The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
About a month ago, I posted a widely-published AP photograph of Rick Santorum praying with a large group of pastors inside a Texas church and suggested that the picture probably owed its currency to the fact that it made its media distributors squirm in their chairs.
The elite media have a blind spot on religion so large that it might as well be a black hole. As a consequence, even the most familiar expressions of Christian faith end up reported in the mainstream press with the sort of breathless anthropological wonder that one would expect from a National Geographic correspondent. One need not be a believer of Senator Santorum's fervency (or at all, for that matter) to realize what a deep disservice to the public this represents -- and how badly it can skew coverage of religion in American life.
I was reminded of how deep that trend runs this weekend, while watching HBO's "Game Change," the film adaption of Mark Halperin and John Heilemann's book on the 2008 presidential campaign. While the source material gave roughly equal attention to both parties' road to Election Day, the film is focused exclusively on the McCain campaign, and specifically on Sarah Palin (with whom it is monomaniacally obsessed -- the third act proceeds with a tone of dread that seeks to convey to the viewer that he is watching the political equivalent of Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader).
Plenty has been written elsewhere about the various inaccuracies and errors in the film (most thoroughly at Big Hollywood), to which I have little to add other than to note that Ed Harris' portrayal of John McCain as an avuncular Mr. Magoo strains credulity to the breaking point. And, in fairness, there are scenes that acquit Governor Palin well, particularly those that portray her devotion to her family.
Underreported, however, is the film's typically tin-eared treatment of religion. In one early scene, Palin (as portrayed by Julianne Moore) is told that the possibility of her being a creationist is a source of concern within the McCain campaign. Her response:
"I'm the daughter of a science teacher. My dad showed me fossils growing up. I know about evolution, I accept evolution ... but I will never deny that I see the hand of God in this beautiful creation that is earth."
This, of course, is a rather sophisticated synthesis of science and metaphysics, yet through the reaction shot of a chagrined McCain staffer the audience is expected to infer that this is the kind of thought that inspired the invention of padded walls.
The exact same device is used later in the film when Palin, seated aboard the McCain campaign plane, explains to campaign manager Steve Schimdt that she's at peace with her role in the campaign because "it's God's plan." Cue a look on Schmidt's face as if Palin had just claimed to have perfected alchemy. Yet this is an expression that anyone who's ever spent time around a faith community recognizes. It is not, as the media so often attempts to imply, an egomaniacal belief that one has suddenly become an arrowhead of divine purpose. It is, instead, a kind of stoicism; a belief, as its secular incarnation would phrase it, that "all things happen for a reason."
"Game Change" plainly aspires to be a serious film about American politics. And it falls flat for a simple reason all too common in the industry: it fails to grasp a political reality any more complicated than the salon liberalism regnant in Hollywood and Manhattan. And it is unable to comprehend the fact that there are Americans who regard their religious beliefs as something more than a bloodless civic affiliation.
"Game Change" aimed to be a definitive portrayal of the 2008 election. Instead, it turned out to be a definitive portrayal of those who made the film.
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May '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
You can only imagine how shrill they would be if they made a film about Belmont playing against Georgetown.
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
You're an evil, evil man, Duane.
While it doesn't come close to my loyalty to Belmont, my time in D.C. actually made me a Georgetown basketball fan too. So I'm just happy that at least one of them will actually get out of the first round this year. Go Bruins.
Jun '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
In Hollywood, complete sexual freedom is what passes for good manners, and leftwing political conformity is what passes for freedom.
Feb '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
From the book and the 2008 post-mortem's, it appears that Steve Schmidt was a big problem. He seemed to be more concerned with his image than the success of his candidates, blaming everyone else but him. One gets the distinct impression that he actively dislikes social conservatives and other elements of the base. If the portrait painted of him is accurate, I hope he's not on any GOP campaign staffs, otherwise they're doubling down on trouble.
Jun '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
In retrospect, Schmidt and Wallace, in my Rush judgement, were flukes. Complete flukes.
May '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Thanks Troy. This is as perceptive an analysis as I have seen so far. The funny thing is, they seem to ignore that, in a republic, the majority, within the law, will rule.
How they can continue to insult their audience and demean the voters who will choose the next government continues to astonish me. They need to get outside of their Coastal bubble. My hope is that the voters will give the liberal elites ANOTHER serious electoral spanking.
Edited on March 12, 2012 at 6:42pmJun '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Hat tip: moonbattery.com
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Except for a couple of scenes (perhaps most notably, Nicole Wallace sobbing that she couldn't vote for Palin) , the movie pretty closely followed the book it was based on.
Palin has used the "my dad was a science teacher" line in many speeches, so I don't doubt that she said it to Schmidt. Also, I did not interpret the "it's God's plan" scene the way you did. For me, it played (both in the movie and the book), that she believed everything happened for a reason.
I thought overall, the portrayal of Sarah Palin was basically fair. The film also did a good job of pointing up the unique issues that a female national candidate has to deal with. I did not feel Palin was portrayed as a diva -- more someone who gained confidence in her abilities and her importance to the campaign as the process evolved and expressed her will.
But my biggest takeaway from the movie was that Steve Schmidt should never, ever be allowed to run a campaign again. That said, I thought Harrelson was terrific in the role. I'm sure he will be nominated for an Emmy.
Sep '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
"Just Say No to Theocracy: Defeat Obama in 2012!"
Mar '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Troy Senik, Ed.
"Game Change" aimed to be a definitive portrayal of the 2008 election. Instead, it turned out to be a definitive portrayal of those who made the film.
No surprise there, then.
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Blue Yeti:
Also, I did not interpret the "it's God's plan" scene the way you did. For me, it played (both in the movie and the book), that she believed everything happened for a reason.
That's exactly how Troy interpreted it, isn't it? But Schmidt's character seemed to respond as though it was ludicrous and insane.
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Diane Ellis, Ed.
That's exactly how Troy interpreted it, isn't it? But Schmidt's character seemed to respond as though it was ludicrous and insane. · 4 minutes ago
That was straight from the book.
Apr '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
As Blue Yeti suggest, I have no doubt that the reactions to Palin's comments were accurate. McCain tried to convince Republicans that he was a Reaganite while often running to the left.
The term RINO was practically invented for McCain and his cohorts. That doesn't mean that your arguments about the movie aren't accurate,Troy. It just means that the McCain campaign is as out of step with the majority of this country as is Hollywood.
And the left does see McCain as a kindly near sighted geezer because they agree with him quite often they just don't understand his affiliation with the Republican Party.
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Blue Yeti:
Also, I did not interpret the "it's God's plan" scene the way you did. For me, it played (both in the movie and the book), that she believed everything happened for a reason.
That's exactly how Troy interpreted it, isn't it? But Schmidt's character seemed to respond as though it was ludicrous and insane. · 24 minutes ago
I think it was yet another scene that pointed up the horrible job Schmidt and his team did of vetting Palin. They clearly had no idea who she was or what her core beliefs were.
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
My thoughts exactly, Liberty.
Give Me Liberty: As Blue Yeti suggest, I have no doubt that the reactions to Palin's comments were accurate...
That doesn't mean that your arguments about the movie aren't accurate,Troy. It just means that the McCain campaign is as out of step with the majority of this country as is Hollywood.
May '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Great post as usual Troy, but I particularly wanted to note the excellent use of the word regnant.
Dec '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Things like this movie, really seem to stretch, in my mind, the limits of fair comment. Does this movie have a point beyond defamation?
Jun '10
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Blue Yeti
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Blue Yeti:
Also, I did not interpret the "it's God's plan" scene the way you did. For me, it played (both in the movie and the book), that she believed everything happened for a reason.
That's exactly how Troy interpreted it, isn't it? But Schmidt's character seemed to respond as though it was ludicrous and insane. · 24 minutes ago
I think it was yet another scene that pointed up the horrible job Schmidt and his team did of vetting Palin. They clearly had no idea who she was or what her core beliefs were. · 35 minutes ago
The real vetting problem was that Palin didn't vet McCain properly. She should've said, "no thank you." McCain wasn't a serious candidate. He pulled his punches when it came to Obama, and he picked non-conservatives of exceptionally poor character to run his campaign. Palin didn't appreciate the microscope she was under, but McCain didn't appreciate that he was in a war.
Jan '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
There are many things that are unfair in life, and treatment of Conservatives vs Liberals is one of them. If a right leaning politician is seen praying, s/he is viewed as some strange cultist who thinks the world is 2000 years old. If a left leaning politician is seen praying, s/he is viewed as either a saintly person doing good works, or someone who just has to placate the rubes.
Apr '11
Re: The Religious Paranoia of "Game Change"
Given all the pre-release bashing, my expectations were low, but I actually enjoyed the movie. Some parts are over-exaggerated, but that's just the way movies are made. I agree that they portrayed faith as some sort of voodoo worship, but beyond that, I didn't have much problem with it.