About That Propaganda Film

The conservative government watchdog Judicial Watch released more documents about the Obama administration’s cooperation with director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal, the Oscar-winning team behind “The Hurt Locker” who are currently working on a project, “Zero Dark Thirty,” about the successful mission to kill Osama bin Laden. You can read the documents here.

“These new documents provide more backing to the serious charge that the Obama administration played fast and loose with national security information to help Hollywood filmmakers,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “No wonder we’ve had to fight one year of stonewalling from the administration.  These new documents show there is no doubt that Obama White House was intensely interested in this film that was set to portray President Obama as ‘gutsy.’”

[...]

One June 2011 email from Harf to another CIA colleague, talking about various entertainment projects dealing with Osama bin Laden, stated: “I know we don’t pick favorites but it makes sense to get behind a winning horse…Mark and Kathryn’s movie is going to be the first and the biggest. It’s got the most money behind it, and two Oscar winners on board…”

[...]

One email, from Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Benjamin Rhodes to then-Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Doug Wilson, then-CIA Director of Public Affairs George Little, and Deputy White House Press Secretary Jaime Smith seems to suggest the White House was learning about the CIA’s and Pentagon’s cooperation with the filmmakers late in the game and wanted to supervise:

“…we are trying to have visibility into the UBL projects and this is likely the most high profile one. Would like to have whatever group is going around in here at the WH to get a sense of what they’re doing / what cooperation they’re seeking. Jamie will be POC” — point of contact."

  ABC

Uh-oh. Right at the GOP convention. Ammunition for the GOP. What does the White House have to say about this?

“Nothing in this press release is a surprise,” said White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor. “Having a conversation with a journalist, author or filmmaker about what he or she is working on is possibly the most basic, mundane function of a press office, and millions of Americans, including many in government, are understandably proud of our nation’s effort to kill bin Laden.”