Blind to great D.C. films

Re “D.C. -- on screen and unfiltered,” Opinion, April 13

In his haste to manufacture a line of thought for his column, Jonah Goldberg makes the ridiculous statement that Hollywood has yet to make a great film about our nation’s capital.

As a former congressional aide and native of the Washington area, I object to this thinking. Goldberg has either forgotten or hasn’t seen “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “The Senator Was Indiscreet,” “All the President’s Men,” “The Contender,” “Traffic” and, recently, “Syriana.” Or perhaps he’s chosen to ignore those films because their messages spur critical thought that might run counter to his political philosophy. In that case, his original assertion represents lazy journalism.

CHRIS MERGERSON

Los Angeles