AP reports that Frank Abramoff, father to
convicted and admitted felon Jack Abramoff, has demanded that George Clooney apologize for his off-the-cuff remarks at the Golden Globes. In their report, they mention that Frank Abramoff is "[t]he father of
disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff," and that Clooney's "off-color joke about [Jack Abramoff] . . . made the lobbyist's 12-year-old daughter cry."
I note, however, that they fail to include the quote from Clooney at the Golden Globes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Here's what Clooney said, thanks to
Crooks and Liars:
I want to thank Jack Abramoff, you know, just because-I--I'm the first one out- lets get this thing rolling. I don't know why. Who would name their kid Jack with the last words "off" at the end of your last name? No wonder that guy is screwed up. Ahh-alright I just got bleeped. Thank you very much...
No, he didn't get bleeped. Clooney seemed reaching throughout the speech for jokes and to remember who to thank. He had even joked that he wasn't even drunk yet because the award was presented so early in the evening.
This, and not the fact that her father is a convicted felon who subverted the laws of our democracy to influence politics to the whim of corrupt politicians? And how fragile is this girl now that such an odd joke would cause her to go into this so-called fit of tears?
Frank's letter in PDF format: http://www.thedesertsun.com/...
Frank nevertheless fails to grasp that Clooney didn't seem to decide to attack his son as he "rose to accept" his award (it appears to be a distant afterthought as Clooney was searching for anyone to thank), and it was far from glib. Frank even wants people to believe that Clooney's words "were deeply hurtful to many innocent and decent people."
Yes, it's now apparently inappropriate to take a jab at a terrible person who's in the public eye for his felonious assault on our Democracy, by making fun of his name.
And apparently Frank doesn't read the news, only writes to the newspaper. Two years of "unmitigated, outrageous falsehood (sic) directed at [his] son"? Huh? "[H]is record of achievement on behalf of his clients and friends"? He broke the law to corrupt the political process and bribe officials.
But Frank, in his fantasy-land reality, doesn't stop at blaming everyone else for what his son did, and how he gets characterized. He goes on to imply that Clooney's a lush. "How do you sleep at night," Frank asks, "other than, perhaps with the drink which you lamented not having at that early hour." (ed. Early? Isn't it dinner time when the Golden Globes are presented?) "Funny, it was very hard for us little people in television land to tell whether you had indulged in the bottle or not."
So yes, attacking his son's name, is bad. Focusing on his son's felonies and constantly reporting it, is bad. Not presenting the side of the tale that his son is a good boy, is bad. But saying that Clooney was a drunk on television, is acceptable behavior.
Frank laments that one day the truth about his son will come out and there will be a lot of people who will line up to apologize to him for their efforts to destroy him and his family. Sorry, Frank, but your son is a felon, he broke the law, he got caught, and now he's rolling on others involved in the scheme to cheat the system.
One day, perhaps your son will apologize to all of us for his criminal activities? At least, that's how it should work out in Reality Land.