Parker for President

Odyssey Middle School has landed the Millie Portmire grant, and the new student body president will help decide how the money is spent - so siblings Matthew and Olivia Parker both jump into the race. With Emily Jones managing "Matt" and mysterious new kid Morrie Rydell coaching Olivia, the friendly contest turns cutthroat: stolen ideas, raided voting blocs, and anonymous notes. At the live debate it all boils over, as brother and sister trade embarrassing secrets... right down to Matthew's stuffed giraffe, Mr. Snuggles. Then comes the shock: a secret write-in campaign has made Emily president, and no one knows who organized it. The Parkers apologize, Emily takes the job, and Morrie strolls away, quietly satisfied that things ended up just the way they should.

Found on Without a Hitch Album 61 · 6 episodes

The run See every episode

2 of 2 0796 The Boat People A radio story about a refugee family's harrowing escape from Vietnam forces Whit to confront a painful chapter of his own past.

0797 A Predicament of Biblical Proportions A new kid in Odyssey with a runaway imagination must decide whether to face his fears when Bring Your Bible to School Day makes him a target.

0798 A Forgiving Heart The grand opening of a new animal clinic in Odyssey is threatened when a bitter stranger from the veterinarian's past arrives, vowing to ruin her reputation just as he claims she once ruined his life.

0799 Where Your Treasure Is A girl who thinks memorizing Bible verses is a waste of time is sent on an interactive treasure hunt where the clues - and the tools to survive them - are Scripture itself.

0800 Un-Tech the Halls When Mom bans every screen for a day, the Parker family's tech-free Christmas tree hunt turns into an adventure none of their devices could have delivered.

0801 The Feud of Mason County A weary Whit's quiet fishing getaway takes a wrong turn when getting lost lands him in the middle of a generations-old backwoods feud between two clans warring over a lake.

0802 Parker for President When a school grant puts real power up for grabs, sibling rivals Matthew and Olivia Parker face off in a student election that grows messier than either of them bargained for.

0803 Old Tricks When Eugene lands a shot at his dream teaching job, Buck's eagerness to help pushes him back toward the old skills he was supposed to leave behind.

0804 The Key Suspect When every locker at school is found mysteriously open two mornings in a row with nothing stolen, middle-school detectives Emily Jones and Matthew Parker take on a taunting culprit who seems to be daring them to catch him.

1 of 2 0805 A Very Bassett Wedding With the wedding just two days away, a bride's carefully laid plans start unraveling in ways no coordinator could predict.

2 of 2 0806 A Very Bassett Wedding With the wedding two days away, a ruined dress, a missing engagement ring, and a sudden medical emergency send Wooton, his suspicious twin brother, and their friends scrambling to save Penny and Wooton's big day.

0807 Connie the Counselor When her scheming teenage half-sister shows up unannounced and a counseling class assignment forces her to practice therapy on a very reluctant Eugene, Connie discovers that helping people is a lot harder than the textbook makes it look.

0808 No Friend Like an Old Friend A chance encounter with a talkative stranger on the bus home forces Connie to see her frustration with her sister in a whole new light.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 2 more roles

2 supporting roles

Henry Vogler John Rubinow Mr. Redekop Bob Hoose

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Kathy Buchanan Writer Phil Lollar Director Nathan Jones Sound Designer Nathan Hoobler Producer Dave Arnold Executive Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 3 min

Odyssey Middle School is buzzing with news: the school has received the Millie Portmire grant, a generous sum of money that can be spent on any improvements the school board chooses. As Olivia Parker, her brother Matthew, Emily Jones, and Zoe Grant trade wishes for the money - a bigger theater, fresh paint, updated computers - a new student named Morrie Rydell stops to ask for directions, and Olivia kindly shows him the way. Soon after, Principal Vogler mentions that the student body president will have a voice in how the grant is used, and he encourages idea-filled Matthew to run in the upcoming election. Matthew doubts himself, but Emily promises to be his campaign manager, and he signs up - only to discover that Olivia has entered the race too.

That night, over milk and cookies with the filling nervously eaten out, Matthew admits his fears to Olivia. She insists leadership is mostly people skills, carelessly adding that most people like being told what to do, and admits that her brother would actually make a good president. Encouraged, Matthew stays in the race. Meanwhile Zoe, now the official election reporter, discovers that Morrie ran two landslide-winning campaigns at his old school overseas. Morrie claims he has retired from politics, and Zoe scoffs, "You're in middle school. At this point, it's just called quitting." Because Olivia has been kind to him, Morrie agrees to manage her campaign.

The rivalry heats up. Emily rebrands her candidate as friendly, relatable "Matt," while Morrie hands Olivia the slogan "Vote Olivia for a better tomorrow" and coaches her to win over the band members by promising them pep rallies and new uniforms. Olivia surges to a huge lead. When Zoe complains to Morrie that a lopsided race makes for boring news, he remarks that campaigns get attention when candidates stir up controversy - and things soon turn ugly. Trailing by forty points, Matthew wins over the drama club by presenting a theater-improvement plan, complete with lighting and sound equipment from the high school. Olivia is furious that he built on her idea, but Matthew shrugs, "It's not personal, Olivia. It's just politics." Olivia strikes back by courting Matthew's loyal computer club, repeating his own words to Morrie when he warns her against a vendetta. A mysterious note slipped into Emily's locker sends Matthew straight to the computer lab, where the siblings nearly come to verbal blows before Emily talks them into waiting for the official debate.

The debate, broadcast live with Zoe as moderator, is a disaster. Matthew quotes Olivia's insult about the athletic teams; Olivia quotes Matthew's late-night doubts about his own leadership; soon they are trading embarrassing secrets, from things Matthew said in his sleep to his stuffed giraffe, Mr. Snuggles, and even the zit on Olivia's forehead. Emily finally interrupts, scolds them both, and reminds everyone what a president should actually care about - better lunches, school community, and classes that prepare students for the future - while the candidates can only mumble their agreement.

When the votes are counted, Principal Vogler delivers a shock: neither Parker has won. After the dismal debate, someone secretly organized a write-in campaign by text and email, and Emily has received the most votes. No one knows who arranged it. Stunned, Emily hesitates, but Matthew and Olivia both urge her to take the job, and she accepts. Afterward the siblings apologize to each other, even though the whole school is now calling Matthew "Mr. Snuggles." Olivia apologizes to Morrie for promising him a classy campaign that turned ugly, but he takes it calmly, saying Emily will make a good president and that things ended up the way they should. As Morrie strolls off, Matthew and Olivia head home to break the news to their parents, who must now give up their dreams of the Oval Office - and of calling their bedroom Camp David.