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"Path to 9/11": Lousy TV

I watched a half hour. I found it bathetic. The acting is miserable. It's disjointed and hard to follow. It's a GOP commercial for more wiretapping, racial profiling and xenophobia.

I'm changing the channel now. Did anyone else watch it?

Update: I tuned back in for the last half hour. They replayed the disclaimer that this is not a documentary and that it is based on several published reports in addition to the 9/11 Commission report, and some scenes are fictionalized. They also shamelessly played President Clinton's statement that he did not have sexual relations with "that woman" and showed a picture of Monica Lewinsky. Then they played scenes with Sandy Berger, basically alleging he made a decision not to kill bin Laden when he could have, which in turn resulted in the Embassy bombings.

Then they showed a pale, President Clinton with the volume almost muted saying "We will do everything in our power...."

Pure fiction. Pure dreck. I hope Bill Clinton,Madeline Albright and Sandy Berger sue ABC.

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    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 07:17:11 PM EST
    Bo. Not much more to say than that.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 07:46:22 PM EST
    True to my principles, I avoid the living room and the T.V. I'm not watching a politicized version of 911. Not me. Why, ABC might call doing a viewer poll [never happened]. I want to report not watching ABC. My wife, on the other hand, said, "I think I'll watch it." Because our log cabin is small, we have earphones, so if one of us watches the T.V., the other doesn't have to listen. After a while, she wanders into the computer room where I'm being principled and says. "I don't know if that movie is contraversial or not. What it is, is, it's just not very good. So I'm watching the other channel. They've got this amazing footage of..." And she proceeds to describe it in great detail - the footage from the French Journalists during the actual attack on the Twin Towers. Now there's an outcome I can get with. It never occurred to me it would simply be a bad movie. I'll settle for that...

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#6)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 07:49:11 PM EST
    Well since no one watched, why all the screaming??

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 08:29:38 PM EST
    If anyone was screaming, your question would be a valid one, PPJ.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#10)
    by Sailor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 08:44:59 PM EST
    Just like ppj to claim 'no one watched' based on a 3 person sample of a left leaning blog.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#2)
    by orionATL on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 12:11:43 AM EST
    funny. i've read a comment similar to this on another web log. maybe technical incompetence trumps questions about fair representation of about history or about the morality of misrepresentation.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#3)
    by learned hound on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 12:11:43 AM EST
    The main points: dark people are killers, Pakistan is full of killers, New York is full of dark killers from Pakistan. Can I watch the football game now? Please?

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#4)
    by pax on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 12:11:43 AM EST
    Before I ever cared about, or paid attention to politics or those that claim to be able to run our country, I loved football. I'm watching Peyton and Eli. It's what I would be doing normallly and I see no reason to watch what I already know is a pack of lies....

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 12:11:43 AM EST
    I watched it too, up to the Sandy Berger scene they were supposed to revisit. Not. I then fired off an email to Albuquerque abc affilate (owned by hearst} expressing my desire they be sued and their sponsers boycotted.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 12:11:43 AM EST
    I refused to watch that fake Rove drivel. I have seen a few trickles coming in about it and it's bad. I heard it is pure gop talking points. I can't wait for the fiction of tomorrow where they show "the decider" being manly.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 06:40:39 AM EST
    Having watched the first half of the ABC "Lets trash Clinton" mini series, I will retire to my shop and work on my hotrod for the second half. I wrote to my local newspaper two days after Bush was "Selected" in 2000 and said he was "Dumber that a bag of hammers". Within days I recieved several hate mails denouncing me as fool. Well look into the mirror if you voted for him to see who the real fools are.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 06:40:39 AM EST
    sue? with Clinton a perjurer and Berger a thief, do you think they really want to sue? it's easier to use the left, who they used as toilet paper when they were in office, to do their dirty work for them.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 06:40:39 AM EST
    I decided I would watch the opening minutes only. I laughed when I saw how badly it was put together with all the the scene jumping and dialogue that wasn't understandable.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 07:27:57 AM EST
    Anon 7:35AM - By jove I think you've got it. Anon 7:37AM - So you didn't like the camera work? Me neither, but I would think that's what happens when you try to compress ten years or so into about 92 minutes. We will see if it improves tonight. Dark Avenger and Sailor - Ah, so nice to have my fan club here. Should I point out that this is a blog? Okay, I will. This is a blog. Who was the comment to? The people who had commented. How could you have known this? If it had been to the Left in general, it would have read: "Well since no one watched, why all the screaming from the Left?" See the difference? learned hound - Uh... You can't do a movie about terrorists from the ME without showing brown people. And yes, some of them are killers. In the ME and in NYC. Now quick, the PC statement. There are killers in all ethnic groups.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 08:39:00 AM EST
    Pax... I see no reason to watch what I already know is a pack of lies.... Mickey..... It never occurred to me it would simply be a bad movie. vwcat..... I refused to watch that fake Rove drivel. Jerry B.... Having watched the first half of the ABC "Lets trash Clinton" LMAO.... Yep...all made up...all a pack of lies...Clinton did everything perfectly...he made no mistakes... It's all Gw's fault!!! All the 9/11 attacks were planned & carried out in the 9 months after GW took over! Nothing bad happened under Clinton!!! You all just keep your head in the sand and repeat that over & over to yourselves.....LOL Amazing how you all stick by your hero (the x-prez)...but have no qualms telling us how stupid we are for sticking with the sitting Prez...! The left....truly amazing!!!!

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#16)
    by Sailor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 09:53:21 AM EST
    1) 'why all the screaming' is MORE inclusive than 'from the left.' 2)
    Yep...all made up...all a pack of lies...Clinton did everything perfectly...he made no mistakes...
    stupid strawman, one does not imply the other. It is a pack of lies, but clinton made mistakes. See how easy that is? 3)
    Amazing how you all stick by your hero (the x-prez).
    you completely misrepresent what the anger is about. I don't care if they made up pix of clinton goatf****!, they flat out lied about his action, completely contradicted the 9/11 com results and said they based it on it. Once again completely dishonest discourse from a person who defends bush, the man who allowed 9/11 to happen because he couldn't be bother to go off vacation even after being warned of OBL's plans. Dismissed the briefer with a sarcastic 'you've covered your a$$' . No wonder ppj will defend bush, they have a problem with truthiness in common.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 01:31:35 PM EST
    Sailor.... It is a pack of lies, but clinton made mistakes. Ok Mr contradiction... so where are the 'lies'? You all got your panties in a wad because this movie puts some of the blame where it rightly belongs! they flat out lied about his action Where? He decided not to get Osama when he had several chances. Is this the 'lie' you are screaming about? It happened and Clinton admitted it. IF that isn't it ...where is it? What's your beef? the man who allowed 9/11 to happen because .... Because he was too busy getting BJ's in the oval office... you mean that guy? The guy that had a chance to kill Osama and let him get away? That guy? No wonder ppj will defend bush None of us are defending Bush any more than you are Clinton. It's ok for you but not us? Is that it? Let me put it to you this way.... If these are actual "lies" about Clinton ... he can sue... can't he? Defimation of character... Slander...etc...etc. YES??? Let's see if he does. Any bets??? ANYONE??? That's what I thought!

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#20)
    by Sailor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 03:03:17 PM EST
    None of us are defending Bush
    Reaaaaalllly!?
    Posted by BB July 19, 2006 02:19 PM Anything that makes him look bad is ok with you all isn't it?
    Posted by BB December 7, 2005 10:06 AM I and most other people (not on the 'left') in this country are tired of the constant liar label you put on Bush.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#21)
    by Sailor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 03:26:24 PM EST
    None of us are defending Bush
    Reaaaaalllly!?
    Posted by BB July 19, 2006 02:19 PM Anything that makes him look bad is ok with you all isn't it?
    Posted by BB December 7, 2005 10:06 AM I and most other people (not on the 'left') in this country are tired of the constant liar label you put on Bush.
    BB, constantly defending bush, along with slado, ppj and every other wrongwinger who thinks bush can do no wrong.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 04:25:37 PM EST
    I would not have watched it at all except for all the complaints from the Clintonistas. Having seen the first part, I tend to agree with the columnist in the NY Post who wrote that the "docudrama" is unfair to Albright, Tenet and Berger, because they didn't do the specific things that they are portrayed doing, but that it fairly presents President Clinton's failure to do anything much about OBL over his eight years in office. I'll watch tonight to see what it says about President Bush's performance during his eight months in office before 9/11.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 04:25:37 PM EST
    To my surprise, I found it to be pretty riveting. I didn't think it bashed Clinton, but rather illustrated the difficulties that any government has in combating terrorists, i.e. the long chain of command. Some of the plans that either Berger or Tenet said no to probably didn't have much chance of success. There was restraint when the lives of children were in danger. Albright's comments about warning Pakistan so that they wouldn't think India was attacking made sense--though perhaps there could have been a better way of warning them without tipping off OBL supporters. And though I am a Clinton supporter, I think it was quite appropriate to bring up the Lewinsky affair etc because it and the impeachment did compromise his ability to act. More importantly, I think the show demonstrated that the war on terror was somewhat effectively being fought during the Clinton Administration and without the Patriot Act, warrantless wiretaps etc. Yes, the dialogue was a bit clunky at times and there were inaccuracies, but the program was fast-paced enough to keep my attention. I will be interested in seeing Part 2.

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 08:31:24 AM EST
    Sailor.... None of us are defending Bush Reaaaaalllly!? SOOO typical of you and most others on the left (news medias and all) taking a sentence out of context and making it say what you want it to....!!! Aye Sailor? (I'll fall short of calling you a liar like you have me in the past!...although if this doesn't qualify, I don't know what does?) What I said was: "None of us are defending Bush any more than you are Clinton". How about being honest and truthful in your responses!!!! BB, constantly defending bush What I have repeatedly said (and you have repeatedly ignored) is that I back the president of the US... no matter who he is... PERIOD! (And in a time of war, shame on all of you for not doing that!) Got that now? Can you read and comprehend that? I have also said I'm no big Bush fan. The fact he didn't seal the borders tight on 9/12 still ticks me off!!! I really don't know why I bother with you at this point? You're a hopeless agitator and don't want to discuss anything rationally...

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 10:04:56 AM EST
    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 10:36:39 AM EST
    The same administration that had the 9/11 attacks happen on its watch has fought tooth and nail to keep any investigation into the security failures that led to the attack from happening. Basically, those security failures are still there, intact, deadly to us all. The warnings of impending catastrophe from the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld and Mueller may prove to be a self-fulfilling prophesy because this administration refuses to take responsible action to address them. In fact, the Bush administration has proven itself more than willing to go to wretched extremes to keep any investigation from gaining steam, by frightening the public with warnings of doom that they themselves admit have far more to do with politics than reality. We were wide open to attack on September 11th because of these security failures. We are wide open to attack today, because the same irresponsible leaders in charge on 9/11 are calling the shots today. Rather than work to protect Americans, they seek to terrify Americans as a means to cow any Democratic move towards an investigation into the causes behind the 9/11 attacks. If we are attacked again, they will have no one but themselves to blame. The Democrats asking for an investigation are doing so because they want to protect Americans. Bush and his people are fighting this because they want to protect themselves. They are purposefully making people afraid to further this agenda. They play politics on a field littered with the bones of American dead, and they peddle fear to a nation already saturated with woe. Such foulness is beyond contempt, and reeks of desperation. There will be a reckoning. Political Terror by the bush administration

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 10:47:49 AM EST
    Anonymous.. Yeah yeah yeah... blah blah blah.. You all talk out of both sides of your mouths. We are wide open to attack today, because Because ....the radical (liberal) left has done everything in their power to try to block virtually everything this prez has tried to do. Go peddle your BS to someone stupid enough to buy it!

    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#27)
    by Sailor on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 11:06:58 AM EST
    A few Pathological lies
    One scene, edited by ABC, shows Clinton's National Security Adviser Sandy Berger refusing to give the order to take bin Laden out, something contradicted by Berger and the 9/11 Commission.
    One scene in the show's first night featured hijacker Mohammed Atta walking up to an American Airlines counter in Boston. A warning pops up, but airline employees allow him to board anyway. Two American Airlines planes were hijacked in the 9/11 attacks, and Flight 11, with Mr. Atta aboard, crashed into the World Trade Center.
    The warning depicted in the movie actually popped up when Mr. Atta went to board a plane from Maine to Boston, not in Boston, and the airline wasn't American.
    two retired F.B.I. agents said on Friday that they had declined or resigned from advisory roles on the miniseries because of concerns about the program's accuracy.
    And just for BB
    Mr. Clinton approved every request made of him by the CIA and the U.S. military involving using force against bin Laden and al Qaeda.


    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 01:26:10 AM EST
    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 09:46:27 AM EST
    More really pathological effing LIES: This is one of the more disgusting things I've read lately, and probably is the best reason so far to get rid of the a-holes in the bush maladministration. Gitmo would be too good for these scumbags. Pure manipulative misleading propaganda: What are they telling your child about the 9/11/01 attacks in your local school? ABC and Scholastic release skewed Path to 9/11 "Discussion Guide" for high school teachers to assign to students - by "J.M."
    In conjunction with the September 10 premiere of ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11 -- a six-hour "docudrama" reportedly based on the findings of the 9-11 Commission Report -- ABC has teamed up with Scholastic to create a "Discussion Guide for the Classroom" to urge high school teachers nationwide to "[e]ncourage your students and their families to watch The Path to 9/11 and use the accompanying" discussion guide as part of their lesson plan. ABC and Scholastic have reportedly sent out letters to 100,000 high school teachers informing them of the miniseries and accompanying discussion guide. A Media Matters for America review of The Path to 9/11 "resource sheets" and "discussion guide[s]" provided to teachers has found that the material omits critical information regarding the Bush administration's pre-Iraq war weapons of mass destruction claims; falsely suggests a tie between Iraq and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; gives upbeat accounts of reportedly dire conditions on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan; suggests that military responses to Osama bin Laden by the Clinton administration could have "hinder[ed] the U.S. stance on the war on terror"; and asks students to debate whether the media "hinder our national security."


    Re: "Path to 9/11": Lousy TV (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 10:32:55 AM EST
    Would like to see your graphic put in a "No" symbol and made into a bumper sticker. I'd buy one.