Movie Review: So Goes The Nation

Today, I am watching the documentary SO GOES THE NATION about the 2004 election in Ohio looking for bits that I can use in my class this fall.  As I am watching this I decided to try something new.  In the past I have watched movies or documentaries through first, then commented on them.  Today I am going to hit the pause button on the DVD and comment as I go.  It's worth a try, and it's new so here we go.

To open, the film talks about how Ohio was identified early on as THE state that could make or break the election for both candidate.  A soft economy and the states unusually high military population would effect voters and the key issues of the day...hmm, sound familiar?

The first fifteen minutes or so have set the stage for the 04 election.  The Republicans had won the '00 election by sear turn out, and the Democrats where left shaking their head.  Much of that argument I disagree with though the numbers tell the whole story.  More Republicans did turn out to vote in the '00 election, but I think that it had more to do with the candidates and the political climate in out country than it did anything else.  When the people are not happy, they vote.  It's the American way.  So many people wanted anything but the Clintons (for which Al Gore stood) that they would have voted for a sway backed mule rather than vote for a Democrat.

The documentary shifts gears a bit and talks about the candidates themselves.  They focus on how John Kerry refused to fight back when attacked about his war record.  One of the things that surprised me was the fact that Kerry had in place (from previous Senatorial campaigns) a plan or set of retorts to these attacks but refused to use them.  If you where to watch this segment alone you would hear Democrats pretty bluntly say that the only thing that cost them the '04 election was John Kerry.  He simply refused to make an issue out of the negative parts of his service and focused on the good.

Part of this is true, but much of it stemmed from the use of media by the Republicans.  Much of Kerry's problems started on the appropriation bill that would ultimately fund the Iraq war.  Kerry came out and said blatantly " I voted for that bill before I voted against it." One Republican strategist even says in the documentary " We set the bait on the trap, and he took it."  Even as Kerry was uttering his defense for voting against the bill, Republicans were creating an ad that used that quote to prove Kerry was a "flip flopper." Thus the image of Kerry was tarnished and Bush was able to capitalize on the fact that at least the people knew what he stood for. Right or wrong ole Bushy stands. This strategy worked and kept Kerry on the ropes for the rest of the campaign

In the middle of this segment, there are clips from the Republican National Convention giving quotes from Republicans lambasting Kerry for changing his votes and not knowing what he stood for.  One such participant was the Republican's own Mitt Romney who has himself faced the "flip flopper" label in his campaign for the White House in '12.  Just an interesting piece of history coming back to bite you in the ass that I wanted to point out.

After the candidates are highlighted they go back to voter turn out and the efforts of the Democrats to get people out for the vote.  There is a scene where a set of celebrities are brought in from their Hollywood ivory towers to be among the commoners.  A campaign worker is briefing them on what to say if the issue where a person can vote comes up.  The worker tells the celebrities 'They have to go where they are registered."  One of the political-know-it-alls from Hollywood says 'They do?" Honey even my 8th graders know you have to vote where you are registered.  Otherwise you could vote three or four times in different places.  Just goes to show you that politics and movie start don't always go together....cough Ronald Reagan cough cough

The film shifts back to voter turn out and the different efforts to pursue and motivate voters.  This election was the first for which 527 groups had a major role in the grassroots campaign to win voters.  Going into this election, and one of the campaign managers admits the Republican knew they had an uphill battle.  Democrats in the '00 election had out canvased and won that battle on the ground.  Knowing this Republicans stepped up their efforts and it could be said won that battle which helped carry the war. Part of this was due to a lack of coordination by the Democrats between 527s and the national campaign.

For a brief few scenes the film focuses on the issue of provisional ballots and the states Secretary of State not allowing them.  As I watched this, I gathered that even before that issue was decided, the Democrats had already conceded that portion of the ballot to Bush

Annnd then, as if switching on a light, Religion comes out of nowhere to take the lead.  Much of the way the Bush campaign won this battle was the fact that they made divisive issues the key element of attack against Kerry.  Kerry was portrayed as a liberal who was going to bring about a wave of destruction to the Christian-American way of life.  Conservatives came out of the woodwork to make sure this ultra-liberal, gay loving Democrat did not win.  Was this fair? I don't think so, and during the course of an interview a Bush campaign manager even admitted that.  I have long been a fan of leaving moral and religious values out of politics.  It is not good for the country and it certainly is a zero-sum game.  No one wins, when you have people's morals on the line.

Suddenly....out of the corner of the screen you see it...your not sure what it is, but you see it...you know that isn't supposed to be there but it is..."what is that?" That's right. It's the terrorist card coming in to effect the campaign with a vengeance.  This is the one issue, along with the religion card, where the Bush campaign just smoked the Kerry troops.  Bush wasn't able to campaign on his domestic record. He knew that going into the race, so along with the moral issues he brings in the terrorist for a full scale on slot to tear apart Kerry.  Through carefully designed media adds, Bush brought back the fear and terror we felt after 9/11.  Now I am not a big fan of this strategy and I really don't like it being used against me but it worked in '04 just like it works today.  Simply put, Bush made people scared, then soothed them to sleep with his determination to get the bastards that attacked us.  This portion of the campaign came at just the right time for the Bush ticket and they knew it would be the coup'de'tet.  It was simply good campaign strategy..Enough said

Ok. The blow by blow is getting a little old so I am going to wrap up by saying SO GOES THE NATION is a great little film that discusses the '04 election.  It provides a great insight on how people are elected, and shows very accurately how we got stuck with Bush for four extra years.  If you really want to the nitty gritty, point by point, issue by issue coverage of the '04 election this is the film.  Sadly, it could be picked up boilerplate, and put on the '08 and '12 election.  It would be pretty close.