“DC 9/11: A Time of Crisis” is not bovine excrement

A long time ago, television movies were hit or miss. The main reason was that way back when there were only three major networks that produced original programming: ABC, NBC, and CBS. Since the proliferation of cable TV, there has been a drastic increase in the quality of the made-for-television-movie. Cable networks like HBO and Showtime have produced some of the best original movies even when including theatrical releases. Although they had a rocky start, generally most of their original movies are superb. The main problem still concerns movies portraying true stories. I remember in 1991, not too long after I returned from the first Persian Gulf War, a network released one of the most overdramatic pieces of bovine excrement ever to disgrace a screen. Titled “Heroes of Desert Storm,” about the only thing I found accurate about it was that it mentioned Iraq.
It was in that light that I prepared myself to witness Showtime’s “DC 9/11: Time of Crisis.” I was pleasantly surprised. It chronicled the events in the Bush White House through the time frame of September 11th – 15th, 2001. Most striking was that it didn’t try to cast President Bush in any different way then public reports to the press have already characterized him, warts and all. If anything it portrayed both him and his administration as stunned and trying to come up with a response fast to reassure the American people. Did it portray Karl Rove calculating things in a political light? Of course, because that’s what he did and does . . . duh.
Most importantly, though, it paid full respect to that moment in American history when Democrats Richard Gephardt and Tom Daschle both said to the Republican president, “Mr. President, you can count on us.” I remember for those few days at least that it was possible for me not to see any Republicans or Democrats in congress, just Americans all rising to the challenge of protecting our nation. Perhaps what the movie got across best, however, was that on Friday September 14th, 2001, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and George W. Bush all came together in the same house of God and prayed together for the same goal: the safeguarding of our country.
But then if you spend your time conversing with a talking rat, you probably missed all that.
Scott Wacholtz is a senior majoring in political science. He can be reached at aramis1642@hotmail.com