>> welcome to the program, tonight tony kushner who wrote the screenplay for steven spielberg's lincoln. >> when you read the major lincoln biographies and i feel by now i've read all of them, you get, you know, however many there are 10 or 12 that i think are really significant, you get 10 or 12 different abraham lynn cons, the basic facts aren't changed but the way that you interpret those facts he seems to be an indexhausably internable figure so you sort of pick which lincoln you want to-- you know, draum advertise. and lincoln that is created in team of rivals, the lincoln that she interprets in team of rivals is a fundamentally political guy. and he has other kinds of genius, he's a great writer, a statesman, moral visionary but more than anything else in doris's book, he's a person who has an absolute consumeate mastery of political process. >> rose: we conclude with christopher waltz who stars in jango unchained. >> quentin really has this rock star persona but that's just one side. i like the other side. and it's there. and it's strong and that's where it's all base, literally

>> i am pleased to have tony kushner back at this table. what does adapted screenplay mean. because there's a lot more here than doris's book. >> yeah, i mean the book in 2000 before doris had actually finished it and it was the book that steven asked me to adapt, i read it eagerly and i love it. i think it's a masterpiece. but team of rivals is a 900 page four-way political biography, the living definition of something that isn't going to make a feature length film. and steven i think knew that when he was getting chapter by chapter. so i think that when we say that it was adapted from team of rivals what we mean and i think is the credit, i'm not sure. i remember that it is inspired by. >> rose: inspired by. >> team of rivals which is not a dodge, r8. i mean the first time i ever encountered the story of the night over the 13th amendment was in team of rivals. i had never read in any of the other accounts of lincoln's life that i had read, and i hadn't red a lot before i started working on this, any one who really even mentions that lincoln did this, it was a surprise to m

tony kushner of course lives in new york city, recipient of tube tube -- a pulitzer prize, a tony award, an enemy and critics choice for best adapted screenplay and of course he's up for an oscar in just nine days. and frankly it should win because it made a different statement than anyone else has and all these years on lincoln on film. and it made the biggest difference i think than other films in their own genre have the same impact as this one does. he is the author of -- co-edited maurice sendak angels in americd caroline or change. his screenplays include steven spielberg's -- in today's book is the screenplay for the lincoln movie and a forward by doris kearns goodwin the communications group publishes it, 164 pages, $34 for costs and $15.90 for the paper book and you can order while we are laying -- live and we will have signed copies for you. as well we have harold holzer, his third or fourth time on, senior vice president for internal affairs at the metropolitan museum of art and cochair of the lincoln bicentennial commission, may it rest in peace. has authored or co-authored

the apex of that human pyramid, there are three men who whom i owe this and a great deal more, tony kushnernd the mysteriously beautiful mind, body and spirit of abraham lincoln. [ cheers and applause ] for my mother, thank you so much. [ applause ] >> and now, ladies and gentlemen, here comes the big one. please welcome the star of "chinatown ""one flew over the cuckoo's nest," "as good as it gets," the incomparable mr. jack nicholson. [ applause ] >>> thank you very much for that. i don't suppose any of you have ever noticed that traditionally the best picture award is presented solo, probably because they want some guy like me messing around making comments about sequins, chiffon, rouge, ringlets. howe however, tonight, it is my great pleasure to introduce live from the white house, the first lady of the united states, michelle obama. [ applause ] >> thank you, jack. and welcome to the white house, everyone. i am so honored to help introduce this year's nominees for best picture and to help celebrate the movies that lift our spirits, broaden our minds and transport us to places we have n

the apex of that human pyramid, there are three men who whom i owe this and a great deal more, tony kushnernd the mysteriously beautiful mind, body and spirit of abraham lincoln. [ cheers and applause ] for my mother, thank you so much. [ applause ] >> and now, ladies and gentlemen, here comes the big one. please welcome the star of "chinatown ""one flew over the cuckoo's nest," "as good as it gets," the incomparable mr. jack nicholson. [ applause ] >>> thank you very much for that. i don't suppose any of you have ever noticed that traditionally the best picture award is presented solo, probably because they want some guy like me messing around making comments about sequins, chiffon, rouge, ringlets. howe however, tonight, it is my great pleasure to introduce live from the white house, the first lady of the united states, michelle obama. [ applause ] >> thank you, jack. and welcome to the white house, everyone. i am so honored to help introduce this year's nominees for best picture and to help celebrate the movies that lift our spirits, broaden our minds and transport us to places we have n

. >> reporter: lincoln's screenwriter tony kushner admitted to change two of connecticut's votes to clarifyth amendment passed buy a narrow margin. he added, i hope nobody is shocked to learn that i also made up dialogue imagined encounters and invented characters. that's hollywood. and in fact, lincoln's revisions are minor compared with two other best picture nominees. "argo"'s most dramatic scenes never happened including the daring escape attempt from iran. and then there's this year's most controversial nominee. >> i'm not your friend. i'm not going to help you. i'm going to break you. any questions? >> reporter: "zero dark thirty" about the killing of bin laden. senior members of congress have complained that scenes showing torture to get intelligence never happened. >> hollywood is known not as the truth factory but the dream factory. >> reporter: scott is the "new york times" film critic. >> people who criticize these movies tend to think, well, the audiences will be fooled. i think the opposite tends more to be the case that people who go to the movies think that what they are seei

tony kushner lives in new york city, the recipient of a pulitzer prize, two tony awards, an emmy, the critics choice for best adapted screen play and up for an oscar in just nine days, and frankly, it should win. we here think it should because it made a different statement than anyone else has in all these years on lincoln on film, and made the biggest difference, i think, than other films that don't have the same impact as this one does. the author -- co-ed debted wrestling, home body kabul, and caroline or change hitches screen plays including angels in america, munich, and today's book is the screen play for the lincoln movie, and it's a forward by goodwin, the communication groups publishes. 164 pages, you can order while we're live or later on as well. we'll have signed copies for you. as well we have harold holzer, co-chair of the u.s. lincoln bicentennial commission, me ad rest in peace, has co-authored 44 book0s 'lincoln and is a specialist on lincoln and the go-to guy for the media for anything lincoln and has a nice artifact collection in fact. he won the lincoln prize. has

. >> tony kushner has brought an historic figure home to us., steven spielberg's lincoln shows us a journey where the man, the presidency and the country neat in one defining moment. >> steven brought the book, i think in 2000 before doris had actually finished it. and it was the book that steven asked me to adapt. i read it. eagerly. and i love telephone. i think it's a masterpiece. but team of rivals is a 900 page four way political biography, the living definition of something that isn't going to make a feature length film. so he asked me about two months after the oscars were done that year if i would like to take a look at what he was thinking about with lincoln. and i said no. and i said no for about six months. >> rose: why did you say no. >> because it's abraham lincoln. and i thought you know a what we were just talking been. you want to understand motives, you want to understand what is going on inside the heads of characters that you create. and i 4 no hope of ever really understanding how abraham lincoln did what he did any more tha

but tony kushner alone in a room. >> right. >> is the basis -- that's how things get written.ard a masterpiece. >> the guy that did the filming made it look real. it looked real. it looked like it was happening in the 19th century. >> as they said in the magazine, it looked like an academic painting of the 19th century. >>> up next, a lot of news to cover. how might the sequestration cuts affect your town? we're going to talk to oregon governor about the real-world impact of washington's latest deadline debacle along with dr. jeffrey sachs. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. [ dad ] find it? ya. alright, another one just like that. right in the old bucket. good toss! see that's much better! that was good. you had your shoulder pointed, you kept your eyes on your target. let's do it again -- watch me. just like that one... [ male announcer ] the durability of the volkswagen passat. pass down something he will be grateful for. good arm. that's the power of german engineering. ♪ back to you. but at xerox we've embraced a new role. working behind the scenes to prov

. >> reporter: lincoln screen righter tony kushner admitted to changing the votes to clarify that theupset by imagine edd, encounters and invented characters. in argo, some of the scenes never happened including daringess scape from i rachblt and then there's this year's most controversial nominee. >> i'm not your friend. i'm not going to help you. i'm going to break you. do you have any questions? >> "zero dark thirty" about the killing of bin laden. senior members of congress claim scenes showing tore tour to get intelligence never happened. >> hollywood is not known as the truth factory but the dream factory. >> people who criticize these movies think well the audience will be fooled. i think the opposite is the case. those who go to the movie, even if it is true in the end is a just a movie. >> reporter: and when it comes to voting for best movie, it didn't hurt previous winners from "gladiator" from the movie considered to be the biggest whopper of them all," shakespeare in love." i think when it's attached to political maef is when it matters. >> reporter: "lincoln" they say is

it's tony kushner nominated for writing "lincoln." >> this nominee looks like he's checking out his iphonewant to tell on him. he did sound editing on "skyfall." >> that's one way to get pointed out in a star studded photo. >> he prob [distant club music playing] [keys jingle] man: looking for these? you drive buzzed, it could be one very expensive ride. first, you got to make bail. then pay me to get your car back. your insurance premiums will go through the roof. and my legal fees just keep adding up. all told, it could end up costing you $10,000. announcer: nothing kills a buzz like getting pulled over for buzzed driving because buzzed driving is drunk driving. anxtra trithis yeae cane fit boston. then sanrancisco hoire chec the mpetitio' rates sohey can arantee thr low pres. so our hels werealf pric ♪-o-t-w-i-e... ♪ hotre.com this is so so soft. hey hun, remember you only need a few sheets. hmph! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra soft is so soft you'll have to remind your family they can use less. ♪ charmin ultra soft is made with extra cushions that are soft and more absorbent. plus