Program – I Miss Bill

Why do I miss Bill Clinton? The nineties weren’t all golden days. Even today, his campaigning has drawn some unneeded negative attention for Hillary. Watch these two movies, and remember when things could be simultaneously idealistic and cynical, when we could witness appeals to our better angels and then watch bare knuckles brawls – all from the same folks.
Under Mike Nichols’ direction and with Elaine May’s adaptation, “Primary Colors” captures the tension of a thoughtful and high-minded candidate who fights back hard and mean when he is attacked on his myriad foibles.



“The War Room” is a focused look at one part of Clinton’s 1992 campaign. Pennebaker and Hegedus give us their usual immersion and how it feels to be there. The real star is James Carville – not the cable news caricature he’s become today. Listen to Carville’s final day address to the troops and try not to be moved (or if you disliked Clinton, listen to it without thinking about what was to come).
Hillary Clinton is running for President. Even 16 years later, all this is probably too fresh for irrational Clinton fans or Clinton haters to look at without our own baggage. But, these two movies show the best and worst part of our electoral system, and how they’re necessarily entwined.