While I'm not a huge fan of Clinton, I voted for her in 2016 (even canvassed for her at one point) and had a genuine interest in this documentary. One of the most common complaints about Clinton is her extremely private persona. This documentary really pulled back the curtain and gave viewers an intimate look at her life.
She does a good job addressing what went well during the campaign while owning up to her mistakes. One has to recognize that she is human, and just like every other politician, she misspeaks from time to time. Her "basket of deplorables" and "coal miners" comments were heavily scrutinized by the media, and I like to believe that her sex may have played a role in the backlash. Obama, Bush, and Bill Clinton had all made gaffes during their presidencies. Yet (with the possible exception of Bush), these were largely swept under the rug.
It's also important to note that despite the typical portrayal of her as a hawkish centrist, Clinton was, in fact, one of the most liberal senators in Congress. She was also a key proponent of the CHIP program, and who can forget "Hillarycare?" If we overlook those facets of her political career, then we fail to see the whole picture.
Still, there were aspects of her personality I found off-putting. Her dismissive attitude towards Bernie Sanders was one of them. As someone who supported him during the primaries, her characterization of him and his supporters only fanned the flames of some of my anti-Clinton sentiments. Yes, I acknowledge that the "Bernie Bros" were a real thing and could be quite obnoxious in person and on social media. But what about the "Obama Boys" back in 2008? Why is it that Clinton cozied up with Obama when she couldn't do the same with Sanders? He stumped for her way more than she did for Obama. Yet, to her, Bernie's campaign was a laughable joke. While it is true that she accomplished far more in Congress than he did, Sanders appeared to have much purer intentions throughout his campaign. He needed to call her out on her paid Goldman Sachs speeches and support for the Iraq War. He tapped into the sense of angst among blue-collar voters in ways that she could not. His brand of populism was, frankly, much more energizing. Where Sanders appeared to be a man for all people, she cultivated an elitist "DC insider" image. There must have been some beef between them that we'll never know about.
I can confidently say that Clinton would've made a better president than Trump. She had the intelligence, experience, and temperament for the job. She respected our democratic institutions in ways that he did not. Her campaign was also not a complete flop (she did win the popular vote, after all). Whether you love her, hate her, or are somewhere in the middle (like me), this documentary is an excellent analysis of one of the biggest "what if" moments in our nation's history.
She does a good job addressing what went well during the campaign while owning up to her mistakes. One has to recognize that she is human, and just like every other politician, she misspeaks from time to time. Her "basket of deplorables" and "coal miners" comments were heavily scrutinized by the media, and I like to believe that her sex may have played a role in the backlash. Obama, Bush, and Bill Clinton had all made gaffes during their presidencies. Yet (with the possible exception of Bush), these were largely swept under the rug.
It's also important to note that despite the typical portrayal of her as a hawkish centrist, Clinton was, in fact, one of the most liberal senators in Congress. She was also a key proponent of the CHIP program, and who can forget "Hillarycare?" If we overlook those facets of her political career, then we fail to see the whole picture.
Still, there were aspects of her personality I found off-putting. Her dismissive attitude towards Bernie Sanders was one of them. As someone who supported him during the primaries, her characterization of him and his supporters only fanned the flames of some of my anti-Clinton sentiments. Yes, I acknowledge that the "Bernie Bros" were a real thing and could be quite obnoxious in person and on social media. But what about the "Obama Boys" back in 2008? Why is it that Clinton cozied up with Obama when she couldn't do the same with Sanders? He stumped for her way more than she did for Obama. Yet, to her, Bernie's campaign was a laughable joke. While it is true that she accomplished far more in Congress than he did, Sanders appeared to have much purer intentions throughout his campaign. He needed to call her out on her paid Goldman Sachs speeches and support for the Iraq War. He tapped into the sense of angst among blue-collar voters in ways that she could not. His brand of populism was, frankly, much more energizing. Where Sanders appeared to be a man for all people, she cultivated an elitist "DC insider" image. There must have been some beef between them that we'll never know about.
I can confidently say that Clinton would've made a better president than Trump. She had the intelligence, experience, and temperament for the job. She respected our democratic institutions in ways that he did not. Her campaign was also not a complete flop (she did win the popular vote, after all). Whether you love her, hate her, or are somewhere in the middle (like me), this documentary is an excellent analysis of one of the biggest "what if" moments in our nation's history.