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I went to see the movie Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry this afternoon.

It’s director George Butler’s “feature-length documentary about character and moral leadership during a time of national crisis,” according to the synopsis: Vietnam, John Kerry’s experience in it, and his role in helping bring the war to an end when he returned. It’s almost all TV footage from the time, well edited and compelling, full of heroic deeds by many returning vets.

Now, moments after the closing credits, I’m thinking about how this movie ties together — in some ways for the first time for me — many of my young memories of these actual events with what I’ve learned since then about history, courage, and engaging the powers of darkness.

These actual memories plus subsequent study provides enough cross-check for me to recognize I’m not simply being swayed by propaganda. What I am instead is reminded, albeit with a gasp of fresh and deeper realization, that John Kerry qualifies as a full-on hero.

To be supporting a man of peace and courage like this feels exhilarating to me today. I sensed it before, and now I know it: Mr. Kerry is more than just a sane, competent replacement for what we have now — he has what it takes to be one of our great ones.

The movie’s sometimes-grainy footage reminds me: then as now, these are extraordinary days in which we’re making extraordinary decisions. We’re participating in events we’ll remember vividly 30 more years hence; we’ll see them as turning points in U.S.- and world history.

A couple of hours later …

• I’m freshly aware, after seeing this footage of veterans behaving honorably, just how little the Bush cabal comprehends war, sacrifice, honor, or morality. By their fruit we damn sure recognize them.
• There is no one I’d trust more right now than John Kerry to wade into the quagmire that U.S. foreign policy has become. Not because I’m a hero-worshipper — I worship no man — but because there’s something mysterious, dare I say miraculous, in our being presented with someone this precisely well equipped who wants the job.

2004-10-08 update:
Kevin provides a brief, positive review with more detail. I hadn’t thought about it before, but in light of the movie, JC’s comment there is exactly right:

Kerry really did lead the Forest Gump life. He really lived that era.

Except he’s more the Tom Cruise brother to Rain Man Gump.