¶ … War Room and Today's Politicians The War Room documentary exposes the absolutely cynical nature of modern day politics -- though it is probably not much different than it has always been, if one thinks on Shakespeare's treatment of the democratic process in Coriolanus. Nonetheless, the cloying nature of the politicians as they toss tidbits of information to their needy public (needy because they need to believe in the political process, in their candidate, in the thought that their vote matters and that they can make a difference) shows how divorced from reality the actual process is. For example, early in the documentary, Clinton is sitting on a couch at headquarters in t-shirt and shorts, a ball cap on his head. His eyes are tired, focused on the viewer, looking straight into the camera (but really past the camera as he mentally prepares for his phone interview). In his phone interview he talks about how much fun he had in high school and of his high school band, of which he still has a record. Phone interview ends. Clinton stands, relieved to be done "performing" and makes a joke about the journalist...

Then he slaps his campaign manager on the back. Now it is down to business, as the group scrolls the headlines of the latest newspapers and discusses what to do next in order to "appeal" to the public. They are perfectly aware of the fact that it is all a charade -- all a show. The voters in the scene prior don't realize this -- those anxious citizens who feel the need to be involved in the campaign process, to make the other candidate look bad, to go after him because they are tired of always being on the defensive when there is no reason to. "We don't have to defend a damn thing!" says one angry supporter. "We've met him! We know him!" He is, of course, talking about Bill Clinton -- but the Clinton he has met and the Clinton revealed off stage are two very different people. And that is what politics is. That anyone can take it seriously beyond the farcical show that it has devolved into is what still amazes.
But opportunists abound and today's political campaign is full of the same type. There is the average Joe citizen who thinks Trump talks tough and gets straight…