'The Final Year' provides more proof current POTUS is not normal

It is probably too soon to make a definitive assessment of President Barack Obama's foreign policy achievements, and unfortunately since his successor -- Donald Trump -- has gone to great lengths to undo or negate most of his accomplishments (both domestic and international), it may be even harder for historians to fully grasp how profound his trio of victories on the Paris Climate Accords, the Iranian nuclear deal and the diplomatic outreach to Cuba were.

Even many of Obama's most ardent supporters were taking him for granted when these historic efforts were underway, as much of the nation saw him a lame duck in the shadow of an increasingly bizarre 2016 race to replace him.

Still, the largest takeaway from the stirring, and ultimately sad documentary The Final Year, which covers the whirlwind pace at which Obama, as well as his foreign policy leadership (Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, Susan Rice and John Kerry) pursued ambitious initiatives during his last months in office, is that for eight years at least we had real professionals doggedly trying to do something substantial, instead of picking petty fights with their rivals.

This was a president to busy to tweet about everything from athletes to acceptance speeches, this was a president keenly aware that his legacy would last beyond a week or an hour, and who wanted to make the most of his time in office rather than revel in his ability to have won it twice against the odds.

Of course, Obama is a figure who has long been more accessible and analyzed, but the foreign policy minds he surrounded himself with are somewhat more unsung. John Kerry for instance, was made into a caricature throughout the 2004 campaign (where he was the Democratic nominee), so much so, that his intellect, expertise and experience as a decorated military veteran is often overlooked.

Former UN ambassador Samantha Power, like so many female policy wonks, has been similarly dehumanized, until you see her getting ready for work and interacting with her kids, just like so many average Americans. She is a human being, as is Ben Rhodes, who strangely has become a popular figure to vilify among the far right fringe, even though he's dedicated his life to public service at an incredibly young age, and seems to simply be an earnest progressive true believer, not some sort of rabble-rousing radical.

An unfortunately glib interview he gave to the New York Times magazine comes back to haunt him a very relatable, human way. And when you look at what he was able to accomplish in thawing relations with Cuba (the one Obama success Trump has yet to undermine), it makes a slightly smug interview seems like small potatoes in comparison.

I can only imagine how this administration would be pilloried for the transgressions of the current one -- from defending white supremacists to repeatedly attacking and mocking a sitting senator dying of brain cancer.

Later, when Samantha Power tears up speaking about the value of the immigrant community, it's hard to imagine a single member of the current administration allowing themselves to be so moved, or to so openly advocate for the greatness of someone other than themselves.

In general, there is a humanity behind the players here, one that seems sorely lacking in the current administration, which seems divided between angry ideologues and people who fear the president's wrath, and therefore flatter him to avoid conflict.

Everything I've ever seen or read about Obama highlights his thoughtfulness, his desire to benefit from an exchange of ideas and differing viewpoints. To his critics, it was a fatal flaw, as they saw a willingness to deliberate as weakness. This of course overlooks the speed with which he ordered action to take out Osama bin Laden, and the risk inherent in that decision.

For me, it's refreshing to hear a president speaks sensitively again, about, for instance, the impact that America's use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had, while also standing firm in his commitment to American security.

It's remarkable how much nuance has been lost in just two years, and even more shocking is how much stupidity, just naked ignorance has become the norm when it comes to policy-making today.

If what the current president says is true -- and Mexico has a robust, thriving economy that is blatantly ripping of the U.S. -- why are supposedly 'millions' of migrants fleeing the country to come here?

If we are facing a 'crisis' of undocumented immigrants 'pouring' across the border, why are we doing nothing to penalize businesses and corporations that employ undocumented people? Surely, that would be more effective than throwing entire families in jail, which contrary to what right wing propaganda is telling you -- is happening.

Whether you supported President Obama and his policies or not, you can't watch The Final Year and reach the conclusion that presidents don't matter, that elections don't matter. We had a serious foreign policy once, we had people who cared about more than lining their own pockets running the show. And we can have it again, if we fight for it. It's worth fighting for.