Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
For many authors, historians and political scientists, the HBO hit show "Game of Thrones" raises issues that overlap with today's most combustible political debates. Some of the characters, they say, even have modern parallels. Click through the gallery to see some of these examples -- though please keep in mind this is a comparison of personality traits, not a suggestion that any of these real-life figures should meet the same fate as their fictional counterparts.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Tywin Lannister / Dick Cheney: Tywin isn't king, but few doubt the cunning operator is the real power behind the iron throne. As "the hand of the king," he is willing to do anything to protect his family's power. Cheney never rode a horse in battle, but the former vice president had a reputation as a cold, backstage operator willing to use morally questionable methods -- torture or "enhanced interrogation techniques" -- to protect his realm.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish / Vladimir Putin: If Baelish could see Putin's deft maneuvering in Ukraine, he might smile in recognition of a kindred spirit in action. The diabolical adviser to the king is a master of using soft and hard power -- violence, appeals to honor, economic leverage -- to achieve results. Putin seized control of parts of Ukraine by taking advantage of the country's unrest. Both understand, as Baelish says, that chaos "is a ladder" to power.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Tyrion Lannister / Jon Stewart: Both are the court jesters of their time. They are outsiders whose savage wit and bawdy sense of humor conceal a first-rate mind and a willingness to use their verbal combat skills to take on some of the most powerful people and institutions of their day. Tyrion, the so-called "dwarf" on "Game of Thones," would have made a great late-night host.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Daenerys Targaryen / George W. Bush: Both are children of rulers and members of political dynasties. And both led armies into desert countries — battles they billed as wars of liberation but that turned out to be more complex than they imagined. And both wars hinged on weapons of mass destruction: Bush looked in vain for them, while Daenerys deployed her dragons to seize power.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Stannis Baratheon / Honey Badger: The show is filled with foul, charismatic and clever characters, but Stannis is singular in his drab, relentless thirst for power. The dour, wanna-be king has the "personality of a lobster," but few can match his pugnaciousness. He's even willing to battle his brother and embrace religious fundamentalism to get the iron throne. Like Honey Badger, that squat, unstoppable predator made famous by a viral video, Stannis "don't give a s***."
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Jon Snow / Al Gore: Snow, the bastard son of one of the show's most honorable characters, has better hair than Gore, but both shared the same mission. Snow is trying to warn his countrymen an environmental apocalypse is approaching; Gore tried to do the same with "An Inconvenient Truth." His global warming message is still disputed by conservative media and many Americans. Their response: "You know nothing, Al Gore."
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Arya Stark / Miley Ray Cyrus: Both are daughters of famous dads and take pleasure in subverting expectations placed on them. Arya was never going to be a dainty princess, and neither is Miley. No one it seems can tame their ferocious independence or willingness to cross boundaries. Some "Game of Thrones" fans wonder if Arya will simply lose control. Many of Miley's fans have the same question.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Eddard Stark / Jimmy Carter: Lord Stark never wore a cardigan sweater while addressing his countrymen, but isn't there a little bit of Carter in him? Both were leaders widely respected for their honesty and innate decency -- and they were chewed up by the political machinery around them because some said they were too nice.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Robert Baratheon / Bill Clinton: Both are charismatic, natural leaders whose time in office was complicated by their inability to control their appetites. Both burdened their wives and country with salacious sex scandals. Good thing there was no TMZ around when Robert Baratheon sat on the iron throne.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Cersei Lannister / Hillary Clinton: OK, so no one is saying Hillary has committed any of the vicious and morally obscene acts linked to Cersei. But when you see the formidable, intelligent queen struggle to assert her will in a male-dominated world and clean up her husband's mess, one could see how Cersei could empathize with Hillary's challenges. Both are women who decided they would not stay home and bake cookies.
Who would sit on the iron throne today? —
Robb Stark / President Obama: Both are charismatic men who burst on the scene and never lost a battle in their campaigns for high office. Followers rallied around them, and enemies underestimated their ability to win. But both were stymied when they reached out to political opponents. Some say they believed too much in the good will of their enemies.
