GOP lobbyist Stipanovich re: "Recount": "...the scenes in which I appear are essentially correct"

[sabra]

http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/article521957.ece

<snip>

Stipanovich, a longtime Tallahassee power broker, is shown directing Harris' efforts from inside the secretary of state's office, encouraging her to interpret election laws in ways that would favor Bush.

He said last week that many scenes in Recount boiled down meetings involving scores of people to fewer characters, playing up the vision of Harris as an airhead.

"Did I tell Katherine that we needed to bring this election in for a landing?" said Stipanovich. "Yes, I did, but she wasn't standing there like a ditz drying her nails (as the movie shows)."

He agreed that Dern's performance seems influenced by the Harris we saw during her run for the U.S. Senate — when her tumultuous candidacy chewed through countless aides, who later dished to the press about her erratic behavior.

"In terms of content, the scenes in which I appear are essentially correct," Stipanovich added. "In terms of presentation, they have been significantly modified for dramatic effect, and not to Katherine's benefit."

[phantom power]

1. You know what's interesting here?

His concern over Katherine Harris' portrayal seems to greatly outweigh any possible concern that he was portrayed as fixing a goddamned presidential election.

[DS1]

2. Deflection, often the first step in the GOP playbook

[Cosmocat]

3. isn't that funny ???

same thought ...

[sabra]

4. he doesn't even try to hide it...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. He probably doesn't see it as fixing the election.

But rather prematurely ending an election when it yielded favorable results. That was one of the more interesting and fair aspects of Recount - that it showed the other side (I'm assuming all DUers are on Gore's side, of course) more as truly believing that Bush won and trying to secure that result (and defend against us stealing the election).

[phantom power]

9. Yes, I also noticed that.

It brings up that age old question. Are they stupid, or are they lying?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. The answer is simultaneously both and neither.

That's the funny thing about being a believer. You might not necessarily be stupid, yet still believe things you otherwise would not. And yet that doesn't make one a liar either, except perhaps to themselves.

[PDJane]

6. ayuh..........

That's what struck me, too. Excuse me? Katherine Harris helped steal the election, you helped steal the election, and you're worried that she comes across as a ditz??? WHAT???

[JackRiddler]

13. Actually, he doesn't seem very worried about it.

It sounds like a straightforward and honest accounting. Yes, the movie is accurate about how we fixed the election. No, it's still a movie and Harris isn't quite that much of a caricature.

He sounds entirely satisfied about both.

[wicket]

7. A-fucking-men!!!!!

[unpossibles]

14. not surprising

I had a hardline type tell me that he thought the only problems with Iran-Contra were that they got caught and that Clinton spent too much money investigating it. Seriously. And several other times he has expressed the idea that a coup against a democratically elected leftist leader is an acceptable and favorable outcome. And he's said that we're in Iraq fighting for freedom/democracy, without a trace of irony.

[Supersedeas]

17. the election is just history--same way the Aug PDB is history to Condi Rice

[rainy]

8. Is Recount worth watching? I haven't read anything good about it

here.

[sabra]

10. IMO - I thought it was well done...

[phantom power]

11. I liked it.

If you already know the history, it may not tell you anything new, but it's a good reminder of what happened. And it's a good public service. I don't think many people are aware of just what went on, and this is a good record of it.

[rainy]

15. Thanks!

[Bill219]

16. I couldn't watch it the other night because I do not have HBO

But after some google searching, I did find a copy and I am just waiting for it to be converted so I can watch it on my DVD player tonight

I am sure from what I have been reading that I will feel just as outraged as I did back in 2000 and just as ill