Spike Lee Calls Senator John McCain's Debate Cancellation a 'Punk Move'
Controversial Director Says He Hopes McCain 'Has the Guts' to Debate Obama
Spike Lee is no stranger to controversy for his seemingly abrasive comments. His most recent controversy came in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where he criticized director Clint Eastwood's Oscar-nominated "Flags Of Our Fathers" for not accurately depicting history by not having black soldiers in the movie.
His most recent, until the interview with Chetry, that is. Lee will no doubt draw considerable attention and criticism for his remarks on CNN as well.
Spike Lee Called John McCain A Punk?
Kiran Chetry began the interview by asking Spike Lee to present his thoughts on the scheduled debate between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama at the University of Mississippi. Lee said that he believed the American people wanted to see the debate and that it appeared that Senator McCain's reasons for canceling may have been purely political. He then said that he hoped that McCain "had the guts" to show up and debate Obama. He followed up, saying he knew that that comment might sound "strong," but that was the way he felt.
Lee then said that where he is from, Brooklyn (New York), what McCain had done, pulling out at the last minute, was known as a "punk move."
Before the day is out, Spike Lee will no doubt be embroiled in another controversy over his choice of words. He will more than likely be accused of called McCain, a Vietnam war veteran and war hero, a coward and a punk. And many will say it was all done in the interest of making Senator McCain look bad and promotes Lee's new movie, "Miracle at St. Anna."
It is no secret that Spike Lee is a Barack Obama supporter, but do his words have any merit? Was John McCain's move purely political, a move to better position himself? Was it a "punk move"?
Kiran Chetry brought up the McCain camp rationale that Senator McCain was not afraid to debate Senator Obama, the proof being in McCain's suggestion to have ten townhall meetings earlier in the presidential race. Some believe that the rationale is just a distraction from the issue at hand. McCain is not attending a scheduled debate. The issue is not what could have been agreed upon. The issue is what has been agreed upon. The debate in Mississippi was agreed upon.
John McCain's Political Maneuvering
Senator McCain's critics are saying that he has used the $700 billion bailout legislation in Congress to dodge the debate in hopes of slowing the Obama momentum in the latest polls. CNN's latest poll of polls (an average of all major polls) shows Senator Obama's lead over Senator McCain has increased by two points. Obama now leads Senator McCain 49% to 45%.
RealClearPolitics.com's national average of polls shows Senator McCain trailing, 47.9% to 44.4%.
Other critics are saying it is a savvy political maneuver on McCain's part to try and alleviate some of the damage being done to his presidential campaign by his vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin, whose interviews with ABC News' Charles Gibson and CBS News' Katie Couric have been less than inspiring. The continuing "Troopergate" scandal in her home state of Alaska and what seems like a daily trail of embarrassing or controversial revelations about the governor have taken its toll on the McCain-Palin ticket. What began as excited defensiveness parrying by Republicans of their brash young nominee in August has become a nothing short of a panicked defensive rout. McCain's slipping numbers in the polls are just the early warning signs of a campaign in dire trouble.
Chetry brought up the recent AP-Yahoo Survey that said that many white voters would not vote for Senator Obama because of his race and that the numbers showed that it could potentially cost Obama the election. Lee said that he did not believe that polls accurately reflected the excitement generated by Obama campaign in young white voters and that the racially influenced vote would not matter that much.
As for Spike Lee's comment on hoping Senator McCain actually has "the guts" to show up at the University of Mississippi for the debate - that remains to be seen.
Spike Lee's assertion that the American people want to see a debate between Barack Obama and John McCain is no doubt true. But Senator Obama has announced that if Senator McCain does not show up, Obama will turn the debate into a townhall type forum.
Spike Lee said that he would be watching the broadcast whether McCain showed up or not. No doubt Lee will be joined by millions.
What About Spike Lee's New Movie "Miracle At St. Anna"?
The Spike Lee interview was not all about politics. Kiran Chetry did get in a couple questions about "Miracle At St. Anna."
"Miracle At St. Anna" opened in theaters nationwide Friday, September 25.
Chetry asked if "Miracle At St. Anna" was an answer to "Flags of Our Fathers." Lee told her it had nothing to do with "Flags of Our Fathers," but instead told another World War II story that was important in American history. She brought up the controversial statements Lee made at Cannes. Lee told her that he respected Clint Eastwood's work and that his remarks were "blown out of proportion."
As no doubt his words about McCain's political "punk move" and having "the guts" to participate in the University of Mississippi debate will be blown out of proportion.
Sources:
"American Morning," CNN Television
YouTube.com
CNNPolitics.com
RealClearPolitics.com
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
-
Spike Lee Proves 'The G-man' Right!
Hollywood has always been reluctant to tell the story of how African-American soldiers played an enormous and pivotal role in battling Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich.
- Spike Lee Goes After Clint Eastwood for Iwo Jima's Lack of Color Spike Lee has taken issue with Clint Eastwood's non-use of African Americans to tell the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
- Spike Lee Criticizes Clint Eastwood but How Well Thought Out is His Complaint? Clint Eastwood's epic war films are making a stir, but only with Spike Lee it seems.
-
Spike Lee's New Biopic on Time Travel Researcher, Ronald Mallett
Today's true experts and effective communicators on time travel could probably be counted on one hand. However, one theoretical physicist named Ronald Mallett is about to get a...
-
Barack Obama Outraises John McCain in June
Democratic Candidate for President Barack Obama outraised John McCain in June and has, as of the end of May 2008, even outraised the Republican candidate for President in tradit...
- REVIEW: "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts", a Documentary by Spike Lee
- Spike Lee: That's My Story and I'm Sticking to it (Faber)
- 2008 Movie Releases: Sep-Dec
- Previewing the 2008 Movies from Disney
- Academy Awards: The 80th Anniversary Edition
- Spike Lee Picks a Fight with Clint Eastwood
- Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee Are BOTH Right
|
|
67 Comments
Post a CommentSpike Lee !! who is the punk now ? If you do not know what your talking about, keep your opinions to yourself.
Spike Lee is an amazing director who has made wonderfully intricate, complex, challenging, thought provoking films like Do the Right Thing, the incomparable Malcolm X, Clockers, Mo' Better Blues, and When the Levees Broke. He's also made flat out entertaining films like 25th Hour and Inside Man. He's influential and has cultural importance as evidenced by how many people love and hate him. The vile he has churned up by bottom feeding racists on this response page only shows how successful he is at provoking debate about important issues and for exposing the hatred and ignorance that hides away causing people to forget what our country really continues to struggle against.
John McCain's move was a punk move. No question about it. He saw himself slipping in the polls so he made this big show to 'cancel the debates' (which very few agreed with) and go to Washington and 'make a difference.' Not only was he not on the committee whose job it was to create a bail out plan, he has o
Spike lee is right , why do people criticise Lee without looking at the facts.
America is going to through economic crisis,the question is does the senate need Obama and Mccain meddling into how to deal with the 700 billion dollars package.
Now everybody with some inteligence knows that by Mccain going to capitol Hill will politicise the whole coming together of the two parties trying to achieve the impossible.
With the debate , can someone tell Mccain that been a soldier at Vietnam does not make you a good commander -in-chief.,what is required is the intelligence to listen to your top military advisers, diplomacy and calmness. Not the so called Texas cowboy culture of George Bush , look at the mistakes and the instability we have now including the economic crisis.
America needs Obama and Biden!
The article is very interesting but the comments are really intriguing to read. You sure stirred a reaction!
Wow! the comments are as enlightening as the article. Great piece of writing Saul.
Good article, Saul, regardless of whether one respects or does not respect Spike Lee or John McCain. You are right on top of the latest news every time!
Goodness...the comments surely prove that McCain is more popular than Lee, but Lee was right - of course, that's all moot now since McCain has now executed a punk retreat from his original punk move that was very likely designed to deflect attention from the fact that, on national TV, his own VP candidate couldn't point to any move her "boss" had made in 26 years in the name regulating those who bundled your mortgage into a "vehicle" with several crack dealers'. This lack of ANY regulatory impulse, however complicated the fiscal mess may seem, definitely contributed to it.
I can show you McCain without a teleprompter being just as painful but that doesn't mean either one is bad a speaking it just meant they were expecting it to work and when it failed they totally lost their train of though of what they had covered and what they hadn't.
SPIKE LEE is plain and simple. An arrogant, yes ignorant, underachieving man whose claim to fame is "b" movies. Calling McCain a punk? No clear thinking American will ever respect people who talk like Spike Lee does. Never. What will he say when O'bama loses? Who will he blame then?
Reaction from Michael Moore was swift and furious: "I'm the most embarrassing lefty director there is, and no Spike Lee is going to take my title! Oh, and Sen. McCain is a potty, potty, potty mouth!" Mr. Moore then defecated on the ground, lay down in his own feces, and spun around in circles. The feces were not available for comment.