Tell Disney and ABC to stop playing partisan politics with 9-11

Disney reveals clear double standard on inaccurate, pro-conservative "docudrama"

As Media Matters for America has pointed out -- and nearly everyone from 9-11 Commission members and members of Congress to prominent conservative pundits and executives at ABC has already acknowledged -- Disney-owned ABC's upcoming "docudrama" The Path to 9/11 is a fabricated, inaccurate, and misleading portrayal of the events leading up to 9-11, one which Disney and ABC deceptively marketed as a documentary-style film based on the 9-11 Commission report.

It has become apparent in recent days that Disney's production is rife with factual errors, inaccuracies, and omissions, and it relies on scenes that even those involved in its production readily admit are fabricated. The movie's premise, reportedly, joins the cause of right-wing conservatives in blaming former President Bill Clinton for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while simultaneously letting President Bush off the hook.

But ABC's corporate parent, The Walt Disney Co., appears to be employing a double standard. It refused to distribute Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11, which was highly critical of President Bush, even though it was produced by a Disney subsidiary, Miramax Films. Disney representatives also reportedly threatened to sue the publisher of James Stewart's book DisneyWar if it contained inaccuracies.

It does not speak well of Disney's credibility when it refuses to distribute a progressive movie and threatens legal action against some inaccuracies, and yet will stand silent while its ABC subsidiary spends millions of dollars making a miniseries that distorts history to falsely blame President Clinton for the 9-11 attacks.

Please contact Disney and urge it not to broadcast this false attack on President Clinton -- and remind it of its refusal to distribute a film critical of President Bush.

Resources:

Right wing uses ABC docudrama to push debunked claim blaming Clinton administration for 9-11

Media conservatives leap to lockstep defense of ABC's 9-11 "docudrama"

ABC statement on The Path to 9/11 claimed film not final, called attacks "premature and irresponsible" -- despite prior screening, copies to conservatives

The (Disney) mouse doesn't scare the (GOP) elephant