Sorry to keep harping on this issue, but the more we learn about [tag]ABC[/tag]’s “[tag]The Path to 9/11[/tag],” the bigger a problem it is. For example, this morning we learned that former President [tag]Clinton[/tag]’s office requested a copy of the docudrama. ABC said no. Former Secretary of State Madeleine [tag]Albright[/tag] and former National Security Adviser Samuel [tag]Berger[/tag] also requested copies of the film. ABC turned them down, too.
In the broader context, ABC, which claims to be airing an “objective” look at the terrorist attacks, has offered advanced copies of the movie to right-wing [tag]bloggers[/tag] and Rush [tag]Limbaugh[/tag], but when top former officials, including the former [tag]president[/tag] of the United States, specifically request a copy, the network is suddenly shy. By one estimation, ABC distributed 900 copies — but it doesn’t have one for Clinton?
This isn’t Fox News; we’re talking about ABC. If there’s a reasonable explanation for the network’s decisions on this project, I can’t think of it.
On a related note, following up on an insightful comment from a thread yesterday, Lou reminded me of an ABC report on Monday about filmmaker [tag]Robert Greenwald[/tag]’s documentary, “[tag]Iraq for Sale[/tag]: The War Profiteers,” which debuts in limited release this week. ABC told viewers:
Critics of these kinds of documentaries remind viewers not to expect balance from left-leaning documentaries, such as Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” and former Vice President Al Gore’s global warming film, “An Inconvenient Truth.”
“Finally, the left has figured out their answer to talk radio — and it’s documentaries,” said Prof. Richard Lichter of George Mason University.
Yes, ABC wants its viewers to be careful about political movies that lack the appropriate “balance.”
The irony is rich.