The public expects a lot, maybe too much, from its politicians. Not only do these elected representatives have to govern responsibly and ethically once voted into office, but they also have to be (or seem) inspiring, personable, and likable, whatever the hell those adjectives even mean anymore in these jaded times. To that end, political candidates do a whole lot of pandering during election season, often willingly sacrificing their own dignity in order to ingratiate themselves with John and Jane Q. Voter. And with her brash opponent pandering as perhaps no candidate has ever pandered before, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton cannot afford to stay above the fray. If that means feigning interest in sports, so be it.
In a new ad parody for the political satire site Cafe called “Hillarii Sports,” filmmaker (and A.V. Club contributor) Dominick Nero imagines a Nintendo-style video game based around Clinton and her real-life athletic adventures, including graceless attempts at bowling, soccer, and even dominoes. The game encourages her efforts, even though they’re mostly unsuccessful. Interspersed throughout the ad are excerpts from a pro-sports speech Clinton made when she was secretary of state under President Obama. A few ex-jocks, including Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, have wound up in the Oval Office, but Clinton does not seem athletically inclined. She’s clearly on the “nerd” side of the classic “jock vs. nerds” divide.