FYI

[whometense]

Mind you, I'm just posting this so the Kerry defenders can be aware:

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/09/26/kerry_staffers_brace_for_new_film.html
(bolding mine)

Kerry Staffers Brace for New Film
Lloyd Grove says Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) loyalists "are kicking themselves for cooperating last year with filmmaker Steve Rosenbaum on Inside the Bubble, a potentially devastating behind-the-scenes look at the Massachusetts senator's failed presidential campaign."

"I'm also told that Hillary Clinton partisans are licking their chops to see the film, which 'could end up being the silver bullet that kills Kerry's presidential chances for 2008."

The film won't be seen publicly until Thursday, but a press releaseclaims the movie "turns a harsh but deeply revealing mirror on the campaign ... a disorganized, contentious, self-absorbed team that thought they could win by 'not making mistakes,' and keeping their candidate in the public eye without clarifying a position on anything."

Key highlights from those who've seen it privately: "Clinton scowling and rolling her eyes over an apparent Kerry gaffe during a presidential debate; Kerry pretending to interview himself and babbling in Italian while waiting for a real interview to begin; Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) cursing at reporters during a campaign stop, and Kerry message guru Robert Shrum confidently declaring a few days before the 2004 election: 'Zogby just announced who's gonna win. Us!'"
Link | Related News

On edit: This is why I hate politics, folks. I confess that I worked as hard as I could to get Kerry elected so I could stop paying so much attention. I won't go into my opinion of Hillary Clinton here, but reading this literally turns my stomach. I admire all of you stalwarts (and the good Senator himself) for not allowing this stuff to get in their way.

[Mass]

1. I dont know who is Rosenbaum. but I am not surprised by the image

Frankly, this is what the team was looking like during the campaign, except for the candidates and those really close to them.

I think this may have been a large part of the problem: strategists coming from all branches of the primary campaign in order to please everybody, not knowing the candidate and not promoting his strongest sides (which for me are good governance and a strong vision when it comes to transforming this country in a XXi century (his vision in environment and energy being the source of many of our problems being the center point) ).

Now, I have not seen the movie and it can be very nasty. It can also be another of these RW smears (dont know who is Lloyd Grove?) and it is a perfectly decent movie.

[whometense]

4. If you're interested,

Wonkette has gleefully linked to a number of clips, which I've seen. Frankly, none of the clips I've seen make Kerry look bad. I'm more concerned about what is said about the movie than what is in it. The bits I saw were interesting and amusing, but of course they were only bits. And they pretty much were in the Staffers mode - behind-the-scenes details of interest to only the most wonkish and/or smitten.

Also via Wonkette, this bit from the NY Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/349711p-298362c.html

I'm also told that Hillary Clinton partisans are licking their chops to see the film, which "could end up being the silver bullet that kills Kerry's presidential chances for 2008," says a Lowdown spy.

Kerry spinmeister David Wade - one of the senior staffers who allowed Rosenbaum to film his private moments - tried to dismiss Rosenbaum's effort as "a childish home movie destined to be forgotten."

Wade E-mailed me: "The 20 poor souls subjected to this movie will be reaching for caffeine and begging for old Lamar Alexander tapes on C-Span 2. Michael Moore has nothing to fear. I think the working title was 'The Snore Room.'"

But people who've screened the documentary say it's compelling and revealing.

It features, among other not-ready-for-prime-time moments, Clinton scowling and rolling her eyes over an apparent Kerry gaffe during a presidential debate; Kerry pretending to interview himself and babbling in Italian while waiting for a real interview to begin; Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) cursing at reporters during a campaign stop, and Kerry message guru Robert Shrum confidently declaring a few days before the 2004 election: "Zogby just announced who's gonna win. Us!"

Shrum told me he personally didn't cooperate with the movie, which captures him on camera only a couple of times.

Asked if he plans to see it, he answered: "Absolutely not."

Clips:
http://www.magnifyme.net/PublicVideo/NYTCOVER.mov
http://www.magnifyme.net/PublicVideo/PONYTIME.mov

Evidently the director's going to be on the Daily Show in the near future, also according to Wonkette.
Here, if interested:

[Mass]

6. You're right - as few people will see this movie, the spin is more

important than the movie, unfortunately.

Thanks for the links (I only got audio, not sure it is normal).

[TayTay]

2. I saw that. Ho-hum!

One more attack, it must be Monday. It's only a movie and if the Hillary people want to play that game, then it can be played back on here. There are numerous clips of the Sen. from NY that would not be flattering, and this is in the totally approriate realm of policy and how she sought to change policy in the US.

There is always something. Always remember, politics is aobut something and that's why it engenders all these 'dirty tricks' and gotchas. It will ever be so.

On the lighter side, the ever wrong Ron Kaufman, MA Rethug said this to the Globe on Sunday (9/25)

Kaufman said Senator John S. McCain of Arizona is the current Republican front-runner for president, while Senator George Allen, Virginia's former governor, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist are also likely candidates.

But he was more willing to speculate about who will get the Democratic nomination, predicting that Senator John F. Kerry is out of the race after a recent speech at Brown University. Kaufman criticized the talk as partisan and dispirited, and said Kerry had done a disservice to himself and the party.

''I think it's the end of John Kerry," he said.

Kaufman also predicted that Hillary Rodham Clinton would win the Democratic nomination, warning his fellow Republicans that ''she's good."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/09/25/republicans_share_their_strategies?mode=PF

If Kaufman thinks Kerry is dead, then Kerry must be doing very well indeed. Kaufman is always wrong. That's why MA is so full of elected Democrats and only 13% of officers holders are Repub.

[Mass]

3. Well, there is a speech today.

That may be the reason why.

Kaufman saying Kerry is dead is good sign for Kerry.

[whometense]

5. If I had a nickel for every time

I've heard any politician, consultant, or pundit say ''I think it's the end of John Kerry." I'd be a millionaire.

[TayTay]

7. Lloyd Grove is just a gossip columnist

He is paid to stir up controversy and make shit up. He did this to the Kerry campaign when he worked for the WaPo last year. I would discount this report almost totally. That said, it is impossible to do the ceremia verite stuff without having a few folks caught in moments they wish they could take back. But I doubt this film will do much of anything. It is a very, very rare documentary that gets seen much and this one will be offset by Alexander Kerry's own documentary later on. Yawn.

I take back what I said about Sen. Clinton. It is quite possible that nobody said anything to this douchebag and he is just trying to tstir up trouble for all Dems. I bet the finished film has nothing to do with Grove's pre-release spin.

[Mass]

8. I think you're right

Unfortunately, we can all see that this will be exploited by everybody who does not want Kerry to run (it is already starting to go through the freeper's litterature, and unfortunately, will be also posted by people with their own agenda in democratic places).

[fedupinBushcountry]

9. Now posted in GD

of course not by a Kerry supporter. I was dumb enough to respond, and of course I was answered with dribble with Kerry bashers. :argh:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4888164

[Mass]

10. Well, no surprise there

Amazing how low their standards are when it comes to sources. In fact, in his answer to your post, the OP links an interesting document when it comes to the movie. Here is a part that gives the context of the movie.

http://cinemocracy.blogs.com/cinemocracy/2004/04/john_kerry_surv.html

On the other, Rosenbaum’s projects adapt the lessons learned from reality television to the political documentary medium.

[beachmom]

11. "Babbling in Italian" -- take out the word babbling and it sounds nice

Sometimes you have to gleam the catnip out of the snark. Come on, ladies. JK speaking in Italian . . . I feel like Jamie Lee Curtis in "A Fish Called Wanda" . . . I wouldn't mind hearing a little Italian coming from the esteemed Senator from Massachusetts. It might be worth the rest of the film to see that!

Yeah, the spin will probably be disastrous, but I wonder if there won't be moments in that film that confirm what we already know about Kerry. Of course, Alexandra's film will no doubt be better. But if this things ends up on cable some time, I'm definitely setting my DVR up. Curiosity will get me every time.

P.S.

We all know that Biden is a nasty person. I've seen it on C-SPAN when he glared at a poor intern and swatted him away, so seeing him swearing at reporters would be pretty funny to catch, too.

[TayTay]

12. I would swear at some reporters too!

And you are right, that is some major catnip. Speak French at certain times and then Italian. (Geez, I heard he speaks some Swedish as well. Do we have a list of languages that Kerry speaks? Wow!)

I remember an article sometime last year that spoke about JK and Teresa and how they spoke French when they were dating. The writer said that usuaully, when Americans speak French they are flirting. Nice image. What about Italians, what are we doing when we speak Italian?

[whometense]

14. Being animated?

And trying not to be understood?? ;-)

[TayTay]

18. Oooh, that strikes me as great catnip.

I wonder if he ever did that in uniform, back in the day. Geez, that's an oddly compelling image. Sigh!

[karynnj]

16. One of the campaign books mentioned that

on the campaign bus, John and Cam Kerry spoke rapid French at times when they were wanted it less likely that they would be overheard.

[ginnyinWI]

40. ha

My daughter(#1) and her husband do that when they ride in the car with us, sometimes! I don't mind; it's cute.

[ginnyinWI]

39. languages

ok here goes:

English
French
Italian
German ? (Swiss boarding school)
Swedish
Spanish

Theresa:

English
French
Portugese
Spanish
Italian

I'd read she speaks five, so I'm assuming those are the ones.
Once you know one of the Latin languages well (Spanish, French, Italian) the others are easy to pick up, I hear. Also, there is a difference between being able to talk to a cab driver in a language, and being able to be a translator or give a major policy speech in that language. Just saying.

[whometense]

13. I found the

Italian part quite catnippy, myself. :loveya:

If it weren't for the spin machine (left AND right) I would welcome all of these films with open arms. I love the behind-the-scenes stuff. Even Alexandra Pelosi's wretched manipulation had some great moments, including (but not limited to) that unbelievable caught-on-tape quote from Rep. Pete King: "It's all over but the counting and we'll take care of the counting".

I'm just inwardly bracing for the crap I know will surely follow any unguarded moment, no matter how honest. It slays me that these freepers (again, left AND right) make it all that much harder for any politician to run an openhanded and openhearted campaign. I wonder if they'd appreciate the irony.

Again, I know TayTay is totally right here, and I'm not trying to cry doomsday or anything. The first clip I saw was the one about Marvin's birthday, and it was a total hoot. It's just that I'm a weenie about confrontation - and unfortunately, not much of a fighter. Wish I were more of one.

[karynnj]

19. That is precious

On the other, Rosenbaum’s projects adapt the lessons learned from reality television to the political documentary medium.

When we visted LA, while walking in the Hollywood area, my youngest daughter and us were given tickets to go to the next day's sceening of American Idol Jr. It was really weird. They announced the first winner in the show as one of two sisters. Apparently, in the first show, the winner hadn't even gone to apply, but was persuaded to by one of the staff. The younger sister was who the family considered the cute talented one. When the older sister's name was announced, the younger did NOT look happy. They then reshot the reaction shot - coaching the younger one to react in a sweet extremely positive way. She did have acting ability. An older girl who was clearly very nice to the younger kids, almost motherly, was only shown when she was not interacting, quietly listening to directions.

The home audience was totally manipulated into perceiving a (very cute) brat as nice and a likable young teen as standoffish.

[karynnj]

15. From the highlights, how is this bad

Kerry, who supposedly has no sense of humor and takes himself too seriously - pretending to interview himself and speaking Italian. (Do they have subtitles). Seems very good natured fun.

Biden - swearing reflects on Biden, not Kerry

Clinton - scrowling and rolling her eyes during a Kerry gaffe - what Kerry gaffe? He really didn't make any. (Mary Cheney? - Kerry shouldn't have given in to doing that, but innocent compared to her husband's comments on Monica, and the other women.) Clinton herself made an extremely inappropriate joke about Ghandi and what gass station doe he run - that was far worse than saying a 30 something who has been out for decades and who essentially works as a professional Republican lesbian is a lesbian. (Kind of like the President of NOW is a feminist.) Hearing Mary Matalin talking about Cheney's up coming book suggests she was one of the people who ran the campaign to use the gay issue.

Shrum saying Zogby says they're winning - Can you imagine anyone not saying that in his position?

Damaging would be if they uncovered new huge personal failings. The campaign workers will be the ones that will look worse - Kerry's fault their is that he hired them. (It does say that he needs to build up a good staff of people who will really commit to him. The silver lining is that HE did pretty well even with a dysfunctional staff.) All these new Kerry attacks are almost comical. He has a sense of humor and speaks Italian - the things Teresa is willing to put up with, unlike Laura whose husband's worst problems have been being a bully, a drunk, and invading countries that didn't attack us.

I think they are searching hard for Kerry dirt.

[TayTay]

17. Zogby went on The Daily Show and said that Kerry would win

I saw it. (Sigh!) Ahm, I agree with you, so what? Kerry shouldn't have used that phraseology in the third debate, but, the media should't have covered it that way either. It was obvious that Kerry was being sympathetic, not derogatory in his remarks. The media should have followed up and asked why Mary Cheney wasn't on the stage during the RNC and so forth. Instead they let a meaningless mentiond get turned into some sort of meme that Kerry was 'going after' MAry Cheney, which was bunk.

Ah, I'll just see the film, if I remember. But I really want to see Alex Kerry's film. That one should really show some genuine emotions and inside stuff.

[whometense]

29. I was also wondering

what gaffe? I don't remember any either.

[ginnyinWI]

20. my reaction to this is

Is that all ya got? Is that all ya got??
It's very funny that they think such small stuff is going to hurt Kerry. And I agree, the Italian self-interview sounds very interesting. Compare that to * waiting for an interview and giving the camera the finger.

edit to Whome: I'm with you--I also wanted to get Kerry elected so that I could stop worrying so much about this country, this economy, my kids' ablility to find jobs and lives.

[whometense]

28. Thanks, Ginny.

I know it's not particularly brave or patriotic of me, but I figured if Kerry got into the White House there would be a lot less heavy lifting for me personally. I'd always watch his back, but life would feel so relatively serene, wouldn't it?

How relaxing. I felt the same way about Gore, but without the :loveya: aspect.

[ginnyinWI]

38. true

Gore was ok but I didn't really feel I identified with him or trusted him completely.

I was so looking forward to seeing how JK would impliment all of his good ideas and policies. Well maybe I'll get to see that yet!

Conversely, seeing * slither into the WH after the 2000 election gave me the start of my feelings of insecurity. Then 9/11 increased it. But it isn't just about terrorism--out here in the Mid-West we aren't particularly worried about it--it's just a general fear of someone being in charge who didn't look like he gave a hoot about ordinary people.

[WildEyedLiberal]

21. FUCK these assholes (profanity warning)

Seriously, they're all so fucking out of touch. Nothing that was described is anything that would make the average Dem voter turn away from John Kerry. You know what? Let fucking Hillary play her fucking games and see how far it gets her.

I read an awesome biography of John Kerry recently - it was a kids book about him, so I had to get it. It summarizes his entire life so perfectly - touches on everything he's ever done, from Vietnam to BCCI to the election and everything in between. The last line? "Experience has proven that it is never wise to underestimate him" (emphasis mine)

So, yeah, motherfuckers. Declare him DOA like you always do - that's how he likes to play. He'll come back and beat your asses, just like he always does. Come on, Hillary. Come on, lefty freepers. Come on, all you sniveling pigfucking bastards. Bring it the fuck on.

[karynnj]

22. What's the name?

That is really good news.

[WildEyedLiberal]

23. The name of the book?

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=073A0QwA8P&isbn=1931798648&itm=1

John Kerry: Senator from Massachusetts. I haven't seen it too many places, really - I work at B&N and had to special order it (after I saw it while whittling away time at work doing a system search on John :P ). It is superb, though, and its easy to read format makes it an ideal introduction to John Kerry for the uninitiated.

Unfortunately, I see it's not availabe on Barnes and Noble's website. I ordered it through the store, but I don't know, short of maybe seeing if your local bookstore could get it in, how to get one.

[whometense]

30. WEL,

you and I are of one mind about Hillary.

[politicasista]

41. LOL!

:yourock:

[Firespirit]

24. I'm... unimpressed.

If this is Hillary's "silver bullet" and they put it out in 2005 when most people are still in disaster mode and focused on Bush foulups, if they draw even peripheral attention to the Kerry campaign at a time when people are saying that they wish they had him as president (and I have seen this posted on many weather- and disaster-related blogs :D), AND we have yet to get through the 2006 midterm elections, it doesn't say much for their competence. You'd think that if they had two grains of sense, they'd put this film out in, say, late 2007, when regular people are in campaign mode and would actually give a damn and remember the stupid thing.

:eyes:

If that's the best they can do, I'm unimpressed. Seriously unimpressed. By 2007 this film will be utterly forgotten except by the Hillary campaign (assuming that she does in fact run and hasn't dropped out by that time), who won't be able to use it effectively since people will be more interested in a campaign about the future of America than a campaign about a past campaign, and People-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the "left-wing blogosphere." As Dean can attest, those people are very relevant to getting the nomination. :sarcasm:

[WildEyedLiberal]

25. Thanks for your post

You summed up everything I wanted to say in a much calmer and less profane manner :P

I just get seriously irrational when I read attacks like this... and see shit-for-brains DUers peddling their usual load of anti-Kerry swill.

It makes me wanna KILL!!!!!!!!!!!1111

[Firespirit]

27. Not a problem.

:hi:

It pissed me off at first, but then I started to laugh at how ill-timed and ridiculous an attack it was, and how irrelevant it would end up being. I'd kinda hoped that his opposition would be a little smarter than that, because I like worthy competition, but we must remember that probably a fair number of his roving "advisors" from 2004 will desert him for Hillary because they have no real loyalty. That's perfectly all right with me. If they suck so bad -- and I am of the opinion that they do, but you've heard this rant before ;) -- then let her have them. In spite of the lame advisors, Rove still had to pull out his voter suppression and vote-hacking tricks because JK... well, he has "it," and Hillary just doesn't.

[whometense]

32. It's my guess that if he does run

he won't miss them at all. I think it will be his Boston Brain Trust all the way. And that would be a campaign I would pay MONEY to see. Those guys are TOUGH.

[karynnj]

31. I think part of it might be from Kerry's email when he set up

KAP, he acknowledges that the local and state parties (in some places) didn't have the organization or the grassroots needed to compete against the more organized Republicans. He is a step beyond them in that he is in the solutions phase.

He is likely working on other things he sees as flaws - I don't know if it related to it, but in at least 2 of the NJ places he made a pitch to the people their that their job was to learn the facts and defend Crozine (if the Republicans through lies at him) by bringing up the truth to friends, neighbors and family. Interesting idea as we can't compete on mass media. Enough people knowing the truth could stop the propagation of rumors.

My guess is that he is also aware of the flaws of the campaign and is figuring out what to do. By 2007, with any luck Kerry will have helped many local and state politicians and energized more people to join people like you who were involved last year. Putting it out then would be like handing back a test 3 years later, when the person has progressed to a higher level.

Although it shows the campaign people in less than a positive light, at least from what they're showing a Kerry who seems to be more fun than the guy we were told last year we wouldn't want to have a beer with. Jokingly interviewing himself and speaking Italian seems almost Monty Pythonish. There are worse things a candidate under pressure of 24 hr coverage could do - if this is the worst thing he did in 6 months, I think he really doesn't have to worry.

I think he is speaking out,because of the reason he gave - it would be irresponsible not to. Is it for sure Hillary has anything to do with the film?

[whometense]

33. It was my impression

that one of the cameras just caught her watching the debate. I doubt she had anything to do with it otherwise. Did you see "Staffers"? Their cameras caught a lot of people in passing that weren't central to the action.

[Firespirit]

26. Oh yeah...

While we're on the subject of bad campaigning...

I just thought of a really incompetent campaign from several years back... In a debate, the candidate was given a trick question about a nonexistent bill taken from an urban legend several years old, and she didn't know it. (Speaking of real honest-to-God debate gaffes, that's a good one.) The candidate couldn't put up a good fight against stupid attacks like "she's not a real Yankees fan" (like that's something to be proud of :P). She barely squeaked 55% in a deep blue state running against a little-known Republican whose sole talking point was "I'm from here and she's not" and who had to replace the original GOP candidate that was leading her in the polls.

Hmm, who might that be? :D

[karynnj]

34. Actually to be fair she did start to take a lead on her

opponent who pulled out - after he told the press he was getting a divorce, before telling his wife. (It was well known their marriage was in trouble) The replacement kind of reminded me of Santorum - same smirky, self satisfaction.

[Island Blue]

35. Wouldn't it be easy for a filmmaker to piece together a documentary

to show just about any point of view he wanted to show? I mean I guess you could shoot enough footage and edit it just right to make a film that showed Shrub* as a thoughtful, intelligent man. (On second thought, maybe not.)

Like everyone else here, I'm looking forward to Alex Kerry's film. I'm sure she captured similar unguarded moments (like her dad amusing himself by interviewing himself or speaking in Italian) but in her film those moments will serve to show his humanness rather than to forward a political agenda. Also, I think when her film is released, it will probably gain a lot more media attention just because she is who she is!

[globalvillage]

36. I thought I heard there was video of bush* speaking English.

But I was mistaken.

[whometense]

37. hahahahahaha n/t