So Goes the Nation
As John Kerry presidential campaign volunteer Miles Gerety puts it, "As goes Ohio, so goes the nation." Directors Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern, who were behindThe Year of the Yao(about NBA superstar Yao Ming), attempt to get a handle on the 2004 presidential election by focusing on this swing state in the weeks before the big day. Senator Kerry and President George W. Bush staffers recount their experiences in trying to win the White House. Speakers include everyone from door-to-door campaigners to Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe and RNC chairman Ed Gillespie. Even some of Kerry's most dedicated followers admit that there were times their man let them down, like his failure to take a more aggressive stance against the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. On the other hand, at least one Bush staffer feels that her candidate made too big a deal about same-sex marriage. As longtime Republican Leslie Ghiz remarks about his campaign promises, "Notice there's [been] no marriage amendment." Del Deo and Stern also shadow local voters and out-of-town celebrities like Brendan Fraser, part of the organization Bring Ohio Back. (Other famous names to swing through the Buckeye State include Matt Dillon and Bruce Springsteen.) If...So Goes the Nationpresents more talking heads than revelations, it's still an evenhanded look at the series of events that led to such a seemingly surprising result. As a study in contrasts, Rachel Boynton'sOur Brand is Crisis, also featuring strategist Tad Devine, proves that winning can sometimes be worse than losing.--Kathleen C. Fennessy