Sep 30 2008
Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story
Many of us know Karl Rove as Bush’s Brain. But we don’t hear as much about Karl Rove’s mentor, the late Lee Atwater. Credited with helping elect W’s father against Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988, Atwater legitimized the Republican playbook of negative campaigning, coded racism, working the rumor mill, and worse, to get candidates elected. Starting at a very young age in his home state of South Carolina, Atwater began his ascent into the Republican Party by leading the College Republicans where he started practicing his approach to election campaigning. His audacity and success led him to be a Ronald Reagan aide, and then chief campaign strategist for George H W Bush, and finally, Chair of the Republican National Committee. His reputation earned him various unflattering nicknames, including “happy hatchet man,” “political assassin,” the GOP’s “Darth Vader,” and “the most evil man in America.” In the end, Atwater’s deeds seem to catch up with him. In 1990, at the age of 39, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and before he finally died a year later, he apologized to many of his political victims. Now, a new documentary chronicles the brief life and political career of Lee Atwater and the legacy he has left for the Republican Party. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, is produced and directed by Stefan Forbes. It provides a unique window into the life of the “godfather of the modern negative political campaign.”
GUEST: Stefan Forbes, producer and director of Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story.
Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story, is showing at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Los Angeles from October 3-10.
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5 Responses to “Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story”
[…] Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story – uprisingradio.org Many of us know Karl Rove as Bush’s Brain. But we don’t hear as much about Karl Rove’s mentor, the late Lee Atwater. Credited with helping elect W’s father against Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988, Atwater legitimized the Republican playbook of negative campaigning, coded racism, working the rumor mill, and worse, to get candidates elected. Starting at a very young age in his home state of South Carolina, Atwater began his ascent into the Republican Party by leading the College Republicans where he started practicing his approach to election campaigning. His audacity and success led him to be a Ronald Reagan aide, and then chief campaign strategist for George H W Bush, and finally, Chair of the Republican National Committee. His reputation earned him various unflattering nicknames, including “happy hatchet man,” “political assassin,” the GOP’s “Darth Vader,” and “the most evil man in America.” In the end, Atwater’s deeds seem to catch up with him. In 1990, at the age of 39, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and before he finally died a year later, " How long are your memories, folks?? […]
[…] Posted by Geechie North Boogieman: The Lee Atwater Story – uprisingradio.org Many of us know Karl Rove as Bush?s Brain. But we don?t hear as much about Karl Rove?s mentor, the […]
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