Fox to air controversial excerpts from 'Path to 9/11'
It got them by taping a public talk by the docudrama's writer, who showed clips from a scene toned down after ex-officials' criticism.
By Matea Gold
Times Staff Writer
January 26, 2007
NEW YORK — In a move that could rekindle a heated political debate, Fox News said Thursday that it planned to broadcast footage from ABC's controversial miniseries "The Path to 9/11" that was edited out of the docudrama amid criticism that it inaccurately portrayed the Clinton administration's response to the terrorism threat.
The outtakes, scheduled to air Sunday, depict then-national security advisor Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger refusing to approve a CIA request to attack Osama bin Laden, an event that Berger and the Sept. 11 commission say did not occur.
The final version of the movie that aired on ABC in early September still included the scene, but it had been toned down after protests from top Democrats.
Several minutes were culled, including an exchange in which Berger is depicted hanging up on then-CIA Director George J. Tenet, according to a Fox News producer who has seen both versions.
The previously unaired footage is scheduled to be broadcast at 6 p.m. Sunday on "Hannity's America," a new show with Sean Hannity, one of the cable news network's most popular hosts.
Fox News obtained the outtakes by taping a public talk that Cyrus Nowrasteh, writer and producer of "The Path to 9/11," gave to a World Affairs Council chapter last Friday at Cal State Channel Islands. Nowrasteh discussed making the docudrama and played several minutes edited out of the movie.
Fox News had learned of his appearance from an article in a Ventura County paper, and it received permission from the World Affairs Council to record the event, "Hannity's America" producer John Finley said. The council is a nonprofit educational group.
"We saw an opportunity and sent a crew out there," Finley said.
Jay Carson, a spokesman for President Clinton, denounced Fox News' decision to air the scene.
"This movie was a completely false piece of right-wing propaganda when it was on ABC, and it will be exactly the same on Fox if they make the unfortunate choice to air it, though it should be right at home," Carson said...
