currieken-942-972915 Review of ...So Goes the Nation

...So Goes the Nation (2006)

A great, even-handed documentary of a very contentious election.

[10 October 2011]

The producers of this documentary are to be commended for their even- handed approach in covering the voting in Ohio during the 2004 presidential election. It is easy for either side in the process to hurl charges that the other side "smeared" their candidate (Kerry's activities after he returned from Vietnam did leave him vulnerable to the eventual Swift Boat attacks, regardless of whether one considers him a war hero) and Bush did serve honorably in the Air National Guard, despite charges he avoided the draft -- if he avoided the draft, how did he then manage to end up in a military unit?). Each side was guilty of hyperbole, inaccuracies, half lies, but -- unfortunately -- that's what passes for politics these days. The trick is to sort through all this muck and tell an accurate, balanced story presenting the point of view from both sides. That the producers were able to do this in recounting the emotionally charged election in Ohio is nothing less than remarkable. I use this video in my American government classes, precisely because it is a balanced look at the realities of 2004.