OK, I’ll admit it. One of my favorite things in the world is to discover a new campaign documentary.
With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to share a handful of my personal favorites. I’ll give you my top three picks, plus a few others worth checking out.
#1 – Street Fight… City Councilman Corey Booker is running for mayor of Newark, NJ. It’s an uphill fight for Booker, the incumbent mayor Sharpe James has been in office forever. He’s so entrenched, he’s actually holding two positions at the same time. James serves as both mayor and a state senator, earning him over $250,000 in combined salary.
But Booker is undaunted, he takes his campaign to the people as a champion of city hall reform. He’s a Rhodes scholar, attended Yale and was a college athlete who upset an incumbent to win a spot on the council. He then moved into a dilapidated apartment in a housing project within his district.
Booker is ready for a fight.
Both candidates are African-American, but that doesn’t stop the mayor from playing the race card. Because Booker is light-skinned and well-educated, James is quoted as calling him a “faggot white boy” and suggests that he’s actually Jewish during an appearance on NBC’s Today.
As you’d expect, the mayor uses every public resource available to him, including the police, to harass and disrupt Booker’s insurgent campaign.
The film offers a fascinating look at a brutal and aggressive campaign in a modern urban setting. One hilarious moment comes early in the film when now-disgraced governor Jim McGreevey introduces James at a campaign event by chanting “Sharpe James is the real deal!” while doing a little dance. (Also, watch for a late cameo appearance by newly elected governor Chris Christie.)
Desson Thomson of The Washington Post called Street Fight “the best American political documentary since 1993’s The War Room.”
I disagree. I think it’s better than The War Room.
#2 – Last Man Standing… Variety calls this documentary “an intriguing ground-level look at Texas politics as a full-contact sport…a provocative pic!”
The film follows two campaigns simultaneously. The first is a battle for state representative between self-proclaimed “right-wing nut” incumbent Rick Green (R) and 24-year-old political newbie Patrick Rose (D). It’s a race built on bitter personal attacks and door-to-door campaigning.
It’s a highly entertaining film. Almost exactly the opposite of Street Fight, much of this campaign’s battles are fought at county fairs and involve new age non-denominational Christian churches. The incumbent is an absolute clown who, it’s discovered, was paid to appear in a series of goofy late night infomercial testimonials. There are definite shades of J.D. Hayworth.
The other contest is a polarizing race for governor that “pits Bush’s ascendant state Republican Party against a historic, multi-cultural Democratic ticket. So how did Texas, once a solidy Democratic ‘Johnson Country only a generation ago, become known for its dominating brand of Republicanism?”
Both races are interesting, and maybe it’s just because I grew up in an area that looks an awful lot like Rick Green’s district, but it’s the contest for State House that makes this film one of my absolute favorites.
#3 – A Perfect Candidate… This documentary follows the failed 1994 U.S. Senate campaign of Oliver North in Virginia. The filmmakers are given tremendous behind-the-scenes access to the North campaign.
The election was a three-way race, between North (the Republican), Chuck Robb (the Democrat) and Republican-turned-Independent Marshall Coleman. Robb, a son-in-law of former President Lyndon Johnson, is portrayed in the film as almost hopelessly clueless and socially awkward.
What makes this film really stand out is the cynical window it provides on the process of running a modern campaign for statewide office.
Other excellent campaign documentaries…
The War Room – A classic. The War Room takes viewers inside the headquarters of Bill Clinton’s 1992 bid for the presidency. Particularly now, nearly 20 years later, it’s fascinating to see characters like James Carville, George Stephanopoulos and Paul Begala in the heat of battle. A must-see film.
Primary – Filmmakers are given a week of round-the-clock access to John F. Kennedy as he toured the cities and towns of Wisconsin, campaigning against rival front-runner Hubert Humphrey in the state’s pivotal 1960 primary election. The editors of Amazon.com write: “With minimal narration and ground-breaking, no-frills technique heretofore unseen in TV news reporting (this film originally aired as an ABC news special), Drew gives equal time to Humphrey, but it’s obvious that JFK’s charisma, and the quiet campaign-trail grace of his wife Jacqueline, would carry them to eventual victory. The intimacy of these images is astonishing, captured just before television would come to dominate the political process.”
Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? –– The story of twenty-nine-year-old Jeff Smith, who decides to run for the congressional seat of the retiring Democrat Dick Gephardt. With no political experience, no name recognition, and no money, he joins a crowded field of candidates trying to defeat Russ Carnahan, the wealthy son of a Missouri political dynasty and the favorite of the political establishment and media. If I had a #4 on my list, this would be it.
Taking on the Kennedys — OK, I may have spoken too soon. This film would probably tie for #4 on the list. It’s fascinating film that allows you to witness the birth of Patrick Kennedy as a national political figure, by following the Republican who was just crazy enough to challenge Ted Kennedy’s son for a seat in the U.S. House. The film’s summary description: “When Kevin Vigilante took on Patrick Kennedy, he intended to run a clean race. He was about to get the political education of a lifetime. An idealistic Rhode Island doctor and political novice, when Vigilante went up against Patrick Kennedy, heir to one of the country’s most powerful political families, for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, he found himself front and center in a 
modern-day David vs. Goliath battle of distorted television imagery and sound-byte rhetoric. Desperate to revive his dying campaign, Vigilante finally abandoned his ideals and slung mud back at Kennedy–with surprising results. With unrestricted access to the candidates as they plot strategies, vie for media attention, debate, and nearly come to blows on the sidewalk, award-winning filmmaker Joshua Seftel exposes the hard-hitting reality of political campaigns and powerful dynasties, featuring appearances by Caroline Kennedy, Senator Edward Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and other powerhouse political figures. ”
Staffers ’04 — This six-part miniseries begins during the 2004 Iowa caucus, and it follows the adventures of lower-level staffers and volunteers working on the Dean, Clark and Kerry campaigns. Not as much fun as watching the top-level folks, but this series does offer something a little different and that alone makes it worth checking out.
Run Granny Run — “Granny D” is the nation’s oldest political newcomer. A former housewife and office assistant, she was happily retired for over 20 years until her husband dies. At the age of 90, she laced up her sneakers and walked across the United States to rally against the influence of big money in elections. Her epic journey was a warm up. Four years later, and still fed up with politics as usual, she jumps at an unexpected chance to serve as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate against incumbent Judd Gregg.
Journeys with George — Alexandra Pelosi (youngest daughter of California Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi) captures a “Dubya” we don’t often see: casual, energetic and charismatic. This film was made during the 2000 campaign and provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look, particularly at how the press and campaign interact.
See How They Run – A low-budget doc that chronicles the totally insane 1999 election for mayor of San Francisco. Colorful Mayor Willie Brown faces a field of challengers, but the election takes a sudden turn when a new candidate enter the fray. It’s city supervisor and gay stand-up comic Tom Ammiano, running as a write-in candidate. Some very funny moments in this film.
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If you’re aware of any documentaries not on my list, please post a comment and share it with me.
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