Introducing Firedoglake Movie Nite
Stefan Forbes’ documentary Boogie Man tells the story of Lee Atwater, a regular Southern boy who fell in love with the politics of power and the power of politics. From his start managing a high school election, to his triumphant, sleazy maneuvering that put both Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the White House; Atwater was full of dirty tricks – from throwing out ballots in the National College Republican election to insure his protégé Karl Rove won, to smearing Dole and Dukakis – Strom Thurman’s former intern set his sights on being the man with power behind the man in power.
Forbes uses interviews with Atwater’s friends and opponents along with archival footage to shed light on the Republican’s happy hatchet man, who gleefully spread falsehoods and gossip in order for his candidates to win at any price.
Atwater "learned that you could play the hardest of hardball and win," pitting a Born-Again nobody against Max Heller, a Jewish immigrant and concentration camp survivor in the 1978 race for the House of Representatives. “Would you vote for a Jew that did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?” became the message for the campaign. Heller lost.
Then in the 1980 congressional campaign, he spread the rumor that Democrat Tom Turnipseed had been "hooked up to jumper cables" as a teen undergoing electroshock therapy for depression. Turnipseed lost. And Atwater became a known quantity in Republican backroom politics.
Part of his drive, according to friends, came from growing up in the South, “the only part of America ever defeated in a war.” Atwater – who appears to have picked the Republicans as his team because he felt could go farther – focused on the South (and what he perceived as Southern values) as the heart and hearth of America, smearing John Connally in the 1980 presidential primary with the charge the governor was buying black votes; then launching Reagan’s campaign in Philadelphia, Miss., where three civil rights workers were killed in 1964.
Reagan won, and Atwater slipped into Washington as the Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs. In the 1988 presidential election he played the race card with the Willie Horton ads, costing Michael Dukakis the election. President Bush made him head of the Republican National Committee. Atwater was at the peak of his power.
“People vote their fears not their hopes,” said one of Atwater’s friends. And Atwater played on those fears; fears of convicted murders on the streets, fears of race, and fears of higher taxes. He got inside the enemy’s head, then the ultimate enemy got inside his: In 1990 Atwater was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. As he lay dying, he wrote letters of apologies, essays of apologies, seeking repentance, though not everyone bought his spin. He died March 29, 1991, and was buried on April Fool’s Day.
But despite the recanting, Atwater’s shameful legacy of smears, unsubstantiated allegations, and outright lies as a means to the White House lives on in American politics. Fear of "That One," the dark-skinned opponent with the strange name, is maximized with robo-calls, innuendo and fabrications. As director Stefan Forbes says on GritTv, Atwater’s playbook is still in use as seen by the choice of Palin and the avoidance of issues.
To watch Boogie Man is to see how politics was transformed by a good ole boy who loathed Yankees but brought New England Brahmins to power; who claimed he wasn’t racist but used race as a weapon to drive a wedge into the country; who brought out the worst in America in order to win at any price.
For a preview drop in at GritTV–they interviewed Stefan last month, and have some great clips. Plus, they are offering the DVD in their pledge drive going on at Free Speech TV right now.
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Stefan, Welcome to the Lake.
A new feature?
Cool.
Welcome Stefan!
Lee Atwater: the moral inspiration for the McCain/Palin campaign. What a lovely, lovely man.
heloo and welcome to firedoglake’s Movie Night. Stefan thank you for joining us and hopefully my typing wont scare you off!
Welcome, Stefan. Saw the film last week, it’s amazing. Congratulations.
So what do you think of Atwater’s death bed enlightenment?
Stefan tell us about yourself.
Hey guys,
Glad to be here! It’s interesting for me to follow the West Virginia ‘redneck’ entry. Perhaps we’re seeing a new chapter in the history of backlash politics being written right now, as McCain’s team finds the Atwater playbook not working as well as they expected. For a variety of reasons.
Atwater’s playbook of lies, and allegations is stillin ue especially in today’s campaign.
Stefan, how do you think the Dems should respond ot some of the smears?
And what drew you to Atwater?
Lisa, people always ask me if Dems need to ’fight dirty’. I think that’s only part of the Atwater playbook.
Meanwhile Rick Davis takes a page from the Atwater book and accuses John Lewis of calling 50 million McCain supporters racists.
McCain is doubling down.
His campaign is in the gutter and going further in with Rev. Wright.
Link to Sullivan.
McCain is pushing and pushing and pushing and his followers are on the verg of becoming very violent.
-G
Of course he fought dirty at times – his theme song was “I’m a bad boy”!!
But what Democrats haven’t understood is the power of the culture war to divide us even today. Atwater learned more than race-baiting from Strom Thurmond, who in his final incarnation remained an inveterate culture warrior.
Part of what I saw was avoiding the issues…Palin is great at that!
If you let your opponents take God and the flag away from you, it’s kinda hard to get elected in America.
And yes, the culture wars–Atwater wrapped his candidates in his perception of Southern values: Bible, race and flag. It was almost like he was conquering the North
Did he have any specific ideology? Or just expediency?
Atwater knew how to use the media as his echo chamber. He was able to make 1988 all about an obscure convict named Willie Horton. The McCain camp thought they could make 2008 all about Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.
Stefan — welcome to FDL. And thanks so much for doing this movie. Atwater and his various proteges and wannabes (Rove, Reed, Schmidt, Luntz, etc.) have always fascinated me in that can’t help yourself from staring at the nasty car wreck and trying to see if there is something you can do to help clean it up sort of way.
It’s really a fascinating film — and I can’t recommend it enough to all the political junkies in the audience. As odious as Atwater was, he also was very deft an manipulation and maneuver tactics, something that…alas…far too few Dem strategists seem to be able to grasp beyond a coupla cheesboard moves in advance. Atwater always seemed to be playing four or five boards at once, and this movie susses out some of that brilliantly. Thanks much!
So why do you think the McCain campaign is falling short of an Atwaterian level of success? Are people just that sick of the GOP, or has there been a strategic mistake?
Atwater is the heart and soul of the GOP’s strategy to court low information “values” voters. I always thought he was what was wrong with Kansas.
Yeah, when those violent threats got critiqued in the media cycle it was not a good moment for McCain. He had great spin in the 3rd debate when he said he was proud of the people who come to his rallies. Backlash politics again. Making it seem like ‘normal, hardworkin’ folks like you ‘n me’ were getting criticized by those damn ELITISTS again.
It seemed like Atwater picked the republicans to join in college because he could be noticed, not because he believed in their message…
Welcome Stefan!
digg
Eating quiche from a can, as Atwater put it
Lisa!
I have my sleepin’ bag, pillow — and the prerequisite popcorn. thanks for Monday Night at the Movies!
Who knows? The man was clearly cynical enough to do exactly that.
There have been many strategic mistakes. Atwater, being an incredibly astute operative, realized the limits of negative campaigning and smears. If you’re trying to distract people from the issues, as he was, he would NEVER have said, as McCain campaign mgr Rick Davis did, that “this campaign isn’t about the issues”. The playbook has worked so well and seems so obvious to GOP strategists, that they forgot the Dems and many Americans still don’t understand it, so they started talking about it much too clearly and deprived it of much of its power.
When it comes to Lee Atwater, I’m sorry I don’t believe in hell.
It seems like McCain’s followers are getting a bit out of hand…the heckling of earlier voters, the Obama hung in effigy..Atwater managers ot kep the hate-beast caged
For instance, if you’re going to use ads with subliminal racism, as BOTH Willie Horton ads did (as we show in Boogie Man) you have to keep it subliminal. Some of these McCain ads just went too far and raised too many flags for people.
I think they jumped the shark with a lot of this stuff. When they came out and said ‘we’re going to change the subject from the economy” it made them look really fake. Even the corporate media has SOME self-respect. They’re not going to swallow everything. Plus, they hurt themselves when they declared war on the media at the convention.
Even Romney and Rove and O’Reilly had to distance themselves a little after that one. It’s kinda hard to win without Time, Newsweek, or USA Today on your side.
And now tire-slashings and bear-killings. And we still have three weeks to go before the main event.
sorry for the typos.. managed to keeo the hate-beast caged
Atwater, Rove, etc. have been praised as being geniuses, but even watching the trailer we see how Willie Horton tactics only work when there’s a enabling media to promote the nonsense, almost like they’re “in on it.” After working on this, do you think these smear merchants are incredibly talented, or are they simply lucky to have the deck stacked in their favor with BigMoney support and a compliant BigMedia to amplify their smears with little question?
Trailer looks great by the way!
Maybe McCain didn’t get it unless it was really obvious and thought the voters were equally stupid. /s
It’s so fascinating to see America changing. That macaca stuff does NOT play with most people under 30 in this country. The clock really is running out on that kind of thing. Harold Ford almost won Tennessee. The more of this stuff we see in the next few weeks, the more grievous harm the GOP does to its long-term prospects.
Atwater seemed to really court the press..to act as though they were friends to work them–cynically as Stefan captured and pointed out. And that the media, especially in DC wants to see failure
apparently you have never seen the David Gregory show: Last Fluffer Standing :D
Welcome to the Lake Stefan. The Trailer looks soooo tantalizing !
But wow, how the internet has changed that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1exiyBYnJ00
check out this video “anyone can be VP”
Bonkers,
What exactly has driven you bonkers?
You can’t discount the utility of huge amounts of money in influencing the American political scene. Heavily-funded conservative talking points have been flooding the media for the past 30 years. Ridiculous phrases like “the liberal media”. But you gotta admit, that phrase does have a ring to it.
Frank Luntz is so damn good at phrasemaking and understanding the way voters’ minds work. I think he kicks Lakoff’s butt out of the yard.
And don’t get me started on Shrum!
On the Dem side I think Drew Westen has a lot of game. But he’s not running things yet.
Yes, but he got targeted with a racist ad. But no way is Ford progressive. He’s a pretty nasty DLC piece of work.
Thanks!
Stefan, Atwater’s almost has redemption, he apologized, but he seemed to have no regrets overall
Lee Atwater.
interesting that a first term Senator from Arizona launched the USS Maverick using the same trick.
Nope, sorry, Lee, an unrepentant confession does you no good.
This is a contradiction. Atwater did a lot of damage. A simple “Sorry” doesn’t begin to cut it.
In SPITE of that ad he almost won.
And the macaca thing destroyed Allen. Just crushed him. How inspiring and wonderful is that?
I don’t believe people are racist from deep within. They’ve just been saddled with a lot of grievous misinformation that can be cleared up, if politicians learn how to talk about this stuff clearly and bring subliminal fears out into the open.
See, America is a macho country full of ‘tough guys’. If you simply explain ‘they’re trying to scare you’ it deprives the fear tactics of a lot of their power.
But a lot of Dems don’t know how to speak clearly. They talk in 10-point plans.
I had laugh at Atwater’s number one rule which McCain broke: Never be photographed in a funny hat. We have agreat shot of McCain at a Keating party in a silly hat! It will be his downfall
Is there some genetic deficiency that makes Ds call Meds for Kids, SCHIP? IMO, Ds deserve everything the Rs dished out because they didn’t stand up for themselves.
http://emptywheel.firedoglake……ou-to-see/
Hugh, I agree. A lot of these so-callled redemptions fall short. They make such good political theater that the press can’t resist them, but ‘by their acts shall ye judge them’. Tom Turnipseed, who’s in my movie Boogie Man, said that for years he tried to get Wallace to actually do things to make amends for the damage he’d done, and Wallace always resisted.
Atwater didn’t have time to actually do deeds that could repay his debts to society. I’m not sure he felt he had any such debts. He was in spiritual agony over the harm he’d done to individuals, but never recanted anything on a larger level. Never even apologized for negative campaigning.
Without da Toobz maturing when they did, I think the Neocons could’ve taken over for a generation or two. That would’ve meant complete economic collapse (which is still possible) and then probably a violent revolution to restore any semblance of a Constitution.
Thank goD for George Soros giving Al Gore the money to build the Internets with his own wooden hands!
For crying out loud, the man is wearing a triple lingam on his head. Yeah, he deserves to lose.
Atwater used race as a powder keg, yet claimed not to be racist… That astounded me
According to his closest friends, Atwater was terrified of going to hell. The fear tactics he’d used on America came back on him in the end.
Lee Atwater died in his 40s? with a brain tumor, didn’t he?
Bob in HI
that is why from Day 1, I have referred to her as Ninth Caller Palin
You’d think anybody who traded on God as much as Atwater did would remember the bit about “by your fruits you shall know them.”
His goal was to get inside the enemy’s head…and the ultimate enemy got inside his..And he lost all his power. That he was hedging his bets wiht priests, rabbis, shamans outise his hospital room was so telling
Yes, Bob, he collasped in 1990 and was buried on April Fools 1991
Well – I think we have a ridiculous notion of ‘racism’ in this country: either you’re a Klansman or you’re A-OK. Which basically serves to relieve us all of the hard work we need to do in ridding ourselves of the toxic racial misinformation we all grew up with.
America – not just Republicans – uses black people as an all-purpose distraction and scapegoat. The fact that we talk about welfare queens and not corporate welfare is convenient to both parties. The fact that we see crime as having a black face allows us to ignore the incredibly violent history of a country settled in large part by Scots-Irish, the most bloodthirsty maniacs in the world. Of which I’m one. The obsession with black men doing violence to white women allows us to ignore a history where WHITE men indiscriminately raped BLACK women for centuries.
Identifying and undoing this hypocrisy is a fun game people should play at parties, like quarters perhaps, or Beer Hunter.
G Bush Sr may have felt uncomfortable about the tactics, but he didnt say no, stop it. And in fact Bush had okayed the dicey College Republican election where Atwater distroyed ballots to get Rove in as the new leader…Bush the first KNEW what he was gettign wiht Atwater…
Amen!
Yes, he died of the exact same tumor, a glioblastoma, as Ted Kennedy. Which should give pause to those claiming it was some kind of cosmic payback to Atwater.
Cancer can be brought on by stress and inner turmoil, but it is not some sort of Instant Karma adminstered by a Progressive God.
Stefan, you spent two year making this movie and must have gone through tons of archival footage as well as interviews to make this. What drew you to this and how did you go about it?
In point of fact, I couldn’t imagine a Progressive God doing a thing like that. I won’t speak for Sarah Palin’s God.
Palin seems like Atwaters wet dream–politically speaking
Maybe his presence echoes the beginnings of the creative destruction idea which is still causing us so much trouble today. There are far too many people finding ways to benefit from destroying things. His political work doesn’t really seem much different than the use of a Credit Default Swap to bet on the failure of mortgages — and to push them over the edge to succeed through failures.
Sure, he knew. The guy was head of the friggin’ CIA for Pete’s sake!!!
People who see Bush Senior as some kind of genial dunce are really drinking the Kool-Aid.
Since Reagan, the GOP has perfected the packaging of candidates as smiling nice guys to distract the media and the public from the true impact of their policies and rhetoric. Palin does a GREAT job at this. John Stewart was just talking in a speech about the utter disconnect between how homey and cute she is and the actual meaning of her words.
This stuff really works. I see Reagan’s speech at Normandy and get all choked up. That’s the way our emotions are wired; we can be rendered a little helpless by a really good actor. Palin is a notch down; she’s just a good sportscaster.
The problem is, McCain just comes off like an agitated gerbil. He is the least telegenic candidate since Ross Perot.
Content-free and lacking in any sense of shame or human decency, you mean?
I’ve always wondered if the dark side of the US gov’t didn’t know how to cause this kind of cancer, it the same kind that William Casey died from?
yes, I am wearing a tinfoil hat, why do you ask?
She has those qualities, true along with being able to connect and drop dirty
turdswords about the opponents and seem so sincereCompletely OT or perhaps not;)
‘Keyboard “eavesdropping” just got way easier, thanks to electromagnetic emanations’
http://www.engadget.com/2008/1…..-electrom/
Like Senator Webb?
violent history of a country settled in large part by Scots-Irish, the most bloodthirsty maniacs in the world.
Ishmale reed mentions that in your movie, Stefan, the Afro-Celtic south
It provided a musical and religious mix, but also great conflict
Please. Anyone reading this. Watch this interview from Michelle Bachman. She’s the incumbent House of Representative from MN. Soak it all in here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbw4pdxVSOg
And then donate money here:
http://www.tinklenberg08.com/
When you see Boogie Man, you’ll hear Tucker Eskew, Senior Advisor to McCain/Palin, talking about What’s the Matter With Kansas?
A fascinating book. But Tucker says it misses a central point: our interests are not just economic. People are willing to sacrifice their economic well-being for deep emotional reasons.
They will vote GOP if they are convinced that Dems look down on them, or don’t love America as much as this country should be loved, or hate God, or won’t protect us.
The Dems have done an insanely piss-poor job of inoculating themselves against such attacks. They have been paying the costs of an elitism which comes from the highest levels of the party, not the rank and file. They have consistently marginalized guys like Fritz Hollings who could have taught them how to fight this stuff.
Again Drew Westen, a Jew living in the South, is one of the few writers and strategists who really gets this stuff and I recommend his book highly. And no, he’s not paying me anything.
This is important. Please. Anyone reading this. Watch this interview from Michelle Bachman. She’s the incumbent House of Representative from MN. Soak it all in here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbw4pdxVSOg
And then donate money here:
http://www.tinklenberg08.com/
A hate-filled, mean spirited, warmongering gerbil.
LisaG from GRITtv here – hi Stefan!
When you’re over come with the urge for more after this discussion is over, check out Laura’s recent interview with Stefan on the Atwater Legacy
Where can you see the film in theaters right now?
OT -
While we’re talking about the evils of socialism ….. why not discuss Sarah Palin’s tax on oil company profits so she could send a nice fat check to every Alaskan?
Isn’t that income redistribution? Looks like a glaring example of “sharing the wealth” to me.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I’d say that the Ds are too dumb to live, but every other time I’ve said that here, I get attacked.
I LOVED it when Webb talked about that stuff. Gotta shine a light on these ancient divisions so America can heal. Sunlight being the best disinfectant.
The sad thing about the last 40 years is that both parties aren’t trying equally hard to reach disenfranchised white voters. If the Dems don’t talk to the mountain men in a way they can understand, their opponents will.
The result? As Tucker Eskew says in the film: resentment became the destiny of the Republican Party.
More like a chipmunk, given his cheek, imo.
Hey Lisa!
People can see the full theatrical schedule on our homepage: http://www.BoogieManFilm.com
And DVD’s are now officially getting made at the factory and will be sent out soon!
Nobody likes being criticized, eCAHnomics.
But the truth makes you stronger!
People are basically “addicted” to their own ideas/opinions/viewpoints. That is why change happens so slowly. Addicts are always in denial. It takes alot to get them into a good 12-step program.
One way Democrats show they’re tough guys, which Glenn Greenwald writes about, is how they cave to Republicans rather than stand up to them.
Two of my friends are hunters. We have completely civilized conversations about guns, even though I am against them in many circumstances. In fact, I have told one of them that if the Rs declare martial law, I’m down to his house in no time flat, and expect him to defend me with his 2 dozen guns.
Thanks for the GRIT shout-out above, and
Avert Your Eyes if you don’t want to see a shameless plug:
We’re offering BOOGIE MAN as a premium in our Free Speech TV pledge drive…for a tax-exempt donation of $150 or more, a dvd will be sent right to you.
This film is 100% political-junkie approved. Great GREAT fun!
er, call now
(/cough)
877-378-8669. 877-FSTV-NOW.
It’s really not nice arguing about which kind of rodent a Presidential nominee most resembles.
But stay tuned. A lot of the Republicans I talk to can not STAND McCain. He barely got the nomination. If he doesn’t win, the vitriol he will receive will make Mike Dukakis look as beloved as – as – who exactly DOES America love, anyway?
Yeah, and he done goes rabbit-hunting with an AK. Don’t clean ‘em, just let the dog chaw on ‘em.
I wonder how much Tucker E is using of his good buddy’s methods…it seems like the Rs are trying EVERYTHING and nothing is really sticking
LOL. I said it to provoke! I’ve always argued that if you believe “my country (party, religion, whatever) right or wrong,” you are guarantying that your country (party, religion, whatever) will be wrong.
Looking for some help here – just got a call from out of state mcSlime group. Is there a number out there or E+Mail address to report this shit
*hanging my head in shame.*
Lisa, HOLLA BACK! You are shameless, just shameless.
Atwater would be proud – do you know he was an incredible fund-raiser? Shook ‘em on down.
BTW, pretty crazy that Obama is outspending McCain 4-1 on TV. Gotta wonder what favors he owes to who, and what kind of of SUCKY legislation will be passed if he wins. But pobody’s nerfect.
whoa this just in: Republican North Carolina Reps. Patrick McHenry and Robin
Hayes warmed up the crowd at a rally for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) by
throwing red meat to the right-wing audience.
Representative Robin Hayes, prefaced his comments by saying it was important to “make sure we
don’t say something stupid, make sure we don’t say something we don’t
mean.” Republicans, he reminded the crowd, were kind people. Plus, he
added, the liberal media had shown itself eager to distort such
remarks. With the crowd duly chastened and put on best behavior, he
accused Obama of “inciting class warfare” and said that “liberals hate
real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God.”
Oh, so here’s a real time example of how the Ds are behind the curve. The A to the R charge that Obama is a socialist is that, “I guess that makes Reagan a socialist, as the top tax rate in the Obama plan is lower than that during the Reagan years.” Why have I not heard this? (Rhetorical Q.)
That’s Atwater’s zombie corpse!
(/shudder)
right back atcha, bro
People ask me if Obama’s lead means fear tactics are not working.
NO!
It means fear is working better than ever: the global financial disaster is something to REALLY be afraid of. That gut-level fear of losing your house puts all the other fear tactics in the proper perspective.
MODS: The FDL screen is messed up on my computer (Dell PC, Windows 2000, Internet Explorer). The items on the right side of the page overlap the items in the center of the page, including the headline post.
Sorry if you have already been deluged with comments about this.
Average contribution around $100. Are you saying that hides all the super large contributions that will leave Obama in debt if/when he wins? I haven’t looked at the reports, but aren’t the large contributions enumerated? In which case, we should know to whom Obama owes favors.
The stupid slime
Moral hazard as it applies to politics.
Don’t feed the trolls
Stefan, will this show up on PBS’ P.O.V. ?
Those kritters, am I glad that they don’t say something stupid.
Stefan Forbes is a troll? Um, scuse me. Thought he is the guest of honor.
The proper response to this, in America, is basically: “Them’s fightin’ words. How dare you say something so hateful about me? I demand an apology.”
You think Bill Clinton in his heyday would have let someone talk about him that way? Southerners get this. It’s just a kind of trash-talking which is descended from the old stump speeches. If you don’t attack back forcefully, it makes you look like a damn wimp and kinda makes people think it’s all true.
This is politics 101. It’s introductory stuff. You can’t blame the GOP for getting a little cocky when it has been working every…single…time.
Ding.
Lee Atwater was the scum of the earth. He didn’t believe a word he said or a thing he did – it was all for the money and the “fun.” He singlehandedly has virtually destroyed politics in this country.
Geez! That’s no way to treat a guy lurking in his own online chat!
Dude, your’e late to the party.
He did seem to be in it for the lulz
Apologize for my fellow commenter! Must have been a brain fart.
I’m just bemoaning the absolutely insane amount of cash it takes to play this game.
That has a really, really bad effect on the kind of legislation and governing that goes down.
Both parties give away a lot to corporations.
Bowing to the auto industry re CAFE standards, among numerous other things, will come back to haunt them. And soon.
There is a theme of some of us here that that’s how the Clintons’ sold their soles, and turned into R Lite. I’m a NYCer, and both my (D) senators are worse than dirt, complete sellouts to the Wall St. crooks. (Disclaimer: I worked on Wall St for over 25 years, and I know whereof I speak.)
Isn’t that one of the rules in a Corporatocracy?
Thousand apologies Was totally freaked by mcShame robocall, Looking for help. Many many many apologies.
Well, Twain – or is it Clemens – yes and no.
I always caution people about blaming Atwater for all the ills of American politics. The thing to remember about how he was so effective is that he was amoral. Roger Stone said Atwater would do absolutely anything it took to win.
If being a Marxist-Leninist was the way to win, Atwater would have done that.
He knew the dark heart of the American voter better than we know ourselves. We have to accept some level of complicity for the success of his tactics. Now that Boogie Man, through in-depth interviews with elite Republican strategists, exposes how the Atwater playbook has reshaped American politics, it’s incumbent on all of us to rededicate ourselves to effective talk and action to fight for truth.
Exactly.
As out first Movie Night winds down, I’d like to thank Stefan for being our brave fist victim… uh volunteer, and to remind you to check http://www.boogiemanfim.com
for location OR got to GrtTV and make a pledge for a copy of the DVD. It’s an awesome movie!
http://lauraflanders.firedogla…..rs-legacy/
And thank you al for coming by and sititng thorugh my bad tyoping and having such a lively awesome discussion.
<3
FISRT! victim, not fist :::blush:::
We also need to educate people.
Thanks Lisa. Thanks Stefan. Popcorn’s all et up.
uh, first…Stefan thnak you foR making such a great documentary!
Sounds like he was projecting his own fears onto the American public.
One example of how this film can be effective in teaching people to critique the political media and understand the culture wars:
Ask your local college, high school, or library to buy an educational DVD on our website. This film can spark really interesting class discussions and is a wholesale re-examination of the last 40 years of American politics, with trenchant commentary from both sides.
This is a truly independent film I made on my laptop according to the dictum ‘don’t just criticize the media, become the media’.
We have no money for ads or big PR campaigns. We are relying on YOU to be the tipping point and spread this new information virally.
Please sign up for our mailing list at http://www.BoogieManFilm.com and we will send you an email you can forward around to your friends in swing states and get ‘em to the theater before November 4th.
Thank you for being here, Stefan. There’s no such thing as too much education.
On wednesday same we’ll have David Modigliani, the director of Crawford, a telling tale about a small Texas village…and the POTUS who moved there…
Thanks to all of you guys – it was a real pleasure to chew the cyber-fat with you!
Best,
Stefan
Thank you Stefan, thank you Lisa. This has been great!
Great idea. I have an efriend who teached US history/civics. I’ll put her onto this thread and let’s see what she can do!
Auditioning for one of those, “Want to get away?” ads? *g*
The repentant ghost of Lee Atwater suggest I tell you to support independent media and esp non-commercial Free Speech TV . . .
(Again, Avert Your Eyes if you don’t want to see a shameless plug)
GRITtv is offering BOOGIE MAN as a premium in our Free Speech TV pledge drive…for a tax-exempt donation of $150 or more, a dvd will be sent right to you.
er, call now
(/cough)
877-378-8669. 877-FSTV-NOW.
:)
ROFL
Thanks Lisa, thanks Stefan. It’s a must see.
Thnaks again everyone and Stefan especially for coming in!
Stefan thank you for stopping by and sharing your movie with us.
Lisa, brava.
You got it = was in the kitchen when I got this obscene calls from repug slime and on my second glass of wine – feel slinky
Don’t worry, you were just a little late arriving, could happen to anyone.
Ahh, let me tell you of the advantages of answering machines.
Heh. Some of us (not me, more’s the pity) have long memories. Your particular brain fart will live in infamy. *g*
Thanks but I learned something
Learning is good.
I’ll have to admit I’ve never seen the guest of honour called a troll before.
Yes, but it was kinda funny.
I’ve learned several things here. Like not to ask embarrassing Qs to Gen. Wesley Clarke. Ask anyone! I’ve lived to survive it, though some thought I should never appear again.
It’s a wasted day I don’t learn something.
Mike,
I love you, man!
Don’t sweat it. And DON’T let the dark heart of American politics freak you out. One thing about the film: it has a lot of humor, because the sins and fumblings of human beings are nothing if they’re not funny. And the Bush Dynasty is funny too. In a very dark way.
But nothing says you can’t laugh at the darkness!
Peace out,
Stefan
You are making me laugh again!
Now you have made my day. Quite a belly laugh.
Funny? It was hilarious.
Thanks Stephan
I’m still laughing.
I sent an email to my teacher friend with the links to your comment and to this thread. She’s innovative so hopefully she’ll pick up on it (NYC public HS). I told her that if her students didn’t know about Lee Atwater they would have missed all the politics of their formative years.
Stephan, you are a gentleman and a scholar.
S-t-e-f-a-n
My dad used to say the day you stop learning is the day you start dying.
Your dad is a wise man.
My dad used to tell me the same thing.
Your dad is a wise man too.
OT: Obama canceling some events. His Grandmother is seriously ill in Hawaii.
(0n CNN)
Guess I’m not dead yet.
Love learning the intellectual stuff. The emotional stuff, not so much.
So sorry to hear that. How old is his grammy?
The emotional stuff makes the intellectual stuff worthwhile. IMHO.
Well said.
Sometimes the emotional stuff can be overwhelming
This is true, but if avoided you just end up with a bigger mess than before.
Thank you.
And I thought F H Mike just had a couple of really good martinis…)
Really good martinis are truth serum.
What an amazing film. Atwater’s death bed apology was telling. What a guilt ridden man he was. I also loved the troll bit. Sometimes we all need a good laugh.
When the emotional stuff is the death of a mate or ones parents it is hard to avoid.
That is when it should particularly not be avoided. If you try to suppress it, it will only explode on you later. Grief is a very hard thing, but it is necessary for the healing process. I hope you are alright?
I don’t know…she was just released from the hospital. If it is a terminal illness I sure hope the lady lives to see her grandson elected President!
I am ok
P.S. thanks
I just recognized you…you are the person who taught me how to do links. Or tried,anyways! I get one of three right on the first try. So..thanks, again..
I hope so.
Your very welcome.
To quote Maw Bush, “He (Atwater) had NOTHING to apologize for.”
Fascinating. I never understood just who he was. Thank you.
eCAHN: D’s are too stupid to LIVE? You might want to watch your ‘manors’ on that. Semi-lurkers deplore violence, you know./s