I watched "Diary of a Political Tourist," which documents the race for the 2004 Democratic Presidential candidate on HBO last night. Alexandra Pelosi (Nancy's daughter) and her camera are on-hand at many of the debates, bowling alley, living room, backyard and pick-up bed speeches and other functions of the primaries, showing the hard slog these candidates must endure to get the nomination. I have much more respect, or maybe it's revulsion, for what they go through now than I did before. They have to be willing to play something akin to a TV weatherman for these people, wearing silly hats, appearing at the local festivals. Hopefully, it helps to keep many of them humble.
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Pelosi created a similar film, "Journeys With George," focusing exclusively on George Bush in 2002 and, as the daughter of a Washington insider, still has some degree of access to him. Both times she sees him in this film, he says, "I made you famous once, I'm not going to do it again." It's just always about George, isn't it?
We see the initial meeting with John Kerry. He is polite and kind of joking with her but rather distrustful of the camera. When she asks him if he doesn't think it's possible that she would do a flattering piece, he says it would be the first time. Since Dean was easily the frontrunner at this time, and I suspect she was focusing on him, there isn't a lot of footage of Kerry early in the primaries. Maybe one day she'll splice together the Dean footage and create a film of that.
At the White House BBQ in the summer of 2003, Pelosi asks a couple of Republicans, "Is George Bush unbeatable?" Answers Porter Goss, R-FL, "George Bush is the closest thing to unbeatable we've seen in years."
This exchange with Peter King, R-NY, is particularly startling in this time of voter fraud:
Peter King: It's already over. The election's over. We won.
AP: How do you know that?
PK: It's all over but the counting, and we'll take care of the counting.
Yikes! These guys are early planners, aren't they?
Pelosi catches Kerry several times trying to slip off outside by himself for a little think time. The first time, she comes up beside Kerry as he's walking alone down the street. He's playing with a glass (I think) dropping it from one hand, catching it with the other, a kind of thinking exercise.
AP: How's it going Senator?
JK: Are you doing this again? Am I gonna have to put up with you for about 18 months now?
AP: Yes
JK: Do you have fun doing this?
AP: I love it.
JK: Tell me about your life.
She answers that lately she's been spending a lot of time with Howard Dean, but I love this exchange. He comes across as very warm and caring and truly interested in her life rather than trying to sell her his latest sound bite.
There is a really nice sequence of shots where she catches Kerry off by himself, sitting and thinking or kicking at some stones, not getting the one he wanted and going back two more times until he got it. As someone who needs a lot of alone time to think, I can appreciate this man.
I was impressed by Kerry's flexibility as he was shown stretching his muscles on the hockey rink and maybe a little jealous of Teresa!
After Kerry's surprise win in Iowa, he goes to NH and proclaims himself Comeback Kerry. Still a good name, I'd say.
At one of the debates, she catches Candy Crowley in a candid moment: "And then there's this part of me that thinks, omg, this is democracy and it's about, you know, who's got the best banner, and how many little words are written. And I look at this and think, this is our fault. You know, this is television's fault, because it's all about how it comes across right there (pointing at the camera). And, so I have this sort of love-hate relationship with it because I love to watch it unfold because there's such a silliness to it and then I think, but this is democracy, the leader of the western world and I think, who did this? And I'm thinking, we did this. Television did this." Glad you recognize this, Candy, and you know what, you guys are the ones who can change that.
Kerry has received the nomination. He's across a parking lot in a grassy area and takes off walking by himself. Walks down a little way, looks around, turns around and comes back. When he gets back, Pelosi tells him he should know he can't be alone, there will be 50 cameras pointed at him. He comes walking up to her, jokingly puts his hands over the camera and says, "I didn't know that. I had no idea. I thought I was gonna, I thought I was gonna go over there and lie down in the grass and I turned around and I saw you guys and I said, `oh, shit.'"
AP: There's no such thing as a private moment now. From now until November. This is it.
JK: That's it? It ends in November?
AP: Well...
Kerry smiles and does a little finger wag at her. I took it as either a sign that he thinks it won't end then or that maybe it shouldn't end then like it did for the current President. Could just be my point of view these days though.
In one scene, Pelosi is speaking to Sen. Clinton and Kerry is behind her, peripherally part of another group, but is looking Sen. Clinton's way and probably able to hear all the nice things she's saying about him. He gives Pelosi a smile and a thumbs-up and seems rather like a kid, amazed and excited by it all.
As Kerry gains popularity, it becomes harder for Pelosi to get very close to him, although I notice he seems sincerely apologetic when he has to brush off the press. At one point, as she stands behind a fence with the press, he and Teresa and others walk past. Pelosi yells to him, "Hi! We're up here behind bars." Kerry takes a few steps, turns back and yells back, "That's where you belong."
Pelosi gets her final interview to ask why Kerry thought he was the one to come out of the primaries the winner. He said he had no idea, that it was somewhat luck and, essentially, that the people had somehow decided he was someone they could trust. Pelosi and Kerry banter about a bit, with Kerry taking her camera and going into the press area and filming there and joking with the press corps. He seems very personable.
I enjoyed this documentary, although I don't think it was particularly great, and Pelosi really kind of shows her young age (a plus and a minus). It probably wouldn't appeal to anyone who isn't a political junkie, but I got to see another side of Kerry and many of the other Democratic nominees. Being in Ohio and not having had a real interest in the Democratic primaries (just please, dear God, give us someone who can beat Bush), I got to see the appeal so many found with Dean.
My overall impression of Kerry from the film was that he seems like a warm and intelligent man. I think we're really lucky to have him as our candidate.
I do feel, however, I should prepare you for the ewwwwww, moment when Pelosi is hugged by Karl Rove.