Martin Sheen Tops Anti-War TV Spot

VARIETY ^ | 2/20/2003 | By Pamela McClintock

[MattGarrett]

Martin Sheen Tops Anti-War TV Spot Thu Feb 20, 3:13 AM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters/Variety TV to My Yahoo!

By Pamela McClintock

WASHINGTON (Variety) - Wielding his presidential-like appeal, actor Martin Sheen (news) headlines a TV ad debuting in Los Angeles and the nation's capital on Thursday urging Americans to join a Feb. 26 "virtual march" on Washington to oppose a war with Iraq.

Reuters Photo

AP Photo Slideshow: Martin Sheen Tops Anti-War TV Spot

Celebrities Join Anti-War Movement (Reuters Video)

Sheen -- who plays fictional U.S. President Jed Bartlet on NBC's "The West Wing (news - web sites)" -- was one of several celebrities joining a long list of church leaders and other activists in announcing the campaign at a Wednesday press conference in Los Angeles.

The umbrella coalition Artists United to Win Without War wants citizens to deluge the nation's capital with e-mails, faxes and phone calls.

Groups emerging in recent weeks to advocate a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis have had a difficult time buying national air time for anti-war spots. CNN and other networks say they are reluctant to air any advocacy ads, regardless of the issue.

To get around the skittish networks, groups are buying up time from local cable companies. Sheen's ad will appear on both CNN and Fox News Channel in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The spot will continue running throughout the next week.

Win Without War, headed up by former Capitol Hill lawmaker Tom Andrews, is hoping to buy time in other local markets.

"This virtual march on Washington will allow every American opposed to the war to stand up and be counted, by calling, faxing and e-mailing the U.S. Senate and the White House," Sheen says in the ad.

For years, there were strict federal regulations governing advocacy ads, with networks required to give equal time to the other side. Although those rules have been all but erased from the books, networks are still wary about airing such spots nationally.

Other celebrities flanking Sheen at Wednesday's press briefing included Janeane Garofalo (news) and Mike Farrell (news). Organizations on hand included the National Council of Churches, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, Greenpeace, NAACP and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

[MattGarrett]

I suggest freepers HIJACK moveon.org. Log onto the site and post a message SUPPORTING PRESIDENT BUSH and OUR TROOPS. Declare that phone calls,emails, and faxes, will be sent IN SUPPORT OF OUR PRESIDENT.

Talk about a message.

[Huck]

I don't know if "hijack" is an opportune choice of words, but I think posting comments supportive of the war is a good idea.

[Howlin]

Oh, look: see who well their candidates did last time!

PACIFIC STATES

California
15th	Mike Honda (D)	WON	55% Honda / 42% Cuneen
27nd	Adam Schiff (D)	WON	53% Schiff / 45% Rogan
36th	Jane Harman (D)	WON	49% Harman / 47% Kuykendall
38th	Gerrie Schipske (D)	LOST	48% Schipske / 49% Horn
49th	Susan Davis (D)	WON	50% Davis / 46% Bilbray
Washington
1st	Rep. Jay Inslee (D)	WON	55% Inslee / 43% McDonald
2nd	Rick Larsen (D)	WON	51% Larsen / 46% Koster

NEW ENGLAND AND MID-ATLANIC STATES

Delaware
Senate	Tom Carper (D)	WON	56% Carper / 44% Roth
New Hampshire
2nd	Barney Brannen (D)	LOST	41% Brannen / 57% Bass
New Jersey
3rd	Susan Bass Levin (D)	LOST	42% Levin / 58% Saxton
7th	Maryanne Connelly (D)	LOST	48% Connelly / 50% Ferguson
12th	Rep. Rush Holt (D)	WON	49% Holt / 49% Zimmer
New York
4th	Carolyn McCarthy (D)	WON	61% McCarthy / 39% Becker

SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES

Florida
Senate	Bill Nelson (D)	WON	52% Nelson / 47% McCollum
8th	Linda Chapin (D)	LOST	49% Chapin / 51% Sublette
16th	Jean Elliot Brown (D)	LOST	38% Brown / 61% Foley
22nd	Elaine Bloom (D)	LOST	50% Bloom / 50% Shaw
Georgia
7th	Roger Kahn (D)	LOST	46% Kahn / 54% Barr
8th	Jim Marshall (D)	LOST	41% Marshall / 59% Chambliss

MIDWESTERN STATES

Illinois
6th	Brent Christensen (D)	LOST	41% Christensen / 59% Hyde
10th	Lauren Beth Gash (D)	LOST	49% Gash / 51% Kirk
Kentucky
3rd	Eleanor Jordan (D)	LOST	45% Jordan / 53% Northup
6th	Scotty Baesler (D)	LOST	35% Baesler / 53% Fletcher
Michigan
Senate	Debbie Stabenow (D)	WON	50% Stabenow / 49% Abraham
Missouri
Senate	Mel Carnahan (D)	WON	51% Carnahan / 49% Ashcroft
Ohio
12th	Maryellen O'Shaughnessy (D)	LOST	44% O'Shaughnessy / 53% Tiberi

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION AND OLD SOUTHWEST

Montana
Senate	Brian Schweitzer (D)	LOST	48% Schweitzer / 51% Burns
At-large	Nancy Keenan (D)	LOST	47% Keenan / 52% Rehberg
Texas
5th	Regina Montoya Coggins (D)	LOST	45% Montoya Coggins / 55% Sessions
Utah
2nd	Jim Matheson (D)	WON	56% Matheson / 42% Smith

[P-Marlowe]

This is rich. We got a man who makes a living PRETENDING to be the President of the United States dictating foreign policy to the man who makes his living actually BEING the President of the United States.

Don't these people know that they live in FantasyLand?

[txradioguy]

Someone needs to remind Mr. Estevez (his REAL last name)that he is a FICTICIOUS president and not the real one.

[Huck]

Man, what a bunch of filth that site is. Check this out:


From: Peter Schurman, MoveOn.org
Subject: Great news: the Dems are digging in
Date: February 12, 2003

Dear MoveOn member,

Sorry to be contacting you twice today, but we have great news.

Responding to thousands of our calls, Democrats have just launched
a filibuster* to prevent the confirmation of Miguel Estrada to
America's second-highest court. This filibuster is the first sign
of real resistance to extremism in Congress and the White House.

We’ve got to support this filibuster.

Please call your Senators now.

If your Senator is a Democrat, say:

"Thank you for supporting the filibuster to block the Estrada
nomination. Please speak out on the Senate floor."

If your Senator is a Republican, say:

"Please support the filibuster to block the Estrada nomination."

If you are asked why you support the filibuster, make some of the
following points in your own words:

- Estrada has hidden his views on the law from the public;
- Estrada has a reputation as a right-wing extremist;
- The Senate must be informed to advise and consent on nominations.

Please let us know you're making your calls, at:

http://www.moveon.org/callmade2.html

The filibuster is a bold move -- playing the Senate's ultimate ace --
and bold moves carry big risks. This filibuster is now the battle line
on which everything we care about depends. Republicans will make every
effort to peel Dems away from the filibuster.

If they succeed, we're screwed. It's that simple. If the Dems cave
in here, the right wing will steamroller us on every issue, gutting
environmental protections, giving enormous new tax breaks to the rich
while the economy tanks, and eviscerating our civil rights.

But if the filibuster succeeds, it will be a resounding victory, giving
us a real chance to protect the things that matter to us. It could
even embolden the Democrats to challenge the White House's war plans.

Six weeks ago, nobody thought we'd get this far. Yet more than
18,000 MoveOn members have called since last week in support of the
filibuster. Hundreds of us vistited Senate offices a month ago.
Senators are telling each other what a difference MoveOn is making.
Our work is paying off and we've got to keep it up.

Please make your calls today. Please call again, even if you've called
before.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

--The MoveOn Team
Carrie, Eli, Joan, Peter, Wes, Zack
February 12, 2003

[txradioguy]

The GOP needs to ask voters in the 2004 Election cycle whether they'd prefer to have a President and Congress that takes their marching orders from rich liberals in Hollywood or a President and Congress that takes it's marching orders from the people of this country.

[Renegade]

This vertically cahllanged ( like Dasshole) fantasyland actor should go to Iraq as a human shield and sit in front of the rocket motor plant .

[Uncle George]

The want a "PEACEFULL" solution to the terrorist problem;
How do you have a peaceful solution to a raging rabid dog?
Pet him? Negotiate with him? Inspect his teeth? send him to another Country, Blow his head off.

[holymoly]

Awwww, their forum is down for "maintainance."

Deleting a s---load of posts, I'll bet.

[txradioguy]

Kinda like when the DUmmies get FReeped and they lock down the site. So much for free speech and freedom of expression.

[cubreporter]

Wielding his presidential-like appeal.....

WHAT PRESIDENTIAL LIKE APPEAL???? IN HIS OWN LITTLE MIND MAYBE. HE'S AN AGING ACTOR AND NOW HAS THE WAR AS AN EXCUSE TO GET HIS LITTLE FACE OUT AND ABOUT. WATCH HIS SHOW GO DOWN THE TUBES SOON...HOPE SO!

[agrace]

Don't these people know that they live in FantasyLand?

I doubt it. Although a few do seem to get it. Jeff Daniels was on Fox & Friends this morning and Brian asked him why he lives in Michigan as opposed to Hollywood. He responded "Have you been to Hollywood? OK then." He proceeded to say that he wanted to live in the real world, that nothing there is real, and that he and his wife (high school sweetheart) decided early on that that wasn't what they wanted for their family so they live in Michigan because they both grew up there. He said he's sure it's cost him jobs, not living close to the business, but he's fine with that.

I have no idea what his political leanings are, but I respect him quite a bit after what he said this morning.

[txradioguy]

This is just as sick as when he's at some rally and you hear the speaker introduce Mr. Estevez (his REAL name) as "My President" or "the REAL President". These people need some deep long sessions of therapy.

[GiveEmDubya]

2000 election results?

[txradioguy]

FYI. This spot starts today and is only playing on CNN, MSNBC and Headline News. Isn't that known as preaching to the choir?

[cubreporter]

If he truly believed in what he is preaching he would go there. He's afraid. He's afraid. Like the time he sat in the cardboard box with the homeless. How come he didn't take the homeless home with him when he left? After all, he has a home he could have opened up to them ... no, he left the discomfort of the cardboard box after playing to the cameras then went home to his own home which was nice and warm and cozy ...oh well, he did his thing, didn't he? By the way martinshin....there are still homeless out there. When have you crawled into a cardboard box since then? You silly, silly, SILLY little man.

[agrace]

- Estrada has hidden his views on the law from the public;

- Estrada has a reputation as a right-wing extremist;

OK...so if he has hidden his views on the law from the public, how'd he get a reputation as a right-wing extremist? < /rolling eyes >

[SternTrek]

DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING
DO NOT WATCH THE WEST WING

of course I have never seen one episode.

[DearAbby]

Martin Sheean thinks he is the President and the real one Pres Bush is the pretender.

When one lives in the world of fantasy, that and the real world get all mixed up. They don't know what is real or pretend anymore. I no longer watch the fantasy-com; I don't like Sheean's politics.

Celebrities think because they are famous, are smarter and their opinions mean more than ours and we should listen!!! Remember, they are only playing a part; the majority con't live in the real world; look how messed up their lives are. They hippty hop from one to the other like a chess board. Seldom do they check-mate for life