Matthews, Scholars Strongly Denounce Reagan Smear in CBS Miniseries (Hardball 10-21-03)

MSNBC - Hardball w/ Chris Matthews - Transcript ^ | 21 October 2003

[MonroeDNA]

Reagan cut his teeth fighting a communist backed union. They tried to paralyze Hollywoood, with the goal of dominating motion pictures. Baseball bats through windshields, death threats (sound familier, grocers?).

In the face of threats of acid being thrown in his face, he single-handedly (according to the communists) broke the strike.

His wife at the time (Nancy Davis) was liberal, and didn't like it. It led to his divorce.

Notice the mini series left this out.

Ronald Regan single-handedly broke the communist infiltration of the most powerful union in hollywood.

He slept with a .38.

[Chu Gary]

The VLWC is doing a much better job of driving moderates and undecided's towards our VRWC than we are in attracting them. We should thank them and ask them to continue commiting political suicide.

[Chu Gary]

Susan Estrich?

Getting old is a terrible thing:



Yeah, but she had that incredibly irritating voice all her life. Even if she was Conservative I would never listen to her!

[Stultis]

#18 was from Bush_is_a_Nazi. I don't know what he/she said

I think I quoted all of it when I replied in #33.

[yoe]

The best thing to do is to boycott the series and the sponsors.

[GWfan]

His wife at that time was not Nancy Davis, it was Jane Wyman. Nancy Davis is Nancy Reagan.

[Stultis]

The VLWC is doing a much better job of driving moderates and undecided's towards our VRWC than we are in attracting them.

Well, if practice makes perfect, they oughta be. They've been at it for thirty years solid.

Reagan was the exception, though, at attracting people to the right and/or to the Republican Party. He got literally millions of blue-collar Dems to vote Republican, at least at the top of the ticket. Possibly even more important for the long term was the political talent that rallied to Reagan from the dark side. I'm not sufficiently intimate with all phases of American political history to say so with absolute confidence, but late 70's and early 80's may well have seen the most dramatic transfer of political/policy talent between parties that has ever occured. And how quickly it happened! Jean Kirkpatrick didn't change her registration until 1985, and she was among the foot draggers in that regard.

Of course this (like the economic recovery) is another reality that will surely be unknown to viewers of The Reagans.

[Bob J]

Click Here for the RadioFR website!

Tonight on Radio FreeRepublic

Unspun with AnnaZ
October 23rd, 2003 -- 10pmE/7pmP

"At least when right-wingers rant, there's a point!"

Click HERE to listen LIVE while you FReep!

Would you like to receive a note when RadioFR is on the air? Send an email to radiofreerepublic-subscribe@radioactive.kicks-ass.net!

Click HERE to chat in the RadioFR chat room!

[Stultis]

The best thing to do is to boycott the series and the sponsors.

Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to resist seeing what they do with it. I will, however, tune it in through the VCR rather than the digital cable box (and tune the later to Fox News) so I don't contribute to ratings.

[I still care]

I was listening to Micheal Reagan, his son, talking today. He said that the WHOLE THING, not just the AIDS quotes, is a hit job. He said there is not a shred of truth in the movie - he didn't recognize either Reagan or Nancy, the way they were represented.

He said they portrayed his Dad as a doofus dumbbell and idiot without a thought in his head. He said they had him cursing and taking the Lords name in vain and he said his father NEVER did or would consider talking like that.

All in all, he was furious and said the family was hurt.

The way he was talking, I don't think he thought that taking out a quote or two would fix it. The whole thing was inaccurate and totally a smear job.

[Moonman62]

...and I bet he's not mentioned in Al Franken's latest outhouse staple item.

Ouch, I like to keep stapled items out of the outhouse.

[John Lenin]

We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will
always be prepared, so we may always be free.


Normandy, France, June 6, 1984

[Stultis]

The way he was talking, I don't think he thought that taking out a quote or two would fix it. The whole thing was inaccurate and totally a smear job.

If that's so I pity the fools stupid enough to sponsor the show. Nevertheless, they must be made to feel the pain. If this turns out to be an a-historical smear, rather than just "interpretation" of historical fact, I think we should press for a written and public repudiation from each and every sponsor.

[Tauzero]

I wrote to them:

"To whom it may concern:

If you folks go ahead with your slimy hit piece on Ronald Reagan, I will *permanently* remove CBS from my TV's channel lineup.

Oh -- I hear the folks at CNN are feeling lonely. Say hi to them for me, will you?

My Name
My Address"

[Az Joe]

CBS comment line:

212-975-4321

Listen to the whole message, there is an opportunity to leave a comment at the end.

Pass the word.

[Lancey Howard]

bttt

[Exigence]

Matthews started out confirming that not one of these Reagan experts had been consulted or contacted by the creators of the miniseries.

What? Barbra Streisand and her puppet husband don't count as "experts" on Reagan?/sarcasm

Seriously, this is what it will take. When even those with liberal political sentiments debunk this as trash, CBS sponsors may start to soften. It's a waste of time to talk to CBS -- only the sponsors matter. (That's how the Left "got" Dr. Laura.)

[OESY]

Chris is one liberal who can be counted on to be fair once in a while.

I agree to an extent, though I almost fell off my chair listening to Matthews that evening. He does sometimes stand up against stereotypes, but only rarely and usually only those for whom he has an ethnic identity. More usually, he is in the forefront of perpetuating stereotypes including current myths about Bush's lies.

[Stultis]

It's a waste of time to talk to CBS -- only the sponsors matter.

And the local affilliates. I'm calling mine, in Dallas/Ft. Worth, next week and asking them not to air this trash.

From the clips, promos and stills I've seen it appears that the openly hostile nature of this pseudo-bio-pic is embedded in the lighting, makeup, music, actors' expressions/demeanor and etc. It doesn't look like it will be possible to "fix" it just by editing out the most egregiously offensive scenes.