Will Bush at the Olympics really help NBC?
Amid controversy and the threat of certain world leaders boycotting the upcoming Beijing Olympics, the word came out yesterday that President George W. Bush would attend the opening ceremonies. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this is good news for NBC, and the companies that have bought advertising for the Games.
While I can see how a boycott based on human rights abuses in China and Tibet would be a serious problem for the network — and it still may lose viewers who choose to individually tune out rather than give positive sanction to China’s misdeeds by watching — I don’t see how NBC can think a Bush appearance will bolster ratings.
Currently, George Bush has one of the lowest approval rating of any U.S. President ever in the twilight of his second term in office. The CNN/Opinion Research survey on June 26-29, 2008 found that only 30% of the country approved of his job performance, compared to 68% disapproval.
That means only three out of ten people like what W. is doing right now. Even if every one of that 30% tune in to the Olympic opening ceremony, will it really help NBC?
NBC has done some polling, too, and a majority of American viewers haven’t been fazed by the political issues and separate the politics from the competition.
On the other hand, the AP reported that U.S. Representatives from the President’s own party, Chris Smith, New Jersey, and Frank Wolf, Virginia, were in China and said W. shouldn’t attend the Olympics at all unless China’s human rights stance is changed.
As the Olympics draw nearer, the negative rhetoric about China’s human rights violations are likely to grow louder. Will it effect NBC’s broadcast? I wouldn’t be surprised, and an appearance by an outgoing, unpopular president won’t help.
Thousands Pay Respects to Russert in D.C.
Hundreds lined up and eventually thousands arrived Tuesday to pay their last respects to one of journalism’s favorite sons, Meet the Press host Tim Russert. His sudden death at age 58 last week left colleagues, friends and fans reelingespecially considering coverage of this year’s presidential election is now without one of the most respected political voices in Washington, D.C.
President George W. Bush and wife Laura were among those seen entering the refectory of St. Albans School, near the National Cathedral in northwest Washington, where Russert’s wife, writer Maureen Orth, and son, Luke, received a seemingly endless stream of well-wishers during a public wake scheduled to last until 9 p.m. ET.
The private boys’ academy where Luke graduated in 2004 counted Russert as a “very active and involved parent,” and some of Luke’s former classmates acted as pallbearers today.
A private funeral and invitation-only memorial at the nearby Kennedy Center is planned for Wednesday afternoon.
Tributes Pour in for Tim Russert
The floodgates opened just moments after Tom Brokaw took to the air Friday afternoon to inform the TV-watching nation that his longtime friend and NBC colleague Tim Russert had died suddenly at the age of 58.
Out poured an endless number of heartfelt, albeit stunned, tributes from fellow journalists, network executives and, of course, the politicians whom Russert made it his business to fire the tough questions atall of whom he could also count as friends. (Well, if they weren’t all his friends, at the very least he had their deepest respect.)
Here’s a sampling:
Barack Obama: “I’ve known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He’s somebody who, over time, I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasn’t a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew.”
John McCain: “I am very saddened by Tim Russert’s sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his generation.”
Bill and Hillary Clinton: “We were stunned and deeply saddened to hear of the passing today of Tim Russert…Always true to his proud Buffalo roots, Tim had a love of public service and a dedication to journalism that rightfully earned him the respect and admiration of not only his colleagues but also those of us who had the privilege to go toe to toe with him.”
George W. Bush: “Laura and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tim Russert. Those of us who knew and worked with Tim, his many friends, and the millions of Americans who loyally followed his career on the air will all miss him. As the longest-serving host of the longest-running program in the history of television, he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Tim was an American icon in the world of political journalism who could relate to everybody. His insightful commentary and tough but fair interviews helped millions of Americans better understand our political system…But Tim was not only one of the top journalists of his generation; he was a close friend, a warm and generous person and a wonderful family man.”
Maria Shriver: “Tim Russert was one of my closest friends and he was like a brother to me. He was not only a professional confidant but a personal one. He was always the first person to call me whenever anything happened with my family. And he always called me just to check in and see how I was doing and to encourage me.”
Diane Sawyer: “No one could see Tim in a room and not smile. He brought so much joy and curiosity and sheer vitality to all our lives. As a journalist, he would set out like a great explorer. You couldn’t wait to see what he discovered every day in the new world. He was a defining American newsman.”
Dan Rather: Tim had become an important part of our political process. He will be especially missed in this historic presidential election year. Tim Russert was a beacon of quality journalism. At a time when quality journalism is in increasingly short supply, Tim Russert was a leader for what is best in American journalism. He was tough but fair, pulled no punches, played no favorites. As an interviewer, he had few, if any, peers.
Here’s a clip of Russert on the other side of the table for a change, discussing his most recent book, Wisdom of Our Fathers, on The Daily Show:
Teaser Poster for Oliver Stone’s W.
Lionsgate’s Cannes Film Festival Teaser poster for Oliver Stone’s W. gives you a very good idea of what you can expect from the upcoming George W. Bush biopic. This won’t be a dramatic retelling of W’s life! But can Human beings and fish really coexist peacefully?
Official Plot Synopsis: Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that George W. Bush is one of the most controversial public figures in recent memory. In an unprecedented undertaking, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is bringing the life of our 43rd President to the big screen as only he can. W takes viewers through Bush’s eventful life — his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to Bush’s decision to invade Iraq.
W stars Josh Brolin as George W. Bush, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, James Cromwell as George Herbert Walker Bush, Academy Award® winner Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, and Ioan Gruffud as Tony Blair.
source: IOnCinema