American Idols & American Idiots

It seems as though those involved in politics often get swept up in all the rhetoric and imagery of the process. What these supporters often forget is that the people they are advocating and come to idolize are just that – people. Candidates are often complex. They have virtuous characteristics but are likewise flawed. The film Primary Colors teaches future candidates and campaign consultants to be more cynical of what others will do to advance themselves in the political game and to reconsider the idea of the perfect candidate altogether. The film suggests that, the bright faced hero proudly posing in front of the American flag is a person who will not meet our deceptively growing expectations of them. It is a politician.
Political campaigns are beguiling in that they aim to convince us that candidates are either idols or idiots. In Primary Colors, Henry Burton (played by Adrian Lester) is idealistic when recruited by the Jack Stanton for president campaign. He joins the group of political advisors that closely work with Stanton. He does so because after closely analyzing Jack and his wife Susan Stanton, he believes that they are honest people working towards what is right. There exists a parallel between Burton and “political dust-buster” Libby Holden (Played by Kathy Bates). They are both campaign advisors that have believed too much in their preferred candidate. They learn soon after joining the campaigns they commit to that the man for which it is all established is not the maverick or idol they once thought, but just a run of the mill candidate playing politics as usual. For idealists hoping to bring about change in the political status quo, this is very disheartening – as it was for both Burton and Holden.
Although candidates are not the American idols they are often advertised as, they typically aren’t complete degenerates either. Candidates are often complex in that they realistically carry both positive and negative characteristics. In the film, Jack Stanton is presented as a personable and likeable but eating compulsive, adulterous, womanizing southern governor who is relatively unknown on a national scale. Burton is impressed by Stanton’s ability to identify with many different kinds of people. Concurrently, Stanton’s lack of control with women (and less to Burton’s attention – food) creates personal conflict for Burton about the type of politician he is aiding in election. Nevertheless, Burton swallows the bad with the good and continues to work for Stanton. He, like many others involved in political campaigning, accepted the baggage held by the candidate once seen as flawless.
Specific skills can overshadow potential flaws in a candidate. Stanton is a likable and very personable politician with effective speaking skills to boot. These characteristics’ are what save Stanton’s campaign in a couple of different ways. His likability and speaking skills allow him to advance in his party’s primaries despite his original lack of general popularity. Also, his likability gets him friends who truly believe that he is the right man for the job even if they are well aware of the fact that he has made some questionable decisions in the past.
There exist stark certainties concerning dirty politics that are often employed by desperate candidates. Primary Colors shines light on the political realities of campaigning including the over-sensationalized feelings towards candidates, backroom deals and political blackmail. It is mentioned in the film that Libby Holden lost her mental facilities for some time when she had supported the presidential campaign of Fred Picker (now the party’s opponent candidate) who lost. Her lack of mental stability comes in full circle when she commits suicide because of the great disappointment she gets from the Stanton’s intent to use the dubious information gathered on Picker to advance Jack Stanton’s career. The use of dirty practice damages a candidate’s image in a way that makes them seem desperate and petty. That is, they can feel the recoil not just from the public, but from those who work for them. Despite these risks politicians typically are willing to resort to these measures.
The American Idol image (one a lot like the initial image established by Picker – wholesome and principled) sold to the American people is likely to be an embellishment of their best qualities. In this way, it is deceptive in that it does not show to the American people all aspects of a candidate which can show them what to expect should that candidate win. Likewise, Candidates can be slammed by attack ads that portray them as an American idiot. This image however, is an embellishment of all thing negative about the candidate and is not a fair representation of their character. In the film, what Libby Holden despises most about the release of information concerning Picker’s drug use and past homosexual relations history, is the damage it would do to his image. She knew that that Picker was fundamentally “a good man” and that the Stantons’ knew it as well. Release of the information they possessed would completely destroy Picker’s name. Supporters can sometimes view their candidates as the American hero. What they should consider however is that no one candidate is flawless and that candidate will most likely not meet all their expectations. Ultimately, they will have to understand the good and the bad and take their candidate for whatever he or she is worth.