Granny D. Goes to Washington

Following Senators Russ Feingold and John McCain's 1995 failed effort to reform campaign finance laws (which restricted the amount of direct contributions or “hard money,” but allowed for corporations and other special interests to contribute unregulated funds or “soft money” though political action committees or PACs), a woman named Doris Haddock ultimately decided to protest by marching on Washington…across the entire United States. On January 1, 1999, Doris left Pasadena, CA on a 3,200-mile quest that took 14 months and consumed four pairs of shoes. What makes this particularly interesting is the fact that Doris “Granny D.” Haddock was 88 when she left and 90 when she arrived at the Capitol building in 2000. Filmmaker Alidra Solday's Granny D. Goes to Washington offers a brief, inspirational profile of one woman's passionate commitment to shine a media light on the “greed and corruption” of campaign finance and urge Congress to pass reforms that would restore representational government to its rightful owners: the people. Narrated by Kris Welch, the film combines on-location footage and interviews as it follows Granny D. on her sometimes dangerous 10-mile-a-day, six-days-a-week trek (she collapsed in the Mojave Desert and spent three days on oxygen in the hospital), sharing her views with folks along the highway, and relying on the proverbial kindness of strangers for food and shelter (which was readily given) along the way. In 2002, the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act was passed (although, unfortunately, loopholes still exist). And Granny D.? The native New Hampshire fireball wrote a couple books, did a lot of public speaking, and made a bid for the Senate in 2004 at the age of 94 (accepting only public campaign contributions, of course), and although she lost, she still garnered an impressive 34% of the vote. Granny D. is still speaking out and fighting the good fight halfway through her 97th year. Recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)