'State of the Union' shows that American politics are much the same as they were 60 years ago

CORVALLIS - It's that time again. Time to elect a new president of the United States, after what seems like the longest campaign season in history.

No matter who you are or what you stand for, there is a lot riding on this election.

But what is really different this time around?

Corvallis Community Theatre's play "State of the Union," playing at the Majestic Theatre through Nov. 2, allows the audience to examine some of the perennial forces at work in an election year.

The play, set in 1946 ahead of the 1948 election, illustrates the tug of war of influences from big business and unions over presidential hopeful Grant Matthews (Charles Skinner), while also playing up the persuasion of spouses, lovers and his own idealistic dreams.

The 1948 presidential campaign was one of the more interesting in history, according to the program notes. Not only were the two main parties quite divided, but two splinter groups ran their own candidates.

Henry Wallace, after being dropped as the vice-presidential candidate by Franklin Roosevelt and fired as Secretary of Commerce by Harry Truman, ran as the Progressive Party candidate, and Strom Thurmond carried four states as a candidate for the Dixiecrats.

After the defeats of Alfred Landon in '36, Willkie in '40 and Dewey in '44, the Republicans were desperate for a win.

In addition, America had just been through the Great Depression and World War II. Walter Lippmann had just popularized the phrase "Cold War" and the labor movement was gaining strength.

"If I have anything to offer, it's to change the face of political campaigns," Grant says in the play.

Director Doug Jacobs expects that it will all sound a bit too familiar to audience members.

"It's kind of ironic that that was the theme in '46," Jacobs said.

"When the play was written it was written in real time," said Jacobs. "I'm kind of surprised they got away with it."

Some other theater groups have done updates to the script - inserting the names of modern-day politicians throughout. At first, Jacobs considered doing the same, but he quickly changed his mind.

"The more I read it the more I think it's important for people to see that things haven't changed. It's the same themes," Jacobs said.

The storyline has parallels to the relationship of former President Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton, as well as pretty much all the presidential contests within memory including the current one between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain.

The plot is complete with whisper campaigns and under-the-table campaign contributions.

The political dialogue is also eerily similar to today's.

"I'm worried about what's happening in this country, people are splitting apart," Grant's wife, Mary, says at one point. She adds later, "When the war was on we were a united country. Now, we're just fighting each other."

And lest we think we are alone in history in our economic struggles, environmental uncertainty and international entanglements, the play reminds us that things were no different in 1946.

"The American people are facing problems today that will affect the future of the entire world," Grant says while practicing for one speech.

"This is just too close to reality," Jacobs said. "I hoped it would challenge people to think about how we make candidates."

At the heart of "State of the Union" is also an exploration of the tangled love triangle between Grant and Mary and Kay, a powerful newspaper publisher who helps convince him to run for president.

Both of the female leads are incredibly shrewd characters in the play, frequently voicing their displeasure with the roles they are forced into for the sake of the campaign.

"The American people like to think of a married candidate as 'happily married,' " explains James Conover (Michael Wood) to Grant while telling why he needs to be seen with his wife at campaign events.

At one point, newspaper reporter Spike McManus (John Carone), who delivers much of the play's comedic observations, sums Grant's political and personal dilemmas quite well:

"Politics makes strange bedfellows," he says.

Check it out

"State of the Union," Corvallis Community Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 30-Nov.1, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, Majestic Theatre, 115 S.W. Second St., Corvallis. Admission: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the box office or WineStyles. Information: 738-7469 or www.corvalliscommunitytheatre.org.

Cast notes

Play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse

Directed by Doug Jacobs

James Conover ………Michael Wood

Spike MacManus ……. John Carone

Kay Thorndyke ……. Katherine Otten

Grant Matthews …. Charles Skinner

Norah, Bellhop ….. Kaitlin Fitzgerald

Mary Matthews ………… Karen Berg

Mr. Solly ……………….. Leo de Vogel

Mr. Mack ………………….. Josh Foss

Sam Parrish ………….. Roger Oakes

Swenson …………… Bob Greenwade

Judge Alexander …………. Bill Maier

Lulubelle Alexander … Cindy Bridges

Jenny ……………….. Madeline Rubin

Mrs. Draper ……. Kathleen McAteer

William Hardy …………. Tom Bridges