AHC: Not so much snarl, Julius, not Karl

[Dan]

Following this quote in Polchat

Honestly, Zelenskyy's leadership is making me wonder if Groucho Marx might've done well as POTUS in World War II.

I skimmed Marx's Wiki page and found this quote from Irving Berlin

The world would not be in such a snarl, had Marx been Groucho instead of Karl

I do not, and will not claim to be an expert on any of the Marx's lives, although I do enjoy their films, so here's the challenge, with a POD that still includes the making of Duck Soup in it's original spirit, and with plausibility in mind, have Julius H "Groucho" Marx elected President of the United States in November 1940 and serve at least one full term.

 

[Comte de Geneve]

I refuse to call anything theoretically possible ASB; but I cannot imagine any POD that includes Duck Soup ("If you think this country's bad off now, just wait until I get through with it") in which anyone of Jewish ethnic origin (AFIK Groucho was not practicing) could be elected POTUS, let alone a Jewish comedian. Any prior POD that would allow for such an election on 1940 would most certainly butterfly away the Marx brothers as we know them.

 

[Dan]

An idea popping around in my head. Simon Marx, (father and manager), moves to America but instead of keeping the name Marx, changes it to Marks, could that help?

 

[Dan]

I refuse to call anything theoretically possible ASB; but I cannot imagine any POD that includes Duck Soup ("If you think this country's bad off now, just wait until I get through with it") in which anyone of Jewish ethnic origin (AFIK Groucho was not practicing) could be elected POTUS, let alone a Jewish comedian. Any prior POD that would allow for such an election on 1940 would most certainly butterfly away the Marx brothers as we know them.

I'm thinking Duck Soup in spirit rather than exactly as it was. So while the lines may be pithy, they're less likely to be as self deprecating as those were.

 

[Comte de Geneve]

Marks or Marx, to most WASP Americans of that time Jewish is Jewish. And sorry Dan, 'Duck Soup' in spirit ain't the real Duck Soup that we know and treasure. And without his rare blend of braggadocio and self-depreciation Groucho ain't Groucho.

 

[raharris1973]

Give him more time - Duck Soup (1933) to 1940 is way too soon.

Now if you give him from Duck Soup (1933) until 1960, 64. 68, or 72 - that's another story.

Unfortunately, the timing could never be made to work to have this "ideologically compatible" US-UK summit: