Opie" turns into just another Hollywood Leftie.
Fox's Wallace defends Bush at screening
Takes on Hollywood filmmaker
Jon Ward
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Fox News journalist Chris Wallace on Monday evening defended President Bush against criticism by Hollywood filmmaker Ron Howard that the president has abused his office in a way similar to President Richard Nixon.
"Richard Nixon's crimes were committed purely in the interest of his own political gain," Mr. Wallace told Mr. Howard before an audience of a few hundred after viewing the filmmakers new film "Frost/Nixon," which is about the only U.S. president to resign from office.
"I think to compare what Nixon did, and the abuses of power for pure political self preservation, to George W. Bush trying to protect this country — even if you disagree with rendition or waterboarding — it seems to me is both a gross misreading of history both then and now," Mr. Wallace said.
Mr. Wallace was a member of the audience at a special preview screening of "Frost/Nixon," which depicts the process that led to the disgraced presidents confession of failure. The screening was held at the National Geographic building in Washington. The movie opens nationwide Friday.
After the screening, Mr. Howard took the stage, along with writer Peter Morgan, James Reston Jr., one of the researchers who helped interviewer David Frost, and historian Robert Dallek.
Mr. Howard was the first to comment about the films connection to Mr. Bush, saying that he had told friends in 1977 that an abuse of power similar to Nixon's would "never happen again."
"So that led to some frustrations that I've experienced over the last few years," said Mr. Howard, an Oscar-winning director.
Mr. Dallek followed Mr. Howard's comments.
"It's just as Ron says. We've been, back in the past eight years, through this anguish about an imperial presidency," he said. "This has, I think, in a sense, made this film and the play, so timely, and why it's really commanding so much attention."
A few moments later, Mr. Reston, who is one of the characters portrayed in the film, said the film had been "driven by the metaphor of George W. Bush."
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