By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Joseph Mealey | Michael Shoob
Country: united_states
Year: 2004
Running time: 80
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403910/combined
Bruce says: “BUSH’S BRAIN is a documentary about Karl Rove. Bush’s two Presidential campaign victories were carefully engineered by Rove. Often quoted that he would stop at nothing to win an election, Rove has been credited with almost every dirty trick that George W. Bush has used in his campaigns. To maintain some balance, the film does credit Rove with having unparalleled ability to analyze demographics and find ways to reach almost every group likely to find a Republican candidate appealing.
“The film traces Rove’s questionable tactics back to the beginning of his political career in his college days and his first involvement in political campaigns. Back in Texas in 1986 a mysterious bugging device was planted in Rove’s office. The incident became an instant scandal and tilted the outcome of the election in favor of the candidate for whom Rove was working. Suspicions are raised that it was Rove himself who planted the device because his candidate had been trailing in the polls.
“Much of the material in the film is based on a book written by James C. Moore and Wayne Slater, two Texas journalists who are featured prominently in the film. Many of the filmmakers’ claims rely on circumstantial evidence which, although very compelling, lack the punch that is necessary to skewer Rove and give him his due. The reason for that is Rove has always delegated the dirty work so that little can be traced back to him. Some of the talking heads appear to be speaking of bitter grapes rather than spewing facts. The evidence does pile up, however, and gives one pause when realizing the extent to which one man has influenced an entire nation in the past two elections.
“Rove comes across as a nerd but he is certainly no dummy. He has been shrewd and manipulative, dishonest and sleazy. Attacking John McCain by suggesting that his adopted daughter was really his illegitimate love child is an example of the level to which Rove was willing to stoop in order to win votes for Bush. Rove is also credited for the whisper campaign insinuating that McCain was mentally unstable as a result of his Viet Nam service. That particular Rove brainstorm pushed Bush forward in the 2000 South Carolina primary. Rove’s vindictive nature is evidenced in the Wilson affair where Joseph Wilson’s wife was exposed as a CIA agent by Robert Novak in retaliation for Wilson’s honest assessment of the hollow African uranium claims that the Bush Administration fabricated to imply Saddam Hussein had nuclear capabilities.
“The film implies that Rove uses the war in Iraq as a plus for the Bush Campaign, labeling Bush ‘The War President’ as though it were a sacred title we must help sustain and that we, as a nation, would be foolish to switch horses in midstream. Unfortunately BUSH’S BRAIN drifts into an anti-war statement rather than maintaining its character study.
“It has been many decades since the public has considered politicians as statesmen and model citizens. BUSH’S BRAIN drives home the message that behind the scenes lurk men like Rove who are ruthless, unethical and willing to employ any tactics to achieve their professional goals. Some call this democracy, some call it freedom. Many have no idea what’s really going on. 3 cats”