Oi vey!
Posted on 07/02/2004 10:03:19 AM PDT by churchillbuff
ASHLAND, Ore. – Whooping and hollering greeted Michael Moore's statement that his virulently anti-Bush film "Fahrenheit 9/11" beat out Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
"I think Jesus had something to do with that," said Moore during Monday's meeting at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., part of a national event sponsored by MoveOn.org. Comparing the initial attendance stats for the two films – and accentuating the one or two measures by which, says Moore, "Fahrenheit" edged out "Passion" – Moore boasted: "I've been feeling for a month He's been very upset at the [selling of] that movie. So I think it was His own little payback this weekend."
A self-described "practicing Catholic," Moore said his film barely nosed out "The Passion," but what surprised WND columnist and talk show host Bob Just, who attended Monday's meeting and recorded it, was the wild cheering at the news.
"You definitely felt the hostility in the room toward traditional Christians," said Just, a former liberal, now-conservative Democrat – and also a Christian. "At one point, Moore boasted that his film so infuriated one man that he threw his shoe at the image of George W. Bush on the screen."
"Hot Enough For You?" screamed the headline of one campus flyer. "Then Organize." Moveon.org's flyer was even more blunt: "Michael Moore wants to know: Are you ready to turn up the heat on George W. Bush?"
The Oregon campus meeting Just attended was billed as a "House Party." Local attendance was estimated at several hundred people, but according to Moveon.org, nationwide there were enough people connected online that night to fill a football stadium.
"In living rooms and meeting halls across America," proclaimed the flyer, "we'll be joining Michael for a live, interactive, on-line discussion of his film. You'll also be give an opportunity to make a real difference in this election, by joining in an intensive voter registration and education drive."
Most of Moore's conversation was geared toward taking not only the presidency this fall, but perhaps even Congress as well.
A large screen displayed the computer hook-up as the audience looked on. At several points the transmission went down or became garbled.
Students and others who came for the promised "open discussion in film rhetoric" were first heavily pressured to join the Moveon effort. Each audience participating was asked to collect its group leader statistics and upload them in the computer, which flashed the results by locality. Likewise, each group was called on to recruit more people and expand its numbers.
"Take that day off on November second," Moore exhorted. "And take, you know, take five non-voters to the polls. You know who they are. They're your friends, your family members, people you go to school with. Just commit now to convincing them. Tell them, you're at work or whatever, it's at noontime, tell them, 'Hey, let's all, come on with me. I'll buy everybody lunch,' you know, or if it's at night, you know – "free beer for everybody that comes vote with me right now!" You know, just get creative. Do whatever it is you gotta do!"
Republicans, says Just, have been trying recently to write off the "Gore-Moore left" as a "coalition of the wild-eyed." But, "it is more serious than that. All you have to do is see Moore's movie and you'll know you've entered into an alternate reality," adds Just, who has a masters degree in film from NYU Institute of Film and Television.
In fact, even reputable liberal pundits are stepping forward to denounce "Fahrenheit's" inaccuracy, from Christopher Hitchen to Ellen Goodman to The Washington Post's Richard Cohen.
"Moore's depiction of why Bush went to war is so silly and so incomprehensible that it is easily dismissed," Cohen wrote in yesterday's Post. "As far as I can tell, it is a farrago of conspiracy theories. But nothing is said about multiple U.N. resolutions violated by Iraq or the depredations of Saddam Hussein. In fact, prewar Iraq is depicted as some sort of Arab folk festival – lots of happy, smiling indigenous people. Was there no footage of a Kurdish village that had been gassed? This is obscenity by omission."
Hitchens called the film a "sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness," while Newsweek joined in this week with a headline, "More Distortions from Michael Moore."
"But remember this," Moore told the youthful audience, which filled the Brit Ballroom on the Southern Oregon campus. "The other side, they are organized! And they're really, I mean, they are historically, uh, much better at this than we are. They are up at the crack of dawn, uh, trying to figure out what group of Americans they're going to hurt today."
Michael Moore is a 'practicing catholic'? The kind that goes on Easter and Christmas maybe..
has he lost his mind or did he never have one?
"I think Jesus had something to do with that,"
JESUS had nothin to do with it moron! This guy is sick
Actually, this is a good thing..Moore's full of himself..he thinks he's impervious..he'll keep on saying more and more outrageous things..till he steps on his crank, big time..with cleats on..
never had one and never will
Well, he's brought it on his own head by his own words.
if even that
Oi vey!
"Fahrenheit 9/11" beat out Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
Where and How??? Last I checked F9/11 is no where close to the numbers of The Passion.
Michael Moore is a practicing Catholic? He hasn't been fasting, that's for sure.
I think they mean 'practicing Catholic' in relation to Catholicism in the same way white guys practicing pickup basketball is analagous to the NBA championships.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" beat out Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
Where and How??? Last I checked F9/11 is no where close to the numbers of The Passion.
same here
Let's count Moore's lies, quickly:
1. Moore pretends it was Bush who let the bin Laden family leave after 9/11 without being interviewed by law enforcement and before planes were permitted to fly. Lie. It was Richard Clarke's, the left's poster boy, who signed the order without any direction from the president. The FBI did interview the family. Planes were flying by the time the family left.
Given Moore's hatred of the Patriot Act I'm shocked he'd suggest we actually hold people against their will without just cause.
2. Moore claims the Taliban went to Texas and met with Governor Bush to get approval for Unocal Corp. to build a pipeline in that country. Lie. The Taliban did go to Texas at the invitation of Unocal Corporation which had permission from the Clinton administration to pursue the deal. The Taliban did meet with at the White House. Problem is it was the Clinton White House in 1997 and 1998.
3. Moore and all the leftists say OBL and Saddam did not have a relationship. Lie. For ten years in the 90's the mainstream press wrote hundreds of articles which detailed the world's alarm at the growing relationship between OBL and Saddam. The Clinton administration got an indictment in federal court against Osama bin Laden which detailed how the terrorist agreed not to attack Iraq in exchange for WMD training. As well, the 9/11 Commission co-Chairs have mentioned recently that they've seen evidence that an Iraqi Fedayeen member was present during at least one pre-9/11 planning meeting.
4. Moore pretends that it is the minority groups in the country who primarily serve in the military and further lies and says that no one in the administration or Congress has children who serve in the military. Lie. Truth: Over 10 Congressmen have kids in the Middle East and Ashcroft has a son in Iraq. There is a thread about this matter on FR but I no longer have the link. Additionally, the minority populations serving in the military pretty much follow their representation in the general population.
5. Feel free to add to the list. It's a long and distinguished list in the Hallmark Hall of Fame of liars.
On what dimensions did it beat The Passion?! Mel's film earned over 300 million! Thats 10X what Moore has made. This has got to be lying with statistics 101.
BTW, I've seen them both and the Passion is a much more refined, artful and meaningful film by a long shot (whether or not you agree with the messages of either).
As far as F911 goes, I read yesterday that the movie shot its wad last weekend and isn't a contender at the box office anymore. Anyone got any specific stats?
Micheal Moore is so full of himself that he's going to blow up. The fallout will be horrific for those in the vicinity.
Moron beat out Christ?...
Give me a break! Moron did 23 mil opening weekend while the "Passion" did EIGHTY THREE MILLION DOLLARS the opening weekend.
Passion did more the first day than Moron did the whole frigggin' weekend!
Moron couldn't beat himself out of a Macdonald's paper bag...
Spiderman will mop up the floor with Moron this 4th of July weekend...
Point, Game, Set, Match!
Farhenheit 9/11
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Via Box Office Mojo The only place I can see Michael Moore possibly beat the Passion was average $/Screen, and at that it was only by $4.00. |
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