Anyone Going to Watch ABC's 9/11 Tonight?

[Maggie_T]

Inspite of ABC caving in to liberal pressure and editing ... make that "censoring" some scenes?

I found this article on Drudge.

Controversial 9/11 Film Airs Abroad -- Here Are Edits -- More Changes in U.S.?

By E&P Staff

Published: September 10, 2006 5:05 PM ET updated 5:45 PM

NEW YORK With the first part of the controversial "Path to 9/11" movie set to air on ABC in the U.S. tonight, no one yet knows exactly what scene or lines may have been cut since criticism of the movie ramped up this week.

However, the film has already aired in some countries abroad, and one enterprising viewer in New Zealand has put up several clips (with liberal commentary) at YouTube. The clips reveal some significant edits, but by no means the elimination of certain scenes or flashpoints that so alarmed liberal critics and former Clinton officials (and Bill Clinton himself).

-----

The two scenes that received the most attention this week were one involving a near-attack on bin Laden's camp in Afghanistan called off by Clinton aide Sandy Berger, and the other in which Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was fingered for tipping off bin Laden about a missile attack by notifying Pakistan in advance.

The Berger scene, E&P observed via YouTube, remained largely intact -- at least for New Zealand -- but no longer shows him ending the conversation by suddenly cutting the phone call. It does drop some of the on-the-scene shots from Afghanistan that underscored how close we were to bin Laden's camp. (That may be because, according to the 9/11 Commission, this whole episode did not take place.) The scene still cuts directly to Afghan rebel Massood calling Americans "cowards."

The Albright scene has new dialogue, and some old dialogue cut, but still indicts her for telling Pakistan about the attack, as required since cruise missiles had to go over Pakistani territory and might have set off nuclear fears, Albright explains.

Another key scene, in which a composite CIA agent named "Kirk" complains about Clinton's lack of action, is now softened somewhat in the dialogue, but still cuts to the president's famous assertion that he did not have "sexual relations" with Monica Lewinsky.


Link (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003119684)

Hubby and I are still undecided. I mean, if they made cuts, you can bet your life they are cuts in favor of the Clinton administration. So, what's the good of watching it?

On the other hand ... :question:

So. What are you going to do?

[UnkHiram]

I am gonna watch it

[Naturalized-Texan]

I will watch it and tape it. BTW, Rush promised to tell us what changes were made since he saw the advanced showing a couple of weeks ago. I look forward to hearing Rush's commentary.

[Lubbock]

I'm going to watch.

I've been back and forth on the issue, but have finally made up my mind to watch.

[Beowulf]

Nah! I know enough about 9/11 without having the truth altered. Besides, I'm gonna cozy up with my bride and watch a movie.

[EveningStar]

I'm not going to watch it.

[Peachdiane]

Dave and I are watching it... we figure we will see the original sometime hopefully!

[Lubbock]

I'm two hours and ten minutes into it, and all I've gotten out of it so far is what we already know: Islamofacism is a threat to the world; the Clintonistas did what we knew they did: nothing; the people who tried to do something were stopped at every turn by Clintonistas more concerned with politics than the safety of American lives; Blowjob Billy was more concerned with keeping his pants down around his ankles in the Oval Office than keeping America safe from terrorism.

Plain and simple.

If ABC did anything to abate the impact of placing blame on Clinton, I'd sure like to see what got left on the cutting room floor, because so far they have not spared him.

[BarkleUSA]

Amazing how ABC did in 2 hours what Clinton has been trying to do for the past 6 years; Define the Clinton Legacy.

[Riverboat]

All I've gotten out of it so far is a really full bladder. Three hours and no commercial breaks!

[Timberwolf]

For the most part, I got POd...not due to any "cuts", but by being reminded of the absolute incompetence of Half-bright, Kessler, Burglar, etal...Richard Clarke (if portrayed accurately) actually TRIED to do his job. It was nice to see Tenet finally 'grow a pair' when confronting Half-bright concerning taking UbL.

ABC, regardless of any cuts made, did a fairly good job. I'm taping tomorrow's episode as I'll be unable to watch when it's broadcast.

[Lubbock]

If I had known that two hours and forty minutes into it, I was going to be greeted with "Nightline" and Terry Moran [Moron], who is more disrespectful to the President than David Gregory, I might not have watched.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I agree with you Timber.

They may have "softened" things, but the message was transmitted loud and clear, imho -- Clinton was too "busy" to worry about this, Half-bright wouldn't know her butt from a hole in the ground, and 9/11 most certainly could have been prevented IF "our" hands weren't tied behind our backs by bureaucrats.

I'm going to have to work around the telly tomorrow -- I want to see the conclusion, but Monday night is prime telly time in this house (Prison Break) so I'll probably have to watch it in my bedroom on the tiny tv.

I would be interested in hearing Rush Limbaugh's take on this, for sure.

[Gonzo67]

It does drop some of the on-the-scene shots from Afghanistan that underscored how close we were to bin Laden's camp. (That may be because, according to the 9/11 Commission, this whole episode did not take place.) The scene still cuts directly to Afghan rebel Massood calling Americans "cowards."


Actually, thats inaccurate. It does not show Massood calling Americans "cowards". He asked "Are there any men left in Washington, or are they all cowards?" A legitimate question, insinuating that our POLITICIANS are cowards, which, as we have experienced in our country, with the inaction in regards to standing behind our troops, protecting our borders, it would appear that yes, indeed, Washington is filled with Cowards.

[Lubbock]

I learned this morning that the "Nightline" broadcast at 9:40 p.m. [Lubbock time] was due to the twenty minutes ABC cut out of the film. ABC had to fill the time with something.

[DoctorDoom]

My TV is solely for viewing my collection of VHS flicks (I use the puter for DVDs). The last time it was used for actual broadcast viewing was on 9-11 and the few days afterward, and I had to jury-rig an antenna for that. Ergo, I shan't be wasting my time with the program.

[Maggie_T]

Hubby and I did not watch it in the end. We thought that if it was censored, then there was no point in watching it.

As for the blame being put where it belongs (Clinton), keep in mind that the show only just started. There are other chapters coming. Any bets who'll be blamed in the rest of the chapters?

I think I'll pass. I have a bellyfull of "It is/was/will be Bush's fault!" I really don't think I can take any more.

[Kathy29]

I was riveted. I don't think I blinked once. Almost every scene reminded me of something I heard at the time.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Me too, Kathy -- I thought it was well put together, and a genuine sense of laying out the facts, more than a romantic (romantic in the sense of having fiction an imaginative and/or emotional appeal, not "romance") story. I will be watching the conclusing this evening.

[Pendragon_6]

It showed Clinton's half-assed responses, and that was fine by me. Will be watching tonight, curious to hear President Bush's address at 9-9:20 PM EDT.

[Naturalized-Texan]

Today Rush said that he had it from an unimpeachable source that only one minute of the 5 hours was edited out - apparently that was the part where Sandy Burglar hung up on the CIA agents waiting for approval to capture Osama bin Laden.

He also said that the reason that it ended 20 minutes early was that it was originally filmed to include commercial breaks, but that ABC decided to air it commercial-free.

[Lubbock]

Well, if Rush said it, I believe it. Now the twenty minutes makes sense, and the one minute cut is not a blip.

As I said in in earlier post, if ABC had altered anything to lessen the impact of Clinton's blame, I couldn't see it. It didn't appear to me that they had spared him.

The decision to air it without commercial interruption was a wise one, because the story flowed in such a way that I don't know where they could have broken in for commercials.

In light of what NT reports from Rush, ABC may just get a two thumbs up from me.

Of course, tonight it will be the Bush Administration on the hot seat, so we'll se how they treat him.

Tomorrow it may be two thumbs down. Let's see if they take into account the three weeks transition thanks to Albore's attempt to thwart the electorate, as opposed to a three months transition afforded most Administrations coming into office; and the fact that GWB was in office ten months as opposed to Clinton EIGHT YEARS.

Those factors and how they are handled will be the decider for me.