Part of me does indeed wish to say, “Give it up. Leave the man alone already. He was a bad president. Move on.” And then there’s the part of me that says, “but … but …but every.single.Republican running for the office wants to follow the terrible Bush blueprint straight down into the toilet. WE ALL accepted -all Americans regardless of political affiliation- we all accepted George W. Bush was a lousy president and yet these jokers can’t wait to make the exact same mistakes. They haven’t learned anything.” And … this particular counter-witch-hunt took down Dan Rather, a much respected news man. So while W.’s military record is a complete non-sequitur to anything relevant in this decade, it’s important to note how few questioned its spotty nature and how many went after the news deliverer instead.
One of the great travesties of the 2004 election was the fact that John Kerry, a decorated war hero, essentially got less credit for his military service record than George W. Bush, who has no war record at all and may well have been absent for much of his required service. Yes, this really happened – the Bush campaign ran “Swift Boat” attack ads seeking to humble Kerry’s Vietnam record while “60 Minutes” was mercilessly attacked by partisan forces for the mere mention that George W. Bush has a military service record that no soldier would boast.
On the stretch run to the election, “60 Minutes” picked up some hot “W.’s service record was a joke” info. The ex-pol who got Bush into the velvet rope section of the Texas Air National Guard was finally willing to come forward and “60 Minutes” producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) found a contact with memos explaining blank sections in Bush’s service record, especially with regards to a transfer to the Alabama Air National Guard. Thinking the source was solid, Dan Rather (Robert Redford) went on air telling the American public that Bush had some ‘splainin’ to do.
And, of course, just like in Trumbo, this is what happens when you attack a powerful chicken hawk – you bring a world of hurt upon yourself. What followed was an absolute shitstorm of investigation into “60 Minutes.” Critics asked the legitimate question, “are the documents real?” And there were questions as to the authenticity, especially as the memos were copies. Had they been created in Microsoft Word (obviously not available in 1970 when Bush was in the National Guard)? Critics did not ask, however, “are the allegations true?” That’s the point of Truth – the vigor to denounce the controversial documents completely masked the fact that Bush had gained political advantage on a very weak military record.
Say, why such outrage, really, Bushies? Was it because the Right assumed it had successfully destroyed or hidden all of the damning evidence? Why exactly do we not have a clear and full record of W.’s service in the military? Hmmmm? This isn’t the kind of thing that gets lost or destroyed by accident.
All of this blather blurs the bigger question, the one Truth ignores entirely: Do you really think Kerry would have beaten Bush if “the record had been set straight?” Really? Senator John Kerry is about as exciting as landfill; he never met a speech he couldn’t drone. Even had the country accepted 100% that Kerry was 1970’s Iron Nam while Bush was dippin’ fondue, Bush still wins that election by a landing strip 
or two. There are legitimacy questions of Bush’s defeat of Al Gore four years previous, but Truth mostly comes off as sour grapes. Dan Rather deserved better than this.
While not being exceptionally insightful, Truth is a useful film in dispelling the liberal media bias myth. If the media were as left as conservatives claim, the brunt of the media blitz would not have been on the validity of source material, but on the nature of George W. Bush’s true service record. Heck, the fact that this film boasts two Academy Award winners in the leads and yet you probably haven’t heard of it describes exactly how “liberal” the media isn’t. The horrible cries of bias over the perceived mistreatment of American Sniper one year previous will be unmet when the Academy rightly snubs Truth in a few weeks.
On the one hand there’s a man with a full house of stars and hearts
The Right says, “We don’t take kindly to your type round these here parts”
On the other there’s a man with not heart, but silver spoon
His record from Gov to Rangers is one delish lampoon
Got a sweet deal made for only the most privileged son
Can’t prove where he was in all of nineteen seventy one
And yet when question arise, critics attack with hue and cry
I’m proud of this record, the Right says, “Yes, that’s our guy.”
Rated R, 125 Minutes
D: James Vanderbilt
W: James Vanderbilt
Genre: Lukewarm gun
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: John Kerry
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: The kind of person who questions not a single current Republican value
