The 90’s: President Who?

The 90's Pre-Election special from 1991, "President Who?" Not a finished version.

01:27Copy video clip URL The 90’s Opening

02:03Copy video clip URL Montage of random clips from past episodes of The 90’s, including one where a statue of Uncle Sam falls over and loses its head during a political rally.

03:55Copy video clip URL Video Poll. People from different walks of like talk about what kind of candidate they would support. Joseph is interested in candidates who support “family values.” A congressman from California gives his support to Gov. Ann Richards. A man in Chicago supports Ralph Nader. A fifteen year old girl tells us she, “likes to talk on the phone, hang out with her friends, and thinks George Bush is doing a great job!” Artist Tony Fitzpatrick holds up a dollar bill and says, “That’s who’s gonna be president, that who’s always gonna be president.”

08:09Copy video clip URL Clips of different possible candidates, including Bill Clinton and Dan Quayle. A clip from 1980 shows Ronald Reagan speaking about the election process.

10:02Copy video clip URL A campaign advertisement for a fake candidate. “Vote Hardale, He’s the cute one with the ideas.”

11:35Copy video clip URL A montage of vintage commercials.

13:48Copy video clip URL David Duke, former Grand Wizard for the Klu Klux Klan and presidential hopeful from Louisiana,  gives a speech. Becky Allen on Louisiana Election Day speaks about Duke.

16:54Copy video clip URL Video Poll. More people speak about there ideal presidential candidate. One woman laughingly nominates Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, “I haven’t even seen the movie, that’s how much I trust them.” Congressman Serrano from New York says, “If this country can liberate Kuwait, we should be able to liberate the poor of the South Bronx.”

21:33Copy video clip URL In Eugene, Oregon a group discusses the fate of a building in their neighborhood that they want to turn into a community center rather than condos. One man talks about his disillusionment with the media.

24:06Copy video clip URL A political march in New York City. The camera crew interview people on the street including a young man selling fish in Chinatown, and a truck driver loading his truck with polka dot dresses that are swung down to him from a high-rise window. “What’s new in fashion this season?” “Polka dots”, he replies. Two women talk about walking to work in NY.  All these segments seem strangely unrelated to the rest of the video.

30:59Copy video clip URL Video Poll.

33:23Copy video clip URL A montage of clips from the Kennedy assassination.

36:00Copy video clip URL Wally Nelson, an 82 year old farmer in Massachusetts talks about his belief in non-violence, calling himself “not an activist, but a livist.”

38:51Copy video clip URL A black and white recycling PSA.

40:00Copy video clip URL Interview with Jose, who owns Politically Correct Clothing in D.C. Jose shows some of his wears, including political T-Shirts, buttons, and bumper stickers. His most popular shirt says, “He’s tan, he’s rested, he’s ready, Nixon in 92”.

41:39Copy video clip URL Video clip from the moments before Nixon reads his Resignation Speech.

42:03Copy video clip URL Dr. Blase Bonpane talks about the mass media. A man in Venice, California has his own pirate radio station, “Radio Free Venice” which he runs out of his home. “I will help anybody get on the air, because that’s how I believe we find truth.”

46:00Copy video clip URL Video Poll. Congressman Bill Richardson from New Mexico, “I would like to see a president that has the eloquence of Kennedy, the grace of Mickey Mantle, the dignity of Katherine Hepburn,and the fiery passion of Jesse Jackson. There is no such person right now.” Timothy, an artist says, “I think Jimmy Carter should be president, he’s the only one I ever voted for that got in, and he’s had the most graceful retirement of any president now living.”

49:49Copy video clip URL Randy Kehler, “We have a system where it is legal to be corrupt…where people running for office can directly solicit money from people who have a direct interest in the outcome of the policies those representatives are making.”

51:51Copy video clip URL Political bumper stickers. The cameraman (Jody Procter) buys “kill your television.”

52:51Copy video clip URL Roz Weiman of the Democratic National Committee talks about Bush intervening when American business community got together to discuss a civil rights bill.

54:16Copy video clip URL Wally Nelson talks about why he does not vote. “I’ve lived in America all my life, and I haven’t seen democracy yet… Capitalist society as I see it, must have a base of poor people, slaves and workers, in order to maintain the few on top. The idea that anyone can be on top is a lie.”

57:07Copy video clip URL End of tape (no credits).