Zbig's Moral Relativism, Spacey's Primary Confusion

Zbigniew Brzezinski says that since we talked to Likud, we should talk to Hamas. And Kevin Spacey, who has trouble keeping his disputed primary states straight, suggests that his "Recount" plays it straight, despite evidence to the contrary. All that and more on today's Morning Joe. In reverse order, let's begin with Zbig's appearance, and consider this statement.

ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: I have joined a bi-partisan group of some prominent Americans including Paul Volcker, Brent Scowcroft, Lee Hamilton, and some others, in saying that talking to Hamas is a necessary course of action. You know, we talked to Likud when Likud was advocating the total incorporation of the West Bank into Israel. And today Likud accepts a two-state solution. Hamas will evolve, but it will not evolve if it is continuously ostracized and threatened.

View video here.

The advisability of talking with Hamas can be debated. But what kind of moral relativism equates Likud, which advocated a political position, with Hamas, which supports groups that target Israeli civilians with their missiles?

Earlier, Kevin Spacey made an extended appearance to tout "Recount," his new HBO movie about Florida 2000. He tried to portray the film as playing things down the middle.

View video here.

GEIST: Kevin, so many people feel like they were cheated out of this election, they felt like Al Gore should have been the president of the United States, and it's hard to argue that this country wouldn't look very different --

MIKA: Eight years later.

GEIST: If he had been president of the United States. Based on what you learned: you met with these people, you studied the story so closely. Do you feel like Al Gore was cheated?

KEVIN SPACEY: My feeling is that what I want people to do is to watch this film and reach their own conclusions.

Very noble. But there is much surrounding the film that belies the non-partisan gloss Spacey seeks to put on it. As MRC's Brent Baker has reported, Spacey "conceded on Wednesday's Countdown on MSNBC that 'the movie is done from the Democratic point of view.'”

Dave Shiflett, reviewing "Recount" for Bloomberg.com, says the movie "portrays the Bush camp as a bunch of goons and loons" and that "Republicans in the movie are portrayed as dragons or drones." He adds: "The Democrats, by contrast, are simply trying to make every vote count."

Speaking of portraying Republicans as loons, MJ aired a clip from the movie of Laura Dern's depiction of Katherine Harris which makes the former FL Secretary of State out to be a messianic nut. See clip.

Spacey also let this little factoid slip in response to Pat Buchanan's question as to whether he's asked Al Gore about the movie:

SPACEY: I haven't. I did see Al Gore in Oslo. I was asked by the former Vice-President to host the Nobel Peace Prize concert last December.

Finally, whereas Willie lauded Spacey's knowledge of FL 2000, the Hollywood actor obviously needs to bone up on current political events.

GEIST: You know, it's so interesting, the timing of this, because just yesterday Hillary Clinton was down in Florida. The case she's making, she said it explicitly, she said Florida has learned the hard way what happens when the votes aren't all counted. So your film actually has a renewed relevance today, and throughout this election.

SPACEY: Well, I think she's making a point which is about Florida and I think, is it Vermont that is also in contention?

MIKA/GEIST/BUCHANAN: Michigan.

SPACEY: Michigan.

Michigan. Right.