Every four years I watch the Frontline special The Choice.
Pre-Trump: in 2008 and 2012 it was interesting. It was a chance to see a harsh criticism of both candidates.
Post- Trump: I have not seen it be quite so balanced because [SPOILER]Trump is a hideous human being. Anyone they prop up against Trump is a saint.
I have now seen the Trump bio three times, and it’s remarkable to see how they tell his story a little differently every time. For example, there is usually a segment on religion. This is how that played out last time. Biden, famously, is a committed Catholic, whereas Trump was once impressed by a sermon given by Norman Vincent Peale, of The Power of Positive Thinking. This year Trump’s religious connection was someone named Paula White, who seems like a deeply scary person. There was no mention of religion on the Kamala side, but a lot about ethics.
There was a wonderful clip of a woman asking Kamala if she is Willie Brown’s daughter. “No,” she says, in a way that suggests both “I am banging him” and also “What is wrong with you, madam, asking such a question?”
This year they surprised me by having another episode next week: The Vice-Presidential Choice. Walz vs Vance. Perhaps they wanted one where the game isn’t so one-sided? We will see on October 1.