Holiday Gift Ideas for Political Junkies

There is a seemingly endless market for gifts devoted to those interested in politics and political history, including books, calendars, apparel, and novelty items that are meant to both lighten the mood of political discourse and solidify partisan lines. However, those who are in the middle of the political spectrum or those who don't necessarily subscribe to one of the two major parties may want to receive less partisan and more thoughtful gifts over the holidays. There are plenty of books, movies, and games that can educate people on the political process, political history, and the realities of the American electoral process without resorting to partisan rhetoric. I have received several of these gifts over the past year or two and have also included items that are newer that I think would be great for political independents.

A slew of great DVDs make for great stocking stuffers and give great thought to American politics today. One of the best television shows of the last decade was The West Wing and their seventh and final season will be out on DVD in time for the Christmas shopping season. While the first six seasons deal almost exclusively with life in the White House, the seventh season is a unique look at the presidential campaign process, following Republican candidate Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) and Democratic candidate Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) as they take to the stump to win the White House. Available for $40 through most video retailers and sites like Amazon, The West Wing Season 7 will give political junkies plenty to think about and enjoy.

There are several other DVDs that would make great gifts for the politically interested this holiday season. The former HBO series K Street, featuring married political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin, is out on DVD for around $21. Its ability to toe the line between fact and fiction in Washington D.C., a place where both are used in equal parts to get the job done, excels in the fast paced filming style of Steven Soderbergh. As well, viewers get to see guest politicians like Rick Santorum and Howard Dean speak about the nature of politics in a frank manner that begs the question of why they don't do that on the campaign trail. The brutally honest manner of K Street can be found in a movie like The Party's Over , which shows the behind the scenes elements of politics that can be frustrating to the average voter. The Party's Over may be a tougher DVD to find, though going through Amazon or eBay a shopper should be able to find it. Philip Seymour Hoffman narrates this movie which shows his conversion from someone ignorant of politics to someone who ends up knowing far too much about the political process. This movie shows the contentious election of 2000 through the eyes of a political novice and it is a refreshing look for those who were immersed in the battle between Bush and Gore.

Movies and television shows sometimes don't do the trick when someone who is interested in politics wants to have fun. There are two excellent computer games devoted to the political process that have good replay ability and are reasonably priced. The political software designer 80Soft offers a particularly intriguing entry called President Forever, available by download for the low price of $12. President Forever allows a person to run the 2004 presidential campaign with the candidate they want (including about a dozen Democrats and three Republicans) and about the issues they want. A person can put out television ads, have party leaders campaign for them, and give stump speeches to crowds around the nation. The best feature of this game is that the base version comes with the option to play the 1960, 1980, and 1992 campaigns with the ability to download hundreds of alternative campaigns from the 80Soft website. In addition to the American presidential campaign, there are options for the British, Australian, and Canadian prime minister, the German chancellor, and the 2006 American midterm elections.

Another great political game is The Political Machine, which is available on Amazon or in major video game retailers for under $15. In The Political Machine, users can select a candidate in the 2004 presidential election, fund raise in certain state, and participate in interviews with thinly veiled parodies of broadcasters like Larry King and Wolf Blitzer. The advantage of this game for those who have more of a sense of humor about politics is that you can choose what you say in interviews from a long list of options, ranging from effete to draconian. While The Political Machine is more limited than President Forever in terms of playing different candidates during different elections, there are enough variables (such as getting endorsements and fund raising) to make this a good buy for political junkies. These two video games especially make for good last minute gifts because President Forever is entirely online and only needs a download and The Political Machine is relatively inexpensive.

One final gift for the political addict in your family is a CD called The Great Speeches of the 20th Century, available for $30 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. On this 4 disc, 68 track collection, listeners can enjoy speeches by most of the American presidents during the 20th century including rare sound bites from Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. As well, Great Speeches includes speeches by Winston Churchill, William Jennings Bryan, and Nikita Khruschev, giving a great insight into the history we usually only read about. This CD set is great for research, conversation, or just to hear how political rhetoric has evolved throughout the years. For anyone who considers themselves an aficionado of political history, Great Speeches should be a cornerstone of their home collection.