Dave Neiwert and I have been writing a book for over two months now and in my research I discovered how easily manipulated movement conservatives from the 70's and 80's are when it comes to characters they see in film and television. It also extends to today, since we've seen how the torture scenes in 24 have also had an impact on right-wingers.
I never believed previously that music or TV shows could really influence people in their thinking because we can discern the difference between reality and fiction, but not so for conservatives. After right-wing extremist conservatives like Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist watched the movie Patton, they totally flipped out over it and became obsessed with the anti-communism and pro-military stances it championed. They believed Scott was real.
In Nina Easton's book, Gang of Five, she detailed Ralph Reed and other College Republican leaders' reactions to George C. Scott's performance in the movie:
Several hundred college students cheering a call to arms is something I shall not forget. In short order, gruesome Patton guerrilla talk became Ralph's forte: "I paint my face and travel at night," he infamously explained to a reporter ten years later. "You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag."
--
One year, the College Republicans Christmas card featured a photo of Patton standing on a stone, binoculars in hand, under the words, "Merry Christmas from the front." Abramoff, who cultivated an image of a reasonable adult, forswore Patton's gutter language (though he got a thrill out of the fact that screen writer Francis Ford Coppola had intended his audiences to be horrified by Patton's antics, when in reality young conservatives fell in love with the tyrannical general.)
So I fell off my couch laughing when Bill O'Reilly inserted scenes from Patton to attack President Obama's Afghanistan speech with the other night. Movement conservatives obviously view war as a fictitious movie, explosions and intense battles used for nothing more than dramatic effect. And the lives lost are but mere props.
They actually believed that George C. Scott was General Patton, and so they want Democratic politicians to live up to an Oscar-winning actor's performance rather than the reality we actually face. Whenever progressives pointed out Bush's awful communication skills, they defended him at every turn. Conservatives often criticize Obama's speeches because he's too mesmerizing and effective for them and they hate that, because George Bush failed miserably when he tried to communicate with the public.
O'Reilly: Talking points believes the bigger problem is Mr. Obama's lack of passion for victory. What the nation needed to hear last night was a little General Patton...
No matter how you feel about the speech (I want out of Afghanistan)this illustrates the kind of delusional reality conservatives labor under on a daily basis. BillO is looking for Obama to be George C. Scott instead of the president of the United States. Simply amazing. We want action not words.
Get a real job, a mans job!
LOL
Dear Crooks and Liars:
It's time to call a spade a spade for these "banana Republicans."
Remember the derogatory catchphrase "limousine liberal" from the 1960s and 70s?
Shouldn't we always refer to Republicans as "banana Republicans?"
I mean who else but "banana Republicans" could be for unlimited executive power, family dynasties (Duvaliers, Bushes), secret renditions to torture chambers, warrantless wire-taps, McCarthyite witch hunts, mercenary armies (Blackwater), 100-year wars, and the end of habeas corpus along with half the Bill of Rights?
You'd have to want to live in a banana republic.
From now on, I'm referring to them not as "Republicans" but as "banana Republicans."
Forget the elephant on their banners. Here comes the chaquita.
"Banana Republicans." Think about it. It could be the most important new addition to the American political lexicon since ... well, since "truthiness."
Glen R. Beck,
"the Real Beck"
What is so funny is that not one of these assholes was in the service. Not one. Bunch of fucking G.I. Joe wannabees. Bet they are ace paint ball players, though. And I also seem to recall that George C. Scott despised George Patton.
... not to mention risking some really nifty bruises. I can't see Beck, O'Reilly, or Hannity doing anything but wetting themselves.
Instead of putting the orange plug in, they'll just keep on shooting, yelling "missed me!" again and again.
The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith
They expected George Bush's cartoonish cowboy up, rally the troops bullshit. What they got was a sobering, straight talk approach that you'd expect from a President of the United States. Not some macho buffoonery.
When the president went on about how the US doesn't do occupations or wars for natural resources etc I almost fell on the floor laughing. They really like pushing the American empire is not really an empire myth don't they.
And on topic, dildo and friends are idiots. Come on, when that idiot stozel (sp?) went on the air proclaiming that the best way to protect endangered species is to raise them for food after Colbert said that bit and conservatives didn't catch on to the irony of it all, that should tell you how incredibly stupid and delusional they are.
They think Darth Vader is real too, and they are routing for him to control the entire galaxy. For them it's just a matter of time - Luke and the Princess are in the republican's crosshairs.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Do you mean Leia or C-3P0?
..is one of BillO's idols.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adHn4fVFkYQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGSUM21iHSg
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Hadn't seen it before - must be in the Director's Cut.
But maybe you meant Ian McDiarmid?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZBevXohCI
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Remember? Conservatives slammed Attack of the Clones as a political comment about George W. Bush.
Revenge of the Sith include a quote from Anakin, saying "you're either with me, or against me"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_fvX242KTU
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
And by the way, when did any of those cowards show up at Dover to meet the bodies of those they sent to be murdered? Pussys!
they don't live with a father who survived Vietnam and still has nightmares and shouts and screams in his sleep 30+ years later. WAR IS AWSOME
Funny, I was under the impression that the only movies Billo watched were porn flicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXQNHkLnt8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hivIa2QsazI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPLrXFw76Qg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwivHPit22A
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
liberals and progressives in the eyes every day probably about time to do something about it. Whatever that may be I've yet to see any effective counter enough to shut em up.
RW asshats believe that Geroge C. Scott was a hard-core wingnut as well as Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker is another hero of the RW. Both men were VERY liberal. The old evangelical (ugh) church I was forced to go to as a child, WORSHIPPED this movie and even showed it AT church.
And let's not forget Ronald Reagan relating his wartime experiences, only to have them exposed as his movie output, since he spent WWII stateside.
... a high pitched, whiny, somewhat effeminate voice.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
He WAS often mistaken for Truman Capote...;)
... but higher pitched than I'd imagined and definitely whiny.
He also had a bit of a stutter.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
John Fielder
AKA Mr. Peterson from The Bob Newhart Show or the voice of Piglet.
Not to mention Jack the Ripper.
Piglet. :)
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
who was the British Army attache to Patton's 3rd Army HQ, General Patton did have a thin, reedy voice. He was also well spoken and polite until something set him off.
Grandfather also told me that Patton was the most brilliant general he ever saw. He said that many times Patton would just stare at a recently updated for several minutes and then reel off a series of orders for operational plans. He studied the enemy commanders, and constantly put himself in their shoes.
I do find it amusing that Christian conservatives have latched on to a man who openly believed in reincarnation.
http://www.earthstation1.com/WWIIAudio/Americ...
to hear the man speak.
when we were in total war against a total evil empire like Nazi Germany but he was shown the door when diplomacy was needed after the war.
We are not at war right now and haven't been.
...he uses big words like 'particularly' and 'delicatessen.' -- Jack
What we're doing in the middle east is not war - it's invasion and occupation of sovereign nations under false pretenses, so we (well, our corporate masters/MIC) can acculturate the heathens to US hegemony, so we can steal their energy resources. It's Not War!
And the people who are against this PNAC/MIC/corpora-fascist strategy, those who are politicians and those in the media, should start calling it what it is - invasion and occupation, not a war on terrorism.
Oh, and by the way, Osama bin Laden (former CIA asset and buddy of Zbig Brzezinski)is Dead!
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
This doesn't really seem new. Have you ever read English naval officer's accounts of battles from the 18th century? They all make it sound like the war was a glorious romantic novel.
Of course, now instead of being a beautiful glorious book, they go for the video game glory.
Has anyone seen the new Air Force recruiting commercial where two commando types leap out of an aircraft. These two commandos are equipped with video game technology. The cool goggles the wear identify the target of rescue like something out of Terminator.
That's how it really works. Downed pilots are signaled to turn on a rescue beacon that sends out a coded signal. The goggles use GPS technology to accurately place the beacon and identify the user.
Ever hear of On*Star? Same technology. If the car senses a crash, the operator gets an exact location and listed owner of the car.
No video game feel here:
http://www.airforce.com/
Hmm....looks a lot like a video game here too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiB3vrhPDNs
Can you tell me in this video what planet they are on at 0:14?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxvyi_Vok6A
And at 0:23 the goggles zoom in on the guys face and actually identify and show a photo of him.
You're right, it really works that way. Just like On*Star.
that Scott didn't like his portrayal of Patton, to shallow and simplistic. Schaeffer also held off filming the scene in the clip till the end of the shoot because he felt it would negatively effect Scotts' attitude towards the film.
Be as you wish to seem
Scott was also unhappy with the takes Kubrick used in Dr. Strangelove. Scott played Turgidson comparatively low-key, but Kubrick asked him to do one take completely over the top for most of the scenes, and those were the takes that Kubrick usually used.
Given the similarities in demeanor between George C. Scott's Gen. Buck Turgidson in Dr. Strangelove and Gen. Patton in...uh, Patton, I could never imagine Scott's portrayal of Patton as anything other than satirical.
Chickenhawks like O'Reilly, Bush, Rove, and Cheney are what is wrong with this country. Rich men sending the poor off to fight wars Hollywood inspires them to. Sickening.
Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity. Albert Einstein
also comes to mind. I can imagine Lieutenant Bill Kilgore ("smells like victory") being one of BillO's true blue heros.
The horror . .
Until Americans actually have to share in the sacrifice of supporting war, idiots like these will be able to live in a Hollywood-fueled fantasy world where war is tidy, romantic, patriotic, and where the guys who speak English without an accent always win in the end.
Bring back the draft and resource rationing - THEN you can have your war.
I wish I could find the George C Scott version of Man Getting Hit With Football on Youtube.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
After all, Ronald Reagan wasn't really a fiscal conservative. He was just an actor who played one on TV.
Another thing I find funny is that if you do an image search on Google for "George C. Patton" you'll get quite a few hits. Meaning that most of the morons who post pictures of the real George S. Patton confuse him with George C. Scott, giving the fictitious hybrid "George C. Patton."
Most of the conservative chickenhawks have watched his little speech at the beginning of the movie, but probably didn't pay any attention to that part he said about "An army fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap, written by bilious bastards for the Washington Post who know as much about fighting as they do about fornicating."
So, Patton was actually a (*ghasp*) COLLECTIVIST!
(Glad to see you're working with David Neiwert! He's great!)
but Americans still want someone to follow. Someone to tell them what to do, watch, buy. .
At least Ford said I want to pay my workers well so they can buy our stuff. Now it's just all out rip off.
Yes, we are all invididuals.....we're all different.
I'm not.
they built their lives on the pack of lies Big Business and their lackey's in Washington dished out for 50 years and now they are losing it all.
... is going to claim that Charlton Heston wasn't really Moses.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
the head of the NRA?
are going to HELL just for thinking about posting that.
Good one, fiver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcoa0oI5Cc
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
This story reminds me of the wannabe thugs that saw the movie Scarface and wanted to be just like the main character. Just a different group of immature wannabe killers too stupid the get the real message.
Carlos
OBAMA: NO MORE 'WAIT AND SEE' APPROACH ON JOBS
I can see it 2011 "jobs will be here soon I promise"
"Jobs you can believe in."
Hope and beg for Change
What Bill'O wanted wasn't a frank, honest, serious discussion of war and tactics, he wanted a pep-rally.
These 'movement conservatives' remind me a little of Gone With The Wind. The one southern gentleman who was so happy that war was starting and eager for it, and was insulted when Butler told the truth of how they were going to lose. They think it is some sporting game where they can get glory and honor, because god is on their side or something.
Let's not forget the Flintstones! So life-like.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
Them's there proof that the earth is only 4000 years old ya know. Jaysus rode to work on a dinosaur, evryone knows that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvjgZeialeY
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The Flintstones ARE as real as The Honeymooners, thank you very much.
POW, right to the moon, Alice.
Oddly, Fred never did threaten Wilma with violence.
Wilma and Betty got paddled when they disguised themselves as men, and crashed a Water Buffalo's meeting.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Jon Stewart gave it a brave try last night:
http://www.comedycentral.com/
George C. Scott and Obama, ...are both actors!
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUNxqE_3N0c&fe...
Corruption favors the wealthy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfUCj_BJHcU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xriBbcf94QQ
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
elitist....
Corruption favors the wealthy.
.
Part of his campaign spiel. Probably said that to get the Reagan Democrats on his train.
Out here in Cauleefournya, We used to say that Reagan was a great actor, he acted like governor for eight years. Now we have Arnold. Same shit, different day.
somewhat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5KgrC95gqU&fe...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I worked in a hospital for many years after I got out of the Navy. One time, when Reagan was president, I came into a patent's room as the Great Communicator was on TV making a speech. He was going on about a bomber crew in WWII. The ball turret gunner was trapped and couldn't get out. The pilot ordered the crew to bailout. Reagan said that the pilot sat down and held the kid's hand and said "Don't worry, Son, we'll ride this one in together." Reagan looked at the House of Representatives and told them that the bomber crashed into the White Cliffs of Dover. The patient, an older man, looked at me and said, "What do you think of that?" I couldn't help it, I asked the guy "How in the hell does he know what transpired on that airplane? He just said that they both died?" If looks could kill you would not be reading this now. The next night the nightly news showed a clip of an old war movie with, you guessed it, Ronald Reagan, in a flaming airplane heading into the ocean. Shit. I felt like going back up to that guy's room but then I thought what would be the point?
Thanks for sharing.
In addition to "Patton," neocons also referred to the scene in "Gone With the Wind" where the South has declared war and the rebels are excited to be going off to fight for secession. I can't believe that conservatives refer to MOVIES, which overdramatize, misconstrue and can be outright fiction, for their views of war. War is hell. Ask anyone who really SERVED.
Reagan...did a good job of acting like a President...
but not as good as Michael Douglas or Martin Sheen...
in full batshit senile mode...
Removed from command for striking a subordinate.
A racist.
Seems not a good example of the Military Ideal.
Fine strategist though.
... it is not clear who were more afraid of his command, his soldiers or the nazis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHRnKYY5raY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4RQyzypiKQ
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Seems like a pretty good example.
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
http://photos.upi.com/slideshow/lbox/4236567d...
http://photos.upi.com/slideshow/lbox/01bb718d...
?
Oh wait his wife served with him.
http://www.tvworthwatching.com/werts/hellcats...
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/...
24.
cue sound affects. tic,tic,tic,tic,......
What is your conceptual, continuity?
made at a time when in the movies America always kicked ass?
...and wasn't it portraying a time when it was thought that America always kicked ass?
...well except for those parts of the war of 1812 we don't want to mention :()
. . after two atomic bombs we're dropped on Japan.
On Top of the World!! We Won~!
Now, we're leading the race back to the bottom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ImZTwYwCug&fe...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VTj7LhCtE
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
A quick Wikipedia search shows that the same guy who loves to frequently refer to himself as a "warrior" was born in 1949- meaning he was 18-21 in the years '67-'70, the height of America's involvement in the Vietnam war. Not a warrior, but instead America's bravest blowhard boy cheerleader!
I think his achievements as a chickenhawkdom are unsurpassed to this day.
When O'reilly gets to start 3 wars while having obtained 5 deferment to avoid any sort of military service, then sure. Until then, O'reilly is not in the same league as dead-eye dick. Heck, he is not playing even the same sport...
-- thinking that people know the difference between reality and fiction. "Uniquely American" fantasy. People should laugh at the French less and read more Baudrilard.
Like always you are wrong!
The speech that George C Scott is portraying was an actual speech really given by Patton. It's almost word for word. A beautiful speech really.
I can't imagine how negatively General Patton would have been received had he given that speech today.
Patton couldn't have given that speech today . .
Vietnam!!
I've thought for some time that gun nuts are people who spend too much time watching TV and movies. On TV, it's always the good guys who prevail in shootouts. In real life, it's spouses shooting spouses, kids who cause tragedies when they get their hands on a parent's gun, or four police being shot by a crazy person while having coffee.
[oops]
Dear Crooks and Liars:
It's time to call a spade a spade for these "banana Republicans."
Remember the derogatory catchphrase "limousine liberal" from the 1960s and 70s?
Shouldn't we always refer to Republicans as "banana Republicans?"
I mean who else but "banana Republicans" could be for unlimited executive power, family dynasties (Duvaliers, Bushes), secret renditions to torture chambers, warrantless wire-taps, McCarthyite witch hunts, mercenary armies (Blackwater), 100-year wars, and the end of habeas corpus along with half the Bill of Rights?
You'd have to want to live in a banana republic.
From now on, I'm referring to them not as "Republicans" but as "banana Republicans."
Forget the elephant on their banners. Here comes the chaquita.
"Banana Republicans." Think about it. It could be the most important new addition to the American political lexicon since ... well, since "truthiness."
Glen R. Beck,
"the Real Beck"
Was a brilliant tactician who could out-general his enemies, a poor strategist who didn't understand the big-picture, and a right-wing looney toon who used his troops like cannon-fodder.
That said, George C. Scott's portrayal of him was fairly accurate, given that is is based on Omar Bradley's accounts of his behavior, who served with him.
An example to follow in this case?
Oh Bill, you really are a moron.
The whole religious complexion of the modern world is due to the absence from Jerusalem of a Lunatic Asylum. -Havelock Ellis
I agree that BillO and the rest are delusional, but John, do you really believe that music and TV doesn't influence people's thinking? Ever heard of Madison Avenue, which uses exactly those media and others to influence thought and behavior?
I feel so much better now... if only he kept it rolling to the poor dumb bastard part it would have been perfect closure.
Goodnight, Frau Blücher
I agree . .
What about John Wayne?
Remember Maureen O'Hara testifying to Congress in favor of placing Wayne's image on a postage stamp>
"John Wayne IS AMERICA"
[sniffle]
I personally visited General Patton's grave site in Luxembourg, if anyone gets the chance it is a moving experience (overwhelming).
This piece of garbage is delusional AH, is a real functional illiterate. Why is it these GUTLESS, SPINELESS, COWARDS who when their Country calls crawl into their holes and under their rocks and then when it is safe come out to address others of the same ilk.
I served in 2AD at Fort Hood Texas, when the Generals son was there, he was a quite man and a thoughtful man and a Soldiers Soldier, I have the memory of him and his wife bring my twin sons to me and asking who was the Father, I said I was, Mrs. Patton thought the boys looked great in camouflage paint (typical boys), the General then reached out and shook my hand, I looked at him quissically and asked what this was about.
The General explained on his tour of the Hell On Wheels celebration my twins ran up tugged on his pants leg and asked who he was, He said he explained that he was a General and in Charge of all these soldiers, he further explained he didn't know which but one of them chimed in he was WRONG, their Daddy was in Charge of the Troops, the General said he asked what do you mean and one of my Twins said Proudly my daddy is a NCO and everyone knows NCOs' run the Army The General said he was proud to meet a NCO that was dedicated and Proud and taught the same to his children. At that he shook my hand again his lovely wife gave the children to my wife and the next time I saw him was on the Tank Tables down range.
Yes I know the Generals Son who was also a fair Poker Game player in Viet Nam.
So when I hear this piece of Shit and COWARD talk about a hollywood version of a Great General and as usual not having the facts I truly hope he chokes to death on the next thing he eats.
Why are the COWARDS and Anti American garbage getting so much air time
How can any of us be surprised that so many Republicans love the image of Gen. Patton as it was portrayed by George C. Scott? He was an adept performer rather like the icon of the GOP, that other actor, Ronnie Raygun.
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