Bush Lawyer Ginsberg on HBO's Recount: GOP Won Reality, Dems Win Movie

I wonder what would be the state of the Nation if Al Gore had been elected. The military: Iran would have already try to eliminate Israel. The economy: We will be paying higher taxes, the illegal immigrants would be made citizens and demanding at least minimum salary while making it easier for more illegals to cross the border, socialized medicine would be in effect and you will have to wait 3 months to see a doctor except on emergency cases... THIS COUNTRY CANNOT BE SAVED BY LIBERALS!

Gervasio Guevel of FL 2:57PM May 25, 2008

Notwithstanding his unhappiness with certain aspects of the film, Mr. Ginsberg should be grateful that he was accorded the opportunity to affect its content, an opportunity denied to others who played equally or more important roles in the events of 2000.

The screenwriter, Danny Strong, conducted his "research" so as to avoid certain fundamental facts, most notably that Bill Daley and Warren Christopher did not "wimp out," and that Al Gore, not Ron Klain or others on the ground in Tallahassee, called the shots. Those, like Mr. Ginsberg, whom Strong knew would provide support for his thesis were extended courtesies such as script review; scene approval and rough cut screening. Others, like Messrs. Daley, Christopher, Gore, Tribe, etc. etc. were shut out of the process. For example, Strong waited until after shooting had begun to “interview” Daley and Christopher. (The latter learned of the film from his tailor, who had been commissioned to make a suit for Christopher’s character.)

Strong and HBO disclaim any intention to lead the public to believe they they'll be viewing a faithful rendition of history, claiming that all they want to do is to convey “the essence of the truth.” Mr. Ginsberg knows a snow job when he sees it. As he notes above, “…Recount is sufficiently compelling that it could morph into ‘history’ ” Right you are, Ben, and more’s the pity. HBO is doing all within its power to sell the film as meticulously produced history or, as their advertising machine puts it, “the story of the 2000 presidential election.” They know that the public treats as absolute fact what is fed to them as "docu-drama," and that viewers are unaware that they are consuming an ounce of “docu” for every gallon of “drama.”

William III of NV 4:14AM May 22, 2008