The Kerry Movie

On 7/29 MSNBC played excerpts of the movie on John Kerry's life that was played at the convention on the same night. What is with making movies about Presidents past or present any way. I never watch them, I don't read their books. I recognize that they are people with an interesting story to tell, but making a movies is a little glamorous, not to mention expensive, way of getting the story out there. Plus, I feel that the analytical and controversials are left out of these films. Not that, I would know. Maybe I should sit down and watch one or at least shut up for the sake of ignorance, here is what some political bloggers had to say:

As Told by Talk Left from the convention

Kerry seems very relaxed in the clips we've seen. This is the first time we've been able to watch any tv during the day. Right now they are doing a segment on the history of the acceptance speech...talk about a time filler!

As Told by Billmon at The Whiskey Bar "Free thinking in a dirty glass"

I don't know how effective the bio flick will be as a campaign tool - especially since the network whores decided to completely ignore it. I'm guessing it won't do as much for Kerry as one of the director's previous movies did for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But after watching the section on Kerry's tour of duty in Vietnam, and listening to the testimony of the man whose life he saved under fire, I'm wondering if the conservative attack dogs will still have the stones to speak of Kerry's "so-called" heroics in Vietnam.

On the other hand, the handling of Kerry's personal life was pretty awkward - we went from the birth of his daughters to his marriage to Theresa Heinz, without a mention of Kerry's first wife. She, apparently, has become an unperson.

Are we really so close to the dark ages that a politician running for president can't even mention his ex-wife?

Obviously, the Republicans aren't in a position to make much hay out of the fact that Kerry got a divorce (Two words: Ronald Reagan. Two more: Newt Gingrich) But, given their rather desperate attempts to pump up the fundamentalist vote, I wouldn't be surprised if the Bush-Cheney brain trust eventually tries to do it through the back door, by throwing a spotlight on the first Mrs. Kerry.

Billmon also had a really interesting and informative post about the Kerry Speech at the Dem. Convention. I enjoyed the read.