Summary

"...So Goes the Nation" is a feature length documentary that examines America's tumultuous electoral process through the eyes of diverse politicians, activists, and voters. The 2004 presidential election between George W. Bush and John Kerry provides the stage, showing how the voting public is manipulated by both parties' leaders and their political marketing machines. Political activism and the thoughts of voters themselves are revealed in the ultimate cross-section state: Ohio. In addition to interviewing American voters and grassroots campaigners, Stern and Del Deo gained unprecedented access to high-ranking Republican and Democratic campaign strategists and officials such as Edward Gillespie (Chairman of the Republican National Committee), Terry McAuliffe (Chairman of the Democratic National Committee), Ken Mehlman (Bush's 2004 campaign manager), Mary Beth Cahill (Kerry's 2004 campaign manager), Matthew Dowd (Bush's chief campaign strategist), Tad Devine (Kerry's chief campaign strategist), Mark McKinnon (Bush's media strategist), and Paul Begala (a senior democratic advisor). The film looks at the election and the voting public through lenses large and small, and in doing so, examines both the U.S.voting process and the American national psyche. The documentary ultimately provides a rare and unique opportunity to show the real electoral story of democracy in action.