…So Goes The Nation (Political Documentary/Genius/IFC)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: B-     Documentary: B

 

 

The 2000 U.S. Presidential Election was one debacle and continues to be controversial, but the 2004 election was another.  Some accuse the Republicans of stealing the election again, but the James D. Stern/Adam Del Deo documentary …So Goes The Nation (2006) examines the dirty politics on both sides and makes us question both how broken the electoral system is and how much dirty politicking goes on that is censored.

 

Since this arrived on DVD, Rolling Stone Magazine featured a series of articles (by a member of the Kennedy Family no less) on how the Republicans stole the election again and robbed victory from John Kerry.  As much as I wanted to believe that and acknowledge that the Republicans would do anything to win, this program shows how both sides were fighting for victory.

 

Even if I agreed with everything the articles said, there is one fact that remains that even this program may have missed.  Kerry had plenty of money left to spend and instead of spending it, listened to an advisor who said Ohio was taken care of, was fine and holding steady.  When the lives of soldiers overseas and people worldwide are in the balance and Kerry is supposed to stand for what he objected to in Vietnam, why did he ever even listen to this person or ask the question to begin with is astonishing.  If it only took a football stadium full of people to give him victory, he should have gone for broke.  Instead, he failed himself, his party, the U.S. and has himself to blame as much as anyone for his loss.

 

See this program yourself and see what you think.

 

The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image has good color, but some aliasing and detail limits.  However, it is well edited and watchable.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is also fine, but nothing spectacular and has no surrounds.  The combination delivers for a documentary.  There is only one extra, but it is a good one: audio commentary by co-directors Stern and Del Deo.  The result is another must-see political documentary.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo