comment #1

Zimmergirl says ...

Well you know, Angie thinks more like Voight than you might imagine. You'd naturally assume she'd be liberal, right? But she doesn't think of herself that way and in fact she's made it known that cutting and running out of Iraq would be a disaster. She is quoted on the set of Changeling saying something about more conservative than people might think. Anyway, she may be a chip off the old block.

And your attitude of having a shit list for anyone who disagrees with you is childish at best. I mean, come on, seriously. Even fourth graders are beyond that.

comment #2

p.Vice says ...

I think Jeff was really implying that Angelina doesn't like him because he's a fucking asshole.

I'd be curious to hear Jane Fonda's thoughts on this.

comment #3

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Zimmergirl: I didn't say I had a shit list, or that I believe in the idea of one. I just said it feels good to think of shit-listing certain people. As a fun fantasy. Not that I think for a second that anyone would give a damn.

comment #4

Walter Sobchak says ...

...because Jane Fonda's certainly not a fucking asshole or anything.

comment #5

The Winchester says ...

Who would have thought the star of Transformers and Bratz wouldn't be thinking clearly?

comment #6

jimjonesiii says ...

FDR in Pearl Harbor? Paul Serone in Anaconda?
Really?
After those roles, me started to think about voight as, you know, intellectually challenged.

comment #7

erniesouchak says ...

Maybe this explains why he's been cast on "24."

comment #8

Edward says ...

Sally Kirkland and I were once in the same spiritual group and she told me Voight was one of the most enlightened people in Hollywood. So much for enlightenment.

comment #9

Mr. Blood Vessel says ...

But henceforth, it's going to be hard not to think of Voight as some kind of diseased wingnut.

and yet, that's all he plays.

comment #10

Superhero38 says ...

Zimmergirl, you should read or see some of Jolie's interviews or some of her articles and book -- they are always a good read, always interesting -- and you'll see that she has nothing to do with her father.

Jolie's is a registered independent. She's against leaving Iraque and her reasons are valid.

comment #11

rr3333 says ...

Since when are hollywood actors also known as brain surgeons?

If I listened to every Tim Robbins, Maggie Gyllenhahl or Jon Voight spout their stupidity, my head would explode.

comment #12

Zimmergirl says ...

Thanks Superhero, I know a lot about her and have read many interviews -- believe me, she's one of the great ones - just saying that it's assumed she's a big ol' liberal but she isn't. She is for the rights of those with no rights. She isn't going around appearing in Obama videos though, not yet, which leaves her open to be shit-listed.

comment #13

Walter Sobchak says ...

Are y'all, (those on the left side of things), so insecure with your beliefs that you need to circle your wagons and drum out of society those whose political opinions don't follow yours right down the line?

And of course now that we find out he's conservative he's suddenly a jerk and a shitty actor, too?

comment #14

Rich S. says ...

But Jeffrey, as several of us have pointed out, you were wrong about Tina Fey. In an Entertainment Weekly article, she revealed that she had actually written additional material for the end of her spiel, which was later used as Tracy Morgan's response. But you never addressed that fact and now we see that Fey is still on your I-have-a-list-but-not-really list.

Granted, there's really no way to misinterpret Voight's piece. But if you're going to have a I-have-a-list-but-not-really list, you should be consistent.

comment #15

mitchtaylor says ...

Kudos to Jeff for recognizing Voight in Anaconda. His crazed performance was a big part of that movie being the ribald fun it was.

comment #16

ZayTonday says ...

Come on, you guys are basically saying that Wells says "Jon Voight is a conservative and is therefore stupid and a shitty person" and yada yada yada, when in actuality I believe Wells is saying that Voight is an idiot because he actually buys this bullshit about Obama being tight with Bill Ayers and Louis Farrakhan when it's not the case, and that Obama is a fucking communist or something which is completely ridiculous. Voight also says that the US won't have any morals whatsoever and will be a socialist state under an Obama presidency.. come the fuck on.

Voight is an idiot for regurgitating completely disingenuous fear mongering talking points, not for being a conservative.

comment #17

gruver1 says ...

Wells to ZayTonday: Exactly.

comment #18

Sweetbubba says ...

[Jeffrey Wells July 29 1953] "But you'd think an arch [leftist]working in an overwhelmingly [conservative] town would think about restraining himself for expediency's sake, if nothing else."

[Jeffrey Wells, July 23 1953] "I haven't been able to determine the political contribution records of director Joshua Michael Stern or co-screenwriter Jason Richman."

To add them to the blacklist, presumably. You're on a McCarthyism role. Hope you're proud of the destination your political journey of discovery has taken you on. You're smart enough to someday you'll realize you need to spend the rest of your life apologizing for where your zealotry has taken you.

comment #19

Bocephus says ...

It's too bad, I had earned so much respect for the guy from his chilling performance in Baby Geniuses II: Superbabies. Sometimes a performance is so striking, so true-to-life, that it alters your perception of life. He really made me see the superbaby deep inside myself.

comment #20

Rev. Slappy says ...

I've read Obama's books and Voight simply doesn't know what he's talking about. He talks about Obama's "teachers" and doesn't mention Barack's mother, who would get him up very early in the morning and do additional studies with him before he went to school each day. She taught him to have empathy for other people. And one of the things that impressed me in The Audacity of Hope was that Obama seemed pretty centrist to me. He believes in hard work and open markets but at the same time believes that government has a role to play in improving quality of life. He isn't a socialist.

comment #21

burg13 says ...

I love how you are basically calling for a current day blacklist of Hollywood actors who don't agree with your opinion.

Is you name Jeffrey Wells or Joseph McCarthy?

Why can't you be like 95% of the rest of Earth's population who couldn't care less what people's politics are. To say you won't see his movies anymore seems perfectly reasonable, but to advocate that no one else work with him seems, well, slightly fascist.

comment #22

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Sweetbubba: Get off it. I was just checking on the political donations record of the director and co-screenwriter of Swing Vote in order to check out a rumor about alleged conservative allegiances among the cast and crew. I wasn't calling for a blacklisting -- I said the idea feels good, given my loathing for the right. A difference there, I think.

It's been said in this town many times that the right has a debt to pay for the blacklisting of lefties in the '50s, and that in all fairness it's probably going to take a long time to make amends. The fact is that the philosophical grandfathers and great-grandfathers of today's right-wingers ruined the lives of many Hollywood screenwriters in the '50s, and so their descendants now have to suffer and make up for that. Simple. As you sew so shall you reap. He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.

I don't have that history in my craw, but I can see the logic in wanting to make it rough for the right in this town. I don't think its right but I can see the point of view of the leftie who feels that way. Any fair-minded person would. Karma is as karma does. My own view is that you always work with the best people you can, regardless of political affiliation. Stanley Kubrick was absolutely correct to hire Adolf Menjou as the cynical French general in Paths of Glory, despite Menjou's reprehensible right-wing views that included supporting the blacklist.

And good for Cecil B. DeMille, that awful, sanctimonious, two-faced Bible-thumping vulgarian, for giving Edward G. Robinson a job on The Ten Commandments. Seriously -- that was a good and compassionate thing he did, even if he was a prick and a bully at heart.

comment #23

filmradar.com says ...

After Edward G. Robinson (liberal) had been blacklisted during the McCarthy era, DeMille (conservative) hired him to play Dathan in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. As Robinson wrote in his autobiography, All My Yesterdays, “Cecil B. DeMille returned me to films. Cecil B. DeMille restored my self-respect.”

comment #24

swordandpen says ...

If you're going to ridicule Jon Voight for something, do it for this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywK7SsqE8Y

Otherwise, he has a right to his opinions, no matter how ridiculous they are.

comment #25

Jesse Perry says ...

Voight was also great in Midnight Cowboy. Sadly, that's my only contribution to this discussion.

comment #26

Richardson says ...

swordandpen - It seems like you're saying that any opinion, no matter how ridiculous, just by virtue of being had by an actual person, is inherently above mockery. You can't really mean that, though, can you?

comment #27

Mr. Muckle says ...

"As you sew so shall you reap."

I chuckle. gruver, I couldn't resist this one. You probably mean "As you sew, so shall you rip." (Or otherwise, sow and reap.)

Voight is not to be condemned for merely being a conservative, if he is. He's to be condemned for specious arguments. All y'all so-called conservatives on the board, aren't you ashamed of what's been done in the name of conservatism in the last eight years? Half a trillion dollar deficits? Nation-building? Catastrophic foreign and domestic policies?

Zimmergirl, do you really think Iraq is just peachy now so that withdrawing would be disaster? IT'S ALREADY A DISASTER!!! Staying there is no guarantee of making it better.

And to boot, even socialism is not necessarily a crime, and we could use some more of it, but the cowboys only want gummint handouts for themselves. Obama could be a Muslim socialist and there's nothing inherently wrong with either category. Idiots!

From every indication, it appears that Jon Voight falls a good deal shorter of God than Obama does.

comment #28

p.Vice says ...

swordandpen -- if he's entitled to his opinion, then I believe everyone else is as well. And if the opinion happens to be that he's full of shit, well then...

comment #29

chappiesan says ...

Some of the posters might want to do their homework on socialism before using the term interchangeably with communism and sugesting it's the antithesis of the american workspirit, open markets, and government social programs. Modern socialism (i.e. social democracy) has worked quite well thoughout Scandanavia, central Europe, and in New Zealand, among other places, and, as far as I can tell, some of the hallmarks of the economic system -- such as government subsidized education and health care, and responsible levels of corporate regulation -- are things we could use a hell of a lot more of.

comment #30

chappiesan says ...

swordandpen -- by definition ridiculous opinions should be open to ridicule.

comment #31

JohnCope says ...

"It's been said in this town many times that the right has a debt to pay for the blacklisting of lefties in the '50s, and that in all fairness it's probably going to take a long time to make amends."

You mean like maybe the last 40 years?

"The fact is that the philosophical grandfathers and great-grandfathers of today's right-wingers ruined the lives of many Hollywood screenwriters in the '50s, and so their descendants now have to suffer and make up for that."

LOL. So you're a big fan of reparations then?

BTW, the fact that Hollywood is "liberal" is laughable. I mean it is superficially but ultimately it's profit driven and motivated by safe, banal ideas. Sounds pretty "conservative" to me.

comment #32

T. S. Idiot says ...

On top of everything else, Voight bit Kramer.

comment #33

Mgmax says ...

Now you know what every celebrity anti-Bush screed in the HuffPo reads like to me.

comment #34

redmond says ...

Let's boil down Jon Voigt's op-ed and who it applies to:

Dear Racist Conservatives in Every Small Town America Too Stupid to Realize You're Being Economically Screwed,

If a black man becomes president, you will lose your job because he will give it to another black man then steal your wife.
Socialism! Socialism! Socialism! OOGA BOOGA OOGA!

Jon Voigt

comment #35

martindale says ...

Well, if any Hollywood liberal starts making outrageous claims about McCain being fascist, a Nazi, etc., then I hope Wells will give be just as quick to condemn them.

comment #36

Mgmax says ...

Who can forget his condemnation of this bit of idiocy (originally headlined "At Least Hitler Meant Well")?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-mehlman/at-least-they-didnt-mean_b_53094.html

comment #37

atticusrex says ...

I understand our Celebs get media coverage. I understand that there are those who hold what our celebs say or pitch. I say so what?!

I love Clint Eastwood but I don't care for his clothing line.
I love Bruce Willis, and he is a Republican.
I love Alec Baldwin, and he is a Democrat.
I like/not love Woody Harleson and he's a Libby.

Point in when it comes to actors I judge them for their work not their personal thoughts. Though I would admit I would not be a fan of any actor were it proved he/she was a pedophile.

Now that's different than what political party or religion you belong too.

Please do not put stock in these Celeb op-ends. They all have their points. And whilst we might no agree with them it shouldn't affect your enjoyment of their screen talents.

For instance should we trash, burn and un-classic make the films of Leni Riefenstahl because of her political affiliation?

comment #38

chappiesan says ...

redmond:

Classic.

comment #39

thevisceral says ...

I say we give that socialist America thing a try. The capitalist America is a freaking mess.

comment #40

swordandpen says ...

Ridiculing Voight is one thing. Suggesting he get put on a black list is another. I reiterate that he has a right to state his ridiculous opinions.

I don't believe my post says anything about Voight's opinions being above mockery. I would think the link I had shows how seriously I take his opinions.

I simply don't take Voight seriously at all and am fully aware the only reason he's being given an op-ed is because he's a celebrity, Otherwise, who would care about anything he has to say?

comment #41

quitstaringatme says ...

I can't believe Wells is still harping about Tina Fey's "rabid" Hillary support. That Clinton bitch is truly history's greatest monster.

I hate everyone that has a different opinion than me.

comment #42

ZayTonday says ...

For all you people saying that Voight is entitled to his own opinion I don't think anyone criticizing him is saying that he isn't entitled to it. He's not entitled to his own facts though. Obama doesn't have any real connection to Ayers or Farrakhan like the Republicans would like you to think, and his connection with Wright was on a spiritual level as a pastor, not as a political mentor by any means.

As for painting him as a socialist/marxist which comes way out of left field, it's just completely off the wall and all I can do is the facepalm to that notion.

The whole Republican political campaign is based on deceit. Lots of spinning and half-truths, and even some outright lies; ones that take too much explanation to debunk, and therefore remain true to low-information voter. True conservatives should be embarrassed by what the Republican party has become.

comment #43

corey3rd says ...

Voight is a sad figure who used Entertainment Tonight to send messages to his grandchildren since he's banned from dropping by the French Mansion. Before this man starts telling me how to run the country, he really needs to learn how to run a family.

Voight's pretty much begs to be on any sort of list. You put him on a black list and he'll have his publicist call you up and ask when he needs to show up for the acceptance ceremony luncheon - and if Entertainment Tonight will be there so he can give a special message to his daughter's twins - and his two new grandchildren.

comment #44

Josh says ...

Voigt is intellectually challenged because he slams Obama for what he is?

I wonder what you will say after Election Day. Blaming all the dumb and racist for the loss?

comment #45

Richardson says ...

Swordandpen:

"I don't believe my post says anything about Voight's opinions being above mockery."

If that's how you meant it, you probably could've phrased it better than saying that he should not be ridiculed for his opinion, but instead should be ridiculed for (insert link).

comment #46

iamwhoiam says ...

Can't stand the father. can't stand the daughter. They're both assholes.

comment #47

Gus Petch says ...

Good ones, Mgmax.

By the way, for those who don't think most of the traditional media is liberal, this is a great example of their SOP. The NY Times declines an Op-Ed by John McCain, after having run one by Obama weeks earlier. And then they demonstrate objectivity by letting the "conservative" point of view be argued by a buffoon like John Voight.

You see the same thing on Fox News: "We're not conservative -- we've got Alan Colmes!"

comment #48

Mgmax says ...

"Obama doesn't have any real connection to Ayers or Farrakhan like the Republicans would like you to think"

Although I think Bill Ayers should have done jail time (and there's no hypocrite worse than a rich radical who skates out of doing time for socialist revolutionary violence because his daddy's a big shot and can protect him), I am not someone who thinks being involved with Ayers' present day educational initiatives is a crime or even, necessarily, a mark against a politician in itself.

Nevertheless, that Obama got his start on a foundation run by Ayers, and that Ayers is a biggie in Hyde Park Democratic Party politics who helped sponsor his early career, is simply indisputable fact. You might as well say he has no ties to Mayor Daley; no ties except owing most of his very political existence to him.

comment #49

D.Z. says ...

'Farrakhan, Wright, Ayers and Pfleger will gain power for their need to demoralize this country and help create a socialist America.'

Yes, because bailing out banks and subsidizing Blackwater and Halliburton are signs of a free market.

Zimmergirl: "And your attitude of having a shit list for anyone who disagrees with you is childish at best. "

Well, unless he applies it to his hiring practices like the GOP, then it's not a big deal.

Walter: "...because Jane Fonda's certainly not a fucking asshole or anything."

But Anne Coulter's a saint, right?

"Are y'all, (those on the left side of things), so insecure with your beliefs that you need to circle your wagons and drum out of society those whose political opinions don't follow yours right down the line?"

Isn't that what your side's been doing to Michael Moore?

Bubba: "To add them to the blacklist, presumably. You're on a McCarthyism role. Hope you're proud of the destination your political journey of discovery has taken you on. You're smart enough to someday you'll realize you need to spend the rest of your life apologizing for where your zealotry has taken you."

I think it's the other war around, considering those million dead Iraqis on your hands...

burg: "I love how you are basically calling for a current day blacklist of Hollywood actors who don't agree with your opinion. Is you name Jeffrey Wells or Joseph McCarthy?"

But no one calls it a blacklist when it's The Dixie Chicks or Howard Stern...

John: "You mean like maybe the last 40 years?"

I didn't know the media suddenly shifted to the left. Is that why Carter and Clinton were vilified during their terms, while Nixon, Reagan, and Bush II were portrayed as saints?

Mgmax: "Who can forget his condemnation of this bit of idiocy (originally headlined "At Least Hitler Meant Well")?"

Did Lieberman condemn Hagee?

comment #50

Sweetbubba says ...

[Jeffrey Wells, 2008] "It's been said in this town many times that the right has a debt to pay for the blacklisting of lefties in the '50s, and that in all fairness it's probably going to take a long time to make amends"

You do realize that there is no "right" that you can pay back - there are only individuals. The people you are calling out weren't the ones who committed crimes in the name of McCarthyism in the 1950s. Because people were assholes in the 1950s, you think that entitles you to wholeheartedly (gleefully, even) commit the exact same crime?

You really don't get it if you think the lesson to be learned from McCarthyism is that, given the opportunity, you should commit the exact same crime. You're argument is inane and morally vacuous -- it's equivalent to rationalizing beating up kids at school and taking their lunch money because 50 years ago other kids beat up children who happened to share your particular political beliefs/hair color/religion/side of the tracks, whatever

You're faithfully emulating McCarthyism, instead of fighting against it.

comment #51

burg13 says ...

[Jeffrey Wells, 2008] "It's been said in this town many times that the right has a debt to pay for the blacklisting of lefties in the '50s, and that in all fairness it's probably going to take a long time to make amends"

Just so I have this totally straight, your opinion is that, say, for reparations for slavery, African-Americans should get to enslave white people for a long enough time until they feel the debt has been paid? Are you seriously that off-the-wall? I take it you are also for the death penalty. Hey, they killed someone, so live by the sword, die by the sword.

Whatever happened to making a stand to not fall down to your persecutor's level?

comment #52

SaveFarris says ...

You disapoint me DZ. An argument about who is associating with who and you don't randomly throw in "Yeah, but what about --INSERT REPUBLICAN NAME HERE--- and Prescott Bush"?

You're losing your touch, man.

comment #53

Glenn Kenny says ...

The Washington Times didn't give Voight any rope, Jeff. The Washington Times IS the rope.

Voight's piece is comedy gold of the Monty Python "I just saw a communist peeping out of my wife's blouse ilk." And that's all it ought to be taken for.

comment #54

Gus Petch says ...

Oops... I see now that it was the Washington Times. Never mind...

comment #55

BadKarma40 says ...

Mr. Wells:
All I can say is that you sound a little like a facist yourself. You ought to take a good long hard look at yourself before speaking of censoring or blacklisting anyone which is what you are stating here plainly.
Apparently you don't know that as per the latest Vanity Fair piece Angie and her Dad do talk. Apparently you also don't read Washington Post OP Eds or you would have also seen she echoed some of her dads sentiments.
Like I said I know a facist statement when I see one. Yeah unlike you Mr. Wells I actually studied my history and I don't want to see it repeated here in this country. Time for you to be reminded of the first amendment little boy. Its a good thing.
Now about that "liberal tolerance" you have.......

comment #56

Mo says ...

"But you'd think an arch conservative working in an overwhelmingly liberal town would think about restraining himself for expediency's sake, if nothing else."

Mr. Voight wrote a well thought out piece, addressing specific points. Which of those points do you disagree with?

Aside from that, who are you to dictate what someone can or cannot say?

So much for free speech and tolerance. How unbelievably arrogant, to say that he should 'restrain himself', just because you happen to disagree with what he has said. Last time I checked, we are still allowed to speak our minds in this country.

Thank you for showing, however, that if people with your views came to power, this would no longer be the case.

comment #57

Joe Leydon says ...

Er, Jeff: You do know that Voight was a big Giuliani supporter, and actually appeared at campaign events with him, right?

comment #58

mjn says ...

I work in a very red part of NW Georgia. However, I cannot express my political opinions, whether via bumper sticker or water cooler conversation, unless I want to put my job in jeopardy. The right has been extremely intolerant of the left and they do have their own lists. Right wing talk-radio or should I just say talk radio demonizes liberals 24/7, so much so an angry rightie shot up a liberal church in Tennessee the other day. Righties do blacklist people all of the time and to try to call Wells out for his opinion on how he is conflicted on Voight (great performances, disagreeing with his GOP talking points op-ed) is a very sanctimonious and hypocritical position to take.

comment #59

George Prager says ...

Jon Voight is the new John Wayne. Who knew? Maybe he can do a remake of MCQ. "With what he has openly stated about his plans for our military, and his lack of understanding about the true nature of our enemies, there's not a cell in my body that can accept the idea that Mr. Obama can keep us safe from the terrorists around the world, and from Iran, which is making great strides toward getting the atomic bomb."
If he didn't sound like such a bitter old early defeated depressed resentful reactionary in the throes of a third mid-life crisis dumbass, his politics (if you can call them politics--sounds more like Voight is in the early stages of dementia) wouldn't matter.

I didn't know this:

Bruce Dern was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Jean (née MacLeish) and John Dern.[1] His paternal grandfather was George Dern, a former Utah governor and Secretary of War, and his uncle was poet Archibald MacLeish. His godfather was well-known politician Adlai Stevenson and his godmother was Eleanor Roosevelt.

comment #60

Terry McCarty says ...

ZayTonday wrote:
Voight is an idiot for regurgitating completely disingenuous fear mongering talking points, not for being a conservative.

Now, I can imagine Voight as a Presidential candidate.

comment #61

George Prager says ...

So I guess this scene is bullshit (Voight ad-libbed most of it. On the set it sounded embarrassing, Ashby tightened it in the editing room).

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1pi-fIgBG_Y

comment #62

D.Z. says ...

Bubba: "You really don't get it if you think the lesson to be learned from McCarthyism is that, given the opportunity, you should commit the exact same crime."

You seem to think that if Clinton did it, there's nothing wrong with the Republicans doing it, too.

comment #63

Coltrane says ...

Voigt is intellectually challenged because he slams Obama for what he is?

I wonder what you will say after Election Day. Blaming all the dumb and racist for the loss?

Josh,

Just for your information or education. The dumb vote is comprised of 26-30%...the people who still approve of G. Bush. The racist vote is 12%-16%...take the number of people that think he's a Muslim but are too stupid to come up with a better excuse (~12%) and add another 4% for people who admit they won't vote for a black candidate or for people who come up with a myriad of lame ass reasons. These numbers can overlap. So the John McCain vote is somewhere in the 43-46% range.

comment #64

Mo says ...

Coltrane -

It's amazing that wherever these types of discussions come up people such as yourself just call names. There is never any actual dealing with the ideas presented, just the shouting of "dumb", "racist", etc.

comment #65

Richardson says ...

"Voigt is intellectually challenged because he slams Obama for what he is?"

Not quite; he's intellectually challenged for parroting long-disproven claims of the far right which were intended to knock Obama back.

You're close, though.

"The dumb vote is comprised of 26-30%...the people who still approve of G. Bush. The racist vote is 12%-16%..."

My favorite thing about your absurd, pulled completely out of your ass numbers, is that, according to you, being dumb and being racist are mutually exclusive. Beyond that, there is just nothing there to respond to.

comment #66

chicagodad says ...

(I really should know better than to post on this thread, but....)

First off, while I believe Jeff feels that Voight's opinions and rhetoric are abominable,that isn't his main point.

His point is that, given the prevailing political bent of the field in which he works, Voight might have evinced poor judgment from a career perspective in putting forth this piece.

Secondly, this is not a free speech issue. Free speech is the idea that THE GOVERNMENT will not restrict speech, not any private enterprise or forum, etc. That's why Jeff can, if he chooses, edit your posts, ban you, etc.

In these discussions, there is always a metric assload of hyperbole being flung about by both sides. A lefty calling Bush a fascist is as fatuous as a rightie calling Obama a socialist.

And I personally will attach about as much weight to Voight's OpEd as I would one by Alec Baldwin, which is approximately none.

comment #67

Feathers McGraw says ...

I'm an Obama supporter who thinks Voight is a once-great actor who's veered into hamminess along with his dodgy political views. But...the idea of ostracizing or not employing the guy because of his wrongheaded political views is creepy and despicable. I hate the echo chamber level of discourse in the entertainment industry, so I'd rather nurture rather than muzzle the town's resident contrarians. It makes for a livelier and less self-congratulatory scene all around.

P.S. Joel Surnow is still an asshole.

comment #68

chappiesan says ...

>>>and add another 4% for people who admit they won't vote for a black candidate or for people who come up with a myriad of lame ass reasons.

I'd argue this number is a lot higher. Last summer I was in Florida having dinner with one of my father's friends - a guy with degrees from the Naval Academy and Harvard. During the course of the meal, he repeatedly told me that he would never vote democrat iin the general if that Obama guy won. I ask why. He says because he's unpatriotic. I ask why again. He tells me it's because he wears a flag pin when he speaks before crowds at college campuses, but not when he speaks before service men. I would have continued the questioning, but it was pretty obvious, and uncomfortably so, that this argument was a proxy for something else. I was surprised to hear such half-ass reasoning from someone I always assumed to be pretty well educated.

This morning he sent me three different e-mails from service men in Iraq or Afghanistan, detailing their observations of the Obama visit, each showing it's own disapproval. Here's one of them. It may be spot on, but it certainly sounds like the rest, which are all full of self-righteous horse shit.

comment #69

chicagodad says ...

This email has been posted all over the place. The author recanted, admitted that his "sources" were incorrect, and asked that the email no longer be circulated.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16345.html

comment #70

dinther says ...

Thanks Feathers -

This apocryphal "letter" from a service-member, even if authentic, is so full of crap.

First of all, anyone who has served in the military will tell you that anytime a visiting Congressional delegation - be it Senators or other official delegations - are entirely dog-and-pony shows. They are regimented down to the minute - remember McCain's tour of the Iraqi market, where he proclaimed how safe it was (while wearing a flak vest and flanked by a battalion of MPs)? Wholly orchestrated. Indeed, if soldiers are going to bitch, they should bitch about endangering their lives with unnecessary patrols so that a US Senator can make a political point - as McCain tried to do. The idea that Obama could hang with the troops is so much bullshit, and this guy knows it.

But this aside, the idea that Obama "blew off" soldiers is so f-ing far-fetched. If you met the guy, you would realize he is very pragmatic and basically decent - he doesn't have any of the haughty pomp that Kerry, McCain, Kennedy, or Warner carry with them (and that is not to say they are bad Senators - it is just their demeanor).

It's dumbshits like this "soldier" who make me happy I left the military.

comment #71

Coltrane says ...

Mo: "It's amazing that wherever these types of discussions come up people such as yourself just call names. There is never any actual dealing with the ideas presented, just the shouting of "dumb", "racist", etc."

Dude, read any polls...better yet...read my post. I'll just substitute redneck for ignorant racists. Names?? Acknowledging ignorance and racism constitutes name calling?bahahaha. ~12% think he's a Muslim. G. Bush has an approval rating hovering below 30%. These people are ideologues or just clueless. (i.e. the Republican base) And there are people who won't vote for Obama (but would otherwise vote Democratic in this cycle) b/c of race. These two human deficits obviously aren't mutually exclusive. I acknowledged the overlap. You even have GOP strategists acknowledging that race is costing Obama 4-6% in support. You take that away and McCain would be polling in the high 30s.

Now, I don't much care about heads-up polling in July but I'm not going to act like some clueless all-is-well in America clown, when people obviously still harbor racist sentiments and still believe that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. Wake the fuck up.

comment #72

Chicago48 says ...

No wonder Angie and he don't get along. I was in Jon's corner but after reading this, I'm seeing a different light.

comment #73

Richardson says ...

"These two human deficits obviously aren't mutually exclusive. I acknowledged the overlap."

You acknowledged it by saying it, but you didn't acknowledge it in your math.

comment #74

C-PhreekII says ...

Where's the love for Nate in Heat?

And I think the right can eat a few more decades of shit for the blacklist, because a few roles not offered or calls not returned doesn't come anywhere fucking close to having your entire career ended.

When a GOP backer has to go to Argentina or Russia to find work, then can compare to two.

comment #75

C-PhreekII says ...

Where's the love for Nate in Heat?

And I think the right can eat a few more decades of shit for the blacklist, because a few roles not offered or calls not returned doesn't come anywhere fucking close to having your entire career ended.

When a GOP backer has to go to Argentina or Russia to find work, then we can start comparing the two.

comment #76

D.Z. says ...

chappie: "I'd argue this number is a lot higher. Last summer I was in Florida having dinner with one of my father's friends - a guy with degrees from the Naval Academy and Harvard. During the course of the meal, he repeatedly told me that he would never vote democrat iin the general if that Obama guy won. I ask why. He says because he's unpatriotic. I ask why again. He tells me it's because he wears a flag pin when he speaks before crowds at college campuses, but not when he speaks before service men. I would have continued the questioning, but it was pretty obvious, and uncomfortably so, that this argument was a proxy for something else. I was surprised to hear such half-ass reasoning from someone I always assumed to be pretty well educated."

Do you really expect enlightenment from a rich and/or white affirmative action Ivy League School whose president had to resign after saying women are innately horrible in math and science?

"He again shunned the opportunity to talk to
Soldiers to thank them for their service."

So that photo of our troops lining up around him was faked?

"I think that if you are going to make an
effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing
the freedom that they are
providing for you."

He's thanked them in his speeches.

"In service,
[rank] [name]
[posiiton]
[unit]
American Soldier"

I'm going to bet it's a Bush-hawk in a high rank who's trying to pretend he's a low-ranking soldier.

comment #77

Mgmax says ...

Voight's clearly gone totally nuts here. I mean, it's not like Obama just gave a big speech full of gassy stuff about creating a new world addressed to the citizens of the planet and delivered to adoring crowds in Berlin...

comment #78

NOcomme1 says ...

Hey, Jeff congrats on being honest in your support of blackballing people based on their political opinions being at variance with your own. Most liberals like to fake an interest in tolerance. Not you. You are up front with your intolerance. Refreshing.

Personally I think Voight is a bright guy and his comments are on target.

Will you be contacting my employer to try to get me fired now?

comment #79

D.Z. says ...

Nocomme1: "Most liberals like to fake an interest in tolerance. Not you."

Yes, we're not like those "compassionate" conservatives who re-write the goal of the Equal Opportunity Office to address discrimination against whites rather than blacks.

comment #80

Krillian says ...

Wow. You'd think most of these posters have never read a Jeff Wells post.

I'm usually conservative on most issues, and I disagree with the whole Hannity approach to drown Obama with guilt by association. My respect for Voight has been fading for a while, with Bratz and Superbabies II and September Dawn, the guy is becoming a caricature. And it makes me sad, because he WAS great in Midnight Cowboy and Deliverance and so on.

Jeff states whatever he's feeling and how it affects how he views things. How many critics will dare say "I dislike Kal Penn" before seeing his next movie? They'll just pan the film and his performance but with Jeff, you know beforeheand he has a prejudice against the guyu and now it's more information you have to help ypu decide how much you trust his opinion of Harold & Kumar 2 or Namesake or whatever.

I think Alec Baldwin has said a few nutty things, but he's still very enjoyable and reliable in the material he picks. it helps he's become one of the Martin Scorsese Players recently. I also have deep respect for Gary SInise for the work he's done for SMA awareness (a condition I lost one child to), and hey, he's conservative on some things. Cool. So I will naturally be rooting for Sinise to do well in whatever he's working on.

As for the right getting payback for the 1950's, the right has been getting hammered in Hollywood for forty years by the Majority left in the town, so I don't know what else you want from them. Seems like when a conservative expresses his views, if he ain't an A-lister, he starts losing parts. Look what happened to Gary Oldman after The Contender, one of the funniest left-wing fantasies I've seen all decade.

But on another note... oh that's long enough.

comment #81

poe says ...

Quite right, Jeff!

Discretion is always advisable in the Stalinist virtual state you inhabit and apparently admire. Much better not to be a man and express one's views; much better to hold your tongue and knuckle under. A worm you can tolerate; never a man.

comment #82

Jimod says ...

Left wing MCCarthyism at its finest.

comment #83

Einah Teb says ...

Let's not even try to compare our disgust with Jon Voight to the horror of the McCarthy era.

Some of those blacklisted writers actually had to get other jobs, fire their pool boys, and clean their own houses for years. All because someone said "I don't think I can work with someone who supports a regime that imprisons and murders its own people by the millions."

Blacklisting conservatives is far different. After all, how can you work with someone who supports letting Iraqis vote?

comment #84

Chas says ...

i just want to point out that McCarthy had nothing to do w/ blacklisting actors/writers/directors/producers. that investigation was done by HUAC, which McCarthy had nothing to do with.

comment #85

chicagodad says ...

Now Chas, for God's sake, don't go bringing facts into this. You'll just muddle the vitriol.

comment #86

ZayTonday says ...

McCarthy may not have been directly responsible for the HUAC, but if you honestly think that it wasn't a byproduct of McCarthyism then you're batshit insane.

comment #87

Dobeln says ...

"Obama doesn't have any real connection to Ayers or Farrakhan like the Republicans would like you to think"

Indeed - while it might be true that Obama's pastor of 20 years, "spiritual mentor" and advisor recently bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award on Farrakhan, and that the Obama campaign describes the senator as being "friendly" with Ayers*, such statements represent double-plus-ungood thinking and is hence operationally untrue, regardless of bourgeois so-called "facts".


*Plus some fund-raiser hosting, serving on the same board, etc.

comment #88

Dobeln says ...

.Jeff states whatever he's feeling and how it affects how he views things. How many critics will dare say "I dislike Kal Penn" before seeing his next movie?


True - Jeff deserves credit for being upfront about his feelings on the blog. And I'm pretty sure Voight knew what he was getting into. Hey, one of the nice things about getting old is having the luxury of not giving a flying f*ck anymore, no?

comment #89

Dobeln says ...

"Do you really expect enlightenment from a rich and/or white affirmative action Ivy League School (snip)"

Again - a striking observation. After all, currently a black applicant is merely about 200 times more likely than an equally qualified white applicant to gain admission to an Ivy League school. For true justice to prevail, that multiple must reach at the very least 400.

...whose president had to resign after saying women are innately horrible in math and science?"


Excellent use of the progressive "goodfact" alternative to the more regressive and conventional "truefact"! You are to be commended!

comment #90

syn says ...

I'm voting for Socialist Obama because his 59% tax increase on Hollywood affluent movers and shakers will put them all out of business.

A vote for Obama is a vote for bankrupting Hollywood: I am looking forwards to an Obama distruction of Tinsel Town.

Thanks Hollywood for bankrolling Obama, you want change you're going to get it.

Heh.

comment #91

syn says ...

I'm voting for Socialist Obama because his 59% tax increase on Hollywood affluent movers and shakers will put them all out of business.

A vote for Obama is a vote for bankrupting Hollywood: I am looking forward to an Obama destruction of Tinsel Town.

Thanks Hollywood for bankrolling Obama, you want change you're going to get it.

Heh.

comment #92

Mgmax says ...

"McCarthy may not have been directly responsible for the HUAC, but if you honestly think that it wasn't a byproduct of McCarthyism then you're batshit insane."

Though it's also worth noting that HUAC was founded in the late 30s, and spent a happy decade going after FDR's political enemies before Republicans took it over. So the payback Jeff feels rightwingers who weren't even born then owe lefties? HUAC under J. Parnell Thomas WAS payback.

comment #93

reine.de.tout says ...

LOL, you guys are so funny. Voight thinks differently from you, therefore he must be stupid. Pretty arrogant, doncha think, to believe that only you can have a valid opinion?

comment #94

el polacko says ...

gotta love how the barack devotees get all upset if you point out that his policy aims are generally socialist, but then they turn around and say that america needs to be more socialist. just like their fearless leader, they talk out of both sides of their mouths.

comment #95

PennGuy86 says ...

Another stunning example of liberal intolerance. God forbid anyone deign to think for himself/herself.

I respect Jon Voight more than ever for standing up to this bigotry and un-American intolerance of diverse opinion. And, I will join Mr. Voight in voting for Senator McCain.

comment #96

Jim C. says ...

"I might very well say to myself, 'Voight? Let him eat cake.' "

An accidentally revealing choice of phrase. I presume you had Marie Antoinette in mind (although she didn't say it).

I'm guessing this is the way you feel about conservatives, most of the downtrodden that liberals claim to want to help, and most of the people who work under you.

Thanks for finally saying it. We knew you had it in you. But let's hope you don't go the same way as Marie Antoinette.

comment #97

Bill Whittle says ...

First of all, this substitution of snark for wit or intelligence does not surprise me, and given the source, I expected no less and certainly expected no more.

Second, by arguing that a person deserves to be blacklisted because of their political beliefs, you place your self on the precise moral plane as McCarthy -- pathetic, really, since all you morons can ever do is claim a moral high road since fact, history and logic are not your friends nor do I think you have ever been even casual acquaintances.

Third, twenty plus years of association with the people Jon Voight accuses Obama of consorting with present far more evidence that he is correct than you or your readers can refute by referencing "Runaway Train..." Again, snark and bile are not arguments; they are what people without arguments use to make some sort of sound come out of their mouths.

Fourth, I see 4 Oscar nominations and 1 win for Jon Voight. The IMDB listing for "Jeffrey Wells" is considerably less impressive than that of... oh... Pat Boone, say.

Fifth, Jon Voight is a personal friend of mine, and he is without question the most kind, decent individual I have ever known. While no-talent hacks like you pump out this drivel, he is donating his time and money behind the scenes to help firefighters, soldiers, and all the other 'nobodies' that allow a society to afford narcissist bottom-dwellers like yourself.

Sixth, and finally, my name is Bill Whittle, I'm the editor for SHOOTOUT with Peter Bart and Peter Guber, I'm a conservative and a Republican so BY ALL MEANS get your black-listing, fascist ass in gear Jeffrey and start making some phone calls.

You miserable, totalitarian, chicken-shit coward.

comment #98

Duke of DeLand says ...

YEE HAW!!!!! Bill Whittle, YOU DA MAN!

The elitist idiotarions located on this site are so far removed from the voters of these USA that they stink.

YOU tagged it completely!

Let us all decide who gets what by their views....NICE statement for the fact of idiocy in the media...including Gollywood!

Duke

comment #99

D.Z. says ...

Krillian: "As for the right getting payback for the 1950's, the right has been getting hammered in Hollywood for forty years by the Majority left in the town, so I don't know what else you want from them."

We want them to let us have our say in debates, since they own most of the news outlets.

"Seems like when a conservative expresses his views, if he ain't an A-lister, he starts losing parts. Look what happened to Gary Oldman after The Contender, one of the funniest left-wing fantasies I've seen all decade."

Oldman lost work, because he's an abusive drunk. If Hollywood were really "leftist", it wouldn't hire him for kiddie films.

poe: "Discretion is always advisable in the Stalinist virtual state you inhabit and apparently admire. Much better not to be a man and express one's views; much better to hold your tongue and knuckle under. A worm you can tolerate; never a man."

There's nothing manly about sending other people to die in your place.

Einah: 'Some of those blacklisted writers actually had to get other jobs, fire their pool boys, and clean their own houses for years. All because someone said "I don't think I can work with someone who supports a regime that imprisons and murders its own people by the millions."'

But they can vote for Republicans who support Saddam when he does it, right?

"Blacklisting conservatives is far different. After all, how can you work with someone who supports letting Iraqis vote?"

They voted us out, so how are we supporting their will?

Dobeln: "After all, currently a black applicant is merely about 200 times more likely than an equally qualified white applicant to gain admission to an Ivy League school."

The only black guy I knew who went to Yale did so because his parents had the money.

"Excellent use of the progressive "goodfact" alternative to the more regressive and conventional "truefact"! You are to be commended!"

Excellent use of BS English grammatic arguments to avoid the point.

syn: "I'm voting for Socialist Obama because his 59% tax increase on Hollywood affluent movers and shakers will put them all out of business."

They're worth billions, so no dice.

elpolacko: "gotta love how the barack devotees get all upset if you point out that his policy aims are generally socialist, but then they turn around and say that america needs to be more socialist."

No, I just hate people who rail against socialism while supporting the bailing out of banks.

Jim: "I'm guessing this is the way you feel about conservatives, most of the downtrodden that liberals claim to want to help, and most of the people who work under you."

I didn't know conservatives count as downtrodden.

Bill: "Second, by arguing that a person deserves to be blacklisted because of their political beliefs, you place your self on the precise moral plane as McCarthy -- pathetic, really, since all you morons can ever do is claim a moral high road since fact, history and logic are not your friends"

Um, us losing Vietnam and enabling Osama proves history is on our side. Logic is not on your side, though, since everything you've said about the market is wrong.
http://www.salon.com/comics/tomo/2008/07/29/tomo/

"Third, twenty plus years of association with the people Jon Voight accuses Obama of consorting with present far more evidence that he is correct than you or your readers can refute by referencing "Runaway Train..."'

So does that mean you're all intolerant bigots because you heart Falwell?

"While no-talent hacks like you pump out this drivel, he is donating his time and money behind the scenes to help firefighters, soldiers, and all the other 'nobodies' that allow a society to afford narcissist bottom-dwellers like yourself."

Is he enlisting? Is he protesting the crappy conditions under the V.A. or Rudy screwing over the rescue workers in NYC?

"You miserable, totalitarian, chicken-shit coward."

So when are you going to enlist and speak out against FISA and torture?

comment #100

john galt says ...

Bravo to Jon Voight for having the guts to speak his mind..and also for speaking the unmentionable name in this
election cycle..William Ayers!!

For the real truth on America's fraud, Barack Obama,

GOOGLE:

BARACK OBAMA CHICAGO ANNENBERG CHALLENGE

a subject Obama wants no one to know about..33 years old and fresh out of Harvard , he was selected to lead a 110 million dollar charity..never heard about it you say?..

YOU HAVE A DUTY AS AN AMERICAN TO LEARN ABOUT IT!!!

comment #101

D.Z. says ...

Duke: "The elitist idiotarions located on this site are so far removed from the voters of these USA that they stink."

So the under 30% of the people who still approve of Bush count as the voters of this country?

comment #102

john galt says ...

Bravo to Jon Voight for having the guts to speak his mind..and also for speaking the unmentionable name in this
election cycle..William Ayers!!

For the real truth on America's fraud, Barack Obama,

GOOGLE:

BARACK OBAMA CHICAGO ANNENBERG CHALLENGE

a subject Obama wants no one to know about..33 years old and fresh out of Harvard , he was selected to lead a 110 million dollar charity..never heard about it you say?..

YOU HAVE A DUTY AS AN AMERICAN TO LEARN ABOUT IT!!!

comment #103

D.Z. says ...

galt: "Bravo to Jon Voight for having the guts to speak his mind.."

What guts? He's just washed-up and trying to get attention.

"a subject Obama wants no one to know about..33 years old and fresh out of Harvard , he was selected to lead a 110 million dollar charity..never heard about it you say?.."

*cough* Carlyle Group *cough*

comment #104

john galt says ...

D.Z..

welcome to the October Surprise

as far as your carlyle group B.S. goes

let's see how that stacks up to Obama working hand in hand with an unrepentant terrorist who just last year gave an American bashing speech to hugo chavez

comment #105

chicagodad says ...

Ah, the beautiful state of American political discourse in 2008.

You know, when Kennedy was elected, John Wayne was quoted as saying something along the lines of:

"I didn't vote for him, but he's my President and I hope he does a good job."

Now we're calling each other "totalitarians," "fascists," "chicken-shit," and "bigots."

Lincoln and Douglas would be proud.

comment #106

D.Z. says ...

galt: "let's see how that stacks up to Obama working hand in hand with an unrepentant terrorist"

Bush gave citizenship to a Cuban who blew up planes, just because he was "prepping" for Castro.

"who just last year gave an American bashing speech to hugo chavez"

Yes, and Republicans embraced Falwell. What's your point?

comment #107

Jim C. says ...

D.Z. wrote, "I didn't know conservatives count as downtrodden."

Read my comment again, but carefully, unlike your first pass, and you'll realize I didn't say that. It seems you need to work on your reading comprehension as much as Mr. Wells should write more carefully so he doesn't inadvertently expose his true beliefs.

comment #108

scs says ...

I wonder how many people dissing JW's post actually read Voight's OpEd piece? The man's not just a right wing conservative, he's a fucking right wing nut case. Much as I disagree with most of the politics of Schwarzenegger and other Hollywood conservatives (Dennis MIiller, John Milius, etc.) at least they usually advance their ideas within some realm of reality and reason; but Voight's ideas are situated in some looney tune Pat Robertson/Lyndon Larouche counter world. Voight's screed on what the "communist" 1960s anti-war protesters wrought ranks with Robertson's calling Katrina the result of New Orleans gay parades!

comment #109

scs says ...

And yep, I'd add, like some of the other posters, if Obama's a socialist(lol), bring socialism on. Bush/McCaine's brand of capitalism sure isn't working.

comment #110

chicagodad says ...

Jim C said:

"Read my comment again, but carefully, unlike your first pass, and you'll realize I didn't say that. It seems you need to work on your reading comprehension as much as Mr. Wells should write more carefully so he doesn't inadvertently expose his true beliefs."

Jim C, you do realize that you're taking Wells to task for saying Voight should have censored himself by saying Wells should censor himself, right?

comment #111

trentk269 says ...

Jeffrey, you Hollywood libs are hilarious. After whining for 50 years about the blacklist of Communists, you socialists and assorted idiots have far exceeded Tailgunner Joe's poor efforts at ideological purity.

It's why Hollywood continues to turn out trash that people don't watch, and why it continues to leave money on the table by ignoring normal Americans, of which it, and you, are obviously not a part.

comment #112

John Loftus says ...

My name is John Loftus. I am a lifelong Democrat and an outspoken Obama supporter. One of my best friends, Jon Voight, recently wrote an op ed piece supporting McCain. Shame on Jeffrey Wells for saying Jon should be blacklisted simply for speaking his mind. Jon has repeatedly risked his career by criticizing racism and bigotry on the left and the right. Jon and I were among the few Catholics who publicly condemned Gibson's film for its subtle anti-semitism. Where was Wells?

comment #113

John Loftus says ...

My name is John Loftus. I am a lifelong Democrat and an outspoken Obama supporter. One of my best friends, Jon Voight, recently wrote an op ed piece supporting McCain. Shame on Jeffrey Wells for saying Jon should be blacklisted simply for speaking his mind. Jon has repeatedly risked his career by criticizing racism and bigotry on the left and the right. Jon and I were among the few Catholics who publicly condemned Gibson's film for its subtle anti-semitism. Where was Wells?

comment #114

D.Z. says ...

trent: "After whining for 50 years about the blacklist of Communists, you socialists and assorted idiots have far exceeded Tailgunner Joe's poor efforts at ideological purity."

I'm not really sure why we're socialists, but people who bail out banks are capitalists. It's also hypocritical to be talking about ideological purity while supporting an administration which fired lawyers on the basis of party lines.

"It's why Hollywood continues to turn out trash that people don't watch"

If they don't watch it, why are they currently worth billions?

comment #115

theDeets says ...

fyi... I think Mr. & Mrs. Pitt were in the early stages of an 'Atlas Shrugged' project when she found herself blessed with a fine set of twins, as I gleefully imagine, at his most persistent urging. I have no idea where the project stands now? Do you?... The film that is.

thx D

comment #116

cameobt says ...

?? Suffering and courage (?) in a prison camp are not automatic credentials for Presidency.

Also, twisted logic: Obama grew up in Hawaii, raised by his white, middle-class grandparents -- presumably not with the "teaching" of "angry, militant white and black people" in Chicago and New York. He was apparently a normal, smart kid who went t Occidental (Catholic) College, then Columbia and Harvard Law School. By my calculations he was twenty years too late to be hanging out with Black Panthers -- not that he would have chosen to do so. Remind me how Jon Voight came to be a political commentator? :-)

comment #117

dizzledawg says ...

Mr. Wells is acting like Joseph McCarthy, the arch-villain of the liberal/left foundation. He is making a martyr out of Jon Voight. Things are far different now days - the Hollywood Left is seen for what it is by millions of people - and it ain't good.

Mr. Wells thinks Jon Voight is mentally challenged. Seems that not seeing the colossal irony of his label and blacklisting of Mr. Voight is just brain dead.

comment #118

Big E says ...

It seems Mr. Voight's comments struck a nerve. Mr. Voight is one of a few hollywood celebs. It's funny, to here talk of a blacklist and never supporting him as an actor again. How do you think consevatives feel when choosing a movie to spend hard earned money on. When 95% of big screen actors are far left. You liberals are just experiencing a very small taste of what conservatives hear from the movie industry everyday. And Mr. Wells, who hopes left wing producers and higher ups in the movie industry take note of Mr. Voight; well myself and thousands like me take careful note before buying tickets. Typical liberal, you preach about the little guy but you quickly forget who makes it all work. The ticket buyer.

comment #119

Cynicalme says ...

So. Mr. Voight tells the truth and the Left goes ballistic. What a surprise.

comment #120

Cynicalme says ...

In answer to CAMEOBT: Mr. Voight has the same right to speak his political opinions as you, or any other leftist, does. With 9 out of 10 Hollywood types openly espousing the demise of the Republic it is refreshing to hear a differing (and accurate) opinion.

comment #121

liberalssuck says ...

Jon Voight wrote a great article and nailed it on the head!
Jeffrey Wells you are indeed an asshole if you believe Jon is wrong. Not only does he speak the truth, He is a man most American would back. Just a month ago we came so close to losing our 2nd amendment! To close, This liberal way of thinking is so old! Just like Jeffrey, getting old and hair from the 50's! Time to wake up and smell the coffee! By the way remember one very important thing Jeffrey, we are the people that watch TV and go to the movies, we can make or break anyone! NOT YOU! So go put that list where it hurts!

comment #122

RATFather says ...

Mr. Wells:

I have not spent 20 years of my life wearing a uniform so idiots like you can use tactics of REPRISAL against those who utilize the freedoms that I and countless others have sworn to uphold.

The freedom of speech being one of them.

The freedom to be the village idiot without fear of someone 'firing' you because of your opinions being another.

Glad to see you know how to utilize BOTH.

Your welcome.

comment #123

Robert Sciolino says ...

It is utterly fascinating to see the "progressive" point of view take the aggressive black-listing or "shunning" position of the 1950's right-wing zeolots. Much as the right-wing of McCarthy, the left today seems terrified of honest debate. Much like the anti-communist movement after WWII, today's left portends to be the holders of absolute truth and tolerant only to those that espouse their belief system. Jon Voight simply believes in the power of the individual not only when it comes to liberty but equally...individual responsibility. There-in lies the problem. The left believes in collective responsiblity. That well-intended idea not only has failed for the last 100 years, it by its very nature shuts down personal liberty. The left has yet to discover that. Therefore they shun those that have. There is no substitute for personal responsibilty and self-reliance. Jon Voight understands that and thus is shunned by those who do not. Welcome to the new age of McCarthyism.

comment #124

salsachica82 says ...

I enjoyed watching your segment on the Bill O'Riley show. You were well spoken, and extremely humble.

I think let him eat cake is a very smart comment to end the blog... I get it.

You aren't completely bashing him, you are playing the indifferent, yet, above it card...I think it was brilliant, even though I am a typical conservative.

It's wrong to lose sight of even our opponants strengths.
I'm not a huge supporter of Obama, but I am reading his books, and I ordered a button the other day. (Obama is a brilliant speaker, and he evokes hope in many hopeless or tired people... as well as many great and well-spoken people... to critique him, without noticing who you may demoralize may be the greatest ill of all.)

I personally am a limited supporter of McCain, not necessarily the negative ad McCain of today, but the McCain who had his limbs re-broken and stayed an additional 5 years in captivity because he believed first in, first to leave... He wanted others to leave before he did... and i think it's great that he gave the green bay packers names when asked to provide critical information during torture... I guarantee you that no president before him has endure such hardship. He openly admitted trying to commit suicide while capture, he was at his wits end... and I often feel like that, hopeless....

I think it's pretty twisted that we live in a world that wouldn't really vote for the guy who had his arms and legs re-broken, and was tortured 5 years in the Name of AMERICA. Veterans always have my vote, as long as they can live by what they stood for as they served...

My only hesitation for voting for OBAMA is that I fear I'd be voting based on skin color, and because it's politically correct with my college buddies and co-workers.

i don't feel he's my favorite canidate, but I'd love to see a minority bi-racial canidate in office. That makes me feel divided on chosing to vote in NOV.

Do I vote for the guy who's inspiring America to Change for the better, and taking those who are most desperate for good things for America....but who I feel has some seriously similar to socialistic views of how much private sector and government should collide...

Or do I vote for the Ultimate patriot, who now turned to bad mouthing, affairs, and mean Ad's.

Sometimes I hate politics, because this debate is ultimately going to be playing within my own mind, more than CNN and FOX combined.

comment #125

EJO says ...

Jeff Wells is the type of loud empty buffoon that is contributing to the polarization of US society and the mindless promotion of Obama's socialist "big-government is here to help" agenda that will further damage our nation. GW Bush has made an embarrassment of the Presidency and history will find him to be one of the worst Presidents in modern history - yet this does not justify voting for Obama. I don't know about you Jeff but I don't want to live in a country where the Govt. is working hard to "make the world the way it should be" (to quote Mrs. Obama). I want to live in a country where I am free to pursue happiness and define my own personal priorities - not the priorities of the Govt. or delusional hateful people like yourself.