Then, last week, after Governor Sarah Palin's address at the
Republican National Convention, as I became more disturbed with the substitution of half-truths for facts and spin for substance, I found myself not only watching Recount, but hoping the Obamians are watching it, too. In this climate of single-issue voters, netizen bloggers, and swift-boating campaign strategists, this movie feels like a spooky harbinger of what's ahead on November 4th. What felt inevitable in 2000 now seems anything but. Gore could have fought harder, better, and sooner; he won. What no one seemed to know then is that the race wasn't over, but by the time they got back in the game, it had ended.In a close contest - and that's what we're in - the first side to flinch, blink, or back down will lose. Every time Obama gives a little more, it feels like he's drafting his concession.
Both Recount and the real-time movie-for-television that is the Palin candidancy feature the Republican version of a femme fatale - someone who, in conservative political circles, passes as a babe and is so steadfastly Christian, that she routinely seeks guidance from the scriptures. In the film, Katherine Harris finds the strength to do what she believes she must by following the life of Queen Esther. According to the New York Times, Esther is also a role model for Palin. As Jon Weiner writes in the Huffington Post points out, this could be bad news for the modern day inhabitants of Persia, now known as Iran, since Esther sanctioned the vengeful slaughter of 75,000 of them.
Recount is playing throughout the coming weeks on HBO and has also been released on DVD. Someone ought to Netflix it for the Obama express.
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