Let me get this out of the way right at the beginning. I used to be a Michael Moore fan. I remember watching his TV Nation program and thinking it was brilliant. I enjoyed Roger & Me and Canadian Bacon is a very funny movie. Then I watched Bowling Columbine, which is just as brilliant as TV Nation was, but...but...There were a couple of moments in the movie where I exclaimed to my wife, "this can't be true" (from my cold dead hands, in Denver, right after Columbine for instance). So I checked it out and of course, as you already know by now, it was doctored. So from then on I have held a different view of Mr. Moore. I must also confess I have not seen Fahrenheit 9/11 yet, when you have 2 daughter under 5 you don't get out much, so I waiting for the video. But of course he over sells his point on this one as well.
In both issues, Guns and Iraq, there are serious disagreements and legitimate debate required to flush out the truth. The problem with Mr. Moore is that he does not want to convince you, he wants to convert you. Truth is not the goal, winning you over is. By distorting the truth in his "documentaries" he undermines the truth of the position he is arguing. But this over-blown rhetoric, coupled with Governor Dean Democratic nomination campaign caused Kerry to have tack sharply left to gain the Democratic nomination. This shift in position is now Senator Kerry’s albatross. his sharp tack to the left caused Senator Kerry to twist and turn to appease both sides of the broad Democratic coalition. In the post 9/11 ear this vacillation comes off as weak. So just as Rathergate distorts any attempt to attack President Bush on his National Guard Duty, Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 distorts the attacks on President Bush's leadership (or lack thereof, depending on your point view) in Iraq. By sticking to the truth these charges can stick, exaggerate them and poof, they magically go away.
The raison d'etre of Fahreheit 9/11 was regime change in the US Presidency, but it looks to be providing regime reinforcement, as the Democrats, by embracing Mr. Moore’s blatant propaganda, became the lunatic-left. Which brings us the panicked state of Senator Kerry's Presidential campaign. So who better to add fuel to the fire than Michael Moore himself:
Enough of the handwringing! Enough of the doomsaying! Do I have to come there and personally calm you down? Stop with all the defeatism, OK? Bush IS a goner -- IF we all just quit our whining and bellyaching and stop shaking like a bunch of nervous ninnies. Geez, this is embarrassing! The Republicans are laughing at us. Do you ever see them cry, "Oh, it's all over! We are finished! Bush can't win! Waaaaaa!"
...They [the Republicans] are relentless and that is why we secretly admire them -- they just simply never, ever give up. Only 30% of the country calls itself "Republican," yet the Republicans own it all -- the White House, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court and the majority of the governorships. How do you think they've been able to pull that off considering they are a minority? It's because they eat you and me and every other liberal for breakfast and then spend the rest of the day wreaking havoc on the planet.
...If I hear one more person tell me how lousy a candidate Kerry is and how he can't win... Dammit, of COURSE he's a lousy candidate -- he's a Democrat, for heavens sake! That party is so pathetic, they even lose the elections they win!
...Buck up. The country is almost back in our hands. Not another negative word until Nov. 3rd! Then you can bitch all you want about how you wish Kerry was still that long-haired kid who once had the courage to stand up for something. Personally, I think that kid is still inside him. Instead of the wailing and gnashing of your teeth, why not hold out a hand to him and help the inner soldier/protester come out and defeat the forces of evil we now so desperately face. Do we have any other choice?
Once again Michael Moore proves he doesn't get it. The reason Senator Kerry is losing is the American public thinks that he will not protect them as well as President Bush. This is the issue in the election. So what is Mr. Moore's solution, bring back the anti-Vietnam protestors, who sold out his fellow soldiers and promoted a pull-out of Vietnam which lead to millions of deaths under the Khmer Rouge (which they said would not happen of course). Is there any wonder why Senator Kerry is losing?
