By Jenny Jedeikin

IF I COULD JUST GET TO the president," stammers Ted Danson's character while standing outside the White House gates in the actor's latest project, Thanks of a Grateful Nation. Ironically, the congressional aide Danson portrays in this film about the devastation caused by an alleged government cover-up of Gulf War Syndrome would stand to gain a lot if he were in Ted Danson's shoes. Because Danson can get to the President; he and wife Mary Steenburgen are close friends of the Clintons.

But, as this celebrated FOB explains over coffee, he doesn't press his political agenda on the commander in chief. Danson's just too nice. "Whenever I see him, I'm with Mary and it's social," says the politically active actor. "So, it's family; I don't raise my agenda. If he raises it, then I talk about it; otherwise, I don't. That would be unfair."

The former Cheers barkeep's sense of fair play with the leader of the free world is admirable, considering the long list of environmental causes he's taken on, including heading the American Oceans Campaign. Danson even drove an electric car to this interview.

And it's that sensibility that led him to this fact-based Showtime project, which costars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Dennehy, Steven Weber and Marg Helgenberger and was written by China Beach's five-time Emmy-nominated scriptwriter, John Sacret Young. Danson portrays congressional aide Jim Tuite, the first Washington insider to take up the cause of the thousands of Gulf war vets afflicted with toxicity-related illnesses. "When you read the script, there's a tremendous sense of, 'Hey, that's not fair,'" says Danson. "You don't get to go send people off to kill for you, come back, have a parade and then forget about them. If they have even a runny nose, you should be figuring out what to do for them."

But despite appearances, Danson isn't only interested in playing champions of good. The star of Three Men and a Baby, Made in America and Getting Even with Dad has recently discovered his darker side and has made a point to accept smaller roles highlighting just that in upcoming features, including Jerry &Tom and Mumford. "I'm 50, and I kind of feel like I've earned the right not to have to be nice," he explains.

Unfortunately, nice guy or not, Danson recently discovered that turning 50 comes with other not-so-nice stuff. He winces as he recalls a recent incident in a video store. "I hand the cashier my credit card, which says 'Edward Bridge Danson,'" he says, "and he looks at it and goes, 'Oh, you must be Ted Danson's father.' At which point you can't go, 'No, I'm Ted Danson.' You just meekly go, 'Yes, yes, I am.' But it was perfect. I am my father, you know. It was absolutely a little present from God. That ironic little devil."

'Thanks of a Grateful Nation' premieres Sunday, May 31, at 8 p.m. ET on SHO.