Review of '2016: Obama's America'

• Here's something my husband, Dennis Zalusky, wrote to our friends after seeing this movie twice. I think he's a pretty good writer, and thanks to Geneva Patch, I'm able to share it with you. —Joanne Zalusky

How many people wondered what Barack Obama meant in 2008 when he said he wanted to “fundamentally change America?” In 2010, why did President Obama close down all the Louisiana gulf coast oil platforms after the BP disaster for more than six months, at the same time sending Brazil and Mexico several billion dollars each to drill off their respective coasts at depths significantly greater than that reached by the BP tragedy? Why has the president given the cold shoulder so often to some of our closest and oldest friends, such as Great Britain and Israel?

Many Americans, whether you like or dislike Obama, have been unable to figure out just where he is coming from with many of his decisions. Dinesh D’Souza’s
documentary 2016 has attempted to answer these questions and more by
uncovering the real Barack Obama. He uses several literary sources, including
Obama’s own biography Dreams from my Father, and his own Roots of Obama’s Rage.  

D’Souza starts with Obama’s early childhood, using plenty of quotes from Obama’s book, and follows his formative years to Indonesia. The answer to Obama’s view of the world lies with his father, whom he hardly knew. We find out why this absent father had such an influence on Barack, Jr. via D’Souza’s interviews with those who knew both father and son as well as passages, again, from Obama’s book. Note that the title of Obama’s book uses the word "from" and not "of."  D’Souza’s interview style is relaxed and fair. The interviews we see are lengthy enough that a certain phrase cannot be taken out of context. There are no "gotcha" moments in the interviews as Michael Moore’s left-wing-themed movies tend to do. The interview with Obama’s half-brother is poignant. I will not reveal the basis for Obama’s world view here, but D’Souza has made a strong and very logical argument for his conclusion. By the way, the title 2016 for the film is a bit misleading. Probably 90 percent of the film deals with establishing just who Obama is, and the latter 10 percent then goes on to predict what America might look like in 2016 after a second Obama term.   

This movie opened to very good reviews. Will the film change anyone’s mind about Obama? For far-left wingers and staunch Democrats, most likely no. For more open-minded people: Well, it will certainly give them pause to think about whether they wish to share in Obama’s dream. This documentary may become the most important film of the year and certainly has the potential to be a real game changer for the country. I think everyone should see this one. If you’re an Obama fan now, then see if the man is who you thought he was.