Clinton’s lawyers are now demanding ABC cancel its docudrama “The Path to 9/11.” Here’s the letter:
Dear Bob,
Despite press reports that ABC/Disney has made changes in the content and marketing of “The Path to 9/11,” we remailn concerned about the false impression that airing the show will leave on the public. Labelng the show as “fiction” does not meet your responsibility to the victims of the September 11th attacks, their families, the hard work of the 9/11 Commission, or to the American people as a whole.
At a moment when we should be debating how to make the nation safer by implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, “The Path to 9/11” calls into question the accuracy of the Commission’s report and whether fabricated scenes are, in fact, an accurate portrayal of history. Indeed, the millions spent on the production of this fictional drama would have been better spent informing the public about the Commission’s actual findings and the many recommendations that have yet to be acted upon. Unlike this film, that would have been a tremendous service to the public.
Although our request for an advance copy of the film has been repeatedly denied, it is all too clear that our objections to “The Path to 9/11” are valid and corroborated by those familiar with the film and intimately involved in its production.
— Your corporate partner, Scholastic, has disassociated itself from this proect.
— 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, who served as co-executive producer on “The Path to 9/11,” has stated that he raised concerns about the accuracy of several scenes in the film and that his concerns were not addressed during production.
— Harvey Keitel, who plays the star role of FBI agent John O’Neill, told reporters yesterday that while the screenplay was presented to him as a fair treatment of historical events, he is upset that several scenes were simply invented for dramatic purposes.
— Numerous Members of Congress, several 9/11 Commissioners and prominent historians have spoken out against this movie.
— Indeed, according to press reports, the fact that you are still editing the film two days before it is scheduled to air is an admission that it is irreparably flawed.
As a nation, we need to be focused on preventing another attack, not fictionalizing the last one for television ratings. “The Path to 9/11” not only tarnishes the work of the 9/11 Commission, but also cheapens the fith anniversary of what was a very painful moment in history for all Americans. We expect that you will make the responsible decision to not air this film.
Sincerely,
Bruce R. Lindsey
Chief Executive Officer
William J. Clinton FoundationDouglas J. Band
Counselor to President Clinton
Office of William Jefferson Clinton
My God, this guy’s got an ego. This movie really isn’t about him. It’s about Ramzi Yousef, Khalid Sheik Muhammad, and the others involved in committing the atrocities on 9/11. When will this guy stop making everything about him?
Note: there are a number of typos in the letter. I don’t know if that is because the person I am sourcing typed this in himself or if they are part of the orginal letter.
43% in 92 and 49% in 96
The Clinton Legacy has doomed the democrat leadership to forever tell lies and you pathetic democrat morons to support those lies. That is the Clinton Legacy you idiots have come to love and embrace. YOU LOSE!
What’s the matter Hugh? It’s not sex according to BJ Clinton. The downfall of the democrat party. The difference between you and me is when I discovered the truth for myself , I STOPPED VOTING FOR THE CORRUPT LYING DEMOCRATS. What’s your mental defect?
RobLACa
Thanks for your offer of a BJ, but your missing link mental midget has already sucked the life force out of me and everyone one else in this wonder country.
And what lies have I stated? I’d love for you to address them item by item so we can have a real debate of ideas, rather than your broad based smears. Ignorance is not bliss, it’s just ignorance. Back up your comments with something more than the words lie, or let your shrink know you are off your medication. There is help out there. I know Regan, while governor of CA closed down the majority of the state run mental institutes, which probably explains why you have access to a computer. But help is out there RobLACa. Seek it, you and your paranoid world will be better off.
They are as mad as Clinton gets when someone tells the truth about him.
Clinton is asking for them to tell the truth about him. If you think it’s so damaging to him, why are you afraid to have it shown?
I know Regan, while governor of CA closed down the majority of the state run mental institutes, which probably explains why you have access to a computer.
Regan was never governor of CA.
Reagan was.
And Reagan did so because leftie activists demanded it for decades.
Which shows that, for the sake of your own posterity, you have to oppose all liberal desires because if things go wrong, it’ll be your fault — never theirs.
Note, Republicans have no problems admitting that they were hardly perfect in this regard. Clinton, though, cannot. Apparently, neither can you.
-=Mike
Oh that’s right BTS, they are not lies if YOU believe them to be true. In which case you are just ignorant and stupid. Is that better for you. Why would I want to waste my time. Besides the point is that you are a liar as is your party and any debate is futile. Are you too stupid to understand that? Your party are proven and admitted liars. There is no debating someone who is trying to deceive the Country and hide the truth. But your continue in your deceitful ways. This Registered democrat will never again vote democrat so your waasting your time.
“And Reagan did so because leftie activists demanded it for decades.”
That explains everything and why this state is so F**ed up. They don’t want the insane Sheehan’s put where they belong and they don’t want to sentence felons to lengthy terms. After all 85% of them vote democrat. Then they beg and solicit ILLEGALS to vote democrat.
Leftie activists belong in mental institutes.
Come ON Rob,
We are all waiting for the point by point rebuttal to my comments.
Has the missing link found and captured Bin Laden despite the fact we invaded the country Bin Laden is in?
Where are all of those WMD’s? Seen any pictures of the missing link showing them at any press conference?
Ashcroft: What exactly do you beleive he was doing in August and September of 2001? And please provide footnotes and links to any claims you purport. For I can back up my comments.
LIke I suggested, contact your shrink. You are obviously not using your medical benefits to take your prescribed dosage of Zyprexa. I fear we will be watching you on the news with a high powered rifle atop a water tower.
I will have to qualify that the censorship threat is a huge problem. That’s two censorship threats since 2004 by the Dems.
Will the Democrats For Censorship theme make it in your campaign ads this election season? I think it’s a winner.
If every Democrat in the country wants to boycott ths Pathe to 911, then do it. Maybe that will force ABC to either change the venue to cable or nor show it. That’s fine. I don’t care. What I do care about is the fact that Ried and fello Democrat Senators threatened ABC with their licence. Something not done by any Republican Senators or government officials.
I hope ABC shows it intact, not because Icare one iota about it’s content, because I probably won’t waste time to watch it. I hope they show it to force Reid’s hand. I want him to try and revoke that license. That is nothing more than a bald-faced attempt at censorship. If that happens, It will be the end of the Democrats and they would be exposed for what they are.
One last point. Citizens boycotting the Reagan or the 9-11 movie is not censorship, Reid threatening their license IS censorship.
VW
Has the missing link found and captured Bin Laden despite the fact we invaded the country Bin Laden is in?
Nope. It is amazingly difficult to capture a guy when he is an area with a lot of supporters.
It took us how many years to catch Eric Rudolph in the US?
Heck, using your logic, FDR failed because we never found Hitler.
Where are all of those WMD’s? Seen any pictures of the missing link showing them at any press conference?
Over 700 found thus far.
Ashcroft: What exactly do you beleive he was doing in August and September of 2001? And please provide footnotes and links to any claims you purport. For I can back up my comments.
Not as much as he should have been doing. Nobody is saying Bush and his people were perfect pre-9/11.
Just that when we got attacked, he did a dramatically better job than Clinton.
-=Mike
“Something not done by any Republican Senators or government officials” should read “Something not done by any Republican Senators or government officials concerning the Reagan movie.”
VW
I just can’t believe rational people are trying to argue that Harry Reid, or any other Democrat, for that matter can revoke ABC’s license or some how censor them.
Have any of you, gone off the deep-end, wingnuts read anything about the FCC? Do you know that they are the only ones who can revoke a license such as ABC’s? Do any of you know there are 5 FCC Commissioners and that Bush has appointed 3 of them, including the Chairman? Do any of you know that there is a right to judicial review of the revocation of a license all the way up to the Supreme Court?
For Jesus H Christ’s sake shut up about it. Yes, it’s a political play by Reid et al. So what? Like your side doesn’t know how to play political hardball?
What you argue about this is utterly senseless. Free speech, censorship. For god’s sake only the GOVERNMENT can abridge First Amendment rights. And 2 or 3 or 45 Democrats ISN’T the GOVERNMENT. Even if they took the Senate and the House it’s the FCC STUPID.
Finally, do you really think Disney and ABC think Reid at al can take their license away. If you do, you belong on the same meds as RobLA. Give it a goddamn rest!!!
Of course it is basically an idle threat. But HE MADE IT! The implication is that Reid would enforce it if he could. OTOH,why woulkd he make it if he couldn’t back it up?
But if your side gets the majority, they intend on bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Then, he could carry out the threat.
VW
I just can’t believe rational people are trying to argue that Harry Reid, or any other Democrat, for that matter can revoke ABC’s license or some how censor them.
Hmm, Congress can revoke licenses.
The Dems might gain Congress.
Thus, Dems cannot revoke licenses?
That’s your argument?
Have any of you, gone off the deep-end, wingnuts read anything about the FCC? Do you know that they are the only ones who can revoke a license such as ABC’s?
The Congress’ control of the FCC is rather large, since they — you know — FUND them and all.
Do any of you know there are 5 FCC Commissioners and that Bush has appointed 3 of them, including the Chairman? Do any of you know that there is a right to judicial review of the revocation of a license all the way up to the Supreme Court?
It’s immaterial. The THREAT was made. Whether they can deliver or not doesn’t matter. They THREATENED to do it.
Lefties have long claimed that the televised press was quiet about McCarthy for so long because their bosses were afraid of losing their licenses.
This is different…how?
For Jesus H Christ’s sake shut up about it. Yes, it’s a political play by Reid et al. So what? Like your side doesn’t know how to play political hardball?
They’ve not threatened to revoke licenses so, apparently, they don’t play hardball like you want it played.
What you argue about this is utterly senseless. Free speech, censorship. For god’s sake only the GOVERNMENT can abridge First Amendment rights. And 2 or 3 or 45 Democrats ISN’T the GOVERNMENT. Even if they took the Senate and the House it’s the FCC STUPID.
When 2 or 3 of the signers are the LEADERSHIP, rest assured, there is a real threat.
Finally, do you really think Disney and ABC think Reid at al can take their license away. If you do, you belong on the same meds as RobLA. Give it a goddamn rest!!!
No, we will not “give it a rest”. This is an assault on the First Amendmend and not the first one a Dem has unleashed recently.
Hell, go to the Path to 9/11 Blog. Plenty of lefties there are clamoring for ABC to LOSE THEIR LICENSE.
Jesus Christ, your side already sold out your alleged concern for human rights. Are you now going to sell out your alleged concern for free speech?
-=Mike
Mike:
I could care less whether they air it or not. You loonies on the right who watch it will salivate and holler and scream your nonsense about Clinton. The left who watch it will scream foul. The sensible middle will yawn and turn to football.
I suggest you do some research before blathering on and on about governmental power. Read just a little about the FCC and how it oversees licenses.
If lefties are clamoring to take ABC’s license they are as ignorant and as nuts as you appear to be.
Hugh:
What you do not seem to get is the types of political plays that are made reveal the character and attitude of the person/party.
There is a huge, vast, enormous, (insert your own synonym) difference between threatening to boycott and threatening to abuse government authority. There is no moral equivalence, no matter how you might like to cry there is.
This kind of political play is indicative of a disturbing mindset, that says, “Free speech for me, not for thee.” It is a mindset that I oppose as directly contradictory of the values this country was founded on.
Frankly, if you had any sort of political integrity you would be denouncing this cheap play with all the vehemence it deserves instead of being blindly partisan and defending it as well as the pathetic politicians making it; such action reveals your own character as well.
First off, all things considered, actually no, the governemnt can’t abridge First Amendment rights; try reading, actually reading, that First Amendment sometime.
And as you pointed out, they are only 2 or 3 senators, right now. If that kind of attitude continues to be pushed in the Democratic Party and becomes widely adopted by its constituents and elected members there is no end to the havoc they can wreak, and by making such a petty political stunt they have demonstrated that attempting to do such a thing would not be beneath them if they had more power in their corner.
If the lefties would like to revoke ABC’s broadcast license, I think that’s an excellent idea. If the price I have to pay for ABC being wiped off the airwaves forever is to not have this bullshitumentary aired, then so be it.
ABC is a net disaster for truth *and* conservatives. Good idea to shitcan them.
SS
It’s incredible, but Hugh gets dumber with each of his posts. He is the amazing shrinking brain! What a moron.
Inquiring:
Thanks for your response. But me thinks you protest too much. I don’t know if you’re a Republican or not but if you are, to be somehow offended by politics, in the party of Rove is, disingenuous at best.
I have read the First Amendment. I have studied the First Amendment and though I am not a constitutional scholar it’s meaning is clear and with regard to abridging freedom of speech in a circumstance such as this.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/First_amendment
Your conclusion is just plain silly, and I actually think you don’t believe it. The democrats as boogiemen??
Clay:
An intelligent, well-reasoned argument. Thank you. Your silence says it all. You might want to ask RobLA if he has any spare meds for you.
There ya go again, Hugh. What argument? It was an observation. You’re an idiot.
I find it hard to believe that the CEO and Chief Counsel of the Foundation would allow this letter to go out with these typos — and if the typos aren’t in the original letter – who’s typos are they — and what is the source of the letter?
“…we remailn concerned about the false impression…”
“Labelng the show as “fiction” does not meet your responsibility to the victims ..”
These typos suggest this is not a verbatim cut and paste of the letter, and at that point the source and “path” of the letter comes into question. I’m not suggesting the words aren’t authentic, I’m just wondering who typed them and what was the source, and the cynic in me then wonders whether any liberties were taken in the re-typing. These same typos appear on the TPM page linked in Kim’s post, so they weren’t introduced by Wizbang.
Spotted a couple more typos.
“Your corporate partner, Scholastic, has disassociated itself from this proect.”
“…but also cheapens the fith anniversary…”
Again, I’m not suggesting any wrongdoing on the part of bloggers — it just raises a concern in my mind reference accuracy.
Oh, and Hugh? The meds thing? It wasn’t funny the first time.
Are you 12?
I’m not 12 Clay but I’m old enough not to call someone dumb or a moron after posting an argument or “observation” as you like to put it. I stand by my meds comment.
Hugh
Follow me here a bit. Let’s say you decide to rob a bank — you hand over a note to the teller saying “I have a gun, you know what to do” (btw you DON’T have a gun)… but before she can, you leave.
Can you be prosecuted for attempted armed robbery?
Hell, YEAH. It doesn’t matter if you had a gun…you threatened that you did. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t specifically ask for money, its enough you implied it, it doesn’t matter that you left the bank before she handed you some money.
Senate Dems are trying to strong arm ABC into an action it wouldn’t have otherwise taken with the implicit threat about the broadcast license. It doesn’t matter whether they could reasonably carry out that threat or not. And it doesn’t even matter if ABC doesn’t submit to the threat. The threat was made.
Any and all current Democrat candidates for office, local state or national, should be specifically asked if they support their current Dem office holders actions in threatening ABC’s license. They should ALL be asked it again and again until they give a “yes” or “no” answer.
Darleen:
With all due respect your analogy doesn’t work. One of the reasons it doesn’t work is that there are statutes which define whatt attempted armed robbery is. Those statutes govern the action which is the crime. Here, it’s the FCC regulations which control licensure. Harry reid has no control over those regulations. The democrats are powerless to take their license away. Only the FCC can with all the built in judicial review. The FCC appointments are made by the President.
Now can you argue it’s hardball politics. Of course you can. But you folks keep talking about a threat that doesn’t exist….Harry Reid has as much power to take ABC’s license away as you or I do. You can call it implicit or whatever, but do you think ABC sees it as one? How can they? They know only the FCC has the power to regulate them.
Hugh,
er, I mean Doctor Hugh
Since you seem to be prescribing medication for some people, could you tell me what to take for a pain in the ass? I am getting one from reading comments from you and the three stooges… nyuck nyuck nyuck.
Why yes I can prescribe for you. take your head out of your ass.
I long for those days when honest opposition and arguement was the norm and not the exception.The trolls are so lacking in basic honesty and facts that no amount of truth or facts can change them.To be fair I don’t believe they believe the bull they put out themselves and if they do, mental institutions should be reopened for their own safty.Hugh, Lee, Mary,please get help before its too late.
This is a prime example of Government censorship by the Dems. Harry Reid must have edited out the first amendment from that copy of the Constitution that he carries.
Mr. president we have Osama cornered,what should we do.Monica ease up a minute this may be important.Ah never mind.
As abhorent as I find the “We Killed the Patriot Act” Democraps, I do have a problem with the ABC thing.
The truth/facts are bad enough, why not just go with that and accurately portray what happened.
Jesus Lord we’ve had enough “Commissions” to tell us who said what to whom, including Bubba’s girlfriend, Monica Blewinsky.
Hugh
Why are you babbling about statues? I used the analogy that you can’t use a “get out of jail free” card about threats just because you don’t have the immediate means to carry them out.
The Senate or House dems could easily make life real difficult for ABC as a broadcaster by calling for hearings and pressuring the FCC to open their own investigation.
It’s like sending in Tony and Guido into the local mom&pop store, they stroll around and say “hey, nice business you got here. Be a real shame if sumthin were to happen to it.”
And Dem threatening in this manner is not unprecedented… in 2004 a cabal of 38 House Dems and Ind. decided to do pursue a little Don Corelone action with Rupert Murdoch. Or the Dem threats of individual station licenses over a program that hadn’t even been shot… gotta love Kerry spokesman Chad Clanton little rant
See, they are not threatening boycotts or letterwriting campaigns to advertisers..they are threatening GOVERNMENT action to interfere or even shut down speech they don’t agree with.
Buckeye
Remember, to Leftists it’s a “living Constitution”… where it means whatever they want it to mean.
You’re right, Lee. It’s a conspiracy. Karl Rove wrote the letter.
I’m not 12 Clay but I’m old enough not to call someone dumb or a moron after posting an argument or “observation” as you like to put it.
Hugh, you are a lying, leftist pudwad. You didn’t use the exact words dumb or moron, but you said the same thing. And now you’re equivocating.
Hugh: “Now can you argue it’s hardball politics. Of course you can. But you folks keep talking about a threat that doesn’t exist….Harry Reid has as much power to take ABC’s license away as you or I do. You can call it implicit or whatever, but do you think ABC sees it as one? How can they? They know only the FCC has the power to regulate them.”
If there is no threat then it’s NOT hardball politics. It would be softball politics, or maybe fluffy-bunny politics, but not hardball politics.
So let’s agree that it’s actually, as you said, hardball politics. Not the softball type or fluffy-bunny type, hardball.
Now lets just suppose, for pretend, that the hardball politics involves people in the government paying “hardball” with the private sector. Just for pretend.
You don’t think there is something wrong with that?
Well I will use those words Hugh, Your a dumb smart moron.
I’m not 12 Clay but I’m old enough not to call someone dumb or a moron after posting an argument or “observation” as you like to put it.
Hugh,
Did you not call Mike blind and an idiot? So, you’re not only a dumb 12-year old, but you’re also an hypocrite. Typical of the left to accuse while asking for a pass. Tsk, tsk.
Synova:
Like lots of other folks, and myself included at times, you want to change the argument. What the shrill voices of the right have been hollering about on this and other posts is the democrats “threat” to take ABC’s license away. I’m simply pointing out it’s a false argument. It can’t be done. There in no infringement on ABC’s freedom of speech.
If all the silly scenarios people posit ,about dems taking control and making things difficult for ABC, happen then I would absolutely agree.
The shrill voice of Harry Reid and others is matched only by the shrill voices of the wingnuts crying fouls. Both of you are silly about this.
Meantime, relax, watch the show and then come crowing about the big bad boogieman Bill. The rest of the country will either yawn or laugh.
“Thesze libs are whining fagots who should be killed”
The preceding message was brought to you by the new republican party and their loyal followers.
We thank you Gary Ruppert for those brilliant words.
Yep, I am siding with the “whining fagots”, you can keep your party of lunacy, and intolerance.
“Mr. president we have Osama cornered,what should we do.Monica ease up a minute this may be important.Ah never mind.”
Yeah that’s funny jainphx, but could frat boy at least corner the F#$%^ng guy. It has been FIVE YEARS!!!
BTW, I will take Clinton and his BJ’s over this crowd and their incompetent leadership any day.
“Browny, you are doing a heck of a job”
And what’s wrong with a little BJ anyway? From the tone of the posts here, most of you repubs could probably use one. You seem a bit uptight 😉
I wish to address to things here. First, Hugh. He is an idiot. This is just an observation, but if you read his posts, you will find him in disagreement with the simplest ideas and concepts. If he is not an idiot, then he is a democrat. That speaks for itself. Next, the Path to 9/11. Not having seen it, I know not if it is worth watching, but I know this. The WTC was first attacked in 93, Osama declared war on the United states in 96. There were numerous attacks by al-Qaeda on US interests. During the Clinton Presidency, you could count the number of terrorists killed on one hand. Since 9/11, Bush took action, and thousands of terrorist have died. We have not been attacked again and Bin Ladin spends little time in luxury hotels. Most of al-Qaeda’s leadership has been killed or captured. If I were Clinton, I wouldn’t want to remind America what he had not done either. Clinton is a cheat and a liar, and Sandy Berger is a thief. Reid is a coward and Kerry a communist fool.
There are three forms of 2, to, too, and two. I meant to use two. I would want Hugh to misundersand.
Haven’t met a liberal who can’t lie through his teeth.
They can’t stand the thought that someone might actually think that terrorism didn’t start until jan of 2001.
Unlike others on the right I don’t look to blame Clinton for terrorism. Nor do I blame Bush. Or, perhaps more accurately, I blame both for ineptitude about considering how real the threat was.
here is the secret about Clinton and his legacy. He did nothing. Nada. Zip. He is the Zachary taylor of the 20th century. A footnote on his ability to accomplish nothing either in foreign or domestic policy.
At best, the Right can blame him for inactivity or getting a blow job.
That’s why they doth protest too much. The Left HAS to believe that things were all roses and teacups before Bush. That only if Al Gore or Hillary had been elected then 9/11 wouldn’t have happened. Truth is it would have happened. And like the 1993 attempt it would have been treated as a crime rather than the act of War it was.
Here is another truth, under Clinton OBL continually grew in power and influence while escalating the war. Since Bush he has had his assed kicked. Neither President captured him, but I can tell I would rather go with the guy that took away OBL’s power base than with the guy (or party) that let him grow in power.
I don’t think Clinton was the worst President ever. I don’t give one shittin-shinola about Lewinsky and the Dress and the Money Shot Heard Round the World. I think Clinton was absolutely nothing either way–something he probably fears more than anything.
field-negro, I constantly find it amusing to here the Right described as the party of lunacy and intolerance when I constantly see the Left castigate an abuse anyone who doesn’t agree 100% with them. If, as your name implies, you are an African-American, I find it ironically amusing you embrace the Party that constantly thinks that African-Americans are so inept and unable to care for themselves that the need the rich, White, “enlightened” intelligensensia to take care of them. They’ve painted your race as inferior for so long you are starting to believe it. I bought into it as well as a young Hispanic growing up in the barro until I learned the hand supposedly reaching down to help me was really holding me down.
Woo Hoo, must be a slow weekend with all this banter.
The fact that the letter quoted originally has lots of typos leads me to question its authenticity.
But for all the ranting, the best thing about all this so far is the audio clip we can play over and over of Clinton saying:
“I just want people to tell the truth.”
Faith+1
You know what’s even funnier than the Clintonistas attempted rosewater wash of the era? At Khatamis’ CAIR dinner ….
Clinton.
If we just do what Clinton did, things would be much better. Color me surprised. Heh.BWAHAHAHAHAH!!