The concluding paragraphs of her column form Sunday:
The White House is also counting on the Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal big-screen version of the killing of Bin Laden to counter Obama’s growing reputation as ineffectual. The Sony film by the Oscar-winning pair who made “The Hurt Locker” will no doubt reflect the president’s cool, gutsy decision against shaky odds. Just as Obamaland was hoping, the movie is scheduled to open on Oct. 12, 2012 — perfectly timed to give a home-stretch boost to a campaign that has grown tougher.
The moviemakers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history from an administration that has tried to throw more people in jail for leaking classified information than the Bush administration.
It was clear that the White House had outsourced the job of manning up the president’s image to Hollywood when Boal got welcomed to the upper echelons of the White House and the Pentagon and showed up recently — to the surprise of some military officers — at a C.I.A. ceremony celebrating the hero Seals.
Just like W., Obama is going for that “Mission Accomplished” glow (without the suggestive harness). At least in this president’s case, though, something has been accomplished.
I hope the movie includes how President Obama went golfing before heading to the situation room to watch the events unfold in Afghanistan.
Bush did accomplish something: the overthrow of Saddam's regime. He was also captured & killed (after a trial) -- strangely, no Hollywood films about that have been discussed.
Shouldn't a movie about a current presidential candidate be considered a campaign contribution? The networks couldn't (or wouldn't?) show reruns of "Law & Order" starring Fred Thompson when he was just running in the primaries. Following that logic, how could they possibly allow ads for a pro-Obama movie a month before an election? (A serious question.)
I think by October 2012 it may be too late for Obama anyway -- jingoism at the cineplex will not bring down unemployment. Anyway we could innoculate against this film now by turning Obama's boasts about Bin Laden into a joke (as happened to Giuliani re: 911 the last time around.)
When has a partisan political film ever been a big money maker or had an effect on an election anyway? I bet this film will tank at the box office (the whole point is probably just to run ads on TV during the month before the election: Hollywood's campaign contribution.)
I think Obama's in a bit of a box over this one anyway -- he can't say "mission accomplished" because that's what Bush did. He can't even talk about victory, just "bringing the troops home." Also, if we're going to talk about his foreign policy interventions, what about Libya? *cough*illegalwar*cough*
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePrior to the 2008 elections, the Democrats were screaming that it would be unpatriotic for Bush to use 9/11 in his campaign.
Also, Hollywood did make a movie about Bush prior to 2008. Only in this movie, the highlight was the assignation of the president.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaureen Dowd is reaching a bit too far on this one. President Obama authorized the Navy Seal mission that resulted in the killing of OBL, but is that authorization deserving of a full length feature film? Shouldn't the film focus on the Navy Seals who carried out the mission rather than the President who, based upon expert advice, approved it? Would a film be warranted if the mission had failed?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI imagine the first half of the film will include lots of shots of Obama gazing intently out the window, brow furrowed, as he contemplates high-level strategies while his advisors wait with baited breath for him to finally say "OK let's do it!" Also with unsubtle digs at the racist tea party which is trying to distract him from the important work of killing Bin Laden, which consumes the president day and night. (Maybe include an Evil Republican character who's secretly working with the terrorists to bring down Obama?)
Then for the second half the president and his advisors sit around and watch events unfold on a TV monitor (action scenes of Navy SEALS intercut with more footage of Obama looking serious and contemplative. Maybe he even picks up the phone and radios advice to the SEALS -- "look out, there's a terrorist behind you!")
For the final scene, Obama gives a stirring speech about peace (without a teleprompter) and the whole world cheers (recycled footage from his inaugural and Cairo speech.) He pins medals on the chests of the SEALS, and they salute him with tearful thanks, knowing that they could have never done it without Obama's incredibly bold (yet always intelligent) leadership.
Two hours of pure excitement!! Get the popcorn ready!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSeems they used to call things like this "propaganda." So, who's going to play Obama?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Seems they used to call things like this 'propaganda.' So, who's going to play Obama?'
I bet it's Don Cheadle, but I think it should be Steve Urkel. The obvious timing of this movie makes me not want to see it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGee, I thought Hollywood "artists", "creative intellects", and their ilk hated propagandists.
I thought only "sellouts" work for "The Man" or do the bidding of government functionaries.
Silly me. Obviously I can't tell the difference between "art" and propaganda.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseInteresting that my captcha was "that hurts". After hearing the horrifying news of the helicopter crash and the revolting media detailing information about unidentified remains, I refuse to believe that the public will be fooled into supporting this obvious cheap propaganda trick. Obama's pathetic "thoughts and prayers" statement the other day, further diminished him as a Commander in Chief. Shame, shame, shame!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs it thoughts or prayers that you find particularly objectionable? Praying for You, Bill
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