Ohio’s isn’t that Charlie Wilson

WASHINGTON – The movie Charlie Wilson’s War, which opened recently, is being reviewed by some as “rollicking political fun” and has absolutely nothing to do with Congressman Charlie Wilson of Ohio’s Sixth District.
But, yes, Ohio’s Charlie Wilson is often mistaken for Charlie Wilson of Texas – the subject of the current feature film based on the George Crile book.
Thousand times. “I’ve been asked what seems like a thousand times if the book and story are about me,” Wilson, Ohio, 6, said.
About a year ago, Wilson of Ohio was walking through the airport in Atlanta. Charlie Wilson’s War was one of the featured books in the airport bookstore’s window. Wilson of Ohio walked in, grabbed the book and handed the clerk a credit card.
“When the clerk tore off the receipt he looked at it and did a double take,” Wilson of Ohio said.
“Are you him?” the clerk asked.
For the record, Wilson of Ohio calls the book a “good read” and enjoyed catching a preview of the movie in Washington. When trailers for the movie started running on television, Wilson of Ohio got some concerned calls from friends wondering if the commercials were some kind of negative political campaign against him.
Confused. Wilson’s not the only one who’s dealing with confused callers. A journalist from Madrid, Spain, called the Ohio Wilson’s Congressional office last week. The journalist was in a hurry to get a high-resolution photo of Wilson of Ohio’s recent trip to Iraq.
Hillary Wicai Viers, Ohio Wilson’s communications director, couldn’t figure out why a Spanish journalist would want a photo of her boss. The reporter was just as incredulous that Viers would ask.
The exasperated journalist explained that the movie with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts was coming out soon.
“Wrong Charlie Wilson, wrong war,” Viers told the journalist.
Bright side. On the bright side, with all of the media attention, Wilson of Ohio has been able discuss issues that are important to him.
Wilson of Ohio hopes to someday meet Wilson of Texas. What would he tell the Texan?
“I’ve heard so much about you! Really! I have.”
For example, as Wilson of Ohio left the recent movie preview, he overheard a couple of Washington insiders say, “Tom Hanks sure did a good job, but he’s no Charlie Wilson.”