Source: AP
By: Company Press Release
(WASHINGTON, DC) — Al Gore’s campaign on Wednesday defended his fund-raising help from movie mogul Harvey Weinstein who went around Disney in 1995 to release the controversial NC-17 rated “Kids.” It’s just the sort of film the Democratic presidential candidate has been criticizing.
Gore and running mate Joseph Lieberman (news – web sites) threatened new federal legislation or rules against the entertainment industry within six months if it doesn’t stop marketing violent and sexual products to young people.
Nonetheless, Gore is planning to attend a Thursday night fund-raiser at New York’s Radio City Music Hall that Miramax co-chairman Weinstein helped organized, capping a week of fund-raising reaching $5 million.
“This is not about our supporters, this is not about our opponents, this is about what’s right for America’s children,” Gore spokesman Chris Lehane said in defending the vice president’s association with Weinstein. “Al Gore has proposed concrete steps to protect America’s kids.”
Republicans were quick to criticize.
“Al Gore with one hand is making promises to voters about how he’s going to clean up Hollywood and with the other hand taking money from Hollywood,” said Terry Holt, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson planned a news conference in New York on Thursday to “talk about the Hollywood hypocrisy of Al Gore,” he said.
Weinstein has long been a strong supporter of the Democratic Party, Gore and President Clinton (news – web sites).
Gore’s appearance at a fund-raiser with Weinstein comes at an awkward time, however, as he’s publicly criticizing media violence.
It also gives the Republicans and George W. Bush (news – web sites)’s presidential campaign an opportunity to raise the issue of Gore’s credibility, arguing that he has a habit of saying one thing and doing another.
In 1995, the Miramax film “Kids” was released under an NC-17 rating. Because of parent company Disney’s policy not to release NC-17 films, Miramax set up a separate distribution to release the movie about adolescents using drugs and engaging in sex.
The NC-17 rating was created in 1990 to separate films with strong adult content from porno films, which are X-rated.
Miramax also has released the violent movies “Pulp Fiction” and “Reservoir Dogs.”
On Wednesday, Sen. Lieberman testified at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on a Federal Trade Commission report that asserted the entertainment industry was peddling adult material to underage audiences.
He decried a “culture of carnage” surrounding young people and told lawmakers the government should stop the marketing of violent movies, music and video games to children if the industry fails to police itself.
