Posted on 10/04/2004 5:04:54 PM PDT by wagglebee
"There is no terrorist threat."
Those are the words of uber-liberal filmmaker and author Michael Moore, whose controversial film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which essentially blamed President Bush for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, has sparked a number of counter-films.
One of them, "Fahrenhype 9/11," by Alan Peterson, features interviews with a number of today's most influential decision-makers, analysts and pundits.
Narrated by actor Ron Silver — an admitted two-time Bill Clinton supporter who is highly critical of Moore — the film dissects Moore's work point by point, even featuring a number of people who appeared in the liberal icon's original film.
'Fahrenhype' opens with an interview of the Sarasota, Fla. grade school principal, Tose Rigell, who was hosting President Bush when he was told a pair of airliners had crashed into the World Trade Center, leading his advisors to inform him, "America is under attack."
Moore asserted Bush was to slow to react, but Peterson's film shows that not only did the president react calmly and correctly, but did so in a timely fashion.
Says Rigell in the film, "I thought Bush reacted well."
At another point in Peterson's film, Ed Koch, former Democratic mayor of New York City, is incredulous over Moore's assertion that terrorists do not threaten the U.S.
"I said, 'Three thousand people were killed! How can you say that?'" Koch said during his interview.
Dick Morris, a co-writer of the film, was also interviewed extensively.
Morris notes how Moore offered no criticism of Bill Clinton, though the Sept. 11 attacks had been plotted largely during the Clinton presidency.
Morris says although Clinton is a very intelligent person, he was not really aware of the severity of the terrorist threat facing the country, despite eight years' worth of examples, beginning with the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
He also said Clinton's national security team pooh-poohed an opportunity in the mid-1990s to get al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. He said the country of Sudan offered him up, but the Clinton White House refused to take the offer seriously.
By the time bin Laden became a wanted man, he was "tucked away" in Afghanistan, being protected by the al Qaida-friendly Taliban regime, and was out of reach, Morris said.
Morris also said an aviation security panel chaired by then-Vice President Al Gore actually came up with some very good ideas, but they were never implemented by the White House.
"I hold Clinton very responsible for the failure of aviation security," Morris says in “Fahrenhype.”
Michael Moore made numerous charges against Bush, including a conspiracy led by Bush and Dick Cheney that was concocted to help their business supporters build an oil pipeline through Afghanistan, which is why, Moore charges, they wanted to invade that country.
Interviewees of Peterson refuted such charges, however, and showed how Moore was trying to make points based not on fact but on innuendo and insinuation.
"I had the distinct privilege of being interviewed for this film," says Mike Cawley, of Roy, Utah. "My brother was killed in Iraq March 29, 2003. The level of disgust I feel toward Michael Moore and his type is beyond words…"
Frank Gaffney, who heads up the Center for Security Policy and was President Reagan's assistant secretary of defense, appeared in the film to help refute Moore's assertion there is no terrorist threat to the U.S.
In particular, Gaffney was among the first analysts to note "the international situation bequeathed by Bill Clinton to George Bush was considerably more threatening than was widely perceived at the time."
Also featured in 'Fahrenhype': David Hardy and Jason Clarke, authors of "Michael Moore is a Big, Fat Stupid White Man; Bill Sammon, best-selling author and senior White House correspondent for the Washington Times who was with President Bush at the Sarasota school on 9/11; U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention; best-selling author, syndicated columnist and Fox News contributor Ann Coulter; best-selling author of "American Jihad" and noted terrorist investigator Steven Emerson; Dave Kopel, an editor of National Review and someone who has repeatedly documented ways Moore has twisted facts; David Frum, a former speechwriter for President Bush and best-selling author of "The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush;" and U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., member of the homeland security committee who lost hundreds of constituents on 9/11.
I think the best thing about this film is that so many big Klintoon supporters are featured so prominently.
W performed HEROICALLY on 9/11 and thereafter (at Ground Zero, the ballgame, etc.), and his supporters should be SAYING THAT!!!
It goes on sale tomorrow
Didn't Kerry say something similar? It might make for a good commercial to show clips of Moore and Kerry saying similar things. That would be devastating to Kerry. It could point out that Moore was at the DNC and Kerry refuses to condemn him.
Can Moore be donated to Al Queda for beard 'trimming'?
I'm glad conservatives are doing their own movies. It's not enough to simply criticize the craziness the left produces.
Yeah, maybe that is why he is using those sunless tanning lotions, so that he can get that al quaeda skin tone so he can become their new leader when he loses his bid for president.
I heard Dick Morris talking about it on Neal Boortz last week, the big problem is that they couldn't find a studio to release it in theaters. Unfortunately, the only people who will see it are those of us who already know that Fata$$ Moore is full of $h!+.
Indeed - we need to get more media-oriented; we are good on content, light on sizzle.
That's an excellent idea. He said that the threat of terrorism was (ahem) "exaggerated."
As I recall, Kerry referred to terrorism as "overrated".
I received an email from grassfire.net. They have 1400 of them...I ordered my copy. It also comes with 2 booklets about Moore's fallacies (sp). I can't wait to get it!
I need to order on too.
I want to see celsius 41.11 as well
How can one forget 9/11 and the horror we all felt, especially ones like my family experienced living in DC. That day will truly be forever implanted in our brains. Trying to get my children from school, and knowing my husband who was based at Andrews AFB at the time which was target. How could Kerry say terrorism is overrated? My children still have nightmares of that day, not knowing what was happening and if they were going to live or die!!! I've had enough! I don't understand how any sensible American could want this guy to be our Commander In Chief? I'm terrified he will be elected as President along with other military families. We pray to the father above this will not happen.
Delivery is supposed to take three weeks, but I'm good with that time frame. Where is Celsius 41.11 available?
I agree with your frustration.
One thing I'm doing, though, is I'm boycotting Blockbuster this whole month of October - because they're releasing Moore's propaganda in their stores this month. So I'm not renting ANY films from them this whole month. I was there the other night and while I was tring to find something to rent among all that crap that comes out of Hollowood, I overheard an ad for Moore on their tv and got so sick to my stomach that I left the store in disgust. I didn't rent anything.
Anyone else care to join me?
tring = trying
Try www.citizensunited-interactive.org/cart.asp
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