Inside Inside the Bubble - a review of the movie

[Mass]

Slate (rarely known to be Kerry-friendly) has an interesting article that tells us all about the movie.

As many of us have already understood, the presentation is largely overblown, and, even more interestingly, the movie presents an image of Kerry that is pleasant and a lot more at ease that the media have depicted.

An interesting read.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2127242/

Unfortunately, Inside the Bubble, which premiered at the New York Television Festival Thursday, doesn't do much to answer those questions. The movie overpromises the way sham politicians do. There are some amusing and entertaining moments, but there is little in it to explain why Kerry lost—no inside scoop from his senior advisers or much insight into the man himself. The strategists who may have botched the effort are either not seen or pass through in a blink. Instead, we spend a lot of time with secondary and tertiary players.

As for the candidate himself, we don't see much of him that we haven't seen already. But there are a few surprises. Kerry the candidate seems tantalizingly less stiff than we remember. As he waits in a locker room for a satellite interview, he pretends to interview himself. It's a goofy, amusing moment. I've watched presidential candidates in this familiar, tense setting and seen them anxious that time's wasting, irritated by a local anchor's gooey snap, bark at their staffs, or even, in one case, bolt from a Marriot ballroom. Off-camera, Kerry is surprisingly at ease. "I don't know who exercised in this locker room last," he jokes with his aides, "but they left a lot of themselves here." Alas, when the interview starts, he snaps back into that familiar wooden image.

In the most talked-about scene, Kerry pulls aside his press spokeswoman and pushes her to correct two reporters who have mischaracterized the number of bills he has sponsored in the Senate. You'll remember Kerry remarkably glossed over his many years in that body in his convention speech. So it's amusing to see him here in his barn jacket fixating on the point. Others might chuckle because the accomplishments he's boasting are so minor. Though if you catch the reference to the bills he's talking about, they have a certain belated bite: flood protection, coastal zone protection …

Because the Steve Rosenbaum wasn't given much access to the real strategists, he tries to make the subjects he gets sound more important than they are. When not doing that, the film tries to suggest that the confusion you're watching represents the chaos afflicting the Kerry campaign. It doesn't. It's garden-variety chaos that hits all campaigns.

[LittleClarkie]

1. Ah hah. And many people bought the NY Post spin

I wonder if Clinton staffers are still licking their chops.

A nice little write up, mostly free from snark and bias against Kerry. What the Post saw as stupid, they saw as amusing. And behold, Rosenbaum didn't have the access he claimed to have. Heh.

Actually, Salon isn't bad when it's Conason you're reading. He had a decent take on Kerry and the campaign most days. He's mostly what I'd go over there to read. And there was a decent profile piece from 2003 I think I posted here once.

On edit: now WHY did I think I saw Salon instead of Slate. Okay that explains it. Slate not friendly, Salon friendly. Gads, my caffine is wearing off again!

[JI7]

3. the things about Clinton people licking their chops was probably

made up also in an attempt to divide the Dems.

if this is Conason i can understand it being fair. Conason was actually a Kerry supporter and one of the few political writers i like. he always wrote positively about Kerry without any ass kissing and with mostly facts.

[Mass]

4. No, it is not Salon; it is Slate.

[LittleClarkie]

5. Nah, I got Slate mixed up with Salon. Duh.

I don't know who this is.

[JI7]

6. that's even better then

i just think it's kind of funny how they described the film as bringing despair to Kerry loyalists but our responses to the film on this forum was about how cute he was.

[FreedomAngel82]

22. I wouldn't be surprised

They like to make us divided so they can win. While we're busy picking at each other they're getting organized etc. And yes I always enjoy Conason. :)

[JI7]

2. i thought the same thing

the clips of Kerry himself were cute.

and the clips of the staff were things you would see in any normal campaign.

if it was meant to hurt KErry then it's a very pathetic attempt.

but it does back up what i say about Kerry. when people see him for himself they like him. and that includes in this film where they are trying to attack him. the clips of him are all mostly positive. they certainly aren't hurtful to his career. at the worst it might get a few laughs which isn't always bad.

look at the difference in what was said about the film before people saw it and what is being said now after people have seen it.

[globalvillage]

7. OK, now I have to watch the trailer again.

I want to see the film. The clips were fun.
I really saw nothing that might make someone think less of Sen Kerry.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. Where can I see a trailer??

[Mass]

8. Even FOX says there is nothing to see here

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170957,00.html

Empty 'Bubble'

You may have heard buzz about a documentary called "Inside the Bubble," ( search) which, according to the film’s press release, reveals the “Democrats' worst fears about the Kerry Campaign -- a disorganized, contensious , self-aborbed team that thought that they could win by ‘not making mistakes’ and keeping their candidate in the public eye without every clarifiying a position on anything.”

Other than needing a better spell-check device, the writer of this release needs a serious clue. I’ve seen the film, which is yet to find a distributor, and it’s hardly what the release purports it to be.

Halfway through, it plays like a home movie (calls home to the kids, celebrating colleagues’ birthdays), and by the end it’s like watching paint dry. How exciting is it to see someone check his Blackberry?
...

[TayTay]

9. Interesting take on Kerry. No wonder they spun this as controversy

They don't have a distributor. They wanted desperately to get this in the papers so someone with money would step up and take it to the art film circuit. Guess they got nothing now, so this will probably only go to small DVD distribution.

Walter Shapiro, in his book One-car Caravan points out how he found Kerry to be most interesting when the camera wasn't on him and when Shapiro was just taking hand-written notes of conversations with him. Kerry seemed to become much more formal and less chatty when the cameras or recorders were on him. Shapiro notes what a shame this is as, "More than any Democratic contender, even the exuberantly outgoing Edwards, Kerry is a hands on candidate, a toucher, who revels in the momentary tactile contact of a hand on the shoulder, a tap on the arm-- and, for friends and fellow Vietnam veterans, a bear hug." ibid, page 192 soft-cover version.

We have all seen this side of Kerry. We saw it on C-Span and at the big rallies. (Those of us from Mass know he has become more and more like this over the years. There is a certain New England reticence to being over-familiar with people in public, but that it also lessens as the years go by and you become more and more yourself. This is a very nice byproduct of 'getting older,' you are just more comfortable being you.)

[JI7]

10. yup, as did the people of Iowa

while i liked Kerry the most i was still open to other candidates and followed them on Cspan and i did find Kerry to be the most interesting and most affectionate.

in Iowa people get to see and talk to the candidates multiple times and they got to see this Kerry. i wish others would also and hopefully Kerry going around the country will help do this.

[kerrygoddess]

11. LOL! Sorry to Burst the Bubble

Ha ha! I posted about the Faux review on Dem Daily and Ron has a post about the Slate review.

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=737

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=734

Warning I posted my thread in GDP...

[Mass]

12. For some reason, I cant access to your site

Since yesterday night, I have been getting error messages. Not sure if I am the only one.

[karynnj]

13. Same here - it's saturday afternoon and I get Internal error

[k j]

14. Server issues...

with The Dem Daily.

[whometense]

15. From the man himself,

via today's Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/11/kerry_wont_see_campaign_documentary_i_know_what_happens?mode=PF

Kerry won't see campaign documentary: `I know what happens'

October 11, 2005

BOSTON --A new documentary about Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign, warts and all, is making the rounds in New York and Washington. But its leading man has no plans to see it.

"I lived it," the Massachusetts Democrat told reporters with a laugh on Tuesday. "I think I know what happens."

"Inside the Bubble," shot by two filmmakers given extensive behind-the-scenes access, includes lengthy scenes in which a press assistant goes on an expletive-laced tirade as he tries to arrange to have a pony placed in the room of another Kerry aide as a surprise birthday gift.

Kerry is also seen passing time by speaking Italian while waiting for a round of television interviews, and complaining about a media depiction of legislation he sponsored.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., is also caught rolling her eyes after Kerry accused President Bush of owning a timber company during one of their debates.

Clips from the film will be shown on C-Span this Sunday.

Please note the ever-Kerry-friendly Boston Globe's repeat of the stupid comment about Hillary that's been making the rounds. Political coverage as a game of "Telephone."

[beachmom]

16. If anybody has more specifics about when on Sunday on C-SPAN

Can you give us all a heads up, as I am extremely curious to see this, since I didn't live it. At the heart of it all, I am a political junkie, and like to get a glimpse into the world of a campaign.

[TayTay]

17. Will do.

The Sunday schedule should go up on the c-span site tomorrow. I was kind of curious myself. I relaly loved the 'talking Italian' bit. I wouldn't mind seeing that on a bigger screen.

[Island Blue]

19. I loved the talking Italian bit too

Not only was it sexy (whatever it was he said :shrug: ) but I also loved his reaction to Stephanie Cutter's reaction who seemed to be afraid he was saying something out of line in Italian, and that the mics where picking it up. He was like "I didn't say anything bad" and kind of shruged. Sexy and cute at the same time.

Now if he had of said something out of line in Italian, I think that WOULD have been devastating since "some people" already think he's an elitist just because he's multi-lingual. (Stupid, stupid people.)

[JI7]

18. i wonder if it will be part of the "Road to the White House"

it would suck if of all things they could have covered him on they pick this to do.

of course there is a chance it might not be all that bad either.

i'm not even sure if i will watch. maybe i will hear what others have to say and then decide to watch based on that.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Yep

Of course. It's like what they did to Al Gore. Make him stiff when he's anything but. On Nancy Pelosi's daughter's campaign video she shows how all the canidates are and all of them are really nice and have senses of humor. Even Joe Liberman seems okay. I loved when at the end she showed a lot of Kerry. This weekend I'm going to go through my video's and try to find that and watch it again. I also liked when she talked to Dean. Once she called him the "man of the hour" and he just blushed and was very down to earth. They always try to make it seem like what it isn't. I really wish there was a way to get people to really know our democratic leaders. *sigh* :(

[FreedomAngel82]

21. Will this be available on dvd?

I really hope so.

[Mass]

24. NECN report about Inside the Bubble (video)

and we can confirm Rosenblaum really thinks he did the "War Room", but that he is just repeating the same platitudes that have been all around.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/necn/

[kerrygoddess]

27. Oh for Shit Sakes -

Rosenbaum is an ass. Did you guys see his comment in my second post about the Snore Room - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=737#comment-5435

He sent me the movie. He sent it to Ron too, since we both wrote about it. I got yesterday right before I left to go see JK.

I'm going to watch it tomorrow night - I have PBS Documentary that WGBH sent me too, that I need to review - 2 Days in October. I'll do both reviews tomorrow night and Sunday.

[TayTay]

25. Local Fox affiliate in Boston to review Bubble

Teaser was, "Inside the bungled Kerry campaign." Bungled? I don't f*ckin think so, you arsewipes.

I hate Fox News. I was watching a perfectly good baseball game and they have to go and make me angry. Why can't they just leave Boston alone.

:nuke:

Oh, the director was interviewed. Poor man, his Democratic and Republican friends are mad at him for making this movie. He would never do this again, because he has suffered so much. Poor baby, it was, after all, all about him.

Fox News, as expected, took the worst possible approach to this movie and said it definiteivly answered the question: Kerry - screwup or just plain incompetent. Sigh! I hate eFox News.

[wisteria]

26. I'm angry. I am so tired of people claiming Kerry didn't have a

plan or a message. He did. It was the Democratic party as a whole that left him hanging. I don't recall much help except from Max Cleeland, Bob Kerrey and a little Bill Clinton.Other than these guys, he received very little backing.
Oh, and let me add this. Bush never had a real message other than strong and resolute. And you want to talk screw-ups, how about the debates- the first one in particular.Bush really screwed up. Do we ever hear about that? NO.