The Stainless Steel Rat for President

The Stainless Steel Rat for President is a novel in which Slippery Jim DiGriz and his family clean up the world of Paraiso-Aqui.[1]

After realizing that a planetary dictator is rigging elections, the rat decides to run to ouster him by running as a competing candidate. As his Vice President, he chooses a fair man who should have been president if not for the corruption. Since the entire media, military, and political establishment is on the side of the dictator, DiGriz has few tools at his disposal. He uses political judo on his opponent. After deliberately angering the dictator into creating a blowout political election, DiGriz conducts a live interview in a precinct where 100% of the vote went to the incumbent. He then asks each villager to publicly state who they voted for and they all say DeGriz. This is clear evidence that fraud was committed which forces a redo of the election with better balloting controls. After winning the fair election, DiGriz allows himself to be (fake) assassinated so that the Vice President can take over.[2]

Ken Ramstead reviewed The Stainless Steel Rat for President in Ares Magazine #17 and commented that "The Stainless Steel Rat for President is the product of a craftsman comfortable and satisfied with his work; Harrison has hit his stride with his latest effort, and his readers can hopefully look forward to more of the same."[1]

• Review by Jude Camillone (1982) in Fantasy Newsletter, #54 December 1982