I am dismayed that so many here are buying Scholastic's limited, modified hang-out solution to their controversial, knuckleheaded participation in "The Path to 9/11" swiftboat hit piece from Disney/ABC. This is NOT a victory. Kossacks are being coopted, conned, cozened -- and I can just imagine the high level meeting that took place at Scholastic earlier today.
EXEC VP: This is a disaster! We're getting thousands of calls! The switchboard is jammed!
MR BIG: Well, it was your idea to climb into bed with the Disney people.
[more after jump]
EXEC VP: (Nervously) Gee, chief, this is no time for recriminations. The point is what do we do about it moving forward. So ... what do we do?
PR WEASEL: Well, we could put put a cheap quickie release to schools that reframes the debate ...
EXEC VP: And that helps us -- how?
PR WEASEL: It gives us the high ground. We'll be able to tell people we're giving teachers a lesson plan that helps kids critically examine the differences between the presentation of historical facts versus the dramatization of events by the entertainment media.
EXEC VP: Beautiful! It just an addendum. The original materials stay out there. There's no recall. The program goes ahead.
PR WEASEL: Exactly!
MR BIG: This could work.
EXEC VP: (Excited) And our fingerprints will be totally off the thing.
LVCIR [Lone Voice of Conscience in Room -- soon to be unemployed]: But the smear will still be intact.
MR BIG: Well, that's not really our problem, Smithers, now is it?