
Clinton: Slytherin – entirely self-interested in everything she does
Obama: Ravenclaw – very, very wonky
Edwards: probably Slytherin, possibly Hufflepuff
Richardson: probably Gryffindor
Easy, this one. All for Slytherin – along with 99.99% of all known politicians. And absolutely all lawyers with no exceptions.
Of recent national leaders I can only think of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan who ought to be elsewhere – both into Gryffindor.