Calling Oliver Stone people yields a categorical denial of the above statement. Awaiting the call back from an assistant of Stone, I am told flatly by another person in the office, “But in the mean time – it’s not true.”

Shortly afterward, Susie from Stone’s office, shown the link, comments that “it’s always interesting to see these things.”

She then explains courteously that while Stone might say random nice things about another filmmaker’s work, “he doesn’t have a history of endorsing” – “officially endorsing” movies.

“In regard to this particular film,” moreover – “No. He is not endorsing it.” Again she remarks that it is interesting what people will seize on, particularly in connection with Stone et al.

Lawrence Bender Productions, one of two production companies behind the Al Gore movie, is a bit harder to reach and a trifle more reticent, giving off ladylike little death vibes of concentrated unenthusiasm. No confirmation of the ABC email is suggested. Zac Minor in the Beverly Hills office responds to the passage quoted, “Lawrence has no comment on that.”

Doesn’t sound like an endorsement.

BTW, the other production company for An Inconvenient Truth was Participant Productions, which also made Fast Food Nation among other credits – meaningful films. A contact says through email, “I am not aware of any such endorsement from our company regarding the ABC miniseries set to air this coming week.”

For what it is worth, producers seem to be getting strange vibes about this miniseries. One contact person comments that “I've been following this story, and hope you can help to get it further out there. Thanks . . .”

Back at you.

This email illuminates the brittle but rosy imagination of some rightwingers -- that tendency to imagine that the universe endorses whatever they do, even when they are unleashing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.