Our Brand is Crisis is one of my favorite political documentaries and I've thought back to it often during the Democratic Primary. It follows James Carville's political consulting firm to Bolivia where they run the campaign of the centrist, pro-free trade former President attempting to come back to power. The director had outstanding access to strategy sessions and conversations that would be kept private in a U.S. Presidential campaign.
The title of the movie refers to the campaign's central message. They exploited the threat of crisis and voter fears to build support for a known, experienced leader people were comfortable with. When the movie was released in '06 some reviewers drew parallels to Bush's re-election campaign. I've noticed Hillary Clinton doing things throughout the primary that reminded me of scenes in the movie and none more obvious than her new ad that features images of Osama Bin Laden, war explosions, the Great Depression, Hurricane Katrina, oil shortages and other crises.
Clinton is essentially running the same campaign strategy seen in this documentary. In some ways, its easier to realize that you're being manipulated when you see the same thing happen to someone else first.
Studying our relations with Latin American is an excellent way to learn about the true priorities of U.S. leaders because it's the region where our government has the greatest leeway to exert its influence. The movie delves into how the effects of free trade agreements are viewed in other nations and how Bush's unpopularity can change a foreign election. After watching this movie I had new insights into both our own elections and the role the U.S. plays in Latin America. Plus, its entertaining to watch.
Our Brand is Crisis will be shown at the next Liberty Brew & View, Tuesday, May 20, 7:00pm at Capital City Bar & Grill, 3149 S. Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield. If you can't make it to this viewing then I strongly recommend you watch it on your own if you want to really understand what's happening this election year.