John Stockwell, whose film recounts the dramatic behind-the-scenes decisions behind the raid on Osama bin Laden—and airs just two days before the election—fights back against criticism that President Obama was given a ‘starring role’ to juice up his chances at reelection.

For the last few weeks or so, the cast of the film I directed—Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden which will play on the National Geographic Channel on Nov. 4—has been subject to a barrage of media questions that go far beyond the usual queries.

"Why are you trying to sway the election?” “Why is the movie playing two days before the election?" “Why is there footage of Barack Obama in the movie?" "Did Harvey Weinstein force you to be in this movie?"

Even The New York Times has gotten in the act, suggesting that Harvey forced us to give the president “a starring role” in the movie. The paper seems to imply that Obama’s role should have been that of a background extra. I can say with total conviction: President Obama was part of “Operation Neptune Spear” long before he knew Harvey Weinstein was going to be part of a movie about the mission. And no, Harvey didn’t make me re-edit the movie so that the president, in full combat gear, fires the kill shot.

It’s true. We do have news footage of the president. I considered hiring Jay Pharoah from Saturday Night Live to play the president, but he wasn’t available. So I had to go with the next best thing—the president himself. But even with Harvey Weinstein aboard, we got no cooperation from the White House. The president refused to cooperate or re-enact anything. Nothing! All we had was the same photo everyone has seen of Hillary, hand over mouth, gasping at something offscreen, presumably the helicopter crashing.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/29/seal-team-6-director-my-movie-isn-t-propaganda.html

I'm watching it again.

I just wish I hadn't read the comments under the Daily Mail story.

The comments look so phoney like they're all from the same call center/comment center in India!

They were incompetent at getting the job done and focusing our military assets on our enemies. Their unjust hatred of this man only fuels me to fight on with more vigor.

Obama-Biden 2012

Osama Bin Laden was the brains and many more would have died.

That was my takeaway, relief!

I just checked, & I can't find it on Netflix streaming.

Anybody know if it's coming?

I thought it was good.