This week, we will look again at politics. There is a video in my Blackboard site, “Primary Colors.” It is based on a book published by “Anonymous,” (later found to be by a journalist covering the 1992 campaign) and is a fictional (?) look at Bill Clinton’s first run for president in 1992. I think John Travolta does a great job as Clinton, and Emma Thompson as Hilary is superb, and the supporting cast is also captivating. It is a little heavy-handed about Clinton’s supposed sex scandals, and stretches the truth quite a bit, and some of the characters are not based on people in his campaign (or the opposition’s).
Some questions to consider in this discussion are: how does the Stanton campaign manipulate the media? What ethical dilemma strikes you as most damaging for Stanton? And the big one – does the end justify the means? Libby doesn’t think so, obviously.