To Stain McCain Just Unchain Bush's Brain

Last night I watched the documentary Bush's Brain, about the Svengalian Karl Rove. It was based on the book of the same name. I was interested to see that Rove got hold of a copy of the book right before it was released and faxed the authors a 15-page rebuttal. The filmmakers incorporated aspects of his responses into the movie. I think that a) Rove is one of many type-A's who lust for power, b) although he certainly "handles" things for G.W., c) he is not really Bush's Brain. Despite my enjoyment of illustrations such as the ones below, I don't think G.W. is particularly dumb or evil, just too cowboy. Sometimes that works to America's advantage, often not. I voted for him in '00 but not '04, specifically because I feel that he sold us a bill of goods on Iraq.

I liked how the film showed some of the schemes and tactics Rove used in Texas, like bugging his own office (probably) to gain sympathy in the media right before a statewide election. Also, I remember John McCain in New Hampshire, Michigan, and South Carolina in 2000. I was surprised when he lost in S.C., and interviewees discuss some of the Rovian tactics used to undermine McC's position in the Republican Primary in that state.

Later, the movie used a lot of footage to illustrate Rove using 9/11 and Iraq to gain political support for his team, but you know what? If the Dems were in under the same circumstances, then Terry McAuliffe and that crowd would be doing the same thing. Also, the directors included a story about a Marine who was killed early in the Iraq War, and I felt as though (even though the interviews with the dead Marine's family were very sad) the filmmakers were trying to manipulate me somehow.

If you are a Bush hater, you'll like this movie; If you're a Bush lover, you won't. I'm an On-the-one-hand/On-the-other-handist, and so I guess I'm glad I spent 90 minutes to watch it once, but I doubt I would be pleased with myself if I spent another 90 minutes to watch it again.