Famous Hollywood filmmaker David Mamet on Monday dared to oppose liberal orthodoxy, slamming Barack Obama as a "tyrant." Appearing on the Hugh Hewitt Show, the writer/director (The Untouchables, Wag the Dog, Ronin) decried the President's deal with Iran over nuclear production.
Mamet assailed, "He's a tyrant. And I give him great credit. He's always said that his idea was to reform the United States." [See video below. MP3 audio here.] He added, "And, you know, like many tyrants, like Wilson and like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he believes that his way is the right way and that he's going to implement his vision of the world." (In addition to attacking Obama, you don't see too many directors going after FDR.)
Just to make things totally clear, the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter quipped, "I just disagree with everything [Obama's] done."
Talking to Hewitt, Mamet described his own political views: "I'm a Jew. I'm for the Jewish people and I'm an American and I'm for the west and I'm for our allies. And Israel's been under attack for every day of its existence."
Since Mamet began speaking out with conservative views, he has been labeled "far right" by the New York Times.
In March of 2013, the Los Angeles Times theater critic railed:
Mamet has been using the bully pulpit granted to him as an artist to broadcast the doctrines of loudmouth talk radio, that boisterous realm in which innuendo substitutes for evidence and fear-mongering replaces analysis. That's his prerogative as a citizen. But what a shame for progressives and conservatives alike that such a gifted dramatist has allowed his hotheaded dogmas to ruin his art.
A partial transcript of the November 25 Hugh Hewitt Show interview:
DAVID MAMET: Well, I was born right after World War II and I'm a Jew. I'm a serious Jew. My grandparents didn't leave Poland. Got killed, half of them got killed by the Nazis. Half of them got killed by Stalin and it's clearly evident to me from the first that the left is going to make Israel do it's dirty work. It's going to turn its back on Israel until to save the west, Israel is going to have to strike at Iran and leave the cat sitting on the fence to say, "See, I told you so. Look at what them yits are up to this week."
HEWITT: And so, do you think that's going to happen now?
MAMET: Yes.
HEWITT: And will you be upset or will you cheer them when they act?
MAMET: Well, I cheer– you know, I'm a Jew. I'm for the Jewish people and I'm an American and I'm for the west and I'm for our allies. And Israel's been under attack for every day of its existence.
HEWITT: Having said that, you're also a child of Hyde Park. You know these people who are around the President. You probably know the President's mind better than most. What is he doing?
MAMET: He's a tyrant. And I give him great credit. He's always said that his idea was to reform the United States. And, you know, like many tyrants, like Wilson and like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he believes that his way is the right way and that he's going to implement his vision of the world and many agree with him. And he's acting in concert with his conscience. And I applaud him for that. I just disagree with everything he's done.
