View Episodes of the Documentary

For a limited time, we're posting four to five minute episodes of the documentary here.

Overview of Obama's West Coast Swing

After three fundraisers in San Francisco and three in LA, with a diversion to Reno, the President heads back to DC. Despite some grumbling, particularly in San Francisco, most Democrats realize Obama is the best they're going to get, and opened their wallets accordingly.

Here's an overview article from the Times.

And here's a fun piece from the Bay Citizen. They tracked down the "Fresh Juice Party" protest group who serenaded Obama at one of the fundraisers in SF and asked them about their motivations (complete with video).

How Obama Won the West DVD Now On Sale For

educational institutions, including public performance rights. The DVD sells for $199 and is available here. Questions? Contact us.

Obama On West Coast Swing

The President visits Palo Alto for a "town hall" with a welcoming crowd at Facebook, heads north to San Francisco for two fundraisers, hops to Reno, NV for an event, then goes to LA for another fundraiser.

You know the campaign season is officially underway when candidates, particularly Democrats, come to California on fundraising trips. Obama's campaign has set a fundraising goal of $1 billion for the 2012 campaign. We'll see him in the Bay Area quite a bit over the next year and a half...

Here's the story in the SF Chron on his trip to Facebook. Photo by Paul Chinn/ The Chronicle

NY Times series examines a Colorado County

Crossroads County is the New York Times look at politics and voting changes in a county on the Front Range of the Rockies. Many of these issues of changing voting attitudes and the shifts in demographics in the Intermountain West are covered in our documentary How Obama Won the West.

In Nevada, Obama Defends Economic Policies

In this New York Times piece, Obama is in the West defending his economic policies, but he's also trying to shore up one of his most important allies, Harry Reid. Obama can't afford to lose Reid - who's arguably more important to him than the entire Democratic House - or the inroads he made in the West in 2008.

I suspect we'll see a good bit of Obama and his surrogates in the West during this political season. Especially in Nevada.

Go west! Dems did, now fight to retain their gains

Good AP story on the Democrats uphill battle to hold onto the political gains made in the 2008 election, including issues and candidates covered in the documentary.

Obama on a West Coast Swing

After strong gains in the Rocky Mountain West in 2008, Democrats are at political risk in 2010. President Obama made stops in Colorado and Nevada to shore up shaky Dems, including Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Here's a piece on the swing.

A Political Documentary

How Obama Won the West is a feature-length documentary journey through the American West during the last few weeks of the historic 2008 election. We follow the campaigns, talk to grass-roots volunteers and interview a cast of quirky characters including a founder of the Weather Underground, a Republican environmental activist and Sarah Palin's brother, among others.

The documentary will begin touring film festivals in Spring 2010. In the meantime, I'll post articles and links to stories that cover politics and environmental issues in the West.