Journeys with George is a 2002 documentary directed and written by Alexandra Pelosi (IMDB). Alexandra follows George W. Bush around the country on his 2000 campaign for president. It is a worthwhile documentary to watch. Unlike other documentaries, Journeys with George is entertaining, funny, and insightful at the same time. Not only did I learn a lot about what it is like to be a journalist on the campaign trail, but I was also laughing for most of the documentary. Bush is always cracking jokes and the other journalists are very comical. This film is a must see because it gives the viewer an intimate view of George W. Bush as a man, and shows the audience the complex relationship between press and politicians.
To start I have to say that I dislike the George W. Bush administration. Not only do I disagree with his economic policies, but I also am appalled at the complete disregard of his administration towards human rights. However, watching Journeys with George made me really like George W. Bush as a person! I’ve seen interviews with Bush, but I’ve never enjoyed his personality as much as I did in this documentary. Even though, I know that he was raised in a very wealthy and politically prominent family, this documentary makes him seem very approachable and very normal. In the documentary, he says some of his favorite things to eat are Cheetos and bologna sandwiches. For some reason, I really like the fact that he enjoys junk food like the rest of us. He also seems like he genuinely cares about his constituents as demonstrated by the fact that he tries to shake everyone’s hand that came out to support him. I also like the fact that he can laugh at himself and not act too seriously. I assume that this likeability played a big part in his election and reelection.
One important thing I learned is the role of the press in presidential campaigns. First I did not know that the press traveled on a private jet with the candidate. I assumed that the press would take commercial flights and would go to only a few events and not to every single campaign stop. It seems to me a little inefficient because if they are all traveling to the same events, then all of these newspapers will have the same story. I also did not realize how intimately the journalists get to know the candidate. There were times when Bush came on the plane and on the bus and would talk and joke with them. However, at some point when Dick Cheney was announced as the vice-president, Bush became off-limits to the press. I also feel bad for the journalists that have to leave their family for months. One journalist puts a comical spin on it saying that his wife tells the kids that he’s “no longer with us” about him. Not only are you away from your family, but the jobs itself seems frustrating and stressful. At one point, Alexandra starts losing her hair from all the stress. When Bush becomes off-limits to the press, some journalist becomes angry. Also I had no idea that their job depends on how well the candidate does, which totally makes sense to me now. If a candidate does not win the presidency than not a lot of people will care what kind of information the journalist have about that candidate. As Alexandra points out if Bush does not win, then all of them are out of a job. I know that the journalists are supposed to be impartial, but this creates a personal investment for them as it concerns their future. There was a point when Bush was telling Alexandra why she should vote for him in the primaries. That made me wonder if journalists actually try to get the candidate they are following elected. I’d like to believe that the journalist keep their integrity and report from a neutral point of view.
Works Cited
"Journeys with George (2002) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312848/>.
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