Sumith Prasad
In Netflix’s drama series ‘A Man in Full,’ Charlie Croker gets entangled in a political battle when he sets out to save his business empire from foreclosure. To rescue himself from the predicament, he seeks the support of fellow businessman Herb Richman, whose liberal Democratic values differ from Croker’s lifestyle and notions. Even though the real estate mogul is not described explicitly as a Republican, the political binary in the country and his resemblance to renowned GOP figures are unignorable and intriguing enough to dive into his affiliations. Such an exploration also helps us better understand the protagonist of Tom Wolfe’s second novel, the show’s source text! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Charlie Croker’s Mysterious Political Affiliations
On the surface, Charlie Croker has no political affiliations. As a former football teammate, he bonds with conservative mayoral candidate Norman Bagovitch. However, when he realizes that Wes Jordan’s modern principles can save him from his fall, he turns against his friend and forms a partnership with the liberal. Therefore, Croker’s first and foremost commitment is to his company and his survival in the business realm of Atlanta. Any political preferences he secretly has will only come next to the same. Having said that, Croker can be paralleled with several Republican figures, starting with Donald Trump.
One of Croker’s beloved assets in the series and the novel is the Croker Concourse. “[Croker] has built in a suburb of Atlanta, a fairly distant one, Cherokee County, a huge complex — malls, hotels, office buildings, and a great office tower. And the whole place is called ‘Croker Concourse.’ No other developer, and I think I’m right on this, has ever been so vain as to name a building after himself,” Wolfe told Charlie Rose. “In New York, this has happened in one case I can think of, but not in Atlanta,” the author added, referring to Trump Tower, the 58-story Manhattan skyscraper that is named after the 19th Republican president of the country.
Through the POV of Roger White, Croker’s attorney, the real estate mogul is portrayed as a conservative businessman whose actions are rooted in individual achievement, a significant feature of Republican economic policies. Croker’s determination to go to any lengths to ensure his victory in business, depicted through his war against PlannersBanc officials such as Raymond Peepgrass and Harry Zale, further makes him appear a Republican businessman. The prominence of the Republican Party in the field of commerce can be understood through Croker’s pursuit of his individual achievement.
Croker’s approach towards animals is another way to understand him politically. According to a feature by The Washington Post, “political conservatives and more religious Americans were less likely to support animal rights,” which includes the real estate mogul, who is not an admirer and follower of PETA. That is why he invites his two Democratic guests to see the mating of two of his horses, only for them to consider the same as rape and run away. The businessman’s conservative approach towards animals and birds extends to growing quails to shoot them down and battling rattlesnakes. These traditional notions are often associated with the Republican Party.
Since 1964, Georgia has sided with the Republicans more than it favored the Democrats. Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden are the only presidents in the last six decades who managed to win the state’s heart. This preference for the GOP is evident in Croker’s actions and lifestyle, even though he doesn’t explicitly display the same in the drama series.
Read More: A Man in Full: Is Wes Jordan Inspired by an Actual Atlanta Mayor?
