Dark Side and Dark Circles

I think I'd be worn out from yesterday's migraine anyway, even if I hadn't stayed up until almost midnight for the past two nights to watch a Frontline on Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, and the way the intelligence communities (not to mention a Secretary of State) were used and abused between 9/11 and the runup to the invasion of Iraq. I did stay up to watch that documentary, however, and now I'm exhausted—and fascinated.

I'm one of the few among my friends and acquaintences to have strongly disliked (nay, hated) Farenheight 9/11. It wasn't the subject matter so much as the way the movie was strung together with hyperbole, innuendo, overwrought emotion, and, in many spots, what looked to my narrowed eyes like half-truths. I'm not as well-read as many on the inner workings of the Bush administration and the war on terror, but I have done some reading, and I would have preferred to see a documentary that spoke to my head rather than trying to inflame my heart.

Frontline's The Dark Side was just what I was looking for. From a Boston Globe review of the episode, forwarded to me from Al this morning:

To many, Cheney is the dark side of the Bush administration, and this program will only cement that judgment. "Frontline" chronicles the brutal campaign by two consummate political in-fighters -- Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld -- to decimate the CIA, politically emasculate Secretary of State Colin Powell, and construct a near-limitless concept of executive power during war. While many of these strands are familiar, they have not been assembled as effectively before on television to present a coherent picture of what happened after 9/11.

I highly recommend both the full Globe review and the Frontline documentary, which will be available for viewing on the Frontline website at 5pm today.

Posted by Lori in politics and television at 10:19 AM on June 22, 2006

Comments (3)

Josie [TypeKey Profile Page]:

Hmm...fascinating! I'll have to check out that Frontline show...thanks for the tip. I haven't seen "Farenheit 9/11," but did see "Bowling for Columbine." While Michael Moore makes some very good points, I have to agree with you that he is a bit much at times.

gauge [TypeKey Profile Page]:

Didn't get a glance at the frontline show either, but Michael Moore's "ins and outs" are a little confusing in "Farenheit 9/11," I'm sure the documentary was made to give a larger view on the bush administration rather the actual happenings of the tragedy, ya think ? I mean, the Bush administration is a lost cause to me, but the film was entertaining as far as pointing out his and their losses. At the same time though the film could have focused more on 9/11 because it switches from time to time.... from bashing Bush, to 9/11 and back. Confusing and idiotic to Bush supporters but it was a pretty vast explanation to me. Bottom line though, i think the Doc. could have been named something else in general. Reason being is viewers (as in Rep.,Demo., and Independents) automatically start to fall into Michael's scenario that Bush was responsible at the start of the film. Do you know of any other showtimes for the frontline show ?

Lori [TypeKey Profile Page]:

I don't know of additional airings on television, sorry. I believe the web broadcast is free, however, and you can order a DVD as well.

Comments

Hmm...fascinating! I'll have to check out that Frontline show...thanks for the tip. I haven't seen "Farenheit 9/11," but did see "Bowling for Columbine." While Michael Moore makes some very good points, I have to agree with you that he is a bit much at times.

Posted by: Josie [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 22, 2006 1:37 PM

Didn't get a glance at the frontline show either, but Michael Moore's "ins and outs" are a little confusing in "Farenheit 9/11," I'm sure the documentary was made to give a larger view on the bush administration rather the actual happenings of the tragedy, ya think ? I mean, the Bush administration is a lost cause to me, but the film was entertaining as far as pointing out his and their losses. At the same time though the film could have focused more on 9/11 because it switches from time to time.... from bashing Bush, to 9/11 and back. Confusing and idiotic to Bush supporters but it was a pretty vast explanation to me. Bottom line though, i think the Doc. could have been named something else in general. Reason being is viewers (as in Rep.,Demo., and Independents) automatically start to fall into Michael's scenario that Bush was responsible at the start of the film. Do you know of any other showtimes for the frontline show ?

Posted by: gauge [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 22, 2006 6:38 PM

I don't know of additional airings on television, sorry. I believe the web broadcast is free, however, and you can order a DVD as well.

Posted by: Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 23, 2006 3:58 PM

Comments are now closed.