FOX Bends the Facts on Affleck Appearance

I don't like to get into politics, especially around election season. You turn off too many people and there's always some other Internet site to support another person's opinion.

As astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says, "The wonderful thing about science is that you don't have to believe in it, it's still true." I feel the same way about climate change deniers, pro-Life stonewallers, and the Tea Party. They can have their views, as wrong as I feel they are. The science is on my side, so have at you.

Somehow this leads me to Ben Affleck appearing on the Bill O'Reilly show on FOX News to promote his new film, ARGO. It's a true story about the CIA rescuing six Americans who were being held hostage in Iran during the 1979 crisis. CIA agents came in, grabbed the hostages, and spirited them out of the country posing as members of the film crew of a ficticious movie, "Argo."

Affleck is a known Democrat, having had a role at the 2008 Democratic convention and being a spokesperson for Barack Obama during the last Presidential election. To promote his film, he was willing to appear on O'Reilly's program, knowing the conversation would turn political.

But after the spin that FOX put on Affleck's appearance, you wonder if it was worth it. "Liberal Actor Can't Name One Obama Accomplishment!" rang one headline. This leads Faux News watchers to think that:

1. Affleck is possibly an idiot
2. Obama hasn't accomplished anything
3. Liberal actors fall and genuflect before the genius of O'Reilly

In any case, I don't want to get overtly political. But it's not playing fair to let someone promote a movie – one with a political bend towards your leanings – and then bash him over the head for doing so. Otherwise, prepare to be stuck with a parade of third-rate has-beens and desperate fame whores, who will kowtow to your personalities (they are not true pundits) and say anything for airtime.