Telegraph | News | Saudi royal family lambasts Michael Moore for twisting the truth in his 9/11 film

Telegraph | News | Saudi royal family lambasts Michael Moore for twisting the truth in his 9/11 film: "The Saudi royal family has launched a bitter attack on the American film-maker Michael Moore over his claims that the Bush administration secretly smuggled a number of high-ranking Saudi nationals out of the US in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

Photo: Prince Turki al-Faisal: Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK

In the first official comment by the Saudi royal family on Moore's controversial film Fahrenheit 9/11, a leading member of the family said his country has been fully exonerated of any complicity in the attacks by the report of the 9/11 commission.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to London and a half-brother of Crown Prince Abdullah, was in charge of Saudi intelligence at the time of the 2001 terror attacks. He said that Moore had failed to carry out adequate research into his controversial claims that the Saudis were involved with Osama bin Laden, the al-Qa'eda leader, in the build-up to the 9/11 atrocity.

'It would have been far better if Michael Moore had been able to read the 9/11 report before he made his film. It shows that all the protocols were strictly observed.' Because Moore had not thoroughly researched the allegations levelled against Saudi Arabia, Prince Turki said that Fahrenheit 9/11 is 'grossly unfair' to the Saudis."

The Daily News: 'Fahrenheit 9/11' and war stories touch reporter

The Daily News Online: "I went to see 'Fahrenheit 9/11' recently, expecting a blatant political message. I didn't expect to cry all the way through it.

Yes, the documentary, as director Michael Moore admits, is stridently anti-Bush. But the heart of the film goes beyond politics. It shows the horrors of war. Not just the blood and death -- although there are plenty of both -- but the horrors for those who are left behind.

Driving away afterwards, my eyes were hurt so bad that I could barely see the road signs. I couldn't wait to get home and collapse. All I had done was sit in a theater for two hours, but I was exhausted.

My reaction reminded me of how I felt when I first started covering military affairs at work. Two months ago, my boss agreed that we needed a reporter to cover local people with family members serving in Iraq.

I volunteered."



By M. L. Madison
The Daily News

HBO Forums : MIKE ON 'REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER'

HBO Forums: "I catch Real Time every time I can. But this is the first time I have waited an entire week to see a show. When I heard Michael Moore would be on the panel--I was thrilled.

Tonight's show was brilliant! I laughed, I cheered, I clapped, and I booed (Owen and especially Drier).

The begging of Nader was priceless.

How stupid was it of Dreir to comment on Moore's brilliant film and then admit that he had not seen it???? I think it is stupid for anyone to comment negative or positive about the film if they have not seen it.

I noticed Dreir made a hasty exit too! Good riddance, I say. But I was curious to see if he would stick around and at least shake hands with Moore. But just like a typical Bush cronie....a quick scram when the heat in the kitchen gets a little to high. My only question is when did he leave--before Nader or during New Rules. That coward!

Kim Campbell was superior! We need her in this country. Her suggestion for Nader was simply brilliant.

Keep up the great work!"

By flipper828
HBO Forums

Upsize This! : Michael Moore on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Video)

Upsize This! : Moore on Leno:Anyone catch this interview? Man, I was nervous because of the supposed tension between Michael Moore and Jay Leno. As far as I know, Moore has never been a guest on the Tonight Show, except apparently once when Johnny Carson hosted.

Leno for the most part was respectful. He made a few jabs at Moore's appettite for publicity, insinuating he was a presswhore. And you could tell that made Moore a little uncomfortable, he rarely made eye contact with Leno (how can they with the awful couch they have?)

It was something though, and Michael Moore actually got up and sang 'America the Beautiful' with Jay and the audience. Awesome.

Clip of Michael Moore on The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno

Zap2it.com MOVIES | 'Fahrenheit' Popular with Cubans, Bush Not

Zap2it.com MOVIES | MOVIE NEWS | STORY: "LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - After playing in Cuban theaters for a week, Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' was still able to draw Cubans to their boob tubes when the film was shown during the country's prime time television on Thursday (July 29).

The anti-Bush documentary only confirmed the distrust Cubans feel for the American government and therefore has seen overwhelming success, packing theaters across the communist country. Rough DVD copies were projected in 120 theaters to general approval and applause.
'We hope this film will lead Americans to see the reality of their government, and not only deny Bush reelection but put him on trial for the harm he has done to humanity,' retired worker Armando Rodriguez tells Reuters.

In a speech on Monday, President Fidel Castro also drew on another Michael Moore work, his book "Stupid White Men," quoting sections ridiculing Bush's reading skills. Castro went on to paint Bush as a "sinister" religious fundamentalist and someone whose drinking past lead to his "bellicosity.""


On Wednesday night, about 3,000 people have gathered in a rural parking lot near President George W. Bush's Texas ranch to watch "Fahrenheit 9/11".

Bloggers Make Their Presence Felt at DNC

Bloggers Make Their Presence Felt at DNC: "BOSTON�Much ink, both real and electronic, has been spilled over the presence of credentialed media bloggers at this week's Democratic National Convention. They have received almost as much attention as Michael Moore and other celebrities in attendance at the Fleet Center.
Perhaps the most useful part of the bloggers' presence at the DNC is the ability to put a face with a name to bloggers who are used to living only online. One is Christian Crumlish, author of the forthcoming book 'The Power of Many: How the Living Web is Transforming Politics, Business and Everyday Life,' and creator of three separate blogs - www.thepowerofmany.com, www.radiofreeblogistan.com and www.mediajunkie.com/edgewise. "

By Scot Petersen
eWeek

A Conversation with Convention Blogger Matt Stoller

Matthew Stoller is one of the 30+ webloggers who are blogging this week's Democratic National Convention. He is the producer and cocreator of the Blogging of the President web project, an interactive media series on the ongoing digital transformation of politics and media.

Matt has worked in software product management, holds a BA from Harvard University.

MP: You're a blogger, but are you also in part an organizer helping the DNC manage the bloggers? What is your exact role here? Are you working for the DNC yourself, etc?

STOLLER: Funny you should ask that question. The National Journal just did a story on the DNCC supposedly 'firing' me because my name was removed from the blog. Of course, the story isn't true, but it is a reflection of the ambiguous role that I played and the conflict between organizations and the media cycle that so distorts effective descriptions of democracy.

As unpaid advisor to the DNCC, I put a lot of work into the convention to make sure the bloggers had a good time. And they are being treated wonderfully. I used the Democratic National Convention Committee blog to help coordinate this group. But I am also blogging on my own blog, BOPnews. (continue)

CyberJournalist.net: Video blogging the convention

CyberJournalist.net: Video blogging the convention: "Is video blogging the next big thing?

While most bloggers are content posting text and a few poor-quality photos, Steve Garfield has been video blogging the convention.

Garfield tells CyberJournalist.net why:

Video Blogging gives the viewer more information than a text blog. I've been experimenting with video blogging since the first of the year and thought that the DNC would be a great week to go out and practice some Citizen Journalism.
For giving the reader/viewer a sense of what happened, the video post is much more effective.

People are really excited about seeing things that the major media outlets are not showing.

Take for example the Wes Clark speech. I was there and felt the hall erupt with enthusiasm after he spoke about the flag. Digby had linked to the Salon article, which I could only read a portion of since it required a subscription, which told you about what happened, but my video actually showed the excitement and I think it really comes through.





Steve has uploaded seven (7) video reports from the DNC. If you have broadband, check them out (click title).

LiveJournal: MM: Moore Kicks Ass at the DNC

From DNC:Kicking Ass - Daily Dispatches from the DNC, the DNC blog:



I was watching Howard Dean speak, when all of a sudden, I could feel an enormous crowd pressing toward me. I turn around, and there I see Michael Moore, his face just inches away. He was visiting the Michigan delegation, and everyone wanted a picture!Posted by Jesse Berney Check out the Kicking Ass blog site if you get a chance - it's up to date, and you can get it as an RSS feed on your LJ friends page too.



 
Vertamae

CNN.com - Sharpton answers Bush in speech (Video)

CNN.com - Sharpton answers Bush in speech - Jul 29, 2004: "BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- The Rev. Al Sharpton brought down the house with a passionate speech to Democratic National Convention delegates about what's wrong with the Bush administration and how Sen. John Kerry will help fulfill America's promise. This is a transcript of his remarks:
Thank you.
Tonight I want to address my remarks in two parts.
One, I'm honored to address the delegates here.
Last Friday, I had the experience in Detroit of hearing President George Bush make a speech. And in the speech, he asked certain questions. I hope he's watching tonight. I would like to answer your questions, Mr. President.
To the chairman, our delegates, and all that are assembled, we're honored and glad to be here tonight."





Video: The Complete Sharpton Speech

NPR : Looking for Al-Jazeera at the DNC (Audio Report)

NPR : Looking for Al-Jazeera at the DNC: "Commentator John Ridley goes in search of the most controversial media outlet at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. That would the 24-hour Qatar-based Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera."

CBC News: Altman uses Democratic convention as film set

CBC News: Altman uses Democratic convention as film set: "BOSTON - Filmmaker Robert Altman, known for movies like The Player and M*A*S*H, is using this week's Democratic National Convention as the backdrop for his latest directorial effort.
As the real-life delegates gather to anoint Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, Altman is shooting Tanner on Tanner, a mockumentary about a fictional candidate who ran for president in 1988.

Celebrities including film legend Robert Redford and radio host Al Franken are taking part in the project, which - in keeping with such Altman films as Prêt-à-Porter - has actors in character interacting with everyday people.
Tanner on Tanner stars Michael Murphy as former White House hopeful Jack Tanner. Alex, his onscreen daughter, is played by Cynthia Nixon of Sex and the City fame. "

Behind the rise of the documentary - National - www.theage.com.au

Behind the rise of the documentary - National - www.theage.com.au: "Last Saturday, just three days after the Melbourne International Film Festival started its 18-day run, the sessions for Control Room, Jehane Noujaim's 86-minute documentary about the Arab news network al-Jazeera, had sold out. The 'House Full' signs were up again on Tuesday for Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott's The Corporation, a 145-minute Canadian documentary offering a scathing analysis of the practices of large companies. Also sold out was Letters to Ali, Clara Law's account of a Melbourne family's cross-country journey to visit an Afghan asylum-seeker.

At the same time, Michael Moore's controversial Cannes award-winner, Fahrenheit 9/11, was filling cinemas around Australia and breaking box-office records for a documentary.

Early this week, before it had officially opened, Moore's character assassination of President George Bush was sitting at No. 3 in the national Top 10 films. Even though the sneak-preview strategy is a marketing stunt, the fact remains that Moore's film was happily wedged between King Arthur and The Stepford Wives on the Top 10 list, well on its way to becoming the highest-grossing documentary ever to screen in Australia.

In a sense, it's surprising that this hunger comes in an era when we appear to be well-serviced, even over-serviced, for television news and current affairs.

Although television news coverage appears both intensive and extensive, there are still gaping holes. TV news may offer immediacy, but it isn't nearly as proficient when it comes to context. It wants raw information and pictures, and it wants them fast. It doesn't allow for the considered analysis. That takes time. And by then, the news gatherers have moved on to the next big story.

People flocking to see Fahrenheit 9/11 know it's partisan. Michael Moore has produced a film he hopes will help remove George Bush from the White House, and he's made no secret of it. But film-goers are still keen to see how he makes his case."


By Debi Enker
The Age

Reuters.com : Hundreds Watch 'Fahrenheit 9/11' in Bush Hometown

Politics News Article | Reuters.com: "CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Hundreds of people gathered in a rural parking lot near President Bush's Texas ranch on Wednesday to watch Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary, 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' although the filmmaker canceled plans to attend.
Sitting before a giant inflatable movie screen, filmgoers from across Texas booed and cheered as Moore's record-setting antiwar film satirically recounted Bush's controversial 2000 election and lambasted the president's response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and his reasons for going to war in Iraq.
Moore had pledged to come to the screening and even invited Bush to attend. But the bespectacled leftist gadfly abruptly pulled out on Wednesday, telling organizers he wanted his movie, not his differences with the Republican president, to be the evening's subject. "


By David Morgan

USATODAY.com - 'Fahrenheit' soldier in hot water?

USATODAY.com - 'Fahrenheit' soldier in hot water?: "WASHINGTON - Fahrenheit 9/11 transformed Marine Lance Cpl. Abdul Henderson into an internationally known war protester. Now it could get him in legal trouble.

The Marine Corps is investigating Lance Cpl. Abdul Henderson's appearance in Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11.
Dog Eat Dog Films

When asked on screen by director Michael Moore whether he planned to return to fight in Iraq, Henderson said no.
'The question kind of surprised me, because I wasn't expecting it,' says Henderson, a reservist who saw combat for about two months after the Iraq war began. 'But my answer came from the heart.'
The scene, along with others in which Henderson accompanies Moore to Capitol Hill as Moore tries to enlist members of Congress to send their kids off to fight, was filmed last March.
With his unit facing a possible autumn return to Iraq, Henderson says he isn't changing his mind. 'I'm conflicted because as a soldier, you're compelled to the call of duty - that's what I signed up for,' Henderson says. 'But I'm standing up for what I believe in.'
The Marine Corps is conducting a preliminary inquiry into Henderson's appearance in Fahrenheit 9/11. Marine spokesman Capt. Patrick Kerr says authorities need to decide whether any action is warranted. 'He made it very clear that he would not follow orders,' Kerr says. 'We're trying to determine what, if anything, he said or did was wrong' and what the punishment might be."

The Washington Times: Bigger fish to fry

Inside the Beltway - The Washington Times: Inside the Beltway - July 28, 2004: "Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean can't comment on all the convention fussing and fighting surrounding left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore's anti-President Bush film 'Fahrenheit 9/11.'
Top party leaders, in fact, are keeping their distance from the movie and its producer during this week's Democratic National Convention, reports Marc Morano, CNSNews.com's senior staff writer.
'I have not seen the movie, so I can't comment on it,' Mr. Dean said. "

Bin Laden's brother disputes aspects of 'Fahrenheit 9/11'

Bin Laden's brother disputes aspects of 'Fahrenheit 9/11': "A half-brother of Osama bin Laden says he enjoyed most of Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' except for what he called 'inaccuracies' about his family.
'It's a moving film,' Yeslam Binladin, a Geneva-based tycoon and one of the al-Qaida leader's 54 siblings, said in an interview with the French magazine VSD.
'I even laughed at times,' said Binladin, adding, 'but a lot less when he states errors or inaccuracies about my family, knowing perfectly well that he's deceiving the public.' "

C-SPAN: MEDIA/PRESS : Michael Moore Speech (Video)

C-SPAN: MEDIA/PRESS: "Michael Moore, ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' Producer & Director. Mr. Moore discusses Progressive Politics and the Democratic Party. 7/28/2004: WASHINGTON, DC:"

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Rep. Jim McDermott enjoys "Fahrenheit 9/11" fame

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Rep. Jim McDermott enjoys "Fahrenheit 9/11" fame: "BOSTON -- Two giddy young women rushed up to U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., as he was crossing the street at the Democratic National Convention.
'Can we take a picture with you?' they asked. 'You were in 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' right?'
Yes, indeed. And the Seattle congressman's biting criticism of the Bush administration in that movie has catapulted him into a new type of fame. Especially at the convention this week, McDermott is a hot property.
'It's amazing how much impact a small amount of time (on-screen) had,' McDermott laughed. 'It has convinced me of the power of that movie.'"

Democracy Now! | Medea Benjamin Dragged Off DNC Floor in Handcuffs For Unfurling "End the Occupation of Iraq" Banner (Video)

Democracy Now! Medea Benjamin Dragged Off DNC Floor in Handcuffs For Unfurling "End the Occupation of Iraq" Banner: "As Teresa Heinz Kerry gave her prime-time address that never mentioned Iraq, Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin attemped to bring an anti-war message onto the floor of the convention. Moments later police were dragging her out of the Fleet Center. "








CODEPINK gives Linda Ronstadt a Pink Badge of Courage!After last weekend's upset at the Alladin Casino and Resort in Las Vegas CODEPINK has decided to give Linda a Pink Badge of Courage.

Click here for more information.

Help Fahrenheit 9/11 Movie Goers Get Active
CODEPINK, Global Exchange, and United for Peace and Justice have created a flyer that you can download from any of our websites and distribute outside Fahrenheit 9/11 screenings. The flyer describes five things F 9/11 fans can do to turn up the heat on our government:
Learn More
Download Flyer

Democracy Now! | Uninvited Guest: Michael Moore Takes Boston By Storm (Video/Transcript)

Democracy Now! | Uninvited Guest: Michael Moore Takes Boston By Storm: "Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore blasts the corporate media, President Bush, Ralph Nader's candidacy, and the invasion of Iraq. We hear the full speech he gave at the Take Back America meeting in Cambridge across the river from the Democratic National Convention. [includes rush transcript]

On the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, just before Bill and Hillary Clinton took the stage, a massive crowd of cameras and papparazzi burst into the FleetCenter. In the middle of the crowd was filmmaker Michael Moore. He was not an official guest of the Democrats--in fact he was directly not invited to the convention. Some observers say that's because his blunt and spontaneous style would be too risky for a convention that is more scripted than most Shakespeare plays. Furthermore, Moore has said in recent days that he has not endorsed John Kerry, but rather the movement to remove George Bush from power. Moore made it into a skybox at the FleetCenter after an invitation from the family of former president Jimmy Carter. During Carter's convention speech, Michael sat two seats down from Rosalyn Carter inside the skybox.

More than 2,000 people lined up in Cambridge to hear Michael Moore speak at a forum with Howard Dean. Only 500 or so were able to get in. Democracy Now! was there. (Watch Video/Read Trancript - Click Title)"

OUTTAKES FROM THE INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL MOORE IN FILM COMMENT MAGAZINE

Film Comment: "We had a situation where we were going to go over to Iraq because we got a letter from one of the soldiers who told us they weren't being given flak jackets. The Army was getting them, but the National Guard wasn't getting them. So, we thought, let's go over and take some flak jackets. So we bought a bunch of them and we e-mailed the soldier back and told him we were coming over. And he tells the other guys in his unit, 'Michael Moore is coming with flak jackets.' Word gets to his Commanding Officer that I'm coming. Within three days, they had their flak jackets from the Army. And he wrote his wife and she went on NPR and told the story about how just the threat of Michael Moore coming over was enough to get all these guys their flak jackets. We didn't even have to go over there. "


The bi-monthly paper publication (July/August 2004) has Michael Moore on the front cover with W.
Only excerpts of the extensive feature article and interview are available online.

NDC: Barack Obama - Speech Trancript, Video, Blog Comments

Barack Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night as the keynote speaker with a message of hope and optimism.
"In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here-the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope!"

In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America!"  ...read the full text  watch the speech  post your reactions to Obama's blog 

NPR : Bloggers Offer Intimate View of Convention (Audio Report)

NPR : Bloggers Offer Intimate View of Convention: "July 27, 2004 -- For the first time, writers of Web logs -- online journals of news and opinion -- have been granted journalist credentials for a political convention. Bloggers at the Democratic gathering in Boston offer a more passionate, opinionated view of goings-on than that of traditional journalists. Hear NPR's Robert Smith."


NPR's Robert Smith

The Australian: Bob Brown: Whose lies hurt more? [July 29, 2004]

The Australian: Bob Brown: Whose lies hurt more?: "MICHAEL Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, which officially opens today in cinemas across the nation, is a polemic. It mercilessly reveals the inadequacy and, at times, immaturity of US President George W. Bush and, in doing so, turns the tables on the farce we often get when watching television news.

What about Bush's scrambled eulogy to Howard in Canberra in which he claimed that the term 'man of steel' was the Texan equivalent of the Australian fair dinkum. Howard would have vetted the speech. He let the gaffe stand -- it made him feel so good. That helps answer Moore's question: 'How is it that someone like John Howard could get in bed with George W. Bush?' Which begs the question: Has our Prime Minister seen Fahrenheit 9/11 and did he feel as good afterwards?

Moore a villain? How about Howard's 2004 justification of the Iraq imbroglio despite his 2003 statement that: 'I couldn't justify on its own a military invasion of Iraq to change the regime'?
Moore takes licence, but his film is no match for the most fallacious polemic of the past decade: the weapons of mass destruction lie used by Bush, Howard and Tony Blair to justify the invasion of Iraq and the consequent death toll of tens of thousands of men, women and children.
Bush's moment of truth came when he sat reading My Pet Goat to schoolchildren while the twin towers burned. Where was the maturity, intelligence and action to be expected of the most powerful human being on the planet in such a moment of peril? What do his defenders make of the gormless failure of the Commander-in-Chief to take immediate command in the crisis? "


By Bob Brown

HoustonChronicle.com - Moore to skip Crawford 'Fahrenheit 911' screening

HoustonChronicle.com - Moore to skip Crawford 'Fahrenheit 911' screening: "CRAWFORD -- Liberal film maker Michael Moore early today cancelled an appearance near President Bush's ranch for a showing of his anti-Bush film Fahrenheit 911.
'We've heard he is not going to be here in Crawford, but we've heard no explanation,' said Skip Londos, a member of the local Peace House which had hoped the controversial film maker would help draw more people to the event.
There was no immediate explanation, but a Moore staff aide in New York said the film maker decided early today that his appearance might 'detract' from the Peace House fund-raiser.
The aide said Moore would remain in Boston, where he has been treated as a celebrity at the Democratic National Convention, and on Friday he would go to New York to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Overnight, 20 bags of composted cow manure were dumped near the spot where television crews do live broadcasts from Crawford, a few miles from Bush's Central Texas ranch.

The fertilizer, in 25-pound bags, included a sign addressed: "To Michael Moore. One piece of Bull**** deserves another.""

By MICHAEL HEDGES
Houston Chronicle

Burnt Orange Report: We told ya so...

Burnt Orange Report: "Well, finally, the rest of the country (well, at least those who watched) figured out what all the comotion about Obama in the blogosphere was all about. I was cheering Obama on since March. And I've been thrilled with him ever since (here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here).
Obama just brings it all. He has an inspiring personal story. He frames a progressive message in a conservative manner by speaking about personal responsibility, a unified America and opportunity through hard work. One thing that I'm struck by is that conservative columnists are praising the speech - a speech that brought the mostly left-leaning Democrats in the convention hall into a frenzy. Why?

Today in The Bloggers As The Story

Today in The Bloggers As The Story: "Today's episode of The Bloggers As The Story, Reinvented edition, goes like this...
First, a clip in the Baltimore Sun:

Food for thought

Peter Rukavina, a Web consultant from Canada who's behind www.reinvented.net, wrote this from Boston:
"There are non-Mcdonalds food options in the entrance of the Media Center. They appear to have cases upon cases of Red Bull. What is Red Bull, anyway? There are also salads, breakfast cereals, and what looks like fruit salad."
Later yesterday afternoon, Rukavina expressed a broader concern:
"This is not a national town hall meeting; it's more akin to a televised debutante ball. I'm afraid that politics here in America is so abstracted from reality that it is, in fact, impossible to understand on a level other than the superficial."
And that, Dube suggests, may be what the bloggers can do best, scratch the surface, but deeply."

Article Online: Bloggers: We've Jumped the Shark

Article Online: Bloggers: We've Jumped the Shark: "I thought bloggers were going to be treated like royalty. However, when I introduce myself as a blogger, I get this funny look.
It's the same look that says, 'oh, you're one of those people.'
One girl, who will remain nameless, put the mood into context by saying, 'It seems that the media is making you guys bigger than the convention!' In the places that I am going, there isn't any excitement toward me being a blogger or the blogosphere as a whole. In fact, most people still don't particularly know what a blog is.
So have bloggers jumped the shark? Sure, in a way that's true. But is it out fault? No. Should the media write hundreds of articles about a relatively obscure part of the Internet? No. We're just up here in Boston doing whatever it is we want to do.
But in some ways, bloggers are the only exciting things about this convention. Since big media has turned their back on the whole convention process, blogs are filling in the gaps, albeit to a much smaller audience.
Still, I don't introduce myself as a blogger anymore. I'm more of an independent observer."

CNN.com - Transcripts: Larry King Live Interviews Michael Moore from the DNC

CNN.com - Transcripts: "KING: Why the -- you're going to show it in Crawford, Texas, right, the home of the Bush ranch.

MOORE: Yes, the Crawford premiere will be tomorrow night.

KING: Is there any kind of theater in Crawford?

MOORE: No, there's no theater there.

KING: Where are you showing it?

MOORE: On a big screen outdoors that the film society in Austin, they're driving down there and setting up a big...

KING: Going to put it up where, in a lot?

MOORE: The back of a barn or something.

KING: Have you invited the president?

MOORE: Yes, he's been invited.

KING: Has the White House requested to see this film?

MOORE: No. Their official response has been, We don't need to see something to know it's wrong, which I thought, actually, was very honest and consistent with their policy. They didn't need to see the weapons of mass destruction, and they led us into war as a result of that, so...

KING: Well, how do you think you're being treated over all this? I mean, the anger increased against you -- like, how are you treated here?

MOORE: Well, I'm treated very well here. People are very happy I made the film. And I've been treated well all across the country. Some of our best cities for this film have been near Army bases. Troops and their families are very happy that this film exists, that I've given voice to -- you've seen it -- the soldiers who speak to the camera from Iraq and tell how they feel about this war and how disillusioned they are and dissatisfied they are. And so the response (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Now, there are Republicans and people on the right who are very angry at me, and I understand that. I fully respect that. I'd be angry, too, if I were them. They've only got a few months left in power. And you know, they're kind of getting all their things together, and they got to order new (UNINTELLIGIBLE)"

Fahrenheit 9/11 - FilmReviews - www.smh.com.au

Fahrenheit 9/11 - FilmReviews - www.smh.com.au: "The job of an intelligence service, as we have been told a lot recently, is to speak truth unto power. At times, this is also the job of the documentary film maker, but Michael Moore inverts the role - he's an intelligence service for the rest of us. That is why he is a hero for the young.
Journalists are supposed to do this too, but I think one reason that his films are so successful is that journalists are failing in that task. The public no longer sees journalists as independent of the powerful, if they ever did.
Let me put it another way: when journalism becomes so degraded that Fox News can get away with the slogan 'We report, you decide', then Michael Moore is what you get in opposition. He makes no secret of his political aim - to unseat George Bush at the next US election. This signals that he is not a journalist, but a player. Mr Moore Goes To Washington, one might say, but he's a lot more savvy than Frank Capra's Longfellow Deeds.
Moore's standard of proof is sometimes too low. He does his cause no credit by making slippery conclusions and never giving anyone the benefit of the doubt. At the same time, he does us all a favour by his dogged pursuit of the powerful, and his refusal to cosy up to them."


By Paul Byrnes

G O P.com :: Moore Questions About The Heart And Soul Of Senator Kerry's Campaign, Issue 2

G O P.com: "MOORE QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE HEART AND SOUL OF SENATOR KERRY'S CAMPAIGN
Issue Two. "The Republican National Committee put out five press releases under the headline "Moore questions about the heart and soul of Senator Kerry's campaign." On the GOP's Web site, the releases were packaged with a photo of Moore at the Democratic convention Monday night, sitting with former president Carter. The aim: to embarrass the Kerry campaign by spotlighting some of Moore's more controversial opinions. " USA Today


Michael Moore Seated In President Carter's Box At DNC

USATODAY.com - Filmmaker Moore, talker O'Reilly spar in Boston

USATODAY.com - Filmmaker Moore, talker O'Reilly spar in Boston: "Moore also came under fresh attack from Republican Party officials, who fired off a series of press releases in an effort to make Sen. John Kerry answer for some of Moore's most controversial opinions.
Taped the day before, the Fox encounter was a verbal slugfest between the left-wing Moore and the right-wing O'Reilly. The two took shots at each other - passionately but not rudely - for 12 minutes on The O'Reilly Factor. It was perhaps the hottest face-off so far at a largely news-free and debate-free convention.
At one point O'Reilly accused Moore, director of the anti-Bush film Fahrenheit 9/11, of being Saddam Hussein's 'biggest defender in the media.'
'That's insulting,' Moore said.
O'Reilly repeatedly pressed Moore to apologize to the president for saying Bush lied to the nation about whether there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before American troops entered that country.
'Actually it's President Bush that needs to apologize to the nation,' Moore said.
After O'Reilly said the Bush administration made a mistake when it based the rationale for war in part on weapons of mass destruction, Moore got the host to agree that parents of American soldiers killed in Iraq shouldn't be satisfied with the explanation 'we're sorry.'"


By Mark Memmott
USA TODAY


Watch complete 12 minute O'Reilly/Moore video discussion

"Fahrenheit 9/11" Set To Heat up Germany | Deutsche Welle

"Fahrenheit 9/11" Set To Heat up Germany | Deutsche Welle : "Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' opens in Berlin on Wednesday. German film and movie theater executives expect it to break Moore's own record for the most-shown documentary ever in the country.

'Germans likes the way he presents politics and his sense of humor, and people see his as the 'other voice of America,' a counterweight to US President George W. Bush, 'said Andreas Fallscheer, managing director of Falcom Media Group, the company that is distributing the film in Germany. Falcom has distributed 220 prints for Wednesday's opening, the greatest number ever in Germany for a documentary film.

In the past two years, Germans disenchanted with Bush and the current state of transatlantic relations have thronged to Moore's (photo) controversial body of work.

His first Bush diatribe, "Stupid White Men", sold nearly 1.1 million copies in German – comprising an astonishing one-third of the book’s total global sales. And more than a million Germans turned out to see his Oscar-winning indictment against US gun laws, "Bowling for Columbine". During his most recent book tour, Germans gave him rock star treatment as he gave readings in standing room only concert halls."


Daryl Lindsey
Deutsche Welle

Seeing The Forest - a Weblog of Politics: Moore -- Hatriotism not Patriotism (Greens read)

Seeing The Forest - a Weblog of Politics: "Michael Moore was held up, so they had the entire second hour session, and then Moore finally arrived. He gave a very different kind of talk. I wouldn't call it a speech, more like someone talking about something in the news. Anyway, it was extremely, extremely powerful, and moving, PERSUASIVE, heartfelt, profound... This talk has to find its way online and if I learn about it I'll post where to find it. This talk is SO good, that if enough people see it, it could really change minds.

Christian Crumlish of The Power Of Many said it was the best political speech he has ever heard. I don't agree, partly because I don't consider it a political speech, partly because the guy was talking an hour after Howard Dean and the day after The Big Dog's great, great speech and partly because I have seen Jesse Jackson speak live.

More described people coming out of theaters saying 'How come I never saw that on the news?' ASking why they didn;'t know about these things -- things that are not disputable, because they had just seen films of them, like the Black members of Congress being shut out of the Senate, one by one, asking for redress of what happened to Black voters in Florida.

He said, 'I haven't seen the mothers of dead soldiers on the news.'

He said the problem was the press, they were cheerleaders for the war.

Standing ovation, hollering, as he says to the press, (almost quoting) We, the people, we need you. Start asking questions. Ask questions about the war. It's not un-American, it's PRO-American to ask the questions. It's patriotic. "

New York Post Online Edition: FIGHTIN' WORDS

New York Post Online Edition: news: "July 28, 2004 -- BOSTON - Michael Moore and Bill O'Reilly, political pundits who disagree on just about everything, got into verbal fisticuffs over the war in Iraq last night during a televised encounter that prompted O'Reilly to declare he would die for his country.
That wasn't enough for Moore, who demanded to know if O'Reilly was prepared to 'sacrifice your child' - the same question he posed to unwary congressmen snared in his smash documentary, 'Fahrenheit 9/11.'
'We cannot leave Iraq right now,' O'Reilly said, after conceding President Bush had mistakenly told the nation Saddam Hussein was armed with weapons of mass destruction.
'So you would sacrifice your child to secure Fallujah? I want to hear you say that,' demanded Moore.
'I would sacrifice myself,' O'Reilly came back.
'Your child - it's Bush sending the children there,' Moore pressed. "


By DAVID SEIFMAN

BW Online | An Issue Too Hot for Fahrenheit?

BW Online | An Issue Too Hot for Fahrenheit?: "It's hard not to be charmed by Michael Moore, the filmmaker whose anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has been sweeping across the country like a summer forest fire in a drought of truth. He's fat and jolly, smart and sassy, a left-wing Falstaff who has become an overnight sensation in the most unlikely pockets of America.

His film, which attacks the war in Iraq as an invasion mounted under false pretenses, is said to be playing well near military bases. And as Moore told some 800 progressive groupies who gathered somewhat incongruously yesterday in the ballroom of a chain hotel in Cambridge, Mass., for a rally organized by the Campaign for America's Future, he's even making inroads in NASCAR land.

As the crowd hooted its approval, Moore addressed the press: "We need you to do your job. You do us no service...by looking the other way" or failing to ask a hard question for fear of being called un-American.

He was especially harsh on NBC. He called General Electric (GE ), parent of NBC, a "war profiteer" that has $600 million worth of contracts in Iraq. So, he suggested, it's hardly surprising that GE's "news entity" didn't tell the truth about the war. "You haven't just been embedded," he said again to the press, "you've been in bed with the wrong people.""



Ciro Scotti is a senior editor for BusinessWeek in New York

For more on the Democratic National Convention, see BusinessWeek Online's continuing coverage

DNC Blog: Newsplex/Cingular Wireless Election Connection

Newsplex/Cingular Wireless Election Connection: "A sold-out crowd at the Coolidge Corner Theatre listened to Michael Moore address a number of topics during remarks before a screening of his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.

Highlights:

Moore directed questions to the media. He asked media members why they do not ask hard hitting questions, specifically about Bush family ties to the Saudi Arabian ruling family. 'Why not ask the questions? Why are the questions wrong?'
Moore says he has not endorsed Kerry and has never met him. Moore said his job is to keep an eye on those in power. 'When John Kerry wins the election, on Nov. 3, I'll turn my camera on him to keep him honest.'
Moore says his next movie will deal with healthcare. 'I want to make a film that clearly lays out what the problem is. And it will be a comedy.'
Moore taped a show with Bill O'Reilly because O'Reilly promised not to edit it at all. He also said he does not want to speak at the convention. 'It's a dangerous proposition to put me on a stage with a live microphone,' he said.'"


A reserved Michael Moore answers questions from media at the Coolidge Corner Theater. Moore said he hopes the DVD of Fahrenheit 9/11 comes out in October. (Phone Photo Pix)

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Talking Points - Eight-Minute Challenge for Michael Moore

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Talking Points - Eight-Minute Challenge for Michael Moore: "So here's the deal. Moore will be on The Factor tonight. And believe me, you do not want to miss this. Ridiculous? Well, you'll make the call after you see the show."

See Interview Video Clip


The O'Reilly Factor
Weeknights at 8 & 1a.m. ET on the Fox News Channel.



Complete Interview Transcript Drudge Report (Photo: Tom Tomorrow)

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