Liberal Producer Harvey Weinstein Cheers Margaret Thatcher as a 'Social Progressive'

Kyle Drennen
January 16th, 2012 12:51 PM
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Appearing on Monday's NBC Today to discuss Golden Globe wins for several of his films, producer Harvey Weinstein was particularly proud of the Margaret Thatcher biopic, "The Iron Lady," selectively praising the former British prime minister: "...you see the values that Margaret Thatcher espouses....she was a social progressive, she was pro-choice...pro-gay, pro, you know, health service."                

While Weinstein acknowledged Thatcher to be "fiscally conservative," he seemed to warn those who see her as a conservative icon: "There are myths that we blow away in the movie....Those people who put her name in vain are just lying about it. So I think the movie's explosive and fantastic."

Here is a transcript of the January 16 exchange:

7:33AM ET

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NATALIE MORALES: You, in fact, in a lot of those speeches, as you mentioned, you were called "God" by Meryl Streep, "the Punisher" by Madonna. So you have quite a tough reputation, I think, with your talent. Is that fair to say?

HARVEY WEINSTEIN: Well, I think that, you know, you sit with Michelle Williams, Meryl Streep and Madonna, they're all at the same table. You know, they're all nominated for Golden Globes. I think, you know, somebody – Tim – I think, I think, you know, we were incredibly lucky and incredibly honored.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Well, you obviously have "The Artist," you have "My Week With Marilyn," you have "The Iron Lady," all big winners. So tell us, what's your secret?

WEINSTEIN: Well, I think, you know, these are, you know, I think you take risks and there are rewards. These are great, you know, movies. You know, "The Iron Lady" in the middle of an election, I think, you know, you see the values that Margaret Thatcher espouses. You know, it's incredible. There are myths that we blow away in the movie. You know, she was a social progressive, she was pro-choice, she was, you know, pro-gay, pro, you know, health service. And yet, she was fiscally conservative. Those people who put her name in vain are just lying about it. So I think the movie's explosive and fantastic.

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