I just saw this movie for the second time and was more impressed with Alexandra's Pelossi's attempt to allow her subjects a chance to honestly express themselves. The "drunk, red-necked bigots" are definitely the minority of the interviewees (and those views are definitely out there) - she tries to give a chance for everyone to make there own sound bite. In my first viewing, the extremes and the uninformed made a larger impression on me than the more well-spoken.
I think her movie has been 'vindicated' by the expressions of rage we see in the town halls, the teabag Allys, the 9/12 protests, etc.
The real issue is the technique - most people on the street don't have a command of the issues - progressive or conservative. Frankly, working people don't have TIME to cut through the bullshit. These people repeat what they've heard, what makes sense in their world view (the same as Hannity's liberals in his view from the street segments. Did she provide 'fact-checking' to these folks? No, all she did was allow folks to express themselves. Is this what has happened to the conservative movement in America? Where are the scholars of conservatism? Those whose arguments are founded on fact, research and logic.
I'm a liberal/progressive trying to maintain my life-long respect for the principles of conservatism. I'm looking for those folks I can respectfully disagree with based on a common understanding of history, fact-based disagreements of theory and principle. I see some of those folks in this movie - despite the racists, the homophobes, the folks motivated more by hate and fear than by a strong vision of conservatism and it's potential to provide a better life for all human beings.
It's a great movie and should be seen by both progressives and conservatives - and should be updated for current climes.