ABC's 'Path' Not Taken

The Washington Post ^ | September 13, 2006 | Ruth Marcus

[John Carey]

Does it matter that ABC invented and distorted history in its "warning: this is not a documentary" docudrama, "The Path to 9/11"? After all, the first night of the faux drama was trounced by the brother-against-brother actual drama of "Sunday Night Football."

But consider: The gripping final report of the Sept. 11 commission (budget: $13.5 million) became a surprise bestseller at 1.5 million copies. The not-so-gripping, not-so-accurate ABC production (budget: $40 million) was seen by about 13 million viewers on the first night.

As Thomas H. Kean, who served as the commission's chairman and then made the unfortunate decision to lend his prestige to the project as co-executive producer, correctly predicted this summer, "More people will see this than will ever read our report." Such is the drawing power of even shoddy television.

ABC's response to the pre-screening uproar was twofold -- both folds simultaneously inadequate and disingenuous. First, it removed the most flagrantly dishonest scenes: Bill Clinton's national security adviser Sandy Berger slamming down the phone on a fictional CIA operative pleading for permission to attack Osama bin Laden in the spring of 1998; White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke suggesting that the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the looming impeachment had sapped the president's willingness to "take chances" on getting the terrorist leader. Yet, these and other misleading insinuations remain, in subtler form.

[wolfcreek]

The only thing I thought was 'sloppy' was trying to put so much info into a small package. A person (excluding most FReepers) would have to be very well informed to pick out the intricacies in this film. Otherwise it was a terrifying depiction of what can happen when people take their jobs and the lives of others for granted.

[N. Theknow]

Ruth Marcus - A face and voice made for newspaper.

Just for giggles, wonder how many folks TiVoed the two episodes and watched them all at once AND watched the football game(s) Sunday and Monday.

Dinosaur Media is still a bit slow on the technological advances that have been made since Guttenberg.

In 1980 when Reagan trounced Carter, the MSM was at its Zenith. But then a strange thing happened. Folks started watching Reagan and all of sudden discovered that the reportage by the MSM was, ahem, slanted.

Believing their lying eyes and ears ra^ther than the MSM, people started tuning out, cancelling subscriptions and looking elsewhere for accurate news instead of the MSM/DNC/Liberal talking points du jour.

CBS News was at the top of the ratings game at around a 16 share. ABC and NBC were close behind with 13 and 14 shares. Today, look at them:

And the MSM print outlets have declined just as much.

Instead of emulating what works, fair and balanced and/or conservative, they march in lemming lockstep to the cliffs of irrelevancy.

And Ruth Marcus is just another minister in the Church of "We Just Need To Get Our Liberal Message Out So People Will Understand How Wonderful We Are."

Well, Ruthie old girl, hate to tell you, but the jackass has died. And as a minister of the Church of Truth, I'm telling you this because my job is to notify the next of kin.

[bray]

Poor widdle Stone-age press has to lie for their hero. There was more truth in that movie than a years worth of PravdABDNC.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[panthermom]

These idiots are crowing that the football game had more viewers and only 13 million tuned in. Gee, I wonder how many people TIVOed it? Way more than 13 million watched it. And as for those of us that watched the football game, I don't need to see any documentary or whatever regarding 9/11. I saw the whole thing live with my own eyes. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to connect the dots. While Bill Clinton ignored the attacks on his watch, the terrorist were emboldened, it's that simple.

[DaiHuy]

"More people will see this than will ever read our report."

Well I don't know how which would be any better, seeing a ficionalized movie or reading a fictionalized report.

[Hostage]

I too felt disturbed especially by that scene in the 1993 WTC bombing where the recovered VIN number was nearly lost because of 'rules'.

That VIN number led to the terrorist cell financed by OBL and to the knowledge that he financed it. Without that VIN number it is likely that OBL would only be a suspect today rather than a known mastermind in the WTC bombing.

Equally disturbing scene to me was the haughty arrogance and petulance of 'Barbara Bodine', Yemen Ambassador. I may be wrong but I would wager she was another of Hillary Clinton's 'Strong Women' (=feminist) that we also saw in Albright and Reno.

What many people do not realize is that these so-call 'strong women' had numerous subordinates and followers that permeated government, academia and corporate America. This psychopathic movement of such women seemed to have as its sole purpose to belittle men and to remove their authority using any pretext. I actually witnessed newsletters for 'women in business' that encouraged women to 'confront men' daily, no reason or provocation necessary, in order to gain stature. As I witnessed more and more unreasonable and unaccountable episodes involving 'strong women' confronting (meaning challenging) men for no reason other than to 'show force', it crossed my mind that this was all traceable to Hillary Clinton.

Barbara Bodine was just another example. She was portrayed to rip into John O'Neill with zeal for no reason at all. And I believe that account. Notice the last paragraphs in the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Bodine

The USA under Presidents Bill and Hillary Clinton was insane.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I think that it is deliberate. The more that the Administration refuses to be drawn, the more hysterical is the DemocRATS language.

Before this is all over the D.U.'s will be claiming that canibalism is running rampant in the White House.

[Jimmy Valentine]

"It was always "me me me".

Was, is, and always will be.

When this stupid narcissist finally dies, they are going to have to bury him deep enough so that at least we do not have to hear him go on about himself for all of eternity.

[USS Alaska]

It was a sloppy work and a waste of $40 million. ABC hasn't recovered the cost from ads, and never will.

Depends on the definition of sloppy.

[Reily]

"What many people do not realize is that these so-call 'strong women' had numerous subordinates and followers that permeated government, academia and corporate America. This psychopathic movement of such women seemed to have as its sole purpose to belittle men and to remove their authority using any pretext. I actually witnessed newsletters for 'women in business' that encouraged women to 'confront men' daily, no reason or provocation necessary, in order to gain stature. As I witnessed more and more unreasonable and unaccountable episodes involving 'strong women' confronting (meaning challenging) men for no reason other than to 'show force', it crossed my mind that this was all traceable to Hillary Clinton.
"

I see such things every day also! What I find amusing is sometimes is when these "strong women" insist the laws of physics change to suit their notions. These type of "confrontations" often occur in meeting so they can be seen in "public" being "strong. Its almost always over trivial matters and the "office politics" political posturing is obvious. Yes there are some men who do it too, as their are women who think first emote later. The rule-of-thumb on this group of women is they are usually more conservative, maybe older and have experienced reality.

[Gritty]

[no dems]

Watched by 13 million the first night and a whole heck of a lot more people the second night.

In an era of razor close elections, I'll take that. Anything we can do to influence one more voter and convince them as to what lying scumbags the Dems are, makes me happy.

[IrishRainy]

I agree with you. In fact, I was seething after watching it, and I cried several times during both nights.

I came away thinking the blame lay mainly with Billy Jeff and just a little bit with W - but not really with them personally. The bureaucratic bungling was staggering, the political correctness was appalling, and the turf wars are absolutely ridiculous!

I think we're going to get hit again, badly, which is probably the only thing that will wake most Americans up. And if we don't have the will to do what it takes to save this great country, then maybe we DON'T deserve it after all...

[ziggy_dlo]

I think we're going to get hit again, badly, which is probably the only thing that will wake most Americans up

I was listening to Bill O'Reilly and the Savage nation the other day and they brought up a valid point. Many "Americans will view this as W's fault that he did not protect us and that is the same exact way that the Mainly Steamed Morons will trump it. The liberal scum will be at the forefront of this debacle and they will happen to forget that the Old York Times was the media whore that told EVERYONE how we were getting closer to these Islamofascists. The liberals literally have a major brain malfunction. I also wish that the Bush admin would contest these wildly incorrect statements becasue by cowering, they really are coming out as the party with no backbone. The demon-rats and liberals are evil and the republicans have no backbone. What a world we live in.

[Landru]

"Ruth Allyn Marcus, a White House correspondent for The Washington Post, was married yesterday to Jonathan David Leibowitz, the chief counsel to Senator Herb Kohl, Democrat of Wisconsin."

Anyone familiar with the Milwaukee scene knows the Marcus family controls nearly every theater within a 75 mile radius of downtown Milwaukee, not to mention Marcus' control over various chain eateries et al ad nauseum.
Only God knows what the Marcus family's involved in these days but suffice to say it may reach into the Lamestream media now, also.

We're talking an immense empire the Marcus' built and this broad may be "family", in the truest meaning of the word.
That she'd be marrying a staff member of no less than Wisconsin's august -- albeit miniature -- senator, Herb(y) Kohl, is an interesting revelation given her "editorial".
Something smells gawd-awful.

Don't know (offhand) how this *link* could be confirmed but would be well worth an effort, nonetheless.

Think of it: Here's a Liberal-Socialist broad hailing from a long line of ultra-rich Liberal-Socialists from a heavily Liberal-Socialist locale shilling for the Washington Compost railing against ABC's supposed promoting a "Right-wing" agenda visa vi a made-for-TV film?
HA!!

If it's true the wench is "made", then her credibility's on the line & extremely vulnerable.

...& Dan Blather knows exactly what I mean. ;^)

[justshutupandtakeit]

There are more wails coming out of the Party of Treason and the Treason Media about this show than you would hear at an Arab funeral. Screw 'em.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I'll help hold it.

[Freee-dame]

bump

[justshutupandtakeit]

I would even venture to say that most football fans are on our side anyway and did not need the movie to remind them of who the enemy is. Those who are not fans would be likely to look for an alternative and tune into the media hence it had a chance of educating them and changing their minds.

Very effective.

[rabidralph]

I don't think there are any billboards but there the Capitol Hilton is there as well as a few other office buildings. You could rent a room at the Hilton and hang a sign out your window.