Jeb Bush And Scott McClellan Talk "W": Film Is "Hooey" And "It's Good" Respectively

Oliver Stone's "W" opens nationwide today, and some of the people featured in the film and who lived through the Bush administration are speaking out.

Jeb Bush called it "hooey" as it paints Bush 43 living life in the shadow of Bush 41:

"The Oedipal rivalry is high-grade, unadulterated hooey," former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told The Washington Times.

Exploring such a complicated family dynamic might have benefited from direct conversations with, say, the president's younger brother who, in the telling of Mr. Stone and his "W." screenwriter, Stanley Weiser, was regarded by his parents as the more promising sibling.

"I didn't receive a call," Jeb Bush said...

Keith Urbahn, spokesman for former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said: "No one from the film gave us a call. Donald Rumsfeld has neither the intention nor interest in seeing 'W.' Judging from what I've seen from the trailer, it doesn't seem like veracity and the historical record were high on Stone's priority list."

Meanwhile, former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has written a blog for The Daily Beast about the film:

But W. is a drama, not an historical documentary. Stone tries to play it fairly straight. Even if he misses the mark at times, he deserves credit for the glimpses of inner truth he provides, which can only be instructive, especially as we prepare to elect a new president.

My guess is the most vocal Bush critics will view Stone's account as too soft on Bush and his top advisers, while Bush's chief advocates will ignore and dismiss it. But I think the average Joe just might find it entertaining and thought-provoking. I won't go as far as to borrow a line from Bush 43 and say, "Heck of a job, Stonie." But I will borrow one from Bush 41 and say, "It's good, not bad."

Comments

[initforlife]

Jeb's just bitter because GW stepped over him. Don't worry Jeb he did it everyone not just you- and you would have been worse- so go apologize to Florida- when that's done we might listen to what you have to say, Mr. Sour Grapes.

[almoguy]

I saw W last night and must say it is an intriguing study of a dysfunctional family and administration. My wife and I had to drive 50 miles to see it because the Republican owner of our Movie complex will not book it. I was not sure what to expect , but was surprised in the fairness of the film. The conversion of GWB to religion is a classic....Saul to Paul on the road Damascus. My favorite sequence is when GWB is throwing a ball for his old dog that is too blind to see the ball right next to him....a scene repeated sans dog at the end of the film. Stone is a master of nuance with symbolic overtones. This movie is well worth seeing.

[LeeCalif]

I saw it yesterday. It seemed pretty straight forward. You have to keep in mind that if you're a Repub, what was said or done is no big deal.
To me, Repubs easily lie and have no integrity.

[cloudmaker]

W was not a particularly good film. It didn't whitewash Bush but it didn't tar him either.
Mostly it was just another dull biopic. Josh Brolin was the best thing in it. Barbara
Bush got off easy as did George the First. Don't expect to learn anything, feel anything,
of gain anything new from seeing this film. It's what a friend of mine often said about
many many things: It's not good. It's not bad. It's nothing, which is the worst.

[Yermammy]

Yeah, you're right, it doesn't go nearly far enough. The real Dick Cheney isn't nearly that likable. None of them are. Good movie though!

[afgail]

I saw it. The story illuminates the psychological dynamic of a screwup third generation son of powerful, successful father and grandfather. Made me think about how disasterously similar John McCain is to W. We REALLY don't need another priviledged, dumb, screwup son in the White House whose sole goal is to settle his unresolved daddy issues. Message of the film is "dumb, screwups in the White House are not good for the country."

[1099]

How the f---k would you know what any of these people are like?

[coryco]

The movie is not great, but Brolin is in this role. Colin Powell comes out on top. It will be interesting to see what he has to say on Meet the Press tomorrow. Helping Obama get elected is the best revenge he could ever have for what was done to him -- and the best gift to America for what he had done to us.

[missviv]

Powell is the only player in the Bush Administration who I the film made me feel some empathy for, at least until he buckled and delivered the selling speech for Iraq at the U.N.

Not a horrible film, at least it was better than I expected.

[berkawoo]

I saw "W" Oliver Stone could have gone more overtop like I believe he had done with other biopics namely "The Doors" With this film, I do believe what Stone brought out was the enableling of W.Bush's mother and father. With this man's questionable behavior mostly up until the age of 40, if he had not been born into this politically connected wealthy family he would have been mired in a situation far deeper than he (W.Bush) could imagine. His family connections facilitated that his recklessness go away and be kept from the press. This is why this man exists in a bubble void of the realities of the real world, which is why this country is damaged to the degree it is. I did not read the Ronald Reagan diaries but a commenter in HuffPo mentioned that Reagan referred to W.Bush as a
"neer do well" who never held a real job. Did not read the Reagan Diaries so I don't know if this is accurate.

[EndangeredJackalope]

I remember hearing that that comment was debunked (check out Snopes). Apparently the quote came from a New Republic or National Review editor, not Reagan, who was taking a sarcastic pre-release shot in the dark at what telling revelations might lie in Reagan's diaries - he suspected that the diaries would be bland, as they were.

[Colmore]

I hope Stone makes movies about McCain and Palin. McCain has so many enemies in DC that he has insulted and sworn at. The TRUTH about his POW status should be released. He is terrified of having his military records released, he had them sealed. Must be a lot of really interesting facts in them. Maybe with democratic president, and majority in Washington, someone will get them unsealed. The Bush family is crooked as hell, every one of them. Jeb is still hanging around McCain, hoping to get a foot in the door again. They all came from the shallow end od the gene pool.

[littlepuffycloud]

It's clear from looking at Jeb, he got some of the lamest genes. W got the more chimpie genes, but poor Jeb, he got the mouth breather ones.

[1099]

..........says the person treading in the kiddie end of the gene pool.

[JDHART]

I hear it's good but the idea of watching a movie about the GWB just doesn't appeal to me. I'm just waiting for them all to go away, far away and never to return (I'm looking at you too, Jeb). I wish Oliver Stone well but I think the whole country has a bad case of Bush fatigue. I know I do.

Now a movie about the upcoming criminal hearings ... when can I see that one?

[Yermammy]

I'll be the one camped out in front of the ticket counter (for 7 months). I'll get you some tickets! I can't wait for the firing squad part! (the real one).

[DrT]

Need an education about Poppy and his boys?
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1992/09/bushboys.html

[Hirnlego]

At least Jeb Bush does not have a god giving orders to him directly. He has a mystical warrior!

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/20/jeb-bush-reveals/

[berkawoo]

I find it interesting that while the senior Bush was running for President, that the son W,Bush's behavior was not brought out. Or that W.Bush's past was not brought up during senior Bush's 4 year term. I bring this up because Bill Clinton's younger half brother Roger Clinton had substance abuse problems that were in the press for a period of time. So long before W.Bush's election to The Texas Governor his past was kept hidden during senior Bush's time in D.C. It should come as no surprise to anyone that W.Bush's fiasco was long time in the making.

[EndangeredJackalope]

Because when you're from wealth and you fail, that's just life or the cost of bearing the family's cross, and you're worthy of empathy and assistance.

If you're poor and fail, its your fault, and social Darwinism should serve you your just deserts

[StephenJK]

Was a chubby Ray Liotta cast as Scott McKlellan? If not, I don't want to see it.

[papapj]

I agree that Brolin's performance was a tour de force.

He was well supported by Thandie Newton's portrayal of an obsequious Condoleeza Rice and Dreyfus' sang froid Dick Cheney.

....I think they could all have done with a better script, and for a Stone movie it did lack a certain gravitas....

[rharris513]

I think Stone should have made Rove "gay" for George.

[MountPanic]

Why not? Nature certainly did.

[GetoffMylawn]

Just got back from seeing "W".
Thought it was a very good film, and somewhat sympathetic to W.
He is portrayed as a nice guy recovering alcoholic trying his best to please his father.
His cabinet is portrayed as a bubbling bunch of F'ups, which as we all know, they are!
Dreyfuss as Cheney was an Oscar performance.
The love story between Laura and W was very touching.
Overall the film is a comic Tragedy, and left me feeling sad for our nation.

[rharris513]

Very adept review. I also saw it as the Great American Story in reverse. A man born with all opportunities and attains the highest office only to be remembered as the biggest failure.
Classical tragedy stuff. I was amazed how much empathy was created for the character.

[missviv]

The dream sequence was especially interesting. "Poppy's" character summed everything up quite well.. "200 years of a family name and you (Bush Jr) ruined it!".
Pretty tragic.

[PKSSK]

I saw the movie last night and agree with your assesment. It proved that disfunctional families and poor parenting affects all children in the same way, whether wealthy or poor, the children release their anguish and need for love and attention in disturbing ways. In the case of the Bush family it just happened to destroy our country and many lives in the world!!! The Bush legacy is most definitely a tragedy for us all!!!

[Gericault]

This is would be like watching United Flight 93 on Sept. 12th