In my review of the film Atlas Shrugged earlier today, I noted that Barack Obama’s latest policy address would fit perfectly into the story — as an example of the clueless and malevolent mercantilism depicted in both Ayn Rand’s novel and the film’s first installment.  Turns out that our friends at FreedomWorks were way ahead of me on this point.  Thursday, they released a mash-up video that did what the filmmakers deliberately chose not to do, which is to cast President Obama in a lead role by using his own words — and make the connection even more clear:

It occurred to me last night that this film wouldn’t have resonated nearly as well three years ago, or ten years ago, or perhaps not any time in the 54 years since Rand published the novel. The sense of crisis in the movie would have seemed too far from the experience of most Americans; likewise, the sense of aggressive, populist redistributionism would have looked hyperbolic and contrived. If this isn’t the perfect moment for this film, then it’s as close as I’d like to see it in my lifetime.

On a lighter note, Reason TV gave us a look behind the scenes of the film, speaking to cast, crew, and commentators: