Eugene McCarthy: I'm Sorry I Was Right

Those old enough to remember 1968's "Get Clean for Gene" presidential campaign slogan and the irritatingly earnest, workshirt-clad, college-aged idealists to whom it was directed will welcome this warm look at former senator, pioneering Vietnam War critic and grandfatherly poet Eugene McCarthy. Young viewers may not recognize the name--it's been a long time since McCarthy was in the public eye, and who has time to teach the nuance of what 1968 was like behind the riots, gunplay and tear gas?--but filmmaker Mike Hazard's half-hour shy documentary offers a strong reminder of McCarthy's historical influence. In 1968, after McCarthy proclaimed the war an immoral undertaking that shamed America, he challenged LBJ for the '68 Democratic nomination, ultimately losing to fellow-Minnesotan Hubert Humphrey (who, in turn, won the privilege of being defeated by the "new" Nixon in November). Though remembered mainly for his dove-like qualities today, McCarthy was a full-on liberal, an incisive debater, and a champion of the common man for decades. In fact, during the '50s he was the first U.S. legislator to speak out against Wisconsin's Tailgunner Joe McCarthy (no relation), the cover boy for good old American fascism. Combining archival footage with contemporary interviews, this engaging portrait not only offers a fitting tribute, but also brings viewers up to speed on McCarthy today, who says that if he ran for president again, he'd advocate a shorter workweek, taxing the rich to reduce the debt, and confronting the power of trans-national corporations. Whether those constitute fighting words or succor depends, of course, on your personal politics. Either way, this exceptionally affordable independent documentary is recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Tribby)