NPR

How A Fake Candidate Blended Fact And Fiction On The Campaign Trail, 30 Years Ago

During the 1988 election, HBO series Tanner '88 followed fictitious candidate Jack Tanner, played by Michael Murphy. He reflects on how as entertainment and politics have grown even more intertwined.
Actor Michael Murphy played the fictitious presidential candidate Jack Tanner on the 1988 miniseries <em>Tanner '88</em>.

In 1988, a man named Jack Tanner was among the candidates vying to become the next president.

Maybe you remember him. He was seeking the Democratic nomination in a field that included Jesse Jackson and Al Gore.

But you'd be forgiven if you don't recall the name — since Jack Tanner wasn't real.

The campaign was an act, the premise of an HBO miniseries

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