Strong Storm

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There's at least one solid defense of Recount screenwriter Danny Strong, who's been criticized in Edward Wyatt's 5.14 N.Y. Times story for having unfairly portrayed former Secretary of State Warren Christopher as "one of the great all-time wimps" (my quote) during the spin battle over the Florida vote in the 2000 presidential election, which Strong brings up.

He tells Wyatt that "one of his primary sources" on the Christopher-wimp angle was 'Too Close to Call,' a book by Jeffrey Toobin, reports Wyatt, "who served as a consultant on the film. In it Mr. Toobin argues that by the end of the first week, both Christopher and Gore campaign chairman Edward Daley were 'making the case for surrender.'" Is there anyone out there who believes Toobin isn't a good reporter or, being that, an astute judge of character?

comment #1

corey3rd says ...

Gore's people brought a knife to a gun fight. They somehow thought that words and manners would win the day against a Rove machine that didn't play by any rules. None of Gore's people wanted to soil their white shirts. He was more than a wimp. he was a schmuck.

comment #2

Mgmax says ...

I'd say Gore's people brought a gun to a gunfight, then threw most of their bullets away.

And portraying Warren Christopher as a wimp is slander on par with portraying Nixon as devious or JFK as horny.

comment #3

Dave Polands Gut says ...

You didnt know that Warren Christoipher is part of the vast right wing conspiracy???

Good thing we found out about this now along with ABC news, James Carville and "white americans".

comment #4

Walter Sobchak says ...

I very much look forward to this film. It promises to be a fair, balanced, non-biased and non-partisan portrait of how the Evil Bush / Rove Machine stole the election from the innocent hands of Al Gore.

- W.S. (part of the vast right-wing blog machine...and pisshead)

comment #5

Rich S. says ...

Is it just me, or has it occurred to anyone else that John Hurt hasn't changed much physically since he appeared in Alien, 29 years ago? It might have something to do with the fact that he looked 60 years old then, but the fact remains.

comment #6

AH says ...

While the responses are interesting, no one answered Wells' question: Is there anyone out there who believes Toobin isn't a good reporter or, being that, an astute judge of character?

comment #7

Arizona Joe says ...

I have not read his book, but Jeffrey Toobin always struck me as a law review smart, and also equipped with a wealth of common sense and the ability to size up people, dating back to the Orenthal trial.

I don't know if Warren Christopher is a wuss, but even before Florida, he never effused the shrewdness, cunning and subtle aggression of James Baker. Christopher was always well spoken, but you wondered why his counsel was worth so much.

Not much has been said about David Boies, portrayed by Ed Begley, Jr. I thought that Boies had a lot to do with the Democrats failed strategy. I believe that Boies has been overrated and self-involved. While studying law at Northwestern, Boies conducted an affair with the wife of one of his professors, leading to his banishment from the campus. It's kind of a weird typecasting that he is portray in "Recount" by a guy who purportedly is the most well hung man in show business.

In this age in which everyone is connected to everyone else electronically, I would have preferred that the Democrats had gotten an attorney with real court presence and public relations savvy, like Gerry Spence.

I don't care if it's movies, or basketball teams, or politics, it's all how you pick the players.

John Hurt sure has not aged much, Osterman Weekend breath.

comment #8

Feathers McGraw says ...

I love it when film fanboys attempt to discuss politics. It's like an Aint It Cool News talkback, only less erudite.

comment #9

Chris Baumgardt says ...

Feathers,

So if we are film fanboys, that is all we are? Is it possible that we could be film fanboys and still have an intelligent opinion on some other subject?

comment #10

K. Bowen says ...

Warren Christopher, a wimp? Jimmy Carter's cabinet was old that any Iranian trying to stop the soldiers tryiing to free the Embassy hostages would get a bullet between the eyes. Christopher asked if they would consider the leg, instead.

comment #11

H0n35tJ0hn says ...

I always keep an eye out for the latest idiocy to dribble out of Walter Sobchak's rotten gob, but today flat gits it. What a pathetic slob you are, sitting there day in and day out, lobbing your little shitbombs at people with 100 times your intelligence, trying to convince us that the Shrub administration isn't a withered corpse stinking with moral rot.

Yes, sir -- the 2000 election WAS won fair and square, b'gawd! (Because Jesus wanted it that way?)

If you're so smart, Slobchak, why don't you start your own blog already and leave us sentient beings alone? Or, better yet, put down your crusty Ann Coulter whack-mag and get a JOB. You are a MORON.

comment #12

Mgmax says ...

Ah, the scintillating intelligence of the lefty, putting the righty in his place with droll japeries and delicately cutting bon mots.

comment #13

H0n35tJ0hn says ...

Merely communicating in a language that the right can easily comprehend. (Try watching, say, Fox News for an example.)

comment #14

Mgmax says ...

thank yew 4 edjicatin me

i wandered whut the big box in the livin room was 4

now back 2 reedin the nu book by Robert Kagan

comment #15

Walter Sobchak says ...

Haliburton!

comment #16

Walter Sobchak says ...

So delighted am I that my trifling musings can oft find purchase 'neath the delicately lotioned skin of H035tHJ0hniI(s94j0neJDm, (or whatever that name is).

Who here loves movies!?

comment #17

Mgmax says ...

Haliburton!

Walter, only a pus-filled boil attached to Cheney's bloodsucking ass issuing flatulent tax cuts which poke out the eyes of poor Latino children (which is probly fine by you because you're so in love with Bushitler's manly package you had MIssion Accomplished tattooed over your anus) would lower the discussion to this Coulter-Limbaugh-Satan level instead of keeping it here on the high plane of substantive discussion that we liberals enjoy in all things and your syphilitic, Faux-news mad-sheeple disease brain could never understand.

comment #18

Josh says ...

MGMAX has one warped view of life. Stop being bitter, son. Its not worth it.

comment #19

Mgmax says ...

Feel my pain.

comment #20

Josh Massey says ...

H0n35tJ0hn's post was so well-written you could practically hear the 4th period bell clanging behind him.

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