Moore claims victory over 'Passion of Christ'

Worldnetdaily ^ | July 1, 04 | Worldnetdaily

[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."

[Ghost in the Machine]

Why do I keep thinking "John Lennon" when I look at this headline?

[Kirkwood]

"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.
Maybe among some specific group, say muslims or atheists.

[vrwinger]

F-9/11 beat The Passion of the Christ

Franken beat Rush

Gore beat Bush

Just saying it makes it so, ya know...

[NYer]

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.

Moore is likely an "A & P" CINO. Shows up when the Catholic Church distributes "ashes" and "palms". Like Kerry, Moore is a Catholic - in name only.

"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."

That's chilling!

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[randog]

I was just at box office mojo--I can't see any stat where F911 is beating The Passion. Is it safe to say that

Moore Lied?

[TalonDJ]

?They are up at the crack of dawn, uh, trying to figure out what group of Americans they're going to hurt today."

Really?? Well you do have to admire that kinds of hard work and dedication. I would rule the earth by now if I could just get up early like that and start oppressing people before dawn.

[Docbarleypop]

i think he wanted to be a priest until they started getting busted

[Desdemona]

Can you think of a pew that would hold up under him?

[freedumb2003]

The only place I can see Michael Moore possibly beat the Passion was average $/Screen, and at that it was only by $4.00.

I think that's it.

[kellynla]

Here are the facts:

"The Passion":http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=passionofthechrist.htm

"Fahrenheit 9/11": http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=fahrenheit911.htm

[rellimpank]

----and by next weekend, when every Demotraitor moron who has heard of it has seen Frankenheit, the numbers will drop like a stone---

[RandallFlagg]

From IMDB.com

Budget
$6,000,000

Opening Weekend
$23,920,637 (USA) (27 June 2004) (868 Screens)

Gross
$24,078,959 (USA) (27 June 2004)

Weekend Gross
$23,920,637 (USA) (27 June 2004) (868 Screens)

I have no idea why he's claiming this...

Wait, yes I do....

[j_tull]

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."

This f'n maniac believes he's the Lord's spokesman now, sheesh.

[Squantos]

Agree ....Just tie a knot in the end of his rope and let him run.

Stay safe !

[ricer1]

Moore and Saddam sound alot alike to me... living in their own world.

[Future Useless Eater]

>>"free beer for everybody that comes vote with me right now!"

Isn't that illegal? I know "free cigarettes" are.

and isn't it hard to buy a drink on election day?

[randog]

Here's a Moore related story:

A few days ago I wrote here on FR about how a lefty co-worker of my wife's challenged me to go see F911 with him (he told me wife he was sure I wouldn't accept, but I didn't know that at the time the challenge was made). I accepted the offer as long as I didn't have to pay for the ticket. My wife relayed my response to Lefty, who was - get this - dismayed that I had accepted!

Long story short, Lefty avoided my wife yesterday (she was trying to pin him down on a date/time to see the movie), and today she finally cornered him and - get this - he backed off his offer! He said that he would honor his word and buy me a ticket, but he wouldn't go see it with me!

Apparently my reputation as a Lib Slayer has spread far and wide! ;^)

[adam_az]

"They are up at the crack of dawn, uh, trying to figure out what group of Americans they're going to hurt today."

Yup, I got up today, read this, and wanted to give Moore a fatter lip than the one he already has.

[My Favorite Headache]

I just wish he would explode and die already...his words do nothing but make me depressed and usually I would just take a pill or a nice walk and feel better and the depression would be gone..but with Moore..he just never shuts the hell up and is like a lingering mental disorder.

[ChadGore]

The problem with the moore statement is that it's a lie.