The Conservative Critic
New Hunger Games and Trump Veep: May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor
Acclaimed author of the beloved Hunger Games book series, Suzanne Collins, announced that there will be a fifth installment to the series, Sunrise on the Reaping, coming out in 2025. The studio behind the films also announced a companion movie adaptation will be released the same year. The book will be about Haymitch Abernathy and his appearance in the Hunger Games 40 years before the events of the first book. The fans rejoice!
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has a rumored shortlist of running mate contenders circulating. The fans rejoice!
The Hunger Games franchise is known for its spot-on political commentary particularly on the issue of propaganda and media control. Of course, both sides think the evil people in the book are about the other side but only leftists are wrong.
So in the spirit of combining exciting news and political themes: Which Hunger Games character best suits Trump’s veep shortlist?
Disclaimer: A lot of characters in the Hunger Games die. I am not suggesting any of the people on this list will or should die. Don’t be a literal bore.
Ben Carson is Rue
Quiet. Loyal. Principled. Survivor. Both Ben Carson and Rue are brilliant competitors who don’t make the obvious choice for allies but end up being perhaps the most powerful choice long term. Both from humble beginnings, Rue and Ben should not be underestimated. Also if anyone can silently climb trees and spy on people from above, it’s Ben Carson.
Marco Rubio is Peeta
Short kings. Marco and Peeta both have boyish good looks and an affinity for winning our hearts even when we aren’t totally sure we’re all on the same page. Kind of close to the establishment rulers (Peeta was the Mayor’s son) but capable of proving loyalty. If anyone would do the bare minimum of throwing bread at a starving girl in the rain, it’s lil’ Marco. Ru-BAE-o!
Doug Burgum is Fox Face Girl
Both pretty forgettable but not to be counted out. Fox Face Girl is nameless and everyone forgot she was alive until the very end of the story. Burgum shares some of this spirit. Seemingly out of nowhere, but surging as the competition is closing is. Maybe there is something to be said for laying low until the final pass. Plus, he kind of does have a fox face.
Tim Scott is Effie Trinket
Something Effie Trinket and Tim Scott both know well is how to play the darn game. Effie lived in good favor with the ruling class while maintaining a level of loyalty to her tributes and the cause of the districts which earned her forgiveness and favor with the latter. Scott is well liked by the establishment and knows how to walk a fine line. But it doesn’t mean he isn’t a valuable and important member of anyone’s team. If someone is smart while loyal to their own ambition, that instinct of self-preservation can actually come in handy.
Byron Donalds is Gale
Gale and Byron are both firebrands. They’re not afraid to say it like they mean it and take the consequences as they come. They’re loyal to causes and people and have the capacity to really usher in change. Their biggest weakness is perhaps their lack of callus calculation. Men of heart!
Elise Stefanik is Cressida
Elise and Cressida both know that propaganda goes both ways. Being on message is part of winning. She knows it’s not about sacrificing principles, it’s about making sure the people understand what the principles are. Also Cressida kept her cool even in war zones with her friends dying all around her. Elise was pregnant while in Congress which is exactly the same thing.
Tom Cotton is Plutarch
Tom and Plutarch know how the Capitol works and they both have an affinity for war. Plutarch is on the side of the districts but he backs the wrong horse and there’s a sense that his loyalty is much more to a cause than any given person. Not unlike Tom which is maybe not so wrong. Like Plutarch, Tom has friends in the elite and established ruling class but those friends can really come in handy when the time comes.
J.D. Vance is Finnick
The most obvious choice for primary ally, both Finnick and J.D. are strong competitors with a background of winning. They can be hard to trust because they know how to use their natural charm and appeal so well, but at the end of the day they have their own reason for being in the games. Ultimately both Finnick and J.D. know how to make it to the finish.
