# Swing Vote (2008 film)

Swing Vote is a 2008 comedy-drama film about an entire U.S. presidential election determined by the vote of one man.
    Directed by Joshua Michael Stern. Written by Joshua Michael Stern and Jason Richman.

## Bud Johnson

* America needs someone who's bigger than their speeches.
* [reading a letter] "If this is one of the richest countries in the world, why is it so many of us can barely afford living here?"

## Molly Johnson

* Bud, if you blow this, I'm leaving.
* All the world's great civilizations have followed the same path. From bondage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy back to bondage. If we are to be the exception to history, then we must break the cycle, for those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
* Remember, Dad, no cussing.

## Other

* Radio Announcer: [first lines] After a hotly contested race Americans go to the polls today for what promises to be a very close election. The Republican incumbent Andrew Carrington is hoping to hold on to the Oval Office, taking on Democratic challenger...

## Dialogue

    Bud Johnson: You guys protect the President!
    Lewis: She's... she's smarter.
    Bud Johnson: I know exactly what you mean, Andy.
    President Andrew Boone: Do you?
    Bud Johnson: Maybe not...
    Bud Johnson: I'll call them back.
    Molly Johnson: If we had a phone, you could call them back.
    Bud Johnson: Did you save me any hot water?
    Molly Johnson: I don't know, did the water heater fix itself?
    Bud Johnson: What's that?
    Molly Johnson: Egg salad.
    Bud Johnson: Egg salad?
    Molly Johnson: You like egg salad.
    Bud Johnson: Yeah, but not every damn day I don't.
    Molly Johnson: We're on a budget.
    Bud Johnson: Well, you've got to stir it up a little.
    Molly Johnson: You want to eat better? Drink less beer.
    Kate Madison: [bowling] Remember when we were kids? This was the only thing to do on weekends.
    Bud Johnson: [laughs] It still is.
    President Andrew Boone: Do you like football?
    Bud Johnson: I'm an American, aren't I?
    Molly Johnson: I want to live with Mom.
    Bud Johnson: So do I.
    Bud Johnson: Jesus, Molly, you've got to quit being such a smartass all the time.
    Molly Johnson: And you have to stop using "Jesus" as a cussword all the time. He's a billion people's Saviour.
    Molly Johnson: Maybe I should tell them the truth.
    Bud Johnson: What're you talking about? Tell them what?
    Molly Johnson: That I was going to be the one to cast the vote.
    Molly Johnson: Don't forget today.
    Bud Johnson: Yeah, uh, what's today?
    Molly Johnson: Election Day, dummy. I'm supposed to do a report on your voting, remember?
    Bud Johnson: Well, I already told you before, I'm not even registered.
    Molly Johnson: I registered for you, in the mail.
    Bud Johnson: Well, that's great. I'll get jury duty now...
    Molly Johnson: It's your civic responsibility.
    Bud Johnson: My what?
    Molly Johnson: It's your civic responsibility.
    Bud Johnson: My civic responsibility, where are you learning this crap?
    Molly Johnson: Mrs. Abernathy.
    Bud Johnson: Yeah, well, stay away from her.
    Molly Johnson: She's my teacher.
    Bud Johnson: Ah.
    Molly Johnson: Sign this.
    Bud Johnson: What is it?
    Molly Johnson: A questionnaire. I'm supposed to ask you about your politics.
    Bud Johnson: Well, uh, go ahead...
    Molly Johnson: I already filled it in. I wanted you to sound smart.
    Kate Madison: The only question is who you voted for, and are you going to vote the same way?
    Bud Johnson: Remind me again, uh, who's running?
    President Andrew Boone: Sometimes you gotta figure out what you want in this life. Then you have to decide how much this *is* worth to you. Because they got to put it on your tombstone. It's your legacy. A measure of what you left behind.
    Bud Johnson: Are we, uh, are we still talking about the job?
    President Andrew Boone: Uh...
    Bud Johnson: The lobby business?
    President Andrew Boone: Right, forget that. It's not worth it.
    Kate Madison: Thanks, Bud. Why don't we get started with your opinion of gay marriage?
    Bud Johnson: Oh, shit, do we uh, do we have to?
    Kate Madison: So you're against it?
    Bud Johnson: I-- No, uh, I didn't say that.
    Kate Madison: Oh. Then what's your position?
    Bud Johnson: Well, I don't have a position, all right. To tell you the truth I didn't give a rat's ass about it. My dad always said whatever king does in his castle is his business, I guess the same can go for-- Ha, I guess the same can go for two queens.

## Tagline

* One ordinary guy is giving the candidates a reason to run.

## Cast

* Kevin Costner - Ernest "Bud" Johnson
* Madeline Carroll - Molly Johnson
* Paula Patton - Kate Madison
* Kelsey Grammer - President Andrew "Andy" Boone
* Dennis Hopper - Donald "Don" Greenleaf
* Nathan Lane - Arthur "Art" Crumb
* Stanley Tucci - Martin "Marty" Fox
* George Lopez - John Sweeney
* Judge Reinhold - Walter
* Chip Esten - Lewis
* Mare Winningham - Larissa Johnson
* Mark Moses - Attorney General Wyatt
* Nana Visitor - Galena Greenleaf
* Aaron Brown - Himself
* Campbell Brown - Herself
* Mary Hart - Herself
* Arianna Huffington - Herself
* James Carville - Himself
* Larry King - Himself
* Bill Maher - Himself
* Chris Matthews - Himself
* Willie Nelson - Himself
* Lawrence O'Donnell - Himself
* Richard Petty - Himself

## External links

* Swing Vote quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* Swing Vote at Allmovie