Has anyone here ever read

[SheilaT]

The Franchise by Isaac Asimov?

It's about a presidential election (I think it may actually be in 2004) in which polling has become so good that the election hinges on one person. The story is about the lead up to the election, and the speculation about who will be the one person polled.

I've long thought (ever since 1976) that it should be required reading every presidential election year.

[Mairead]

1. I don't know that I read that one, but I did read one with

the same premise--picking the person to represent the entire population. My foggy memory says the one I read was written in the '50s or '60s, and not by Azimov.

It's an awfully interesting and scary concept, though, isn't it.

[SheilaT]

2. I suspect you're thinking of the Asimov story.

I don't believe anyone else has ever done it. And yes, it was creepy the way the one person is selected to represent everyone. I'm constantly surprised that the story is not better known.

[Mairead]

3. You might well be right, Sheila--my memory of it isn't at all clear

I'm going to have to find a copy of the Asimov one and read it. Perhaps that'll make it clearer and if not it'll at least be a good read! (I just realised I misspelt Isaac's surname in my first response, oy!)

Edit: was it actually written by Asimov? Because when I grepped on 'The Franchise' all I find is a story in Asimov's SF Mag in 1993 by a John Kessel, and I know for sure that wasn't the one I read (because I stopped reading SF mags back in the '50s--I'm not keen on short stories)

[SheilaT]

4. Yes, it's definitely Asimov.

Somewhere floating around here I have an anthology of his which has the story in it. It's rarely been anthologized, although apparently, it was printed as a stand-alone kid's book at some point, which strikes me as quite bizarre. It's not a kid's book.

It was originally collected in Earth is Room Enough,1957. I think it's been in one or two other collections, but I'm disappointed that it's not better known. It should be, but unfortunately the story is very dated by this point. But it would make a good short movie, appropriately updated. Simply set it in about 2032 and it would work for today's audiences.

Oh, well.