One of the most inspiring movies I've seen in the past decade is the film Dave where a Presidential lookalike is asked to stand in for the real President temporarily and ends up doing his job when he lapses into a coma. One of the themes of this film is that Dave Kovic is not only a lookalike that makes a few bucks pretending to be the big guy but he's also in charge of a company called "Dave's Temps", an organization who's mission it is to get struggling people employed. He is the consummate community organizer.
During the course of the film it becomes apparent that Dave's inexperience with the way Washington works actually gives him the skills to get real work done. He brings in his friend Murray, (Charles Grodin) a CPA who figures out how to make the national budget make sense. He brainstorms in meetings and comes up with ways to bring about a national jobs program without increased spending. His honesty and caring for ordinary people bring a sense of hope back to the nation.
In the end (and I assume this movie is old enough I'm not spoiling anything), Dave ensures that the very honest Vice President Nance takes the reins of power and goes back to his hometown where he enters local politics while still working for jobs. Here's a bit of the screenplay near the end of the movie from the website Screenplays for You.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. KOVIC TEMPS - DAY
Snow is falling gently in the street. The CAMERA BEGINS TO
PUSH IN SLOWLY ON the first floor window. Jerry (Alice's
boyfriend) is hanging a large sign in the window that reads:
"KOVIC FOR ALDERMAN"
INT. KOVIC TEMPS
The place is just as busy as before. Alice frantically works
the phones while three or four women cram the waiting area.
Murray supervises a couple of campaign workers including Lola
from the start of the film. They stuff envelopes and wear
large "KOVIC" hats on their heads.
MURRAY
(to one of the workers)
No. Fold them the long way. It looks
neater.
ANGLE - DAVE'S INNER OFFICE
He works the phone, hunched over his desk.
DAVE
(into the receiver)
What do you mean, Harry, this woman's
fabulous...
(beat)
Oh no, that was a different one...
(longer beat)
Well she's changed a lot...
(pause)
Come on, Harry, it's Christmas, the
woman needs a job.
(beat)
Well, sure... she can wrap presents...
Yeah you bet... Oh, great.
He pauses for a beat.
DAVE
Harry, did you get that fund-raising
thing I sent you?
ANGLE - DOORWAY/RECEPTION AREA
It jars open as a woman steps inside. Alice barely looks up
as the woman, wearing dark glasses and a scarf, moves into
the waiting area.
CLOSER SHOT
Despite the blue jeans and T-shirt, she looks quite familiar.
It's Ellen.
DIFFERENT ANGLE
Dave moves into the reception area with a huge smile on his
face.
DAVE
Yes! We're on a roll now...
All the women smile up at him.
DAVE
It's Christmas time...
DAVE I MURRAY
(a catch phrase)
.... and everybody works at
Christmas time...'
The Republicans are obviously trying to paint Barack Obama as nothing more than a community organizer (as noted by Billmon in his diary on the rec list today) in hopes that Americans reinterpret this to mean "black community activist". I don't think most good-hearted Americans will fall for it because I think there's a basic decency in all of us that will see through this idiocy.
I think and hope that same American heart that caused "Dave" to be a box office success and helps to bring us every year an old black and white movie like "It's a Wonderful Life" as if it's a current blockbuster, shows that these tactics of division and cynicism have only short-term success.
Maybe it's a good time to call our cable and satellite TV companies and request that "Dave" be featured on their channels the weekend before the general election to remind Americans why that message and the message of Barack Obama's campaign resonates so well to the American psyche.