Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union

Viewed objectively this is a very good documentary about an important part of recent history and the 1 star reviews are ridiculous and obviously politically motivated - as some other reviewer said, I am doubtful that many of them watched it at all.

There are so many false tales about Obama - that he "was the worst president ever", that he was "selected by the establishment" etc - and this documentary shows them for what they are. I guess some people do not want to have their prejudices disturbed.

A good watch for anyone who likes political documentaries. I'd suggest ignoring the 1 and 10 star reviews as they're so politically motivated. It's a decent watch to see some pieces of history.

What can I say other than thank you for creating a doc that presents Obama from how others see him. And that is the most truthful thing... how others see you. And not just those who champion him, his detractors and critics get their turn. At the end of the day, a remarkable achievement. All presidents and powerful men deserve this treatment.

The story of former President Barack Obama is a fascinating one, to say the least. He seemingly came out of nowhere to become Commander-in-Chief, then was the first black President who largely refused to engage on the subject of race during his administration. He was also the first President to be completely and utterly scorned by both an opposition party and news network. This documentary hits on all those cogent points (and more) while examining both the facts of Obama's life and the legacy he left.

"In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union" is split into these three episodes:

1- Obama's childhood, teen/college life, and political aspirations 2- Obama's entrance into public political races and ultimately the 2008 Presidential campaign 3- Obama's eight years in the Oval Office

I found the first two episodes to be absolutely excellent, as the story of Obama's background is one that often gets a "bad rap", so to speak. In very clear and factual terms, "Pursuit" spells out exactly where he came from (including testimonials from fellow schoolmates and acquaintances) and how/why he decided to get into public service. Before watching "Pursuit", I had little idea what a "Community Organizer" was, but here I was helped to understand what that means in an African-American community.

The only reason I can't give this 10/10 stars is because the final (third) episode really narrows the focus to areas that weren't as compelling to me. Essentially, the story of Obama's rise to political relevance was really the draw in "Pursuit", and once that happened the final third couldn't quite keep up.

I know that many won't sniff this documentary seeing the political polarization that ironically largely started with the first Obama administration, but that is a shame. "Pursuit" certainly contains some figures in Obama's story that have been considered very controversial, but simply by interviewing them one sees their human side and not the toxic rhetoric heaped on in the moment.

While this doc is obviously pro-Obama in the overall sense, it also doesn't give him a "free pass" or fawn over him the whole runtime. His shortcomings and warts (the legitimate, factual, and thoughtful ones) are also discussed. As such, I found the passage of time since Obama left office to be a great "buffer", of sorts, for a doc like this to be produced and thus able to dig deep into certain issues without the in-the-moment political repercussions.

"Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union" (2021 release; 3 part documentary totaling 306 min.) is a in-depth look at the life and times of Barack Obama. As Part 1 opens, it is "March 18, 2008, Philadelphia", where Obama addresses an audience explaining why and how his path is to "pursue a more perfect union". We then go back in time, and get an overview of how his parents (African man from Kenya, Caucasian woman from Kansas) met, and the many different countries and places Obama lived during his childhood and youth... At this point we are 10 min. Into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from producer-director Peter Kunhardt, whose prior work includes the excellent "King In the Wilderness", among many other 'political' documentaries. Here, just in time to coincide with Obama's 60th birthday, Kunhardt takes a look back at the life and times of Barak Obama. Part 1 runs from his upbringing to the moment in 2007 that he is seriously considering a run for the Presidency. A couple of things are striking, most of all Obama's diverse background and upbringing. But also the ambition to strive for bigger and better things (not necessarily more money--of all the job offers upon graduating from Harvard Law, he picks a small civil rights firm in Chicago). And then this: the civility with which politics were conducted. Amazingly, we are talking just 15-20 years ago. For reasons unknown (which I suspect will be addressed in the documentary's Parts 2 and 3), Republicans disdained, if not outright hated, Obama. Why? Because of his name? Or the color of his skin? I suspect that as the years go by, Obama will be viewed more and more favorably, in particular when put into context and contrast as to who succeeded him: the thug-like and racist (if not fascist) Liar-In-Chief who tried to overthrow the US Congress simply because his mammoth-size ego didn't like the results of the presidential election. No, really.

Part 1 of "Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union" premiered last night on HBO and is now available on HBO On Demand, HBO Max, Amazon Instant Video and other streaming services. Parts 2 and 3 will air tonight and tomorrow night, respectively. I am very much looking forward to watching them. If you are into politics, regardless of your own political persuasion, I'd readily suggest you check out "Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union", and draw your own conclusion.

UPDATE 8/4/21 I've now seen Part 2. Which covers when Obama announced running for President in early 2007 through his swearing in as President in January 2009. Fascinating stuff. Not only how he overcame the Clinton campaign but also for the first signs of the ugliness of the race-baiting and outright racism that started cropping up with Sarah Palin being the VP nominee (and years later ultimately resulting in Trump).

UPDATE 8/5/21 I've now seen Part 3, covering Obama's 8 years in office, mounted by a wall of resistance of the GOP in every which way possible. It is sickening to watch in retrospect, as the GOP relentlessly keeps playing the race card at every opportunity and in every which way, as Obama keeps the hope for "pursuing a more perfect union". It sadly leads all to, yes, of course, Trump. Watch Obama's very last farewell speech in January, 2017. If that doesn't give you the chills, I don't know what will.

As a complete aside, the GOP detested and hated Obamacare, and tried to derail it time and again (only to be held up by courts). Time has shown it is widely popular with many Americans, ironically benefitting many white lower and middle class who railed against Obama, vowing to "take our country back" and "make America great again". In the 11 years since Obamacare, the GOP has not once proposed an alternative. NOTHING. For shame.