Has any Hollywood movie ever made a difference in the polls?
Director Michael Bay’s 13 Hours premieres nationwide today — and Republicans are getting in line.
Though Bay has said he avoids taking a partisan position, conservatives have praised the film, which chronicles the 2012 attacks on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, one of the most controversial points of Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state.
Donald Trump rented a theater in Iowa and is providing tickets to moviegoers — a sure sign he thinks it could have a strong impact at the polls.
America Rising, a conservative super PAC, said it would host a screening Friday followed by a panel discussion with Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who told the Washington Post that while he hadn’t seen the movie, “it seems as though Hillary Clinton’s judgement is questioned, without her even appearing.”
But will the movie have the impact Republicans are hoping for? Hollywood has a long history of politically themed films, though their effect at the polls is unclear. But a study last year, by researchers at the University of Notre Dame, found movies can impact public opinion.
“We found significant evidence that popular films possess the capability to change attitudes on political issues,” said Todd Adkins, who co-authored the study. “In an age where the biases of network news and talk radio programs are accepted facts, the movie theater may prove to be one of the last sources of crosscutting exposure to political messages.”
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