ABC Ran With It, Sort Of

Hey folks,

All the way up to the time, people sat and waited. Was "Charlie Brown" or a repeat of one of their shows, or maybe some sort of special coming on, or was ABC going to grow a set, and actually show the movie "The Path to 9-11"

Well, they did show night one. Now I cannot speak to the changes that were made, having not seen the original version. I will be tuning into "Rush" today at 12pm to see what he has to say. He saw the original uncut version.

According to this AP article


"ABC made several editing changes to the first part of its miniseries "The Path to 9/11" following furious protests by Clinton administration officials that it fabricated scenes about their actions prior to the terrorist attacks."

Here are some of the changes according to this story.

"In the original scene, an actor portraying White House terrorism czar Richard Clarke shares a limousine ride with FBI agent John O'Neill and tells him: "The Republicans are going all-out for impeachment. I just don't see in that climate the president's going to take chances" and give the order to kill bin Laden.

But in the film aired Sunday, Clarke says to O'Neill: "The president has assured me this ... won't affect his decision-making."

O'Neill replies: "So it's OK if somebody kills bin Laden, as long as he didn't give the order. It's pathetic."

Another scene in the critics' cut pictured O'Neill asking Clarke on the telephone: "What's Clinton going to do (about bin Laden)?"

Clarke replies, "I don't know. The Lewinsky thing is a noose around his neck."

This was cut entirely from the film that aired Sunday.

Another scene in the movie that depicted a team of CIA operatives poised outside of bin Laden's fortess in Afghanistan, ready to attack, was substantially shortened from the original. Pictures of the waiting Afghanistan operatives are interspersed with those of officials in Washington, who had to approve the mission.

The original version depicted national security adviser Samuel R. Berger hanging up on CIA chief George Tenet as Tenet sought permission to attack bin Laden. The movie aired Sunday did not include Berger hanging up."

OK, here’s the problem, like this hang up scene. It really happened. So did the fact we had numerous time to get bin Laden. The time when we had him surrounded HAPPENED. The ex-President has come out, on tape, with his own words, said he had many opportunities to get him, he CHOSE not to. Why is it so hard to understand, that he WAS preoccupied? Not to mention the fact he was clueless when it came to national security.

The last two paragraphs are true.

"John Lehman, another Republican commission members, said on the ABC News show that he's told the film is equally harsh on the administrations of President Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush.

"And if you don't like the hits to the Clinton administration, well, welcome to the club," Lehman said. "The Republicans have lived with Michael Moore and Oliver Stone and most of Hollywood as a fact of life."

Like a movie depicting Bush being assassinated. Did you hear President Bush protesting the movie? Threatening the makers? Have you heard President Bush complain about ANY of those who attack him on a daily bases? Do you remember him complaining about "Fahrenheit 9/11"? Do you remember President Bush complaining that he did not receive a preview? He doesn’t, because he doesn’t have to. His administration, and the legacy he leaves behind, is not build on media spin.

It should be really interesting to see the fall out today. The "Clintonites" will be in overdrive today. Then again, if you think about it. If you hear nothing, or very little today, then you will TRULY know, just how much ABC cut and changed. But I have a feeling it will be a busy day.
Peter