Dennis Haysbert – formerly “President David Palmer” on 24 – says that his role on the hit show may have given people positive mojo about a black president:

“If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American people,” said the actor, who has contributed $2,300 to the Illinois Democrat’s presidential campaign.

“And I mean the American people from across the board — from the poorest to the richest, every color and creed, every religious base — to prove the possibility there could be an African-American president, a female president, any type of president that puts the people first,” he said Tuesday.

To be fair, Haysbert’s “Palmer” had coherent policies, and didn’t change his statements from season to season episode to episode.  While “Palmer” was a Democrat, he was more of a Bill Richardson than a Jimmy Carter.

Now, Wayne Palmer…

Haysbert, who now stars on “The Unit” on CBS, made his comments to reporters during a teleconference call promoting the upcoming American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe.

Haysbert, who also played Nelson Mandela in the 2007 film “Goodbye Bafana,” said his role as President Palmer seemed to “confuse people” who would approach him on the street “every day, almost every hour, and ask me to run.”

“I still, even after three seasons into `The Unit’ playing Sgt. Maj. Jonas Blaine, I’m still asked by people on the street to run,” he said.

Now, Sergeant Major Blaine I’d vote for.