I'm something of an amateur historian. I find most rewarding research that shows how someone--an individual, a community, a movement--got to where they ended up. It's the most instructive part of studying history, because you can begin to see how things relate, how one incident, taken in isolation, may make…
Further to Sarah’s post about films that help make sense of George Bush’s presidency, another film that should be required viewing for anyone trying to make sense of Bush’s America is the movie, “Wag The Dog.” As entertainment, it’s a disappointing movie; but, as political commentary, it utterly anticipates George Bush’s presidency.
The movie, released in early 1998 (note the proximity to the beginning of Bush’s first presidential campaign), is set in modern times, and is about an American president running for re-election. A scandal occurs immediately before the election that threatens to cripple the President’s campaign, but before the scandal can undermine the President’s chances, his political advisors realize that the best way to win re-election is to divert public attention away from the scandal by creating an even bigger story: a war. So, they set out to manufacture a war.
There are certain films which should be required viewing for anyone trying to make sense out of life in George Bush's America. One is Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957), shot in black and white on a budget of less than 1 million dollars. Paths of Glory is set…
Speaking about the actions of the passengers depicted in the recently released movie on Flight 93, President Bush said: "I believe that. I believe that it was the first counter-attack to World War III. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19043507-38198,00.html
At one point while making his way through the press questioners, Bush awkwardly referred to a list of reporters whom he was instructed to call on. "This is scripted," he joked. The press laughed. But Bush meant it was scripted, literally. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer later admitted he compiled…