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Journeys with George

Parties and Government in the USA. Journeys with George. The documentary. network television producer's video diary coproduced by NBC News producer Alexandra Pelosi and documentary filmmaker Aaron Lubarsky documentary six Emmy nominations. The documentary.

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Journeys with George

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  1. Parties and Government in the USA Journeys with George

  2. The documentary • network television producer's video diary • coproduced by NBC News producer Alexandra Pelosi and documentary filmmaker Aaron Lubarsky • documentary • six Emmy nominations

  3. The documentary • The author: Alexandra Pelosi • NBC news producer • director, cinematographer, producer, writer • descending from a long line of democrats => special position

  4. The documentary • analysis • purpose • the only behind-the-scenes look at Bush's campaign • relationship between the press corps covering the campaign and the presidential candidate • “unholy alliance” between the reporters and the candidate • deconstructs how Americans elect their Presidents

  5. The documentary • Method • Focus on the human side • shot with a digital camera • “road trip style” • the life of a traveling journalist during this long campaign journey • very personal insights • Pelosi also records the thoughts of several colleagues Financial Times journalist Richard Wolffe Times photographer Brooks Kraft Dallas Morning News journalist Wayne Slater

  6. The documentary • Humorous presentation of Bush • direct access • “George unplugged” • Evolutionary process from Cowboy to Statesman • the grimacing, shy, childish, distracted Vs the shameless, self-confident Bush • Pelosi’s personal feelings • Opinion of the voters Simple documentary with Bush’s human point of view of the campaign ?

  7. The documentary How is the message spread? Relation Bush – Pelosi: conditional love towards Alexandra Pelosi's gender advantage teasing each other • Pelosi’s character: • democrat family • ambivalent attitude toward politics, and medias • questioning herself • Pelosi’s Off-screen voice • Interrogating the "travelling press corps“: generally cynical about the elections or their job • Metaphorical way

  8. The documentary • Narration techniques : • Evolution of her point of view, • Bush’s evolution to control relationship with medias • The end -> cynical point of view -> critical demonstration of medias/politics connivance, American political system and related topics as Bush himself.

  9. Primaries Elections • challenger : Mac Cain • organization • travels around the United States • activities to show him close to the citizens

  10. Primaries Elections CAMPAIGN • Meetings • Speeches • Voters • States followed during the documentary: • New Hampshire • South Carolina • Michigan

  11. Primaries Elections • Naughty methods used during the campaign • rumors leaking • push polling • flyers

  12. Primaries Elections Results in these states:

  13. Primaries Elections RESULTS • -Bush: 43 + D.C • -Mac Cain : 7

  14. General Elections « Tonight in prime time, in front of a live studio audience, it will bemade official. In the morning, George Bush will wake up as theRepublican presidential candidate»National Convention, August 4th 2000. • Ambiance: campaign coverage: is this real journalism? Only pictures • Time: min.45 until min.70 = 25 min

  15. General Elections « After travelling almost a million miles, hearing the same speech a thousands times and eating a hundreds of turkey sandwiches, we finally made it to election day» Election Day, November 7th 2000. • Ambiance: nobody knew what would happen next / exhaustion • Time: min.70 to min.75 = 5 min

  16. General Elections Stakes and Issues Mainly domestic issues: • budget surplus • healthcare • reform medicare – social security • plans for tax relief -> no big international issue Source: H. Miller and Thomas F. Klobucar: The Role of Issues in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election. In: Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 1, 2000 Presidential Election (Mar., 2003),pp. 101-124.

  17. General Elections Electoral map Official numbers, after decision of Supreme Court TO ACCEPT RESULTS: Electoral vote: Bush: 271, Gore: 266 States carried: Bush: 30, Gore: 20 + DC Popular vote: Bush: 50,456,002, Gore: 50,999,897 Percentage: Bush: 47.9%, Gore: 48.4%

  18. General Elections The Florida Recount • Why is Florida crucial? 27 electors / 270 needed to win • Heterogenous population => historically Swing State • Butterfly ballot influence? • Misvotes, Undervotes, Overvotes? • Racial disparities in ballot rejectionrates? Alan Agresti and Brett Presnell: Misvotes, Undervotes and Overvotes: The 2000 Presidential Election in Florida. In: Statistical Science, Vol. 17, No. 4, Voting and Elections (Nov., 2002), pp. 436-440. Bruce E. Hansen: RecountsfromUndervotes: Evidence from the 2000 Presidential Election. In: Journal of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 98, No. 462 (Jun., 2003), pp. 292-298 Walter R. Mebane, Jr: The Wrong Man Is President! Overvotes in the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida. In: Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep., 2004), pp. 525-535. Kirk Wolter, Diana Jergovic, Whitney Moore, Joe Murphy, ColmO'Muircheartaigh: Reliability of the Uncertified Ballots in the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida. In:The American Statistician, Vol. 57, No. 1 (Feb., 2003), pp. 1-14.

  19. General Elections Timeline of recount and judicial process: 36 days • Nov, 7: Election day • Nov, 8: Hesitation time • Nov, 9: Recount request by Gore in 4 counties • Nov, 12 – 23: chaos • Nov, 24: Bush appeals to US Supreme Court • Nov, 26: Bush decides setting up an administration • Nov, 27: on hold • Dec, 1: US Supreme Court hearings • Dec, 4: USSC asks FL.SC for clarification for its decision on recount deadlines • Dec, 9: USSC orders (5-4) to stop manual recount • Dec, 12: USSC decision to overturn FLSC rulings. At 7-2, justices agree. FLSCordered recounts suffered from constitutional problems • Dec, 13: Bush accepted as 43d POTUS

  20. General Elections • Debates & Consequences: 1. Biased Journalism? J. Wilson Mixon Jr., Amit Sen, E. Frank Stephenson: Are the Networks Biased? "Calling" States in the 2000PresidentialElection. In: Public Choice, Vol. 118, No. 1/2 (Jan., 2004), pp. 53-59. 2.Legality and Ballot System? Richard A. Posner: The 2000 Presidential Election: A Statistical and LegalAnalysis. In: Supreme Court EconomicReview, Vol. 12 (2004), pp. 1-40. 3.Trust in Political System? Martin P. Wattenberg: "Elections": Was the 2000 Presidential Election Fair? An Analysis of Comparative and Retrospective Survey Data. In: PresidentialStudiesQuarterly, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Dec., 2003), pp. 889-897. A lot of sensational journalism in books and documentaries about « how Bush stole the 2000 election » or « how Gore tried to steal the 2000 election ». See also Michael Moore's depiction of the matter in Fahrenheit 9/11 or his speech in the Oscars in May 2001.

  21. Conclusion • more of a travel video that a critical documentary • media politicians: a give and take relationship • the role of the journalists as independent observers • lack of political issues • credibility of Bush • goal of the campaign • who are the voters • goal of the documentary -> nothing means something?

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