The White House Effect

The White House Effect explores the gripping drama that unfolded inside the George H.W. Bush White House after scientists warned the country for the first time that global warming was real and underway. Bush, who in 1988 ran as an environmental candidate, finds himself caught in the middle when his chief of staff John Sununu locks horns with EPA chief Bill Reilly over how to respond to the public’s growing environmental concerns. Ideological conservatives and industry power brokers line up behind Sununu as the forward-minded Reilly looks increasingly isolated. Meanwhile Bush faces mounting pressure to make a decision that will change the course of history. Using only archival materials, the film tells a harrowing political story about the consequences of presidential power and its impact on how we deal with the climate crisis today.