Abuse of Power

I am almost sick to my gut today, over the blatantly political attempts that spilled previously classified information about the killing of bin Laden, including the identity of the Seal Team Six Commander. Our President has no shame, blatantly using classified information to lure Hollywood pals to make a film in which he will be portrayed as heroic, no doubt. And Democrats complained that Bush politicized the war. From Judicial Watch, which has obtained a treasure trove of documents regarding the incredible access given Hollywood writer Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow, to top CIA/DOD operatives and facilities.

“These documents, which took nine months and a federal lawsuit to disgorge from the Obama administration, show that politically-connected film makers were giving extraordinary and secret access to bin Laden raid information, including the identity of a Seal Team Six leader,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “It is both ironic and hypocritical that the Obama administration stonewalled Judicial Watch’s pursuit of the bin Laden death photos, citing national security concerns, yet seemed willing to share intimate details regarding the raid to help Hollywood filmmakers release a movie ‘perfectly timed to give a home-stretch boost’ to the Obama campaign.”

Maureen Dowd speculated about this last August:

The moviemakers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history from an administration that has tried to throw more people in jail for leaking classified information than the Bush administration.

It was clear that the White House had outsourced the job of manning up the president’s image to Hollywood when Boal got welcomed to the upper echelons of the White House and the Pentagon and showed up recently — to the surprise of some military officers — at a C.I.A. ceremony celebrating the hero Seals.

Its one thing to put your life on the line in the service of your country, like these Seals did. But the President cheapens himself and risks their lives by not putting a clamp of secrecy on details of the operation. Finally, he has the gall to blatantly turn to Hollywood to ride the coattails of these brave men to take multiple victory laps. It's disgusting. As Commander-in-Chief, he doesn't respect the members of the military that are in his care. He treats them like subjects whose existence is purposed to his own gain, not as fellow citizens engaged in the defense of the republic.