Experiencing the Presidential Campaign As A Virtual Reality Film

Arenas, auditoriums, restaurants, banquet halls. These are the unexceptional settings of an exceptionally American endeavor: running for president. In these communal spaces, average people have the chance to share a few words with the next Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The next president just might be the man or woman sidling up to you in your booth at the diner or trying to shake your hand.

Campaign events are a perfect fit for virtual reality because they can seem so unreal themselves.

Here is Donald J. Trump, all smiles on the rope line as he signs your copy of his book.

There is Ted Cruz in a cozy dinner spot, warning about the perils facing America.

Bernie Sanders stirs passions with strong words, while Hillary Clinton tries to connect with younger voters.

But the best part of campaign events are the crowds, because you see, hear, and even feel what these people care about. Watching college students scream in excitement over Mr. Sanders, a 74-year-old senator from Vermont, is slightly surreal, especially when it is phrases like “Glass-Steagall” an 82-year-old bank regulation law  that send them to the heights of ecstasy. The mostly white men and women at Mr. Trump’s rallies roar when he gets tough on other groups of people. Older women turn giddy at the sight of Mrs. Clinton, and evangelical Christians appreciate the chance to pray with Mr. Cruz.

Being alongside voters as they react to their favorite candidate is a privilege that watching such moments on television just does not afford. Through virtual reality, Republicans can get a taste of Democratic campaign events, and Democrats can soak up Republican ones, without having to wait in long lines or listen to partisan speeches in their entirety.

Democracy is alive and well when as many people as possible see it in action. The technology is a gateway for everyone who does not live in an early primary state and wonders what all the fuss is about there every four years. Experiencing the virtual world of campaign events can leave one wanting to dip more into the body politic, especially because it can be so entertaining.