The Candidate

The scene from the film "The Candidate" of 1972 that still tells you so much about US politics....it is the vast and growing gap between the entertainment culture campaigns we have now in which the campaign tries to turn the candidate into the "trend choice", the guy "everyone is voting for", and the reality of governing a nation that is hurtling apart ideologically. We all say we object to these kind of campaigns, but in the end we all want them so we can be "entertained."

Its time to crush the culture of video vanity that has built up since the early part of the 20th century and replace it with more substance...it is poisoning politics (this coming from an extremely vain person :) But it won't change, the image culture is too seductive, too easy, and we all want to be seduced, or do the seducing.

Anyway, this scene says it and more. It was true in 1972, it is exponentially more true today. By the way, its the very last scene of the movie before the credits roll. Notice the fawning crowd, adoring their "new leader." or Senator in this case. Redford played a liberal senate candidate from California in the 1972 or perhaps 1970 elections, its not specified during the film.