You've Got a Lot of Nerve...

This Nader piece gets to the heart of the problem both with the man and the film. I saw an interview with the filmmakers where they say something of the order of "Alterman may complain, but he gets more airtime than anyone else." I don't know about that. I saw the film a long time ago, when I think it must have been even longer. But the fact is, this is not screen-time contest. It's a question of context. Gitlin and I are used in the film largely as foils. We make a statement or level an accusation, and then a Nader defender is given all the time necessary to appear to dispute it. This happens over and over and we are never given the opportunity to point out why their alleged point of dispute is incorrect. It is, in other words, merely the appearance of fairness. Neither Todd nor I are ever offered the opportunity for a follow-up or to provide the context necessary to make our points.

Read the whole Altercation here.