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Jane posted about the Greg Mitchell interview yesterday, but I can't resist highlighting this quote from him: (video C&L)
Alison: Lets do a little bits of truth squatting, if we can. Since you’ve seen the movie. A few of the scene, one has former national security Sandy Berger refusing to give the go ahead to take out bin Laden. From your understanding, is this entirely accurate?Mitchell: No. It is entirely made up. Which is one of the problem. The other thing, which actually just came out today was that the screenwriter admitted on talk radio on the west coast that this scene, while it was in the script, was partly improvised in the making of the movie. –and quite dramatically with Sandy Berger slamming down the phone and cutting off all communication on making this decision to go after Osama. And it is great cinema. Not only did it not happen. The screenwriter says it wasn’t even in the script. And it was improvised on the spot. He liked the way it looked and it went over well in the, when it was being filmed so they left it in. It seem like an appalling thing to admit for a film on such a serious subject. Really on the most serious, most sensitive subject and mass murder. And to treat the facts that cavalierly seems to be the reason that ABC is under such pressure now to do a heavy editing job.
One wonders how they came to the conclusion that a completely false scene should stay in the film. Did they ask Tom Kean? Did they say "Ooooh, Rush Limbaugh's gonna love this one -- it's just like 24!" or what?
And now, aren't you asking yourself, just how much of this film is just made up, improvised lies? No wonder they won't give a screener to Bill Clinton...
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FDL!
Morning Christy!
FITZ!!
Morning! Go Blue!
Good morning, all!
Morning Christy. If ABC doesn’t just completely pull this excretion, it means the left are being written off as irrelevant, as opposed to the wingnuts ability to get the Reagan film blocked.
What will it take for folks to take us seriously?
Good morning! Not fully awake.
EPU - more script drama.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09.....mp;emc=rss
There also was a poster last night - lazlo pink - who is an actor and says that this sort of “improvisation” on a set like that never happens, due to the script editor notation and issues of continuity.
Does the left need to create it’s own network? Didn’t Al Gore try this, and what happened?
I spent five hours after work last night getting caught up with the ABC/Disney thing. This is an *amazing* amount of work. Way to go Christy, Jennifer, Jane, FDLers, blogosphere!
However, I am concerned that ABC will continue to stonewall and even if they are blasted after the fact, it will be a case of “the jury is instructed to disregard that remark” I’m going to take some time to follow up on some contacts I already made and also to do like ET suggested and go after Apple.
It would be ideal if the production $ could be tracked. If this were Toronto I could find that out in about an hour, but I don’t know H’wood.
Morning, Christy and all.
It’s boggling my mind that ABC/Disney’s lawyers have apparently signed off on such surefire multi-litigation-pheromones as this thing exudes.
Who do they think they are — the Bush DoJ?
I think that they are figuring on this dying down after it airs and going into the memory hole.
Any recent legit polls from CT?
EPU’d comment for Jane -
Jane, I think the press secretary thing is a controversy only because they can’t figure you out. You are moving too fast for them, and moving in very significant ways. You’re successful, and they don’t know how to understand or define your success. So for them, that reads as controversy. It’s their way of keeping you within their reality spectrum. God forbid.
We’ve been talking about this claptrap in our classes, making sure the kids that may watch it realize its fantasy. When kids as if they should watch it, our clear response: NO.
Primary on Tuesday - go Me! :)
And Tom Kean maintains this facade of patrician integrity. How convincing.
Americablog has a story that the film is already available @ YouTube.
Seems they are hell bent on trying to blame Clinton.
Anyone know where the petition is? I’d love to sign it.
Oh, and Good Morning!
I’m with you HotFlash - between the dough to make this turkey and then the revenue lost from being sponsor free…(I can’t imagine how much 6 hours of primetime tv gathers, but I’d bet it’s a whole lot)…
I suspect between the letter from Big Dog’s lawyer and the letter from the Senators makin’ scary noises, at the very least, the thing will be very heavily edited…
C&L also has vid of Harvey Keitel expressing his displeasure of the final product. Doesn’t take him off the hook completely since it appears he didn’t do much research into the producers, but actors never have say over the final product, so who knows.
This comment over at The Carpetbagger Report captured the whole situation very succinctly:
I do not believe for one minute that the entire scene was improvised (maybe I will swallow that the phone slamming was improvised)
This writer( and everyone associated with this pile o’ fantasy) has just been caught pulling one of the filthiest campaign dirty tricks of all times, making the Watergate burglers look like chumps by comparison and he is frantically trying to distance themselves from their own product.
Their reputations, and maybe careers, are circling the drain.
YouTube doesn’t host lengthy pieces over a few minutes, so it must be another site, it at all.
trueblue @ 15
Petition
Redshift @ 18
THAT should be the message of the day. Somebody email that to the DNC to HArry Reid, to anybody who might have access to a microphone.
Lets just fill the air today with that message.
And Roddy McCorley, whoever you are, I wanna but you a beer. Thank you. That is just perfect.
Good Morning Christy and All,
just the best to watch this story evolve from afar yesterday - leaving the house in the am with it ‘just an online’ story to see it front and center on Leslie’s show at 3, yeah! that’s what this little commenter’s talkin’ ’bout
in my perfect world, attention would be focused sharply and blazingly on ABC Entertainment Sponsors ! that is what got the Reagan drama pulled
to that end here’s a link with links
(h/t LindyH from yesterday)
http://birdoblog.birdobot.com/disney_propaganda
Here’s the clip (and then some, lol) of Exile on Ericsson St. and op99 doing our part for the cause in the lead story on the local ABC affiliate. I’m the inarticulate one - don’t blink. Exile’s blog RochesterTurning is doing a great job spearheading the local effort against this atrocity.
the local ABC news has been absolutely silent on the crapumentary, but it was finally mentioned this a.m. - surprising, but it usually is the most conservatively slanted of any of their broadcasts (maybe the regular overnight guy is on vacation)
Redshift - awesome summary from that commenter. That is everything-everything-everything in a nutshell.
trueblue @ 15
Think Progress has a petition up, as well as phone numbers for the ABC chief, George Mitchell.
Here’s the review of the ABC “docu-drama” from the Detroit Free Press. The author was kind enough to put his contact information at the bottom of the review.
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll...../609080342
Contact MIKE DUFFY at 313-222-6520 or mduffy@freepress.com.
Dr. Bong @ 21
Thanks!
Redshift - good stuff.
Imman - I weighed in on the question front, in my usual whiney, pessimistic way.
Christy - have you weighed in on the Siun Controversey? *g*
Mornin’, Pups.
God help us, but Bush is in state today.
Believe the unions as well as other groups are organizing a protest rally because Bush has failed to help the automakers, and has rejected talking to them until after the elections.
Heckuva job, Bushie. P*ss off both the unions AND the corporations. Sure hope that anger works to our favor — and the people are seriously torqued off here already, before this event.
I think it’s time to revisit the days of “Wag the Dog.” I clearly recall during those years how the Republicans, abetted by all the media pundits railed endlessly about how Clinton was simply trying to distract the nation from the really important things, ie his extracurricular activities, with his warnings about terrorism. Clearly this theme of “Clinton was too distracted by Monica to deal with the terror threat” has already shaped the narrative of those days, and the ABC film intends to set it in concrete (see the NY Times today).
I wonder if it’d be possible to compile a video record of the beloved pundits & Republicans scoffing at terrorism & railing on about how Clinton was just trying to change the topic, say a Wag the Dog special, an actual documentary using real clips, not fabrications (rather “composites”) as Disney plans. Just the unvarnished truth as they’re so fond of saying.
Mary at 30 — there’s a controversy? I just got back from dropping The Peanut off at preschool.
Mary @ 30
I must be out of it, is there a controversy?
Posts # 23 and # 18
Are really all we need. Geewiz.
We are getting so fast and so nimble, it’s not even 9 AM (east coast–Wash DC time) and we already have a pitch perfect message of the day and a perfect delivery system for creating pressure.
A kick ass two prong strategy and we haven’t even broken 25 on the comment thread,
Talk about synergy!
It may be quiter here than usual as everybody trots off to deliver the one two punch.
This could be amazing.
BUSH PUSHES TO LEGALIZE WAR CRIMES
This has been predicted for weeks. But now it is here in the last ten pages of the legislation to comply with the Supreme Court’s Hamdan ruling — see [9] for what I know so far of the details. The point to this bill is to retroactively indemnify government officials against prosecution for war crimes.
[1] “Is George Bush Guilty of War Crimes…and Who Cares?” David
Wallechinsky, HuffingtonPost.com, 8/9/06:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....26669.html [Very good background]
[2] “Detainee Abuse Charges Feared, Shield Sought From ‘96 War Crimes
Act,” By R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, Friday 28 July 2006
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080106B.shtml
[3] “Top Military Lawyers Oppose Plan for Special Courts” By
R. Jeffrey Smith, The Washington Post, Thursday 03 August 2006
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080306A.shtml
[4] “War Crimes Act Changes Would Reduce Threat Of Prosecution”
R. Jeffrey Smith, Washington Post, 8/9/06:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01276.html
[5] “Retroactive War Crime Protection Proposed”
By Pete Yost, The Associated Press, Wednesday 09 August 2006:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081006A.shtml
[6] “Amendments Sought in War Crimes Act”
From the Associated Press, August 10, 2006
http://www.latimes.com/news/pr.....-a_section
[7] “Rewriting the Geneva Conventions”
Editorial, The New York Times, Monday 14 August 2006:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081406P.shtml
[8] “Bush Aims to Kill War Crimes Act”
By Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith, The Nation, 05 September 2006:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/090506B.shtml [Excellent]
[9] “A legal bid to ease interrogation guidelines” (headline may differ)
By Adam Liptak, THE NEW YORK TIMES, 08 September 2006
http://www.statesman.com/news/.....legal.html
5 or 6 hours of primetime revenue for a showpiece mini-series is a serious wad of cash.
Mary @ 30
Controversy rocks - as long as they spell her name right!
Good morning FDL, I’ve got coffee brewing over here, and I’m recovering from the overdose of breadpudding (I’m *never* eating again….oooooooogh)
It’s wonderful to see this crockumentary has moved from not much to being on CNN. I’m amazed at the whole thing, really.
Redshift,
indeed - fabulous comment!
let’s gild the lilly, shall we ?
let’s couple the comment with all that has appeared on line this week wrt Orrin and the Kids thwarting Clinton’s efforts at every turn - yikes!
Good Morning Christy
I’m sure that you took this right off the transcript, but I believe that the words Allison were using were “truth squadding”.
And yes, with all the excrement that’s being thrown by ABC there are a number of jokes that can be made about the mistake, but its early so I’ll leave that to much more accomplished comedians on the site than I.
#10 - “It would be ideal if the production $ could be tracked”
I agree, this is key. Any ideas on how this can be done?
Siun got plastered and was dancing naked on a table in a bar, chanting “firedoglake” incessantly. ;)
Redshift @ 18
Amen! I’m going to make me a sampler of that!
Good morning and nice pic, Christy!
Couldn’t these lies affect our national security?
Did Michael Hayden, John Negroponte, Bob Mueller et al get an advance copy and approve it?
Will it “embolden the enemy”?
I am only being half snarky here. With the war on journalists and on whistleblowers, don’t ABC/Disney/Tom Kean/the producers/the writers have to adhere to some standards?
Won’t this further sully our already damaged reputation in the world?
beard5, it’s about time! I’ve been dying for coffee.
I believe I saw Mr. Kean on the TV last night saying that the filmmakers fixed everything he objected to. Evidently, he has the same libelous perspective on certain events.
At least Scholastic made the correct decision by pulling the study guides for high schoolers.
They deserve praise for their courage!
Right Fools at 47 — they are doing new study guides which I haven’t yet seen. You’ll pardon me if I hold my fire on the praise just yet.
meta @ 45
I overslept this morning, too much late night partying on T-Rex’s thread.
But, I’m up and productive now, I’m finally learning to do a new hand, Humanist Miniscule (the immediate ancestor of Italic and the font Times New Roman) When it’s done well it’s a glorious thing, done badly and it looks like poo. (So far, I’m at the poo stage)
The thing that bothers me is that in heat of condemning the lies and inaccuracies of this film what is being forgotten is the omissions, the blame that should be placed on the bush administrations failings that are NOT covered in the film.
Not only is there an attempt to blame clinton but there is also a complete distortion of blame that should fall on bush’s incompetent role in this tragedy
Morning All.
Just got the coffee poured, but not drunk, so I’m a little groggy. I wore my little finger pads down writing to bad, bad, people about the 9/11 abomination yesterday. I’ve seen some suggestions that there should be an FEC investigation about illegal campaign contributions - $40 mil to produce 5 or 6 hours of prime time commercial free = hmmmmm. What’s the chance that the Dem. controlled House is going to pass the special copyright legislation that Disney wants?
beard5, well “Humanist Miniscule” says it all, my friend. All kidding aside, I love fonts. I’m fond of fonts.
Ah. Just got a much more friendly response from the local school system here this morning. They are sending out a notice to all principals to watch for the questionable materials. No known in-school programs around 9/11 at this time. No current relationship between Scholastic and the school system for quantities of texts or other curriculum materials (but that doesn’t preclude individual educators from taking this on their own).
Still concerned as Christy is about Scholastic’s alternative offering; the materials aren’t supposed to be available until late today, leaving virtually no time to vet the material before school begins on Monday.
Could the mods please fish out my 11 ^ and 282 last thread? Thanks in advance!
New from Media Matters:
more…
looseheadprop @ 36
I agree!
I’ve only finished a few of the advertisers, but I wanted to come back and urge everyone to link post 23 and start sending off letters!
She has a sample letter you can copy and paste to each advertiser - little easier that way!
has this been posted yet:
Pols pound ‘Path’
Under fire, ABC mulls yanking mini
But a bombshell decision may happen anyway: Sources close to the project say the network, which has been in a media maelstrom over the pic, is mulling the idea of yanking the mini altogether.
What will it take for the left to be taken seriously? Remember that the right are a bunch of bullies. They run around the playground making threats and pushing people. So far we have threatened the bully, but that almost never works, it just draws attention to you and probably another attack. The only way to beat the bully is to follow through with the threats.
After the show airs file complaints with the FCC citing your local ABC affiliate. Every TV station has to have it’s license renewed by the FCC periodically, file a challenge stating why you feel WXYZ’s license should not be renewed. This almost never happens and will shock the station management. So far this has cost you nothing. Now boycott ABC and Disney. Someone suggested taking all the Disney junk from your home and burning it in front of the local ABC studios, not bad but maybe just stomp on it. Talk about your boycott, spread the word, get others involved. Disney caved to pressure from right wing religious groups boycotting them, there are more of us than there are of them.
Find out who the local advertisers are on your local ABC station and contact them. Let them know that there is a boycott and you will not be using their service, buying their products if they continue to advertise on ABC.
Money is the weapon that the right wing uses against us. It can be the weapon we use against them choose who gets your money wisely.
OFG– that’s right! I had forgotten that…
I heart Media Matters.
the joe2006 blog is such a train-wreck! I’m so reminded of the halcyon days of yore when we trashed the WaPoo Blog … ah, those were the days! … I also just bought www.LieberBlog.com …
oops! Meant 24!
On ThinkProgress in its most recent ThinkFast post:
Please stay tuned…
Lotus, I keep wondering where you are. I forget to refresh and when I do, you’re way back up there. Hello, flowah!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 50
http://www.scholastic.com/abou.....006_CP.htm
Christy,
It’s got to be better than the first one!
From an earlier interview with Cyrus Nowrasteh, the writer of the 9/11 film:
So Cyrus, you’ve been open in Hollywood about being a conservative. How has that affected your career?
CN: Well you know, I think there are a lot more conservatives in Hollywood than people think. But it’s not the predominant thing that’s driving me, my career, or my writing. To me that’s fairly personal. It’s a by-product for me of how I came to be in this country after a lot of people in my family had suffered under hardcore, radical fundamentalism [in Iran]. I think this country is about opportunity and about different points of view. I would not consider myself an overtly political person in one fashion or another. But look - my politics rarely if ever come up. I don’t think it bothers people one way or the other, because they see my stuff.
GM: Have you ever had any struggles with networks or executives who wanted you to change your material because they perceived it to be conservative?
CN: Yeah, but usually in mild and miniscule ways. If it’s not conforming to their vision of what it should be, I will usually justify it with the facts and what I think the audience wants or expects. I think there’s a real problem out there right now. I’ve read articles about the lack of boxoffice punch lately, and about the networks losing their ratings. I think a lot of that has to be with people ignoring the fact that the red states have televisions and movie theatres too, and a lot of times they get put off by Hollywood’s overt political agenda, so I try to avoid that.
Bill Bennett on CNN actually rejects the ABC mockudrama and says they should have stuck to the facts and not put words in the mouths of cabinet members.
I just fell over.
YANK IT.
Yay, Stephen! Thank you!
angie @ 6:27 -
sweet jeebus! am also typing from the floor
JML @ 41
Production companies are often made-for-the-occasion joint venture companies. Find out the production company’s name. I’d call a couple of friends in postproduction houses — I’d know who here in TO, don’t know who in H’wood. The people in accounts receivable will know the company name since they do the billing. Once you have a corporate name you can search thru regular corporate records to find out the principals. I think this sort of info w/b in Variety, too, but I don’t have a subscription.
Clemons
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is “highly unlikely” to reconsider Bolton’s confirmation again as things now stand.
One insider reported, as far as the Committee is concerned, “we consider the confirmation over. It’s dead.”
Twisted Martini @
35
let’s see…. “The Siun Controversy” was that Ludlum or LeCarre?
Some morning snacks to go with your cup of coffee:
http://fpc.state.gov/fpc/71909.htm
Update on Detainee Issues and Military Commissions Legislation
John Bellinger III, State Department Legal Advisor
Foreign Press Center Briefing
Washington, DC
September 7, 2006
##############################
http://www.archives.gov/press/.....6-137.html
National Archives Issues Progress Report on Declassification Initiatives
#######################
Not make you paranoid or anything, but the Office of Inspector General for Dept of Homeland Secuirty has found that Mike Chertoff has a dozen different data mining operations (9 already up and running)
http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/as....._Aug06.pdf
*ilson46201 @ 72
Oh, pleazzzzze let this be true!
Why are Reid, Conyers, Dingell, Slaughter and Harman still the only Capitol Hill Dems heard from yet?
WHERE ARE THE REST?
My letter to George Mitchell (you can write yourself at george.mitchell@dlapiper.com):
HotFlash @ 71
where’s that Hamsher woman when we need her ?
Having perused the original study guides, my principle objection is that Scholastic would lend their name and reputation to what was essentially a portion of a press kit (”generously provided by ABC News”).
My objections to “The Path to 9/11″ are the same as my objections to “Farenheit 911″
Except that Michael Moore makes less assertions of objectivity.
My objection to both pieces is that I do not consider the subject matter fodder for entertainment. Maybe in 20 years, but not today.
I think THAT is a question for serious debate.
Is a national tragedy suitable material for entertainment? Is there a time limit? Is “Springtime for Hitler” OK?
Where is the line between News and Entertainment.
What are presenters’ responsibilities in identifying content as fact or fiction?
angie @ 67
What were the odds of that happening?
(Bennett’s having that opinion, that is, not angie falling over at hearing it.)
When’s the Bolton confirmation funeral? We should all pay our
disrespects.Smoochies and Great Vibes to you this morning, meta! (Now don’t forget to refresh later, so you’ll see this.)
Christy - very end of last thread, Jane posted that she’s been doing interviews and keeps getting asked about the “Siun Controversey” News to her too.
Did Siun receive a call asking for authorization to throw rotten vegetables at OBL, but refused? Has the scene been cut, solely in an act of appeasement for FDL?
lotus @
76
those are leadership-types (seniority, titles and all that) — that’s a powerful group there!
op99 @ 25
op99…so hot on tv! You’ll have to beat the men off with Joes wifebeating stick!
angie @ 6:31 am
Have you seen this? http://www.thewashingtonnote.c.....001631.php
This commentary from Steve Clemons for which I am providing a link first came to my attention when I was perusing the Huffington Post. After reading his commentary, I visited Steve’s site and saw the story about John Bolton’s confirmation that you and Wilson mentioned above.
Bravo, Professor Foland!
What a letter.
*ilson at 6:25 a.m.
Forgive a question from a real toobz illerate, but how many of these URLs (if that’s the right term) do you own now and what do the little suckers cost?
Have you considered Lierladd.com?
completely OT
When the tornado came through last year, in addition to the loss of lives and homes, a smaller, ruralish Methodist Church was destroyed. Guess who has showed up to help rebuild it?
FDNY.
The best. Just the best.
a little morning sweetness (very short)
via DRIFTGLASS
http://driftglass.blogspot.com.....ember.html
*ooabby @ 81
Does my Massa For Congress button make me look fat?
*ilson46201 @ 84
They ought to be, *ilson, but they sure seem to have surrendered all the mojo they could lay hands on these last six years . . .
Professor Foland @ 77
I’m pretty sure Mitchell is no longer on the Disney board.
Hmm. I was thinking that the actor who plays Samuel Berger should be tracked down to see if the “improvisation” story matches his recollection. Surprise, surprise. There is no actor credited for the Berger role on either the Internet Movie Database or the abc.com site for the film.
Do they have something to hide?
you may want to email this to all your freinds and naighbors and, if it goes viral, not only will the GOP not get purpetrate a fraud by airing the GOP-O-Rama
But
They may even end up with a net deficit because of all the blowbalck. Please consider sending some version of the following out to everyone you know:
Eugene Robinson’s rocking today on Dubya’s big PR move to bring the secretly held prisoners to Gitmo and preserve the right to torture.
Gotta use those delicate euphemisms - the kids might be watching, and you wouldn’t want them to get the wrong ideas about the facts and the law.
The kicker?
I guess that line got left on the speechwriter’s desk.
It’s frickin’ freezing in tall timber country and even the hummingbirds bailed out yesterday ahead of the cold front…so I’m satellite watching morning cable with my hot cuppa.
MSNBC’s Alex Witt channeling her inner Coultergeist this morning, wasn’t she? “ABC caves” “Clinton intimidates” “censorship” “Dems attacking.” S Blumenthal gives an adequate tho hardly stellar defense…it’s not just Dems, Sidney!!!! But he did point out the producer is a BFR–best friend o’Rush. Hollywood is not a monolith. Shouldn’t fictionalize history. Hey, better than adequate…considering the “journalist’s” bias in the 2 against 1 venue, he did fine.
And whazzup with Bill Bennett? Props to Bill Bennett this morning. Sounding sensible. Repubs can’t be hypocrites. Shouldn’t make your argument based on falsehoods. Props to Bill this morning. And Soledad, for an even-handed interview.
Score this morning: CNN 1, MSNBC -2
Now back to read the postings before the batteries wear down. Happy Fried-e everyone. Send CNN some love for me….
Okay, I’ll bite. What is the Siun Controversy?
Professor Foland — You are FABULOUS!!!
Great letter which speaks in their language.
More love for ABC Disney on another front…
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....ool447.DTL
Don’t fall into the “Mouse” trap
This sports guy is cheesed off at ABC Disney for them spreading mickey manure….
Great, great letter Professor Foland.
I agree with the idea and the sentiment that 9/11 should be a day of reverance and respect for those that perished. It should be a solemn day of remembrance of those people, and those people only. Not a day for self-aggrandizing stump speeches and political machinations and posturing. Not a day for commercial exploitation and entertainment ratings. Not a day for crass grandstanding. We should quietly honor those victims and families, and them alone. Why can’t this country do this with some semblance of dignity and class?
and yes Emperor of all that is URL, have you snagged this one yet ?
americasmayor08
think Berger is portrayed by Kevin Dunn (Dave)
or is it Steven Root (Stapler boy from Office Space)
Peterr @ 78
Bill also mentioned that conservatives should be consistent, not scream about the Reagan film that CBS ended up shelving and then laud this one
Professor Foland @ 77