I have a confession...

...and ask for the forgiveness of my readers.

I thought about whether or not I should come clean with this. After some soul-searching and hand-wringing, I decided that it is best that I clear my conscience. If I didn't, I don't see how I could ever blog here again without feeling shame for keeping a dirty little secret.

In a moment of weakness I slapped down $10 bucks and saw "Avatar".

Forgive me fellow conservatives, for I have sinned.

My impressions of the colossal-budget movie? If you're a tree-hugging Howard-Zinn-raised liberal, you'll love it. If you're a pro-war-on-terror-American-exceptionalism-muscular-foreign-policy-believing conservative, you'll love it and feel dirty for doing so. But hey! All you have to do is just lose yourself in the fantasy that is the liberal worldview.

The movie's impressive in scope and special effects, but the storyline's just cliché-predictable....like watching Dances with Wolves in Space meets every Hollywood anti-(Iraq)war movie in the last 8 years.

Thanks James Cameron, for the overt political messages! [/sarcasm]

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

Rated- W

Stone says the film won't be an anti-Bush polemic. Rather, as he told Daily Variety, it will be "a fair, true portrait of the man that asks the question: how did Bush go from being an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world?"

Uh....riiiiiiiight.

The film will cover Mr Bush's obsession with invading Iraq and toppling Saddam Hussein – which Stone suggests is to avenge the Iraqi leader's much ballyhooed assassination attempt on Bush Snr.

It will also look at Mr Bush's desperate hunt for WMDs in Iraq and his well known mangling of the English language. The script gives the impression that the White House is Mr Bush's very own fraternity house where discussions about going to war sound like the staff are betting on a football game.

The film will capture notorious episodes including his arrest for tearing down the goalposts at a college football game, his widely reported threat to get into a fistfight with his father when he came home drunk in the 1970s, and how he quit drinking after his 40th birthday when he woke up with a hangover and marching orders from his wife.

Mr Bush will be played by Josh Brolin, who starred in the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men. Laura Bush is being played by Elizabeth Banks, who starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

This is Stone's third film about a US president, following Nixon and JFK. The director has been an outspoken critic of President Bush's policy in Iraq.

But keep in mind while digesting all of this, that the movie (Oliver Stone, folks....Oliver Stone) will be "a fair, true portrait of the man."

Not.

Even Oliver Stone admits in this interview that facts won't get in the way of a good romp into anti-Bushism, under the guise of biography:

I certainly worked very hard on the research for JFK. We even put a book out filled with every footnote. I personally find it disgusting that we have to do that to make a movie. But at the time I felt very defensive about it. And we put it out because we weren’t ripping off, we were in the spirit of what we’d learned. We were talking to real witnesses and getting real facts, but they said that we had invented it all. It’s a cheap shot. So I became super defensive. Then on Nixon, we put out another book of footnotes to explain our reasons. Anyway, I realized it’s hopeless to get those things examined in the light of day: You’re always accused of being a filmmaker. That’s why with W I’ll probably be a little bit freer, because you know there’s not that much appreciation for all the work that goes into fact-checking. I think we can have more fun on it.

~~~

But I think Pinkville [Stone's film about the My Lai, which was shelved in 2007] was worth doing because it wasn’t a massacre story per se, it was about how the worst in human nature is covered up by human nature. And also about how sometimes there are heroes who do come along. In Pinkville’s case, it was a few people — it wasn’t just one. Men who did something — nothing extraordinary — but something more than ordinary to bring out the truth. And the truth is an amazing story. Kids don’t know about My Lai, they don’t have a clue. But unfortunately that’s been lost because of money. The My Lai fallout was a Wall Street deal where the studio was totally chickenshit and caved when their previous film about the Iraq war had failed. It was a total money deal. They give you a numbering system, they number off all their estimates and sales. You get the accountants saying the movie is going to do this, this and this — bottom line we can bank this, you can discount that, therefore you can get that. It’s a very tough way to work, because you’re assigning generally lowball estimates to movies. I think they have about as much chance of being right as those early poll estimates of John McCain getting the Republican nomination.

Michael Moore is the Hero of David Zucker's New Film

My movie-going experience and review, here.

Kids for Obama Sing to "Dear Leader Messiah"

This really makes me ill: Obama carols.



Don't we have laws in place against such cruel and inhumane child abuse? Even lefties agree. A mind, after all, is a terrible thing to indoctrinate with waste.

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

Also at Flopping Aces: Nothin' like the smell of indoctrination

He's got a "track record of believing in this stuff", folks

Scott Pelley, left, interviewing John McCain in Wisconsin on Sept. 18, 2008. (Photo: CBS/Rob Fortunato)

Kroft: Senator McCain made some of the same noises this week, blaming Wall Street greed, promising reform and oversight, and new regulations to protect investors. What's the difference between the two of you?

Obama: Well, the difference is, I think, that I've got a track record of actually believing in this stuff. And, you know, Senator McCain, fairly recently, said, "I'm a deregulator." It's one of his top chief economic advisors was Phil Gramm , who was one of the architects of deregulation in this sector. And he's always taken great pride in believing that we have to eliminate regulations.

Obama's got a track record in his head? As Bill Clinton said: "This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen."

Look at the headline blurb for last night's 60 Minutes on the CBS site:
McCain, Obama Grilled On Issues, Obama lightly toasted and buttered

Really, it should read:McCain, Obama Grilled On Issues

Overall, there were some good questioning of both candidates. Bias can be subtle, though. It's not so much that there is intentional unfairness. But certainly, there is a liberal perspective laced in some of the underlying assumptions- especially in some of the voiceovers.

Watch the interview or read the transcript. Then tell me there isn't any bias and I'll tell you that I have a bridge up in Alaska to sell you.

Here's some transcript snippets:

Pelley: In 1999 you were one of the senators who helped pass deregulation of Wall Street. Do you regret that now?

McCain: No, I think the deregulation was probably helpful to the growth of our economy.

Then here's the voiceover where McCain can't defend himself:

McCain has been an advocate of deregulation most of his career, but Thursday he endorsed the biggest bailout in history - a plan for the government to take on the bad debts of financial institutions.

From the WaPo Editorial last week:

It's fair to say that Mr. McCain has dramatically ramped up the regulatory rhetoric in the wake of the meltdown on Wall Street. Mr. Obama made the argument about the need for increased oversight much earlier. And Mr. McCain has generally taken an anti-regulatory stance, although not in all cases -- his support for federal regulation of tobacco and boxing being prominent counter-examples. Mr. McCain backed a moratorium on all new federal regulation in 1995, saying that excessive regulations were "destroying the American family, the American dream." On the campaign trail in 2000, he touted his record of voting "for smaller government, for less regulation."

However, when it comes to regulating financial institutions and corporate misconduct, Mr. McCain's record is more in keeping with his current rhetoric. In the aftermath of the Enron collapse and other accounting scandals, he was a leader, with Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), in pushing to require that companies treat stock options granted to employees as expenses on their balance sheets. "I have long opposed unnecessary regulation of business activity, mindful that the heavy hand of government can discourage innovation," he wrote in a July 2002 op-ed in the New York Times. "But in the current climate only a restoration of the system of checks and balances that once protected the American investor -- and that has seriously deteriorated over the past 10 years -- can restore the confidence that makes financial markets work."

Mr. McCain was an early voice calling for the resignation of Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt, charging that he "seems to prefer industry self-policing to necessary lawmaking. Government's demands for corporate accountability are only credible if government executives are held accountable as well."

In 2006, he pushed for stronger regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- while Mr. Obama was notably silent. "If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole," Mr. McCain warned at the time.

One element of the Obama campaign's brief against Mr. McCain is that he supported repeal of the law separating commercial banks from investment banks. "He's spent decades in Washington supporting financial institutions instead of their customers," Mr. Obama said yesterday. "Phil Gramm, one of the architects of the deregulation in Washington that led directly to this mess on Wall Street, is also the architect of John McCain's economic plan." Would it be churlish to point out that another author of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley law is former congressman Jim Leach, a founder of Republicans for Obama? Or that Obama advisers Lawrence H. Summers and Robert E. Rubin supported the repeal -- which was signed by President Bill

And for those who only wish to play the fingerpointing blame-game, here you go.

And some other previous posts:
Follow the Money!
McCain Ad Hits Obama on Financial Crisis
Financial Crisis a Democrat Scandal
Democrats Rewriting History Once More

Also note that President Bush has called for reform 17 times in 2008 alone; and the brilliant acumen of the do-nothing Congress is summed up by Harry Reid: "No one knows what to do."

Another voiceover:

Senator Obama's plan would cut taxes more than McCain for the middle class, but Obama would raise taxes for those making more than $250,000 a year. And last week, McCain turned up the temperature on the rhetoric.

Obama's patriotic tax "cuts" will do what exactly?

Pelley: The criticism of Governor Palin is that she was a brilliant marketing choice for the campaign, but she's not well versed on the economy or foreign affairs.

McCain: Well, actually, the most popular governor in America so, and the largest geographically state. But the most important thing is…

Pelley: But foreign affairs and the economy, those are things that people are concerned about.

I'll take, not only Governor Palin's experience over that of Senator Obama's anytime, but most importantly her judgment.

Pelley: Senator Biden, Senator Obama's running mate, has done 84 interviews and news conferences by our count. And Governor Palin has done two. And I wonder why that is. There's a perception that you might be nervous about what she might say, that you're not putting her in front of reporters.

McCain: She's gonna be doing more all the time. She's, as you know, been introduced to the country.

It's fair to say that Senator Biden doesn't need as much exposure as Governor Palin, because he has a long history in the media spotlight that she doesn't have. We already know him. But it's unfair of Pelley to trot out this "84 interviews" number, unless that's the number of interviews Biden's given since being chosen by Team Obama for the VP slot.

From Steve Kroft's interview with Senator Obama:

Kroft: The McCain campaign, the last day or two, has been running nothing but ads talking about you and the surge…that you were opposed to the surge.

Obama: That's all they had to talk about. You notice that, according to the McCain mythology, I guess the Iraq war started with the surge. They seem to forget that there were five years before that where they got everything wrong, where they anticipated that we would be greeted as liberators. Where they said this would be easy. These are John McCain's quotes. That this would all pay for itself. Because the Iraqi oil revenues would more than cover it. The fact of the matter is that John McCain has been consistently wrong on Iraq.

Can anyone find me the quotes where McCain said, "We'd be greeted as liberators, that this would be easy, and that the oil would pay for the war."? John McCain has supported the war in Iraq but has been heavily critical of its management. Even Bob Woodward recognizes this (transcript from the Mike Gallagher Show):

MG: Our guest is Bob Woodward. His book is The War Within: A Secret White House History. Let’s talk a little bit about Senator McCain, his presidential race. You know, you’re aware that John McCain was an early critic of Donald Rumsfeld…

BW: Yup.

MG: …and Rumsfeld’s strategy of light troop presence so we could try to get out fast and hand the baton to the Iraqis. John McCain always demanded a stronger troop presence. It feels like John McCain was always an advocate of the surge. Let’s face it, Barack Obama, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to have sounded off on anything about Iraq other than he was against being there. Is that fair?

BW: That’s absolutely true. And I asked the President about Senator McCain. I said Mr. President, John McCain since the end of 2003 has been calling for more troops.

MG: Right.

BW: And year after year. Don’t you wish you had listened to him? You know what President Bush said? He said well, we’re going to have to let history decide whether we needed more troops and at what point. The President doesn’t even embrace McCain’s very strong, consistent message we need more troops in Iraq.

MG: Well, you write indeed about a place where John McCain was furious with the Bush administration because they were spinning, even…that he felt they were spinning even the worst possible news. McCain thought we should be more straightforward with the highs and the lows. I mean, in many ways, I’m finding that your book is a pretty amazing endorsement of some of the, at least the military instincts that Senator McCain has had.

So how is McCain running on a 3rd Bush term, again? Oh yeah, they both actually campaigned to win a war.

Who had the superior judgment here? Who has been consistently wrong on Iraq?

This is all I have time for. If anyone else wants to go through the transcript and take issue with the interview questions and answers, have at it.

By the way, over the weekend, SNL bashes "old man" McCain....again, because comedians can't seem to find anything about Obama to laugh about.

Oh, and apparently the Emmys took place last night. When I heard about it, I joked with a client of mine this morning whether or not there was any Hollywood politicking on the podium. Sure enough, Hollywood "know-it-all" libs didn't fail to disappoint.

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

Hobknobbing with the Elites

From the Los Angeles Times:

Barack Obama raises millions in Beverly Hills

TV crews are kept from two Beverly Hills fundraisers as John McCain mocks the Democrat's connection to celebrities.
By Dan Morain and Michael Finnegan
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

September 17, 2008

It was clear why Barack Obama's campaign barred television crews from a Beverly Hills mansion at twilight Tuesday as the Democratic presidential nominee mingled with movie stars on a giant terrace overlooking Los Angeles.

The cocktail reception was part of Obama's biggest night of Hollywood fundraising so far, an evening capped with a live performance by Barbra Streisand at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

But it came fraught with risk. As if on cue, John McCain used the Illinois senator's lucrative detour from battleground states to Beverly Hills to mock Obama's professed solidarity with working people "just before he flew off to Hollywood for a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand and his celebrity friends."

"Let me tell you, my friends, there's no place I'd rather be than right here with the working men and women of Ohio," McCain told cheering supporters in Vienna, Ohio, with running mate Sarah Palin at his side.

McCain, too, raised money in Beverly Hills last month, but with a smaller cluster of stars, including actors Robert Duvall and Jon Voight.

Even before the likes of actors Jodie Foster, Will Ferrell and Leonardo DiCaprio paid tribute to Obama at the landmark Greystone Mansion -- setting for numerous films, including "Ghostbusters" and "Air Force One" -- the entertainment industry had given Obama more than $5.6 million, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

McCain's take from the industry has reached $885,000, the center said.

Tickets to Tuesday's reception and dinner at the mansion went for $28,500 apiece; about 300 people attended. Entry to the hotel event cost $2,500; about 800 were in the audience.

The campaign relied on Hollywood moguls David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg, among others, to raise money. To comply with federal donation caps, it planned to split the proceeds with the Democratic National Committee.

David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, suggested that voters would ignore McCain's attacks on the Democrats' ties to Hollywood.

"I think they've heard the whole Republican whoop-de-do before, and this time, I don't think they're going to subscribe to it, because there's so much at stake," Axelrod said.

At Greystone, a 55-room Tudor-style mansion famous for the 1929 murder of oil heir Edward Lawrence "Ned" Doheny Jr., Obama told dinner guests that he knew many were "nervous and concerned" about his chances of winning.

"I know that a lot of you, just in conversations while we were in the photo lines, had all sorts of suggestions," he said.

But the crisis on Wall Street "has suddenly focused people's attention, and it's reminded people of what's at stake. It's reminded people that this is not a game. This is not a reality show, no offense to any of you," Obama said as the crowd erupted in laughter. "This is not a sitcom.

"We always knew this was going to be hard, and this is a leap for the American people," he continued. "And we're running against somebody who has a formidable biography, a compelling biography. He's a genuine American hero, somebody who served in uniform and suffered through some things that very few of us can imagine. And so he is a worthy opponent."

Obama told the crowd that there was "enormous work to do because of the enormous resistance out there -- resistance because people have been fed cynicism for a long time."

"So when my opponent and the operation that they've put together start feeding into that cynicism and start feeding into that resentment, it's not always clear which way things are going to tip," he said.

But Obama said he was "confident about winning because I've looked at John McCain, I've looked at Sarah Palin, I've looked at their agenda, and they don't have one."

The crowd laughed.

"They don't have answers to our economic problems," he said, "and they don't have answers to our foreign policy problems."

He urged his supporters to "keep steady" in the days ahead and never forget what his candidacy is about. In case they did, he offered a reminder: The campaign "is about those who will never see the inside of a building like this and don't resent the success that's represented in this room, but just want the simple chance to be able to find a job that pays a living wage."

Lest anyone be diverted by the Hollywood spectacle Tuesday evening, Obama's campaign denied TV crews access to the mansion and hotel events -- perhaps mindful of the political damage wrought by TV images of celebrities at Democratic nominee John F. Kerry's fundraisers in 2004.

Other stars attending included comedians Chris Rock and Sarah Silverman, actors Tobey Maguire and Pierce Brosnan and director Ron Howard.

Obama's team also barred the entire press corps from hearing Streisand, who hugged Obama and walked offstage at the Regent Beverly Wilshire as the band played "Happy Days Are Here Again."

After thanking Streisand, the candidate struck a somber tone in his remarks.

"This should be a celebratory evening," he said. "We've got 48 days to go in a campaign, a campaign that started 19 months ago, at a time when a lot of folks thought we might not get here."

But, he added, "I'm not in a celebratory mood." He ticked through the series of crises that had taken place in recent days, including the hurricane on the Gulf Coast and the deadly train crash in Chatsworth.

So what did Senator Obama mean by, "this is a leap for the American people"? That if we don't elect a half-black man for president, we're racist? Is it a slip of his elitist attitude, like the comment about people clinging to their guns and religion, because they're bitter? Senator Obama is an arrogant out of touch elitist, as far as I'm concerned.

Lindsay Lohan Does Not Have a Substance Abuse Problem

In order for that to occur...she first has to demonstrate that she has substance (from her MySpace Page):

Sunday, September 14, 2008


UH OH!
Current mood: shocked

I really cannot bite my tongue anymore when it comes to Sarah Palin.

I couldn't be more supportive of a woman in office, but let's face it, it comes down to the person, and their beliefs, male or female.

Is it a sin to be gay? Should it be a sin to be straight? Or to use birth control? Or to have sex before marriage? Or even to have a child out of wedlock?

I find it quite interesting that a woman who now is running to be second in command of the United States, only 4 years ago had aspirations to be a television anchor. Which is probably all she is qualified to be... Also interesting that she got her passport in 2006.. And that she is not fond of environmental protection considering she's FOR drilling for oil in some of our protected land.... Well hey, if she wants to drill for oil, she should DO IT IN HER OWN backyard. This really shows me her complete lack of real preparation to become the second most powerful person in this country.

Hmmmm-All of this gets me going-Fear, Anxiety, Concern, Disappointment, and Stress come into play...

Is our country so divided that the Republicans best hope is a narrow minded, media obsessed homophobe?

I know that the most important thing about this election is that people need to exercise their right to vote, regardless of their choice... I would have liked to have remained impartial, however I am afraid that the "lipstick on a pig" comments will overshadow the issues and the fact that I believe Barack Obama is the best choice, in this election, for president...

Palin's Desire to "save and convert the gays"-really??

According to this Associated Press story, the church of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is hosting a kind of conference devoted to the "conversion of Gays" -- no kidding.

Here's the AP text:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ? Gov. Sarah Palin's church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.

You'll be encouraged by the power of God's love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality," according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed since she was a child.

Palin's conservative Christian views have energized that part of the GOP electorate, which was lukewarm to John McCain's candidacy before he named her as his vice presidential choice. She is staunchly anti-abortion, opposing exceptions for rape and incest, and opposes gay marriage and spousal rights for gay couples.



I feel it's necessary for me to clarify that I am not against Sarah Palin as a mother or woman.

Women have come a long way in the fight to have the choice over what we do with our bodies... And its frightening to see that a woman in 2008 would negate all of that.

Oh, and...Hint Hint Pali Pal- Don't pose for anymore tabloid covers, you're not a celebrity, you're running for office to represent our, your, my COUNTRY!

And in the words of Pamela Anderson, "She can suck it"..


Lindsay- "I have faith that this country will be all that it can be with the proper guidance. I really hope that all of you make your decisions based on the facts and what feels right to you in your heart-vote for obama!"

Samantha- "I love this country- however i wasn't born here and don't have the right to vote- so i beg of you all to really do your research and be educated when you cast your vote this coming november.... and if you're in doubt- vote for obama! Mainly because if she gets elected my green card probably won't get renewed!!!"


xoxo
Lindsay and Samantha

Yes, folks: Palin Derangement Syndrome is officially here. And apparently, Hollywood celebrity idiocy never left, and is alive and well, kicking and screaming. God bless America!

Anyone see the MTV Music Awards?

Neither did I.

The program was hosted by Russell Brand. "Who's he," you ask? I had to ask myself that same question, as I had no bloody idea.

Malkin writes:

This cretin’s claim to fame? Dressing up as Osama bin Laden on the day after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

MTV apparently had fired him before hiring him back again.

A few minutes into the program, and here comes the Barack endorsement by the British host, accompanied by the Republican bashing:

BRAND: “Now, as a representative of the global community and a visitor from abroad, I don’t want to come across a little bit biased, but could I please ask of you people of America, to PLEASE ELECT BARACK OBAMA. Please! On behalf of the world. (Camera pans to singers Chris Brown and Britney Spears applauding and cheering.) Some people, I think they’re called racists, say that America is not ready for a black president. But I know America to be a forward-thinking country, right. Because, otherwise, you know, would you have let that retarded cowboy fellow be president for eight years?

We were very impressed. It was nice of you to let him have a go. Because in England, George Bush wouldn’t be trusted with a pair of scissors.

I am obliged by broadcasting law to show some balance in this situation, which means, uh, the Republicans might be alright. Sarah Palin. She’s a VILF! A vice president I’d like to…fumble, fondle, I dunno. I do feel a little bit sorry for her daughter, getting pregnant, poor kid. Is it a boy? Is it a girl? It’s a P.R. stunt. Come on. Be honest.

And I feel most sorry for that poor teenaged father. Boy. One minute, he’s just a teenaged lad in Alaska having joyful, unprotected sex. And the next minute: Get to the Republican convention. I think that is the best safe sex message of all time. Use a condom or become Republican! …That boy will spend the rest of his life masturbating while wearing a condom…

New music, new president, and brand new America. And you people deserve it after eight years of Bush. I promise you, you deserve it…

Michelle Malkin adds:

MTV, of course, is a division of left-wing media giant Viacom. Viacom’s PAC is among Barack Obama’s biggest supporters. Last year, Viacom PAC forked over $80,200 in contributions to Obama — ranked 19th highest among his PAC donors.

By August 2008, National Amusements, media kingpin Sumner Redstone’s political cash machine, had contributed $352,603 to the Obama camp.

Read more...

Also blogging:
Confederate Yankee

Hollywood at War

In 2007 through to present, we've seen about 8 anti-war movies:
The Jacket (2006)
Home of the Brave (2006)
In the Valley of Elah
Redacted
Rendition
Grace is Gone
Lions for Lambs
Stop-Loss

What did I miss....? Hard to keep tabs on all the rubbish I help to torpedo at the box office by staying home with my hard-earned dollars. Other examples of recent years (anti-war, anti-military, anti-corporation, anti-Republican/conservative, anti-religious) that demonstrates a love of leaning leftward: Three Kings, Courage Under Fire, The Manchurian Candidate, and Jarhead. Stephanie Zacharek, writing for Salon, says of Jarhead's director, Sam Mendes:

And with "Jarhead" he pulls off, effortlessly, what so many pro- and antiwar individuals since Vietnam have tried so conscientiously to avoid: His movie is antiwar and anti-soldier.

Then we have other lefty fantasies, like, September Dawn, Death of a President (ok, not Hollywood, nevertheless....)and HBO's Recount, masquerading as historical dramatized reality.

How did these pictures do? They literally BOMBED at the box office. All of them. Why? Because, as Kevin of Pundit Review put it a year ago,

People don’t want to see this crap. Who are they kidding. It used to be that people like Jason Dunham and Paul Ray Smith would be the subjects of Hollywood movies. You know, actual war heroes.

Instead, Hollywood keeps churning out movies that celebrate Che Guevara, (and lefties always like to point out how big business companies and Hollywood is motivated solely by profit- B***sh***!!!),while condemning Joseph McCarthy, hostility toward religion (or more specifically, to Christianity, such as Jesus Camp and The Golden Compass), and quite simply polluting our culture with shameless liberal beliefs and activism.

Can anyone name a single movie post-9/11 that's come out where Islamic terror is named as the enemy? 24 doesn't count. For one, it's a TV series, and hamstrung by the political correctness police.

I didn't see The Kingdom, but I'm not entirely sure this one counts as a pro-American, pro-war on Islamic terror movie, as I've heard there is a scene toward the end that suggests moral equivalence. Compound it by this NYTimes review:

In some ways it’s an anti-Iraq movie, not because it expresses opposition to the war there but rather because it makes no mention of it. Instead, the film spins a cathartic counternarrative. After a murderous terrorist attack a few of our best people — four, rather than a few hundred thousand — go over to the country that spawned the terrorists, kill the bad guys and come home.

Sounds like a return back to dealing with terrorism as solely a law enforcement issue (given the movie's background, based upon Louis Frei's My FBI, it's probably the case).

LIBERTAS Review:

If you’re looking for a pro-American film this isn’t it. If you’re looking for an anti-American film this isn’t it (sorry, libs, but not to worry, many more coming). But if you’re looking for a film where a bunch of can-do American FBI agents ignore the State Department and unilaterally enter a sovereign nation without so much as a U.N. resolution to kick the unholy ass of a bunch of Islamofascist terrorists, this might be the one.

LIBERTAS does consider it a pro-killing Islamofascists movie; but I'm not entirely convinced (admitting, once again, that I am commenting from a position of ignorance, since I haven't seen the movie). Medved mentions about what he perceived as a moral equivalence copout when toward the end of the movie, Jamie Foxx's character and Abu Hamza are juxtaposed to say "We're going to kill them all".

Peter Berg himself says, "At its core, this film is about FBI agents trying to investigate a series of homicides in a complicated environment. That’s it."

Later in the interview,

Paul: Can you talk about the film’s delay in release?

Berg: I feel really good about that. You know, what happened was we had a series of test screenings a while ago . . . Sacramento . . . and we all went up there and watched the film and it was a pretty bizarre experience. The audience started clapping very intensely and they started responding very aggressively, and I sat there thinking I really f***ed up and had made something that appealed to the most bloodthirsty, violent, militaristic component of our culture, and that was never the intention. And afterwards we had this focus group of 30 people and everyone sort of talking about the film in very emotional terms, and they were responding to Ashraf’s death and to the message at the end, and they said, yeah, there was great action, but that they were finding the film provocative, at which point we were like — maybe we should think a bit more about how we release this film and put a little more thought into it. And the studio was extremely supportive, and said, we want to take more time, figure out exactly what we have, figure out how we want to sell it, and that was followed up by a very intense screening process, which included a European screening with a pretty heavy Muslim population, where we experienced the same reaction. So the bottom line is I’m glad we took the time, I feel great about coming out when we are, and very appreciative of the studio for taking the extra time, and spending the extra money to give it a more thorough release.

So, no: Not a pro-war on Islamic terror movie. Just a straight-up action film. 2006's The Pacifier, like many politically-correct-saddled movies, can't "name the enemy"; in that movie we get "Serbian" terrorists.

Ironman came close also, but not quite there (for reasons explained below, in the Medved review excerpt). Medved, in reviewing September Dawn, points out the confused, liberal mind:

The film's deliberately drawn analogy between Mountain Meadows and 9/11 raises the most puzzling question about this peculiar project: Why frame an indictment of violent religiosity by focusing on long-ago Mormon leaders rather than contemporary Muslims who perpetrate unspeakable brutalities every day?

In fact, Hollywood's reluctance to portray Islamo-Nazi killers remains difficult, if not impossible, to explain. Since 2001's devastating attacks, big studios have released numerous movies with terrorists as part of the plot, including Sum of All Fears, Red Eye, Live Free or Die Hard, The Bourne Ultimatum and many more, but virtually all of them show terrorists as Europeans or Americans with no Islamic connections. Even historically based thrillers downplay Muslim terrorism: Steven Spielberg's Munich spends more than 80% of its running time showing Israelis as killers and Palestinians as victims, while Oliver Stone's World Trade Center highlights the aftermath of the attacks with no depiction of those who perpetrated them. United 93 stands out among recent releases in showing Islamic killers in acts of terror — and it would be hard to tell that story without portraying the suicidal hijackers.

Beyond topicality, Tinseltown's respect for Muslim sensibilities has proved so pervasive that there has been little or no reference to bloody episodes of the Islamic past. In Kingdom of Heaven, Muslim followers of Saladdin appear far more sympathetic than the thuggish, devious Christian Crusaders. Despite the fact that founders of Islam built their religion through centuries of conquest vastly more bloody than incidents at the beginnings of Mormonism, it's unthinkable that filmmakers would ever depict Mohammed and his followers as viciously as they handle Brigham Young in September Dawn.

(In contrast to Medved's movie reviews, especially as it relates to the slate of anti-(Iraq) war films, check out this piece for an example of a liberal reviewer's intellectual sophistry).

Whatever happened to rumors of Bruce Willis' interest in a film project covering the exploits of the Deuce Four? Instead, just around the bend we have Green Zone (Imperial Life in the Emerald City); Sony Pictures bought the rights to Richard Clarke's Against All Enemies. Oliver Stone is making a movie on George W. Bush. Isn't that special? The latest I've heard on the Deuce Four film:

Just heard from Michael Yon on Ed Morrissey’s show, that film about Deuce Four that was rumored in 2005 is still in the works. Yon said he had just sent another “treatment” back to his agent. Three years later it’s still far from being made, but it’s still floating around out there.

If Hollywood wanted to turn a profit, if they wanted to help the world fight Islamic terrorism, maybe they should go back to making pro-American, pro-military films? Michael Medved (Yes, I'm citing him a lot...he is a movie reviewer, after all, as well as a favorite conservative talk show host):

During WWII, there were tons of movies dealing with that war -- and no, the German Nazis were not portrayed as Uruguayans or Fiji Islanders. The truth of the matter is that war movies have changed in a fundamental way, and, I would submit to you, a dangerous way for the health of our culture and for the strength of our republic.

Subversion of the Classic War Film

Three elements were always present in classic war movies -- films like the John Wayne version of The Alamo, or The Longest Day, or A Bridge Too Far or Sergeant York. First, there was great affection for, and indeed glorification of, the American fighting man, who was portrayed as one of us; as representative of the best of what this country is. Second, there was obvious sympathy for the American cause. And third, the wars being dramatized were portrayed as meaning something.

Where's the Hollywood script for this? Do I have to do it myself? Think of the anti-al Qaeda propaganda value of making a movie about Sheik Sattar. His brother, Sheik Ahmad, even suggested as much:

Sheik Ahmad said he wanted Hollywood to make a movie about the life story of his brother, who was so revered after his murder that Iraq’s interior minister dedicated a statue to him on the road from Baghdad to Anbar

Amy Proctor echoes the desire for such a film:

Interestingly, my husband the COIN expert has been saying for some time he’d love to see a Hollywood movie about the Anbar Awakening and how the sheik and his brother helped win it back from al-Qaeda. It is heroic stuff.

I wholeheartedly agree, just on the strength of propaganda purposes, alone. Hollywood, giving Iraqis a hero with an Iraqi face they can be proud of and rally behind. Draw inspiration from. Mythify him; make him larger-than-life! Movements need heroes. America needs to know its war heroes.

Once upon a time, Tinseltown was pro-American, anti-communist, and active in the fight against America's enemies. Today, Hollywood views George W. Bush as the enemy, rather than Islamic terrorists. Hollywood could easily join the fight and exercise their influence for purposes of winning (and shortening) the Long War, rather than in demoralizing the American public and portraying American soldiers as victims and/or murderous monsters. Yes, Hollywood could easily make films that give us something to cheer about, and they could turn a profit while they're at it....

...If only they weren't so far to the left as to be useless idiots.

Reposted from Flopping Aces

Obama's Windfall Profits from Hollywood

Which is the Party of the Rich again? Excuse me:

Obama corners the market in HollywoodAP NewsMonday, June 23, 2008
For Hollywood, there's only one star left in the presidential campaign.
Barack Obama's gala fundraiser Tuesday will attract the mandatory lineup of big-screen talent and boldface names _ actors Samuel L. Jackson and Dennis Quaid, model Cindy Crawford and boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard _ and confirm again that the entertainment industry remains one of the most reliable and abundant sources of Democratic campaign cash.

The party's 2008 presidential candidates pocketed eight of every $10
coming from movie, TV and music businesses, and Hillary Rodham Clinton's
withdrawal from the race all but guarantees a Hollywood windfall for Obama as
the party begins to unite around its presumed nominee.

The glitzy gathering will be an early test of Obama's ability to enlist Clinton's financial backers, many of whom are still nursing some pain from the grueling primary contest. Obama will meet with Clinton and some of her top fundraisers on Thursday in Washington and the two will campaign together for the first time on Friday in
New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Obama and his campaign have been coaxing Clinton's
numerous fundraisers to join his finance operation, which raised more than $287
million as of the end of May.

Among prominent Clinton supporters in Southern California, Los Angeles
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa _ a Clinton national co-chair _ met with Obama in
Miami on Saturday and has committed to work for his election. Director Rob
Reiner has reached out to the Obama campaign. And Ron Burkle, a close friend of
former President Clinton known for holding lavish fundraisers at his Beverly
Hills estate, "is happy to do whatever the campaign asks," said spokesman Frank
Quintero.

The Los Angeles event comes just days after Obama spurned the public
financing system for the general election, opening the way for him to raise and
spend hundreds of millions of dollars after the Denver convention in a race in
which he's already broken fundraising records.

Top tickets are priced at more than $30,000, with the money divided
between the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

"There are a few Republicans in this town," says Chad Griffin, a Clinton fundraiser and Hollywood-connected political consultant, who is now supporting Obama. "I do not anticipate anyone in this industry supporting John McCain, regardless of whom they supported in the primary."

McCain has banked money from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and "Saturday
Night Live" executive producer Lorne Michaels, but "Hollywood has already voted
with its feet," said Clinton-fundraiser-turned-Obama-fundraiser John Emerson,
alluding to the steady flow of entertainment money to Democrats in the primary
season.

While wealthy celebrities often lavish money on multiple candidates, Obama's donors already include Will Smith, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Leonard Nimoy and singer Harry Connick Jr. Oprah Winfrey's fundraiser for Obama at her Santa Barbara-area estate was one of the biggest events of the primary season, helping cement Obama's position as a credible challenger to Clinton.

An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, based on fundraising data released May 21, found Obama had collected more than $4 million from movie, TV and music businesses during the campaign. Clinton had received $3.4 million.

McCain's take: $636,000.

That's in keeping with prior years. In 2004, Democrats seeking federal offices banked about 70 percent of the donations from those industries.

Hollywood "is always an uphill climb for Republicans," said McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers. "I think that we're very encouraged by the support that we've been able to get from the folks in the entertainment industry, and John McCain is a great fan of a lot of the work that they do."

It was McCain who had a cameo in the 2005 comedy "The Wedding
Crashers."

On a fundraising swing through California this week, McCain will be tapping into sources in the business community. Billionaire investor George Argyros is holding a $25,000-a-head dinner for the Arizona senator at his Newport Beach home.

For Obama, the most important people at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Tuesday might not be the celebrities on the guest list or the Grammy-winning entertainers on stage. A measure of his progress in recruiting Clinton donors will be how many of his vanquished rival's supporters turn out for the Los Angeles event. Emerson was among a group of top Clinton fundraisers who met with Obama staff last week.

It could be a mixed showing.

For Clinton supporters "it's very hard to let go of this dream and take all of this energy and put it toward his campaign. That's easier said than done for many people," said Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, a major Clinton fundraiser now pooling money for the Illinois senator.

Obama "does not have a money problem. The urgency of raising money is less than the urgency of healing the wounds," said Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, who has raised more than $1 million for Clinton since her first Senate race in 2000 in New York.

The best persuader will be Clinton herself. "We lose too much if we lose the White House. Her continuing to say that is of paramount importance," Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis said.

For Obama, the Tuesday money will only be the beginning. Not surprisingly, there's already buzz that David Geffen is organizing a major Hollywood fundraiser for Obama later this year.

When "Anti-War" Becomes Synonymous with Being "Pro-Peace"

"They have not wanted peace at all; they have wanted to be spared war- as though the absence of war was the same as peace."
- Dorothy Thompson

When the goals of an anti-war humanitarian and the pro-victory movement are one and the same: Peace and stability for Iraq.....by staying the course and completing the mission.

Angelina Jolie, who does not share her father's conservatism, nevertheless, is an anti-war proponent whom I can respect. She has come to the realization, through her experience, that the path to peace will be paved not by a hasty retreat, but by a committed resolve to remain until the task is complete. From The Washington Post, Angelina Jolie writes:

My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.

Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq -- and the potential consequences for our national security -- are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won't explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?

What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance. UNHCR has appealed for $261 million this year to provide for refugees and internally displaced persons. That is not a small amount of money -- but it is less than the U.S. spends each day to fight the war in Iraq. I would like to call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.

As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.

It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation. Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do.

Angelina Jolie, an actor, is a UNHCR goodwill ambassador.

Hat tip:
The Strata-Sphere

Also Blogging:
Flopping Aces

"Obamamania is Running Wild, Brother!"

Train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins, Barackamaniacs, 'cause the Hulkster just endorsed Barack Obama.

"What'cha gonna do, when Obamamania runs wild on you?!"

WWE pro-wrestlers, Kane and Val Venis endorse Ron Paul. Nothing quite like having professional wrestlers in your corner to add prestige and credibility.

Chuck Norris may deliver roundhouse kicks, but the "Nature Boy" Rick Flair body-slams Huck opponents: "And like I always say, to be the man, you've got to beat the man and Mike Huckabee is the man. Whoooooooo!"

Today, the last action hero and California Gubernator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is slated to endorse McCain.

Another screen-acting tough guy, Sylvester Stallone: “I like McCain a lot. A lot. And you know, things may change along the way, but there’s something about matching the character with the script. And right now, the script that’s being written and reality is pretty brutal and pretty hard-edged like a rough action film, and you need somebody who’s been in that to deal with it.”


Roseann Barr blasted Oprah's endorsement on her blog. Here's part of the original entry:

Obama votes with Bush constantly funding this terrible endless war. Oprah, you play the race card and the gender card too. You are a closeted republican and chose Barak Obama because you do not like other women who actually stand for something to working American Women besides glamour, angels, hollywood and dieting! When Americans find out that Obama backs right wing corporate racist anti worker bullshit, they will not vote for him, and the victory will go to the most racist right wing republican ever.... Mccain, who is a fascist! That the culinary service workers in vegas have promised barak their vote,( he is anti union in his votes) over edwards, who is a pro-union man, just proves how stupid americans are and how they can be tricked so easily by the color of a person's skin...exactly what MLK hated!

Obama doesn't even back reproductive rights for any woman! It is historical that Oprah Winfrey, beloved of women, chooses a flashy man with small credentials over a seasoned woman politician with 35 years of experience...and sells that to the female demographic who look to her for inspiration!

After a Huffington Post backlash, she backpedaled with this:

"I am just so worried about another Republican getting in, my stomache hurts and I can't sleep, and I go over the top sometimes!"

On a sidenote; I found this rather humorous, from a comment section:

Out of curiosity, I wandered on over to Daily Kos to catch the reaction to Obama’s smoking victory over HRC. One very enthusiastic Obama supporter announces:

“IT’S AN OBAMANATION!!!”

Another commenter suggests he come up with a better term! LOL!

Viggo Finds His Hobbit

I know I'm late to this dance, but...

Haha:

Acclaimed film actor Viggo Mortensen, an outspoken critic of the Bush Administration’s militaristic foreign policy and of the influence of corporate interests in financing political campaigns, will be campaigning today in New Hampshire with U.S. Congressman and Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich.

I wonder if Viggo pledged his support for Kucinich in this manner:

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."

"Our people, our people! I would have followed you to the end... my brother... my captain... my king!"

Gimli needs to give him a swift kick in the ax.

Will the REAL Aragorn, please stand up, and layeth the smacketh down:

"Men of Gondor and Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails... when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship... but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when all hope comes crashing down, but it is NOT this day! This day, we fight! For all that you hold dear, stand, Men of the West! "

Dennis Kucinich: Deranged Hobbit?

Also blogging:
Bottomline Upfront
Moonbattery (Check out Viggo kissing the hand of Cindy Sheehan)

Bonus article:

Gimli raises axe for Western civilization

Perhaps the most passionate observations came from John Rhys-Davies, who plays the dwarf Gimli and voices Treebeard the Ent. Focusing on the necessity of defending civilization in times of crisis, Rhys-Davies took the media to task for failing to appreciate the preciousness of Western civilization, and warned of the potential consequences of rising Muslim extremism and the increasingly Islamic face of Europe.

“I think that Tolkien says that some generations will be challenged,” said Rhys-Davies, “and if they do not rise to meet that challenge, they will lose their civilization. That does have a real resonance with me.”

Pointing a finger at the media, Rhys-Davies went on, “What is unconscionable is that too many of your fellow journalists do not understand how precarious Western civilization is, and what a jewel it is… The abolition of slavery comes from Western democracy. True democracy comes from our Greco-Judeo-Christian Western experience. If we lose these things, then this is a catastrophe for the world.”

Rhys-Davies revealed that as far back as 1955 his father had predicted that “the next World War will be between Islam and the West.” The actor recalled his response: “I said to him, ’Dad, you’re nuts! The Crusades have been over for hundreds of years!’ And he said, ’Well, I know, but militant Islam is on the rise again. And you will see it in your lifetime.’ He’s been dead some years now. But there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him and think, ’God, I wish you were here, just so I could tell you that you were right.’”

Looking at the lone female journalist at the table, Rhys-Davies said pointedly, “You should not be in this room [according to Muslim custom]. Because your husband or your father or your husband is not here to guide you. You could only be here in this room with these strange men for immoral purposes.”

Rhys-Davies went on to contemplate the significance of demographic shifts among Western Europeans and Muslims in Europe. “There is a demographic catastrophe happening in Europe that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren’t bring up because we are so cagey about not offending people racially. And rightly we should be. But there is a cultural thing as well… By 2020, fifty percent of the children in Holland under the age of 18 will be of Muslim descent…

“And don’t forget, coupled with this there is this collapse of numbers. Western Europeans are not having any babies. The population of Germany at the end of the century is going to be 56% of what it is now. The populations of France, 52% of what it is now. The population of Italy is going to be down 7 million people.

“There is a change happening in the very complexion of Western civilization in Europe that we should think about at least and argue about. If it just means the replacement of one genetic stock with another genetic stock, that doesn’t matter too much. But if it involves the replacement of Western civilization with a different civilization with different cultural values, then it is something we really ought to discuss — because, [hang it all], I am for dead-white-male culture!”

His fellow filmmakers might not all agree, but Tolkien would have applauded.

1000th Post (I think.....)

"He's two treats in one, no wonder he's my favorite Republican."
-Joy Behar, introducing Ron Paul, anti-war Republican presidential candidate and specialist in obstetrics/gynecology, as a guest on The View

Although they may share allied positioning over Iraq, it would appear ArPee broke lances with Joy and Whoopi over the issue of abortion. Suddenly, his obstetrics/gynecology credentials no longer qualify him for being "two treats in one".

I did like his statement at the CNN/YouTube GOP presidential debate:

I'm an O.B. doctor, and I practiced medicine for 30 years, and I of course never saw one time when a medically necessary abortion had to be done.

This isn't the first time that Ron Paul has been brought up on The View. I only made it through 5 minutes of this earlier mention of Ron Paul, which includes a very intelligent and informative discussion on terrorism.

Also blogging:
Hot Air
Kevin McCullough
NewsBusters
JivinJehoshaphat

Sorry about the lack of posting...

....but the fool who writes my material went on strike.



A settlement should be reached by Monday.

Actor Robin Williams, left, marches in the picket line at the Time Warner Center in N.Y. during the fourth day of a strike by television and film writers. Tina Fineberg - AP

Comedian Jay Leno greets striking writers with encouragement and donuts outside the NBC Studios in Burbank, California. Members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike Nov. 5, seeking a larger share of DVD profits and revenue from new media distribution. Los Angeles Times, Al Seib.

That last 'toon is my favorite. I'm so sick of the liberal programming and all the anti-Iraq war and anti-American movies that they keep churning out.

The Writer's Strike affected me on Friday, when I had trouble meeting my appointment in Century City. The police were preparing to block off Avenue of the Stars for a big rally at 20th Century Fox. All the police had their vehicles parked on the side-street that my client lives on.

I also pass by the Culver Studios on my way to my work place. Picketeers are also prancing about out there, asking me to honk.

I should put a sign on the roof of my car as I drive by, saying "write some goddamn pro-conservative/pro-American movies for a change!"

More from the Anti-American Film Festival

And the fun from the Venice Film Festival continues....

Here's Paul Haggis on his film, "In the Valley of Elah" (based upon a Playboy article, "Death and Dishonor", by Mark Boal, regarding the stabbing death of a soldier by his fellow soldiers):

Haggis said he had tried not to allow his personal opinion about the war in Iraq to influence "Elah" too heavily.

"We set about to make a political film certainly, but not a partisan film," he told a news conference in Venice, where the film has its world premiere on Saturday.

Um...yeah....kind of like how Bill Moyers, Dan Rather, and Helen Thomas don't let their personal feelings color their journalistic reporting.

"When we started on this project, our president had an 80 percent approval rating, everyone was driving around with flags on their cars and our president was telling us that it was unpatriotic to even question what was happening in Iraq.

Can someone please, please, tell me where has President Bush ever told his critics that it is unpatriotic to question "what was happening in Iraq"? This is another one of those strawman talking points that BDS sufferers like to make. As Scott Malensek recently remarked,

When the President reaffirmed time and again that there was no intelligence connecting Saddam to the 911 attacks, his opponents still claimed he was misleading and connecting the two unjustly. When the President repeatedly said that the expected vast stockpiles of WMD were not found, his opponents chose to continue their “Bush Lied” rantings rather than reply with similar “grace and humility.”

This movie has Charlize Theron and Susan Surandon. Of course, the star is Tommy Lee Jones (who, incidentally, if you were wondering whether or not he was as politically cuckoo to the left as his co-stars, maybe not; but having contributed 10,000 to the Kerry campaign in 2004, I'd say it's a safe bet he's politically in alignment with the film's message).

Theron said U.S. troops in Iraq were doing a "serious and important" job, but added: "I'd like to see them come home, to be looked after, be nurtured, and nothing would give me more joy than to see them here back in America."

Oh? It wouldn't have anything to do with her feelings that the troops in Iraq are part of an "unjust war", would it? Naaaaah....perish the thought. And don't even think she is anti-American for expressing anti-American opinions. Funny how she said "there's a lack of freedom in America" and affirmed a parallel between the lack of freedom in Cuba with the U.S., when she's making multi-million dollar salaries on anti-American films (and yes, I do consider this another anti-American film- not just a protest film, critical of the war).

The Reuters piece concludes:

In the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, at least six films on the topic are due out soon as the operations continue.

Haggis, whose 2005 film "Crash" was an Oscar for best picture, said this was partly because journalists were failing.

"During the Vietnam war, we had terrific journalists doing their job, reporting on things that we didn't want to hear ... Now we don't have that. I think that when that doesn't happen, then it's the responsibility of the artist to ask those difficult questions."

Good grief!

The Clooney Left....

So...another Learjet Liberal at the Venice Film Festival opens his crusty pie-hole:

Clooney - who said he made "Syriana" and "Good Night, and Good Luck", out of anger that he was labeled a traitor for questioning the decision to go to war - told reporters he thinks change is coming.

Why would he care what others may or may not say or think about his opinions? So, like a whining snot, because of actual or perceived accusations of him being "a traitor", he goes and makes anti-American films? Oookay.... that'll put his critics in their places!

Grow some thicker skin, you pampered, pompous putz.

I rarely hear significant conservative voices label those they criticize as "anti-American" and "traitor". In some cases, I do think it's appropriate to question their patriotism (what else would you call the actions of Jane Fonda, sitting on a North Viet Cong anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down American planes? Willful ignorance?). However, why is it, that in so many cases when it's their judgment that is being called into question, anti-war liberals have the knee-jerk reaction of feeling like it is their patriotism which is under attack?

Maybe, because deep down inside, there is some truth gnawing at them there, and they know it.

He said he believes Americans are now in the process of fixing the mistakes of the last few years.

Fixing things, "that's what Americans have been really good at," he said.

Yup....we're still fixing the mistakes and misteps of the Carter Administration and the Clinton Administration. Meanwhile, Hollywood know-nothing learjet liberals like Clooney want to install an Obama, Edwards, or the 2nd coming of Clinton into the Oval Office.