Republicans Use Fake Troops for RNC Video

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Brandon Friedman

For its "Pledge of Allegiance video" on Tuesday night, the Republican National Convention used stock footage of a staged military funeral, along with actors dressed as soldiers and sailors. CBS has the story:

It was a video that was supposed to elicit soaring patriotism and real emotions about the Pledge of Allegiance. But to do that,

it used fake soldiers and a staged military funeral instead of the real thing.

CBS News found that the footage of the 'funeral' and soldiers is what is called 'stock' footage. The

soldiers were actors

and the funeral scene was from a one-day film shoot, produced in June.

No real soldiers were used during production.

The footage, sold by stock-film house Getty Images was produced by a commercial filmmaker in Chicago. Both Getty and the production company, Mr. Big Films, confirmed that the footage was shot on spec and sold to the Republican National Committee.

One of the actors, Perry Denton of Chicago, IL also confirmed that he was hired on a day-rate as an actor for the shoot and told CBS News he was surprised to learn the footage was shown at the convention.

The issue here isn't that the RNC used actors in what might have been a haste. Rather, the underlying problem is that Bush and McCain supporters don't like to deal with the messy reality of warfare that genuine troops bring to the table. That is, they feel compelled to stage a funeral with actors. Because to show a real military funeral--with the heaving chests of a broken family clutching a flag-draped coffin containing the pieces of their dead soldier--might just make the funny hat-clad, stupid button-wearing audience blanch. And that doesn't make for good TV. Plus, people just wouldn't go for it. So they use sanitized actors.

But this is an insult to the military. The use of actors shows an unwillingness to face up to what they've done--to the military and to the nation. And it shows that the only way to keep up support for the war is to hide its reality from the American people.

If I said that something like this surprised me, though, I'd be lying. But then, this is also why troops overseas are donating to Obama at a six to one rate over McCain. They're tired of being treated like this.

Here's the video:

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1843

[GaryC 7]

Amazing. They didn't use a real funeral out of respect. But it seems that anything is a gotcha for Steven. Whats next? Quotes from Mad Magazine?

[Dan J 277]

Amazing. They didn't use a real funeral out of respect. But it seems that anything is a gotcha for Steven. Whats next? Quotes from Mad Magazine?

There is nothing wrong with using real video if its done respectfully and with permission of the participants. Faking it makes them look like China.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

footnote at the bottom: no real soldiers were harmed in the making of this convention.

[ChuckandOlga 0]

Silly Democrats don't you understand America was built by Republican and will always be lead by Republican.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Meet the writer:

VetVoice is the online home of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It is for Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard members, as well as for veterans, their families, and their supporters. VetVoice is where we can come together to sound off on the issues that concern all of us. VetVoice aims to be a nexus for information and opinion on war news, war politics, deployments, optempo, veterans' issues, troops' families' issues, and more.

Editor

Brandon Friedman

Brandon Friedman is a writer with extensive experience in both the military and politics. He is the author of The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War, and has served since 2007 as the Vice Chairman of VoteVets.org--a 100,000-member organization dedicated to getting veterans elected to public office.

Brandon served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan and Iraq. In March 2002, he led a rifle platoon into Afghanistan's Shah-e-Kot Valley in order to engage Taliban and al Qaeda fighters as part of Operation Anaconda--a battle later written about by award-winning journalist Sean Naylor in Not a Good Day to Die. A year later, Brandon commanded a heavy weapons platoon during the invasion of Iraq. He led troops during combat operations in Hillah, Baghdad, and Tal Afar. Brandon eventually left active duty in 2004, after having spent the latter half of his Iraq tour as an executive officer in the northern part of the country as the insurgency intensified. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Brandon has been interviewed by ABC News, the Associated Press, McClatchy, Bloomberg, the UK's Guardian and Daily Telegraph, The Military Times, and other news organizations. He has also appeared on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN, as well as on numerous radio stations across the country. Brandon's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's Guardian Unlimited, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, and, most recently, as the Editor of VetVoice--a blog on politics and the military.

Brandon holds a B.A. in History from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and an M.P.A. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently a Captain in the Individual Ready Reserve.

[GaryC 7]

Meet the writer:

VetVoice is the online home of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It is for Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard members, as well as for veterans, their families, and their supporters. VetVoice is where we can come together to sound off on the issues that concern all of us. VetVoice aims to be a nexus for information and opinion on war news, war politics, deployments, optempo, veterans' issues, troops' families' issues, and more.

Editor

Brandon Friedman

Brandon Friedman is a writer with extensive experience in both the military and politics. He is the author of The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War, and has served since 2007 as the Vice Chairman of VoteVets.org--a 100,000-member organization dedicated to getting veterans elected to public office.

Brandon served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan and Iraq. In March 2002, he led a rifle platoon into Afghanistan's Shah-e-Kot Valley in order to engage Taliban and al Qaeda fighters as part of Operation Anaconda--a battle later written about by award-winning journalist Sean Naylor in Not a Good Day to Die. A year later, Brandon commanded a heavy weapons platoon during the invasion of Iraq. He led troops during combat operations in Hillah, Baghdad, and Tal Afar. Brandon eventually left active duty in 2004, after having spent the latter half of his Iraq tour as an executive officer in the northern part of the country as the insurgency intensified. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Brandon has been interviewed by ABC News, the Associated Press, McClatchy, Bloomberg, the UK's Guardian and Daily Telegraph, The Military Times, and other news organizations. He has also appeared on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN, as well as on numerous radio stations across the country. Brandon's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's Guardian Unlimited, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, and, most recently, as the Editor of VetVoice--a blog on politics and the military.

Brandon holds a B.A. in History from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and an M.P.A. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently a Captain in the Individual Ready Reserve.

So? What is your point?

And this should also tell you something BTW:

Brandon's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's Guardian Unlimited, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So? What is your point?

And this should also tell you something BTW:

Brandon's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's Guardian Unlimited, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos....

This is coming from a veteran who's fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq...don't you think that should bear some weight in what he's saying? If he personally feels offended by the video as a veteran, I wouldn't dismiss it like he's just being partisan.

[IAMX 3,055]

Notice how none of the Republican cheerleaders are discussing the fake troops and how to respect this guy who's served honorably in the military.

Guess when you criticize Republicans you're an enemy.

So I suppose conservatives are now going to turn in their Support the Troops support ribbons?

[symbiosis 0]

by Brandon Friedman

For its "Pledge of Allegiance video" on Tuesday night, the Republican National Convention used stock footage of a staged military funeral, along with actors dressed as soldiers and sailors. CBS has the story:

It was a video that was supposed to elicit soaring patriotism and real emotions about the Pledge of Allegiance. But to do that,

it used fake soldiers and a staged military funeral instead of the real thing.

CBS News found that the footage of the 'funeral' and soldiers is what is called 'stock' footage. The

soldiers were actors

and the funeral scene was from a one-day film shoot, produced in June.

No real soldiers were used during production.

The footage, sold by stock-film house Getty Images was produced by a commercial filmmaker in Chicago. Both Getty and the production company, Mr. Big Films, confirmed that the footage was shot on spec and sold to the Republican National Committee.

One of the actors, Perry Denton of Chicago, IL also confirmed that he was hired on a day-rate as an actor for the shoot and told CBS News he was surprised to learn the footage was shown at the convention.

The issue here isn't that the RNC used actors in what might have been a haste. Rather, the underlying problem is that Bush and McCain supporters don't like to deal with the messy reality of warfare that genuine troops bring to the table. That is, they feel compelled to stage a funeral with actors. Because to show a real military funeral--with the heaving chests of a broken family clutching a flag-draped coffin containing the pieces of their dead soldier--might just make the funny hat-clad, stupid button-wearing audience blanch. And that doesn't make for good TV. Plus, people just wouldn't go for it. So they use sanitized actors.

But this is an insult to the military. The use of actors shows an unwillingness to face up to what they've done--to the military and to the nation. And it shows that the only way to keep up support for the war is to hide its reality from the American people.

If I said that something like this surprised me, though, I'd be lying. But then, this is also why troops overseas are donating to Obama at a six to one rate over McCain. They're tired of being treated like this.

Here's the video:

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1843

I'm surprised they didn't have that little Chinese girl lip sink the pledge of allegiance.

[GaryC 7]

So? What is your point?

And this should also tell you something BTW:

Brandon's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's Guardian Unlimited, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos....

This is coming from a veteran who's fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq...don't you think that should bear some weight in what he's saying? If he personally feels offended by the video as a veteran, I wouldn't dismiss it like he's just being partisan.

Political hacks come from all segments of society, including vets. To say that McCain is dissing vets is crazy beyond all measure.

[IAMX 3,055]

Political hacks come from all segments of society, including vets.

Thank you for your demonstration of that. You may sit down now.

Edited September 5, 2008 by SRVT

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Political hacks come from all segments of society, including vets.

Thank you for your demonstration of that. You may sit down now.

It's amazing...and sad.

[Peikko 1,575]

What a pathetic article, and point. Come on Dem sympathisers, this is getting old fast. McCain stands a chance in these elections because they have been successful in deflecting the electorate away from the political arguments in favour of this kind of rubbish.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Madame Cleo

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Political hacks come from all segments of society, including vets.

Thank you for your demonstration of that. You may sit down now.

i guess it's a safe bet then that you turned in your

Support the Troops support ribbons?

Edited September 5, 2008 by charles!