Ben Affleck: Bush Can Be Hung for 'Leaks' in Plamegate

National Ledger ^ | April 9, 2006 | Josh Hart

[gopwinsin04]

Ben Affleck: Bush Can Be Hung for 'Leaks' in Plamegate By Josh Hart Apr 9, 2006

Actor Ben Affleck suggested this weekend on 'Real Time with Bill Maher' that President Bush “probably leaked” Valerie Plame's name and so “if he did, you can be hung for that! That's treason!”

The would be politician and Democrat went through this exchange according to News Busters that gives a brief and rough transcript on how Mr. Affleck came to this conclusion.

***

The panel guests were Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) who was quite humorous as he let loose with some funny four-quotes. Bill Sammon of the Washington Examiner was on as well.

Here's the exchange:

***

Bill Sammon, Washington Examiner: “A lot of critics are conflating the two and are saying that because Bush disclosed this piece of information, they're implying that Bush leaked the name.”

Ben Affleck: “He probably also leaked the name. There's just no proof of that.”

Sammon: “Even the prosecutor, even Fitzgerald is saying Bush didn't leak the name. So let's be clear, Bush didn't leak Valerie Plame's name -- not that we know of.”

Affleck: “Because if he did, you can be hung for that! That's treason!”

Bill Maher: “That is treason.”

Affleck: “You could be killed. That's not a joking around Tom DeLay 'I'll do a year, I bribed the state officials with corporate money.' That's like they shoot you in the battlefield for doing that. Don't you think we should find out who leaked that name?”

***

Affleck did not come off well during the exchange or the rest of the program.

He seemed to be trying way too hard to look like the smartest guy on the panel. It didn't work well, but his quote made a forgettable 'Real Time' grab some headlines.

--Josh Hart

[AmericaUnited]

That's him!

[Patriot from Philly]

The problem is that these Hollywood types are surrounded by sycophants that don't have the courage to tell their bosses that they are stupid and should keep their mouths shut.

I remember in 2004 they had this interview with Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore. Diaz started going on about if you want to be raped don't vote. Barrymore, who I suspect is bright, looked on with an classic expression on her fact, like what is she saying??

[Dysart]

All politics aside, Affleck is the worst acTOR of our time. His amateurish performance in Pearl Harbor was laughable.

And pictures are hung, while people are hanged.

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Isn't Affleck the dude who always has that blank, vapid look on his face?

[Fintan]

 

This, coming from a guy who couldn't even screw Jennifer Lopez satisfactorily.

[Clintonfatigued]

He's one of them.

[Waco]

Have the chicom $$$$$$$ arrived yet? Where's them 900 FBI files hilly. When do Bill & Hill hang,Ben????

[Rider on the Rain]

That a$$hole can't even act. He is a Kommie Kouric without the brains. I used to like Jennifer G. until she got mixed up with that loser.

[gopwinsin04]

I guess the 06-08 campaigns have started already...

[Holicheese]

Wasn't this Jack-hole mentioned during the 04 election as a possible candidate for the senate? Keep talking Benny, you are a shoe-in for the Dem's ticket.
What an ultra-maroon!

[kcvl]

Affleck had been a big supporter of former President Bill Clinton and also pushed New Yorkers to elect Hillary Clinton to the U.S. Senate. On October 28, for instance, Affleck flew with the First Lady to Ithaca, New York, where he introduced her at a Cornell University rally. Affleck told the college crowd that Clinton had been advocating for women and working families since "Rick Lazio was running around the frat house in his underwear." Lazio, then a Long Island congressman, was Clinton's Republican opponent.



******



Ben Affleck, Hollywood Hypocrite

The Smoking Gun began its review in Cambridge, the actor's hometown and where he lived until he was 18. The Cambridge Election Commission had no records of Affleck voting in 2000. And a check of documents dating back to 1990 turned up no prior registrations in Affleck's name, according to Teresa S. Neighbor, the commission's executive director. Affleck grew up in a Cottage Street home in which his mother still lives (and from which she is currently registered to vote). He moved to California in 1991 to pursue an acting career.

We checked every person registered to vote from the star's Walker Street address and there were no Afflecks (or any variation of the spelling) registered from the eight-unit building (in New York).

So where did this supposed vote occur? Affleck was 3000 miles away from the city where his voter registration was termed inactive (though he would have been allowed to vote had he showed up at his old polling place). And he wasn't registered from his Tribeca loft or, for that matter, anywhere else in New York City. Ben, it seems, doesn't limit his flights of fiction to film scripts.


http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/affleck_doc.html


******

"Today is the get-out-the-vote day and ... I think this is the time to get involved, especially the young folks who are here. I'm about to go vote."

--Actor Ben Affleck in a Nov. 7 appearance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show per Smoking Gun





"RECORD NOT FOUND."

--Document from the New York City Board of Elections concerning Ben Affleck's voter registration--or, in this case, lack thereof. The Smoking Gun also checked every voter registration for Affleck's apartment building and came up empty. Affleck spokesman David Pollick told The Smoking Gun that Affleck didn't vote because of an unspecified "bureaucratic snafu at the polls."

"Elections Non-Voted: 2000 Primary and General
1998 Primary and General
1996 Primary and General
1994 Primary and General"

--Document about Benjamin G. Affleck from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk in Los Angeles, where Affleck is registered to vote.

"[W]e have no record of Benjamin Affleck being a registered voter ... from the years 1990 to present."

--Letter to The Smoking Gun from the Board of Election commissioners in Cambridge, Mass., where Affleck lived until the age of 18.

[Spyder]

I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark, When he made Pearl Harbor.
I miss you more than that movie missed the point, And that's an awful lot, girl.
And now, now you've gone away, And all I'm trying to say, is: Pearl Harbor sucked and I miss you.
I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting school, He was terrible in that film.
I need you like Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part, He's way better than Ben Affleck.
And now, all I can think about is your smile, and that shi++y movie, too! Pearl Harbor sucked and I miss you.
Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies?
I guess Pearl Harbor sucked, just a little bit more than I miss you

[Mr. Buzzcut]

He should just stick to acting in those funny insurance commercials! What...that's not him? Nevermind.

That duck/goose is much brighter ... and better looking.

I could never understand the hype over this guy's looks.

[kcvl]

During the 2004 Presidential Elections, Ben said, "People in my generation have a low voter turnout. One of the reasons that I'm here is to demonstrate that no matter who you are going to vote for... I think it's important to get involved and get out and vote... I'm going to tell people to vote for Gore."



******



"RECORD NOT FOUND."

--Document from the New York City Board of Elections concerning Ben Affleck's voter registration--or, in this case, lack thereof. The Smoking Gun also checked every voter registration for Affleck's apartment building and came up empty. Affleck spokesman David Pollick told The Smoking Gun that Affleck didn't vote because of an unspecified "bureaucratic snafu at the polls."

"Elections Non-Voted: 2000 Primary and General
1998 Primary and General
1996 Primary and General
1994 Primary and General"

--Document about Benjamin G. Affleck from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk in Los Angeles, where Affleck is registered to vote.

"[W]e have no record of Benjamin Affleck being a registered voter ... from the years 1990 to present."

--Letter to The Smoking Gun from the Board of Election commissioners in Cambridge, Mass., where Affleck lived until the age of 18.

[Armedanddangerous]

Why...oh why did an otherwise sensible West Virginia girl like Jennifer Garner, marry a borderline retard like Affleck?

She could have done so much better.

I fear for the mental acuity of their child. I fear many trips to school aboard the short bus is in that child's future.

[CyberAnt]

I sgree .. the more often these idiots open their mouths, the more often they show themselves to be void of any intellect.

And then .. they can't figure out why the public is staying away from their movies ..?? Proving they have no brains.

[Holicheese]

He is like the Black Hole of acting.
I forgot about Pearl Harbor. That one was really bad. Daredevil was the WORST! That was my favorite comic book growing up. After seeing the movie, I burned all the old issues that I had.
Lets make a list of bad Ben Afleck movies.

[Theresawithanh]

Oh, I "get" the looks thing, I think he's very good-looking, although you're right, there is a lot of hype involved. I just don't think he has anything at all between his ears, like most of the celebs who seem to think they act, so they know politics.

[Armedanddangerous]

Let's see...there was that lame kevin smith movie where he was an angel or some dumb thing..

Giggly...of course...

I really cant think of any others...

[kcvl]

The guest list included Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Lee Curtis and Steven Spielberg.

Organizers said Kerry raised about $3.2 million for the day and donors gave an additional $1 million to the Democratic National Committee.
Posted 3/30/2004