Day 11 - Phoenix

03 October 2008 | 11:00 - By Charles Firth

I should give you some back story on what this whole blog is about. Earlier this year I lined up an exclusive one-on-one meeting with President George Bush, and on that basis SBS has agreed to fund a documentary about my journey across America to the White house, covering the elections along the way.

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We're currently in Phoenix, John McCain's home state, and the temperature outside is a breezy 488 degrees Celsius (911 degrees Fahrenheit). It's a pity we're here because all eyes are on Minnesota, where the Vice Presidential debate is happening as I type. It's great to watch cardboard live on air. And Biden's pretty wooden too.

I'm traveling with a talented, though not overly experienced, crew. Nich, the director, has just left film school and as such thinks he knows everything about everything. In the same way that Sarah Palin thinks she knows a lot about foreign policy because she can see Russia from the city where she lives, Nich thinks he knows about directing because he can see Bondi Junction Greater Union from his bedroom window.

Our producer, Deb, is a lovely woman, far more experienced than Nich, but unfortunately she's very fastidious about everything, to an annoying degree. She's always - email this, organise that. She's the Joe Biden of the team - knows a lot about everything, but doesn't understand that that can be one's greatest weakness.


The cinematographer is Brad. The less said about him the better. Think of him as George Bush. He's not particularly popular, but for some reason he's actually in charge still, even though we should have got rid of him years ago.

Finally there is Brett, who is ostensibly on second camera, but actually controls everything. He's like Dick Cheney, only more evil. And Antony, our "Associate Producer". He's great at getting the coffee. Think of him as the Nancy Pelosi of our production.

The VO debate will definitely come down to the size of the lapel pin that they are wearing. On that indication, Joe Biden is going to struggle. Sarah Palin has the largest pin ever attached to any candidate in American presidential history.

I just can't wait for the swimsuit section.

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About this Blog

Charles Firth Charles Firth's months in America taught him many things – that a country that touts democracy doesn’t practice it, that the spectacle is more important than the message, that 54 oz Slurpees don’t mix well with expensive and vital equipment. It was a long, arduous, uphill battle, but he had a story to tell and through it all persevered with a singular goal in mind – meeting George Negus on the publicity tour.

 
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