On the day Barack Obama was elected the 44th President, more than 58 million voters cast their ballots for John McCain. In the months leading up to this historic election, filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi (HBO's Emmy®-winning Journeys with George) took a road trip to meet some of the conservative Americans who waited in line for hours to support the GOP ticket, and saw their hopes and dreams evaporate in the wake of that Democratic victory. These voters share their feelings about the changing America in which they live.
"In 2008, I followed the McCain campaign across the country to listen to Americans who did not want Barack Obama to be their President. While not representative of the entire Republican Party, these are just some of the party faithful who turned out at campaign rallies along the way" - Alexandra Pelosi
For her fifth HBO project, Pelosi visited 28 states and spoke about the fight for the soul of the country with mostly conservative Americans, who feel underrepresented by the mainstream media. From the Pulpit Freedom Day in Bethlehem, Ga. to the NASCAR circuit, RIGHT AMERICA: FEELING WRONGED - SOME VOICES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL shows a country at war with itself over the religious and cultural identities that define America. Many interviewees were particularly incensed by what they saw as a lack of any meaningful media attention given to their message during the election campaign - including their views on such hotly contested issues as gun control, abortion rights, religion and gay rights - and by a perceived media bias against McCain and running mate Sarah Palin. 'The way the press handles the election, we feel like our side's never being really represented, never really given a fair shake', says one man. 'It's almost like they think of us as a bunch of hicks, a bunch of idiots. And they don't even wanna hear our side or understand us'.
'The liberal media is selling the American people short', observes one woman. 'That's ridiculous and people should be outraged. And millions and millions of us are'. 'We're the backbone of this country', says another man. 'We're hardworkin,' blue- collared workers that keep this country runnin. He [Obama] talks like he knows us; he doesn't know us'.
RIGHT AMERICA: FEELING WRONGED - SOME VOICES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL is a snapshot of some of the most enthusiastic conservative Americans, once labeled 'the silent majority' of the voting American public. Many of them feel so alienated over cultural and political issues that they say they will never trust the new president, the Congress or the media. (daqui, descoberto aqui)
(2009)
