The interview features some clips from the film, but the best bit of news to extract is that Honk for Peace is being screened at the Bethel Cinema on Friday, November 30.
l-r: Ned Lamont, Mr. Corey Boutilier, and Alan Schlesinger on the red carpet
Last night I had the privilege to attend the *sold out* world premiere of Mr. Corey Boutilier’s film, Honk for Peace at the Bow Tie Cinema in Greenwich, CT. Honk for Peace is a selection of the Connecticut Film Festival.
I really enjoyed the film, because it provided a different perspective on last year’s Senate race. Unlike Blog Wars, there were no bloggers in Honk for Peace (though Hollywood Bob contributed some footage and insight toward the film’s creation). Corey managed to get some really great footage, the best of which comes from those unguarded/unscripted campaign moments he captured in all three camps. I won’t divulge the details here, because you really should go see the film.
It starts with a small protest against the war in Times Square from the night that the bombs started falling on Baghdad. In a city with millions of people who favor peace, fewer than 20 showed up that night. Embarrassingly, the majority of them were not Americans. A British fellow was there, encouraging passersby to “honk for peace,” but it was an American (who, at last night’s premiere, I urged to take credit for everything, even if I forgot his name) who made a “honk for peace” cardboard sign to hold up. After exploring the early anti-war movement, the Dixie Chicks, and the Dean campaign the film dives head first into the Senate race.
This is where Connecticut political junkies can start to get really excited. Interviews with Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman weave throughout the film. We get a couple of perspectives on Ned’s campaign stop at the senior center across from one of Joe’s campaign offices. Let’s just say that the camera doesn’t lie, but I bet you can guess who does. There is also an interview with WTNH reporter Mark Davis, who is tied with Lieberman (at the hip?) for biggest jerk in the film. You may recall Davis’s highly theatrical question for Ned Lamont at the New London debate where he breaks out a stack of campaign literature and begins dropping it piece by piece on the table while challenging Ned to prove what percentage of the mailings are true — well, it seems that Mr. Davis sees that as a golden opportunity he was handing to Ned.
Of course, there’s plenty more, but this is where my recollection begins to break down. If you followed the CT-Sen race last year at all, you’ll want to see this film. If you’re against the war, you’ll want to see this film. If you used to be for the war, you have to see this film and cringe at your gung-ho rhetoric from March and April 2003.
If you like happy endings though, you’ll be disappointed — we’re still in Iraq. Here’s hoping that by the time this gets released on retail DVD, Mr. Corey Boutilier will have to add a new ending.
Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 9/10-12. Likely voters. MoE 4% (No trend lines)
For whom did you vote for in the 2006 race for U.S. Senate, Ned Lamont, the Democrat, Alan Schlesinger, the Republican, or Joe Lieberman, an Independent?
Lieberman Lamont Schlesinger
All 49 42 9
Dem 34 62 4
Rep 67 10 23
Ind 53 41 6
If you could vote again for U.S. Senate, would you vote for Ned Lamont, the Democrat, Alan Schlesinger, the Republican, or Joe Lieberman, an Independent?
Lieberman Lamont Schlesinger
All 40 48 10
Dem 25 72 3
Rep 69 7 24
Ind 38 49 9
Lieberman won 50-40-10 in 2006, so the poll tracks closely. But even if you account for a slight Lamont bias, it still looks like buyer’s remorse.
There’s not much to add, really. I mean, it’s nice to know that people are paying enough attention to wish they could have changed their votes, but we’re stuck with a warmonger Senator for another five-and-a-half years.
CT Bob: Senator Lieberman apparently went through $387,000 in petty cash during the twelve days preceding the primary. By comparison, Ned Lamont’s campaign recorded a total of $500 petty cash for the same period. No other senate campaign has recorded anywhere near the same amount of petty cash being essentially unaccounted for. What do you think may be going on here?
Schlesinger: “Well, it’s an awful lot of petty cash. It’s more than our whole campaign in petty cash.
I’ll tell ya, it’s gotta be street money. I mean, it makes no other sense.
I really thought the days of that were over, back in the early sixties, but I guess not.
“The good news for Lamont is that he has cut Lieberman’s lead by 5 points,” said Quinnipiac University Poll director Douglas Schwartz. “The bad news for Lamont is that he still trails by 12 points. … If Lamont has an October surprise, he’d better check the calendar.”
Oh snap!
If I were Doug Schwartz, I’d be more concerned with the accuracy, integrity, and consistency of my polling than getting a one-line zinger into the AP story. The pollsters for ARG, Zogby, or Rasmussen don’t appear to be taking sides, so why Doug Schwartz wants to do so (or appear to do so) is beyond me.
l-r: Ned Lamont, Mr. Corey Boutilier, and Alan Schlesinger on the red carpet
