A Noted Connection

Usually for the Wednesday feature, we like to write about something related to one of the combatants for that week. Some weeks, we get lucky and we're able to connect both combatants somehow. Last week, since Truman ushered in the Atomic age and Jack Ryan survived a nuclear blast, we looked at the use of nuclear weapons in movies. Early last year when James Dale from Mars Attacks fought Warren G. Harding, we took a look at the women in their lives who were possibly behind their suspicious deaths.

This week, there's one similarity between 24's David Palmer and Barack Obama this is pretty obvious.

And they actually share it with at least one other person mentioned prominently in our blog.

Both Palmer and Obama are the 44th President of the United States in their respective universes.

First, the point about Obama is easy to prove. He's the 44th President. There's really no other way to get around this fact. His predecessor was #43. The guy before him was #42. He's #44. It's that simple.

And don't talk to us about how George Washington wasn't the first President of the United States. We've already explained just how much of an idiotic claim that is.

Palmer's ordinal spot in the White House requires a bit more of an explanation. In the 24 universe, Bill Clinton left office in 2001, just like he did in real life. However, in 24, Clinton wasn't replaced by George W. Bush. Instead, Harry Barnes came after Clinton. And unlike in real life, that four-year period seemed relatively peaceful and without any major horrific incidents.

Barnes lost his re-election bid to David Palmer, which made him the 44th President; just like Obama.

But who else in our blog shares this similarity?

Fun fact: The first son was played by movie director Jason Reitman.

Ben Kingsley's Gary Nance was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in the 1993 film Dave. That means that his predecessor, William Harrison Mitchell, was the 44th President.

Trust us, he's the one on the left.

But we don't know if Mitchell would necessarily count as an Arena combatant, since his stand-in, Dave Kovic, actually did the fighting (and losing) on his behalf.

So, that's one thing Palmer and Obama have in common.

What? Was there another similarity that we're missing?

If you haven't voted in this week's Fight of the Forty-Fours, then vote and comment. Time is running out!