The multi-front pressure Clinton Administration forces have placed on ABC-TV regarding the pending “docu-drama” surrounding the run-up to 9/11 is paying off, with ABC now on the defensive and production consultant Tom Kean positioning himself as an advocate for script and scene edits.
Howie Kurtz’s article in the Washington Post this morning makes it appear as though the Clinton people won’t be satisfied until the program is moved off of network television and on to cable — like CBS did with it’s Reagan docu-drama — or even killed outright.
Despite the weak, anemic and generally incompetent foreign policy foreign policy record of the Clinton Administration, ABC clumsily opened the door to criticism by essentially admitting some scenes were “dramatized” and not factual.
With the program to be aired so close to a critical election, it seems foolish to have even moved forward with this program in the first place — especially when the 9/11 Commission itself is being used to legitimize the program.
Look for more pressure on ABC to cave further, and for Bob Iger to take even more heat.
Bottom line: the Clinton forces have shown themselves quite effective in shaping the nature of the ABC program as a fraud, even though it’s not.
Even Bill Bennett is saying on CNN this morning that ABC needs to correct the record, the scenes, and the nature of the program.
“If you want to make a case against the Clinton Administration, fine, but do so on facts.”
Agreed.