SALISBURY, Md.- It is a film asking the question: Who is President Barack Obama? And, if he is elected to a second term, what will America look like four years from now?
We should point out, "2016: Obama's America" is a one-sided piece by a conservative author. That is why we thought it would be interesting to bring both sides into the equation, and went to the movies with a local Democrat and a Republican, to get their take.
Sarah Meyers from the Wicomico County Democratic Club and Dave Parker of the Wicomico County Republican Central Committee joined us, to watch the movie and serve as critics.
"I'm pretty much anticipating a pretty partisan movie that's going to paint the president in a very bad light," Meyers said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what it's all about," remarked Parker.
To see if their expectations held true, we headed into the theater.
"Obama has a dream," D'Souza states. "A dream from his father. That this sins of colonialism be set right, and America be downsized."
The movie claims Obama holds a deep anti-colonialist view of the world, passed down by his father. It further theorizes the president's goal is to strip the United States of wealth and power, transforming it into a socialist nation.
An hour and a half later, our critics had polar opposite reactions.
"That is one of the most terrifying movies I have ever seen," Parker expressed.
"It's basically right0wing, Tea Party propaganda," said Meyers.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Parker disagreed.
"Dinesh D'Souza expresses a theory, and he called it a theory, that explains what Obama is doing and appears to be doing and it scared me," he said. "The inexplicable things, the things I really didn't understand. It's a coherent explanation."
"The movie just brings up really, points that can be disputed over and over and over again. This is some guy's theories that can't be proven, he has no support for any of what he's claiming in this movie," Meyers countered.
The two were also split on the influence the film might have on viewers.
"This movie is geared towards the people who are already not voting for Obama," explained Meyers.
"I think if people saw this, they would have to think loud and hard about what they want to do," Parker said.
Based on box office income, "2016" is now the most successful conservative political documentary of all time.
Regal Cinema said the film will be playing through at least the next week in Salisbury.
