Posted on 09/07/2006 8:47:05 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
"The Path to 9/11" is looking a lot like "The Reagans, Part II."
Bill Clinton loyalists are demanding wholesale changes to the upcoming miniseries -- and while ABC is making some snips, the alterations, insiders say, may not please the Dems.
Net found itself in the middle of a media maelstrom Thursday as the 9/11 mini came under attack from a slew of interest groups, former Clinton administration aides and the Democratic Party.
As for specific criticisms -- and changes -- the original mini contained a scene in which then-National Security Adviser Sandy Berger declines to give the CIA authority to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, even when CIA operatives know where the al-Qaeda leader is.
"This account has been expressly contradicted by Richard Clarke, a high-ranking counterterrorism official in both the Clinton and Bush administrations," certain lawmakers wrote in a letter to Disney topper Bob Iger.
While ABC declined to comment on specific changes, it's believed that the Berger scene was among those being reworked.
Controversy -- fueled by screaming headlines on the Drudge Report and treated as a "developing story" by CNN -- threatened to obscure the Alphabet's attempt to offer what execs there firmly believe is a socially important piece of TV filmmaking in the tradition of "The Day After" and "An Early Frost."
But much in the same way right-wing groups mobilized to attack CBS' "The Reagans" a few years ago, Democratic partisans were doing everything they could to discredit ABC's "The Path to 9/11."
Network hinted it was still making changes but refused to say whether the edits were due to pressure.
The Clinton Foundation issued a statement, broadcast by CNN, calling the mini "factually and incontrovertibly inaccurate," while the Democratic National Committee sent a mass email to its troops denouncing "The Path to 9/11" as a "despicable, irresponsible fraud" and directing them to a Web site where the party has set up a way to let activists email Disney CEO Bob Iger a form letter.
"Does a major national broadcast network want to stain itself by presenting an irresponsible, slanderous, fraudulent, 'docudrama' to the American public? Not if you and I have the last word," begins the email from exec director Tom McMahon.
Four senior Democratic lawmakers also joined the chorus of former Clinton administration officials calling for removal of what they claim are "false assertions of blame" and "partisan spin" in the mini.
Reps. John Conyers Jr. (Mich.), John Dingell (Mich.), Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) and Jane Harman (Calif.) have written to Iger saying they have "serious questions" about the dramatization's account of counterterrorism actions -- or inactions -- in the Clinton White House.
The alleged inaccuracies are the subject of complaints that former members of the Clinton administration -- Madeleine Albright, Sandy Berger, Bruce Lindsey and Douglas Band -- raised in letters that they sent earlier to ABC and that were the subject of news reports on Thursday.
ABC limited its response to the brouhaha to a single statement arguing its mini "is not a documentary of the events leading to 9/11. It is a dramatization, drawn from a variety of sources including the 9/11 Commission Report, other published materials and personal interviews. As such, for dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue and time compression.
"No one has seen the final version of the film because the editing process is not yet complete, so criticisms of film specifics are premature and irresponsible," the statement continued.
"The attacks of 9/11 were a pivotal moment in our history, and it is fitting that the debate about the events related to the attacks continue. However, we hope viewers will watch the entire broadcast of the finished film before forming an opinion about it."
ABC thought it was limiting controversy by basing its mini on the nonpartisan 9/11 Commission's report and having commission co-chair Tom Kane serve as a producer on the project.
At least one Hollywood producer empathized with ABC, noting the firestorm of criticism is the latest example of partisan groups attempting to use their clout to bully nets and producers into serving up noncontroversial portraits of political and social matters. Even if the Dems are right in their criticism, the producer noted, ABC should be able to air its take.
"How many miniseries have there been on the Kennedys? Did anybody complain as they dragged them through the mud?" the producer said. "Starting with 'The Reagans,' everything is now political. It's become so divisive and nasty. It's very sad."
One thing ABC doesn't need to worry about: advertiser defections. Net decided to air the five-hour mini sans commercials after failing to find an appropriate sponsor for the project (Daily Variety, Sept. 5).
Of course, the controversial nature of the project -- even before the left-wing attacks -- may have caused many sponsors to shy away from a sponsorship deal.
As for the specific scenes, lawmakers said, "The film reportedly contains a scene in which the CIA declines to share information about the 9/11 hijackers with the FBI and ascribes that failure to the so-called wall limiting information-sharing by the Dept. of Justice. ... This scene is puzzling at best, inaccurate at worst.
"These two examples alone create substantial doubt about the overall accuracy of this program," they wrote. "Sept. 11 is a day of mourning and remembrance for every American. We do not believe that it is appropriate to be tainted by false assertions of blame or partisan spin."
In their letter, Lindsey and Band rejected any claim of dramatic license. "While ABC is promoting 'The Path to 9/11' as a dramatization of historical fact, in truth it is a fictitious rewriting of history that will be misinterpreted by millions of Americans," they wrote.
Albright alleged a scene involving her was "false and defamatory," according to the Associated Press, which quoted her letter.
The New York Post reported Clinton himself had also written ABC, demanding the show "be pulled" if corrections were not made. Specifically, he sharply disputed the characterization that he was too preoccupied by the Monica Lewinsky scandal to do much about terrorism.
Criticism of "The Path to 9/11" carries strong echoes of the barbs hurled at CBS over "The Reagans." Reagan partisans railed against scenes showing Nancy Reagan consulting an astrologist and Reagan condemning AIDS victims.
Conservative drumbeat against "The Reagans" started months before the mini was slated to air and intensified after a copy of the script was leaked. Eye ultimately decided to sell the project to sister company Showtime -- a move that, ironically, prompted howls of protest from liberal groups who accused CBS of censorship.
Cliff Kincaid, editor of publications for conservative watchdog group Accuracy in Media, said the Democratic outcry is a bit of a surprise.
"Usually Democrats can count on the support of big media in Hollywood," he said. "It's like things are upside down now."
(Josef Adalian and Michael Schneider in Hollywood contributed to this report.)
This is gonna get real interesting..
wonder what the lead topic will be on the Sunday talk shows?
"It will be the galvanizing act that will lead Republicans to victory in November..."
Clinton's outrage is making this whole incident into another Wellstone Memorial.
Little does he know, but Bubba has just given the Republicans their "October Surprise" and it's only September!
We already are, can't smoke, must allow illegals, give them money, give them s.s., give them college funds & never ever arrest them. The lib/communists are ruling us! WE are there!
there are pre-release vout there already, so what ever is showen on sun/mon, any cuts made with be verified and talked about.
Plus blue dresses from Gap.
You betcha, Rush said today that he got a preview copy & watched it Monday. Anything edited out, Rush will know!
The October "surprise" is reserved for William Jefferson's indictment. I'm sticking to that one, 'til something juicier pops up. ;-)
Interesting. What are the Dims going to say? "We were against censorship before we were for censorship"? You don't catch hypocrites out in the open like this every day.
What really puzzles them, is that Bush sits back & says nothing, keeps his mouth shut & then comes up smelling like a Rose everytime. They can't figure it out & it is driving them all nuts!
Poor ABC, going to suffer the same fate as Rather/CBS. Thanks to freepers & the internet!!!
I can hear TahRayZaa now.. More Raisins!!!
and Howard Dean.. More Thorazine!!!
Conyers and Dingell---two greaat patriots and lovers of the US.
The 8 pro-terrorist members of Congress:
Abercrombie,Conyers, Dingell, Kilpatrick (MI), McDermott, Paul (Republican), Rahall, Stark.
House joins Senate, lines up behind Israel
By Anne Plummer Flaherty The Associated Press
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003140434_webhousemideast20.html
WASHINGTON – The House, displaying a foreign affairs solidarity lacking on issues like Iraq, voted overwhelmingly today to support Israel in its confrontation with Hezbollah guerrillas.
The resolution, which was passed on a 410-8 vote, also condemns enemies of the Jewish state.
House Republican leader John Boehner cited Israel's "unique relationship" with the United States as a reason for his colleagues to swiftly go on record supporting Israel in the latest flare-up of violence in the Mideast.
Little of the political divisiveness in Congress on other national security issues was evident as lawmakers embraced the Bush administration's position.
So strong was the momentum for the resolution that it was steamrolling efforts by a small group of House members who argued that Congress's pro-Israel stance goes too far.
Hypocrites in the open!
Fire for effect!
Rush needs to give his screener DVD to a geek to rip into DiVX and threaten ABC they will post it on BitTorrent before Sunday if they make any more edits. Two can play at this game.
You know, part of me is outraged at the Dems for doing this.
But a teeny tiny part of me is THRILLED that they're doing it to ABC...............just imagine how furious they must be to feel the wrath of a bunch of liars and thieves!
Too many people have seen the screener for them to make changes now. The word is out! Bah Bye ABC!
John Hinderaker, Power Line July 31, 2006
Yesterday, Representative John Dingell of Michigan appeared on a Detroit television program along with Republican Candice Miller. They discussed the crisis in Lebanon; Dingell proclaimed himself neutral. "I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah; I don't take sides for or against Israel." Asked, "You're not against Hezbollah?" Dingell answers, "No..."
If the Democrats win control of the House of Representatives, Dingell will be the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He was one of the eight Democrats who did not vote in favor of the Congressional resolution supporting Israel in its conflict with Hezbollah.
Link to video and more at powerlineblog.com
Want to know the best part of all?
The Democrats "invented" the "if you see it or hear it on TV enough, it must be the truth" attack and now it's going to bite them in the big fat butt.
Ain't life grand?
Another RAT proving they support terrorists!
You bet.
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