Fox's Wallace defends Bush at screening

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By Jon Ward

Fox News journalist Chris Wallace on Monday evening defended President Bush against criticism by Hollywood filmmaker Ron Howard that the president has abused his office in a way similar to President Nixon.

"Richard Nixon's crimes were committed purely in the interest of his own political gain," Mr. Wallace told Mr. Howard before an audience of a few hundred after viewing the filmmaker's new film, "Frost/Nixon," which is about the only U.S. president to resign from office.

"I think to compare what Nixon did, and the abuses of power for pure political self-preservation, to George W. Bush trying to protect this country -- even if you disagree with rendition or waterboarding -- it seems to me is both a gross misreading of history both then and now," Mr. Wallace said.

Related article:Bradlee slams 'Frost/Nixon': 'Nixon never was sorry'

Mr. Wallace was a member of the audience at a special preview screening of "Frost/Nixon," which depicts the process that led to the disgraced president's confession of failure. The screening was held at the National Geographic Society Auditorium in Washington. The movie opens nationwide Friday.

After the screening, Mr. Howard took the stage, along with writer Peter Morgan; James Reston Jr., one of the researchers who helped interviewer David Frost; and historian Robert Dallek.

Mr. Howard was the first to comment about the film's connection to Mr. Bush, saying that he had told friends in 1977 that an abuse of power similar to Mr. Nixon's would "never happen again."

"So that led to some frustrations that I've experienced over the last few years," said Mr. Howard, an Oscar-winning director.

Mr. Dallek followed Mr. Howard's comments.

"It's just as Ron says. We've been, back in the past eight years, through this anguish about an imperial presidency," he said. "This has, I think, in a sense, made this film and the play so timely, and why it's really commanding so much attention."