Congressman: 'Lincoln' Movie Was Wrong About Conn. Views On Slavery
HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) was trying to correct the record Tuesday, after Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" movie suggested that Connecticut was not entirely in favor of the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery.
Courtney praised the artistry and acting of the film, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. But he was shocked by one particular scene in which Congress is voting on whether to ratify the 13th Amendment.
"When they got to Connecticut, two out of the three members of Congress voted no, and the whole way home afterwards, I was just really bothered by that," Courtney told WCBS 880.
Courtney said it did not take too long for him to find out that the scene was not historically correct.
"We checked with the Congressional Research Service, who pulled up the roll call, and sure enough, all four members of from the State of Connecticut voted unanimously in favor of passage of the 13th Amendment," he said.
The depiction of Connecticut as divided on slavery does not make sense from a historical standpoint, Courtney added.
"All across Connecticut, we have Civil War monuments. We have incredibly rich history of our bond to Abraham Lincoln, who campaigned in Norwich, Connecticut; who spoke in Hartford during his campaign to be elected president, and it just made no sense to me," he said.
Courtney has sent a letter to Spielberg, asking that the movie be corrected before its release on DVD.
A spokesman for Dreamworks, which produced ``Lincoln,'' didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Do you think the movie should be changed before it's released on DVD? Please leave your comments below...
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