On Nov. 3, a day in which people exercised the right to vote in elections across the country, HBO presented a feature-length documentary about one of the most historic campaigns in political history.
Behind the Scenes on the Campaign Trail
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama chronicled the period in the life of the 44th American president from the days leading up to the announcement of his candidacy to the night of his inauguration. The documentary is obviously most appealing to people with an interest in politics and cameras take viewers behind the scenes at campaign headquarters and other sites, which provides a more detailed look at the campaign trail, bringing a new dimension to light, even for the dedicated follower of politics. Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, who lost the presidential election, but now serves as Secretary of State, are seen at the Iowa State Fair hobnobbing with possible voters and participating in food-related activities. The importance of Iowa to a candidate’s electability is apparent from even a cursory reading of political journalism, but the documentary is strongest when highlighting how crucial certain aspects and even individual moments are in an election.
It’s a potential for a political documentary with a running time of just under two hours to be off-putting to some as a dry, boring piece, but By the People does what great dramas do, which is fill the time with suspense, emotion and thrills. The documentary wisely focuses mostly on the Obama campaign, pausing briefly a few times to show Clinton’s bid, John McCain’s head-scratching decision to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate and a short look at some shockingly bigoted citizens who most likely didn’t vote for change.
Volunteers are Instrumental in the Campaign
Seeing the volunteers hard at work cold-calling residents to excite them about Obama’s campaign, or to see them out on the sidewalks with signs is to see young democracy in action and it is a sight to encourage people who think others don’t participate in the election process. What the country lacks the percentage of eligible voters who don’t cast a ballot, the young and enthusiastic supporters of the Obama campaign compensate with fervor.
To paraphrase a statement Obama made on the campaign trail, in order for one to pull themselves up from their own bootstraps, they need to have a pair of boots. One of the most prominently featured volunteers in the documentary is a young man named Ronnie Cho, who is an organizer in the important state of Iowa. Cho tells of being the first in his family to graduate from college and of his living in a car for two years of his life with other family members when he was younger.
The Republican party speaks much about “personal responsibility” while conveniently neglecting the cold fact which is not everyone has the same background. For every story of ascent from poverty to a successful career, such as Cho’s story of Sonia Sotomayor’s, there are untold numbers of people who never found their way out through no fault of their own. Cho, who cries effusively when he hears confirmation of Obama’s election, echoes the sentiment of many throughout the country on that night, who elected someone whose policies would not provide added protection to those with the means to help themselves, but to those who need it the most.
By the People is likely to stir emotions in anyone who believes in “By the People, for the People” and not “Whatever is best for business.”
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