SCENES FROM "IT"S A WONDERFUL LIE" STARRING DICK CHENEY

"IT"S A WONDERFUL LIE" STARRING DICK CHENEY

Since it's only early October, I admit that I was a bit surprised (albeit pleasantly) to turn on my TV last night and find the perennial holiday classic, "It's A Wonderful Lie" running on almost every major network, including C-SPAN!  I tuned in just in time to catch one of my very favorite scenes.  It's the one where George Bailey confronts Mr. Potter about how badly things are going with the war, and says to Potter, "You are not being straight with the American people on Iraq."  George continues, pointing out to Potter that the arguments Potter used to justify the invasion of Iraq have proven to be, at best, exaggerated and, at worst, fabricated.  George concludes that there is zero evidence to support any connection between Saddam Hussein and the events of 9/11/2001.  Potter in response, blusters, burbles and blurts out, "I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11" which, of course, we all know is false, because Potter claimed exactly the opposite in several earlier scenes.

I also really loved this scene from a bit later on in the movie . . .

POTTER [to his goon]
Shove me up . . .
(Goon pushes his wheelchair closer to the desk.)
POTTER
Those "middle class workers" and "seniors" of yours had better face the facts . . .

"IT"S A WONDERFUL LIE" STARRING DICK CHENEY

Since it's only early October, I admit that I was a bit surprised (albeit pleasantly) to turn on my TV last night and find the perennial holiday classic, "It's A Wonderful Lie" running on almost every major network, including C-SPAN!  I tuned in just in time to catch one of my very favorite scenes.  It's the one where George Bailey confronts Mr. Potter about how badly things are going with the war, and says to Potter, "You are not being straight with the American people on Iraq."  George continues, pointing out to Potter that the arguments Potter used to justify the invasion of Iraq have proven to be, at best, exaggerated and, at worst, fabricated.  George concludes that there is zero evidence to support any connection between Saddam Hussein and the events of 9/11/2001.  Potter in response, blusters, burbles and blurts out, "I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11" which, of course, we all know is false, because Potter claimed exactly the opposite in several earlier scenes.

I also really loved this scene from a bit later on in the movie . . .

POTTER [to his goon]
Shove me up . . .
Goon pushes his wheelchair closer to the desk.

POTTER
Those "middle class workers" and "seniors" of yours had better face the facts.  Health costs are rising---thanks in large part to trial lawyers like you and their frivolous lawsuits.  They are just going to have to pinch their pennies and pony up their fair share of health care premiums.

GEORGE
Times are bad, Mr. Potter. A lot of these people are out of work . . .

POTTER
Then take away their insurance!

GEORGE
We can't do that. These families have children.

POTTER
They're not my children.

GEORGE
But they're somebody's children.

POTTER
Are you running a government or a charity ward?  [interrupting] Not with the money I pay in taxes!

GEORGE
Mr. Potter, what makes you such a hard-skulled character? You can't begin to spend all the money you've got.

POTTER
So I suppose I should give it to miserable failures like you and that idiot running mate of yours to spend for me?  Gives you an idea of the Democrats . . .

GEORGE
How dare you say that about John Kerry...a distinguished public servant, a man of conscience and conviction, a war hero . . .

POTTER
I'll even go further than that.  As I've said before, I recognize and honor Sen Kerry's service to this country...but John Kerry is not a man of conviction.  Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him.  He's a man of high ideals; so-called "Liberal" ideals, but ideals without common sense can ruin this country. What does that get us? A discontented, lazy rabble instead of a thrifty working class. And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like John Kerry stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of impossible ideas like well-paying jobs, high quality public education and affordable health care. Now, I say . . .
George puts down his coat and comes around to the table, incensed by what Potter is saying about Kerry.

GEORGE
Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about . . . they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this country, but to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. You're talking about something you---or Halliburton---can't get your fingers on, and it's galling you. You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter! In the . . . in the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little Halliburton loving spider.
He turns and shouts at the goon, impassive as ever beside Potter's wheelchair.

And of course, the final scene, as always, brought tears to my eyes . . .

George, still holding Zuzu in his arms, glances down at the pile of papers on the desk. His eye catches something on top of the pile, and he reaches down for it. It is a picture of "George Bailey and Mr. Potter sitting side-by-side at a 2001 Senate Prayer Breakfast." George turns it over and finds an inscription written on it "Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love, Patrick Leahy."

MARY
[Looking at the picture] What's that?

GEORGE
That's a Christmas present from a very dear friend of mine.

At this moment, perhaps because of the jostling of some of the people on the other side of the tree, a little silver bell on the Christmas tree swings to and fro with a silvery tinkle. Zuzu closes the cover of the book, and points to the bell.

ZUZU
Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.

GEORGE
[smiling] That's right, that's right.

He looks up toward the ceiling and winks.
GEORGE [cont'd]
Attaboy, Patrick!

The voices of the people singing swell into a final crescendo.
THE END

(With apologies and thanks to Frank Capra)