'Candidate' is a new vote for mixing entertainment, politics

Just in time for this summer's political conventions, the cable network Showtime plans to unveil "American Candidate," a 10-episode reality series that will identify someone allegedly qualified to be president.

The unscripted series will be overseen by documentary filmmaker R. J. Cutler, who produced 1993's "The War Room," about Bill Clinton's presidential campaign. Applicants for the show will be asked to reveal their vision for the country. Per the Constitution, they must be at least 35 and have been born in the United States.

By May, the applicant pool will be narrowed to 12 finalists. Those candidates will then be given resources enabling them to create ads, hold political rallies and debates, and select running mates. Each week, one candidate will be eliminated after the group undergoes a specific challenge, until a winner is declared.

While a monetary prize has not been announced, the producers have suggested that the winner might have enough clout to endorse an actual candidate or, in a real twist on reality, run for the 2004 presidency.