Page 9 - RICHERT VS. SORKIN THEFT OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND THE WEST WING

VARIETY, August 5, 1994
"PRESIDENT SETS EMMA"
Oscar-winner Emma Thompson will portray a woman who rekindle's the U.S. President's -- Played by Robert Redford -- sense of decency and compassion in Colubmia/Castle Rock's "An American President."
"...Redford's Wildwood Prods. has owned the property, originally titled "The President Elopes," for close to 10 years. It came within a hair's breadth of being made three years ago with Fred Schepisi at the helm...
... Reiner has been involved in the venture for the past year, enlisting "A Few Good Men" playwright Aaron Sorkin to draft a new scrtipt. The original was written by William Richert and numerous top scribes have taken a crack at the material including Alice Arlen and the team of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.
... Richert’s approach was of a fanciful nature, while the newest version will have more serious underpinnings..."!
It is crystal clear that Sorkin is hired to do a re-write, not an "original" as he told the union.