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.

[agrace]

LOL

Curses, they've hit on our diabolical plan to rule the world!

Actually I can't believe they didn't mention our plans to illegalize abortion. No doubt that notion was just too horrible to vocalize.

[Huck]

Re: illegalizing abortion

That's probably covered under "eviscerating our civil rights."

[Utah Girl]

I work with a woman who thinks President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) would make a great president, seriously. We were talking before the 2000 elections, and she was moaning about the candidates. And she actually said that Sheen would make a great president, why weren't there more candidates like him. And I just sat there dumbfounded because she was absolutely serious.

[Howlin]

I'm not sure, honestly. I just snatched them off their site so everybody could see how "well" their candidates did. I was thinking it was 2002, but I could be wrong. (And, yes, I went over there to look!)

[GiveEmDubya]

Trust me, they're 2000 results. Add to the list of their failed candidates: Carnahan (D-MO). I wonder how their anointed candidates did in 2002 (probably awful).

[Howlin]

Thanks!

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers... Thanks for the heads up!

[Porterville]

I would love for this guy to spend some time in prison and hear about him getting...well, you know, I really would like that for this SOB.

[Kathy50]

Here's another way to hit Hollywood where it hurts. Do not watch the Oscars on March 23rd. Advertisers will not be pleased and ratings will go down. Send a message to Hollywood once and for all. Power to the "Little People"

Martin Sheen and his cronies could be throwing all that money into a better cause such as our schools and medical research.

[RogueIsland]

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

If you've been following the Larry Hagman thread, it would appear that they do not.

[MattGarrett]

Bump. Come on Freeps. Head on over to moveon.org and sign up to call in and SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT! If they have more people calling in to SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT than they have speaking out against the war, then their "virtual walk on Washington" is a bust!

[Huck]

Do not watch the Oscars on March 23rd.

Are you kidding me? I never watch the Oscars, or any other awards show. Well, I did watch once, in 1993, to see my man Clint win for Unforgiven. But that was the last time I watched. Awards shows are HORRIBLE entertainment. I can't understand what anyone gets out of them.

But I agree with the point. BOYCOTT.