With One Month Left, 5 Easy Things to Do - Independent Media TV

With One Month Left, 5 Easy Things to Do - Independent Media TV: "With One Month Left, 5 Easy Things to Do
October 01, 2004
By: Michael Moore
Michael Moore

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Michael Moore

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Election 2004


Dear Friends,
This is it: One month to D-Day! That's 'Dump Bush Day,' November 2nd.
It's now time to roll up our sleeves -- each and every one of us -- and get to work. There will be nearly 10 million of you who will read this letter either on my list or on my site. An army of ten million cannot be defeated! The time for hitting the snooze button has passed, voter registration deadlines start Monday and we only get one shot at this!"

The Malta Independent Daily Website: So, finally it’s here

The Malta Independent Daily Website: "Fahrenheit 9/11 is astounding. Not as much as a film – although it is cunning and moving – but as an event. What makes it an event is the fact that it is an effective and independent intervention into immediate world politics. It is also a historical landmark. It is a work inspired by hope.

The film is an attack on US President George W. Bush and, sadly, it is really and truly accurate. It is a patriotic work. All the statements formulated in the film have been factually backed up.

Granted this film has a political agenda but, as Moors himself said, “I don’t like that this film be reduced to Bush vs. Kerry. The issues in it are larger than that… When Clinton was President, I went after him and, if Kerry is President, on day two, I’ll be on him.”

It is Leftist propaganda! Well, you would think so if you are a pawn in the Right’s hand.

However, to denigrate it as propaganda is either naïve or perverse, forgetting (deliberately?) what the last century should have taught us.

But Moore’s barbs aren’t aimed just at President Bush. “The unstated villain in the film is the national American media,” he states."

jmcachia@maltanet.net
The Malta Independent Daily

News - StatesmanJournal.com: Michael Moore will visit Salem

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "The Associated Students of Willamette University, which extended the invitation to Moore through its Issues and Controversies Board, has been negotiating since April to get Moore to Salem to coincide with the date of the video release, said Kristen Grainger, vice president and executive assistant to college president M. Lee Pelton.

The contract was signed a week ago. The contract stipulates the fee not be revealed, although Moore has been known to command as much as $30,000 for such an appearance.

Moore is controversial, but the university sees the talk as fitting into the Issues and Controversies Board’s goal of exploring points of view.

“We support our students,” Grainger said.

Pelton is planning to attend but not as a speaker, she said.

Moore is visiting college campuses in an effort to get students, historically the largest block of nonvoters in presidential elections, to the polls.

Salem is the only Oregon stop currently scheduled.

The talk is being held off-campus at a setting that can accommodate an audience of 6,600, which Grainger said was stipulated in the contract.

Tickets at $5, festival seating, go on sale to the public Monday at Jackson’s Books, the Book Bin and Border’s. Tickets already have been made available to Willamette faculty, staff and students.

As of Friday, 2,500 tickets had been sold on campus, and no Willamette facility seats more than 1,200. Grainger said she anticipates filling the Pavilion.

Judy Sugnet, chairwoman of the Marion County Democratic Central Committee, said she has not seen the Moore film nor did she plan to attend the appearance or otherwise be involved.

“I think he’s a very interesting and provocative moviemaker,” she said. “He tends to shine a light on things that are hypocritical. He tends to be polarizing, because sometimes facts polarize.”


RON COWAN
Statesman Journal

First Coast News | Political News and Election 2004

First Coast News: "JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Film maker and activist Michael Moore took to the stage at Metro Park like a Rock Star. Music, light’s, and a couple thousand screaming fans cheered him on as he brought his ‘Slacker Uprising Tour’ to the River City.

“This is the first rally we've had that's actually been a party,” said Moore.

By Tiani Jones
First Coast News
Discussion Board

The Flat Hat: 'Fahrenheit 9/11' ignites war on Bush

The Flat Hat"Fahrenheit 9/11": the temperature at which political tempers boil over. It is almost inevitable that the moment one walks out of that theatre, one is going to feel pretty passionate about it. Whether one judges it to be a shameless propaganda-filled diatribe against our President, a brilliant polemic describing the problems of the past four years, or somewhere in between, all depends on where one stands on the political spectrum. Yet regardless of one's political affiliations (or lack thereof), there is no doubt that this is one of the most divisive films in the history of movie-making, and for that reason, it can be labeled an indisputable success.

Michael Moore, who also directed such polarizing films as "Roger & Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," has said that he created "Fahrenheit 9/11" as a justification for his 2003 Oscar acceptance speech, in which he proclaimed (over the rabble of both boos and cheers), "Shame on You! Shame on You! Shame on You!" following President Bush's declaration of war on Iraq.

That, in essence, is exactly what this film is _-- a shaming of the administration, only this time with evidence. Even with the evidence, however, Moore's technique has managed to create further controversy than the Oscar acceptance speech (if that were even possible). He continuously pushes the buttons no one else wants to push and continues an in-your-face film style (as with the Charlton Heston interview in "Bowling").

By Scott Hoffman
The Flat Hat

The JibJab Times: This Land Animation Coming Soon on The Tonight Show

The JibJab Times: Me oh my! Do we have news for you! After much debate, my brother and I decided to make another short animation for the 2004 Election.

You’re probably asking yourself, “Why the @#$% would you do that? A sequel will never be as good as THIS LAND!” Believe me, we’ve asked ourselves the same question many times.

I wish I could tell you that our “can do” attitude gave us the courage to try and do it again. In truth, we’re a couple of whores. Jay Leno asked if we’d be interested in making another one to debut on The Tonight Show, we said, “YES! YES! TAKE US, JAY! TAKE US!” Then we went back to our warehouse and panicked.

Let us dispel the myth right here and now. Our next animation will not be another THIS LAND. We could spend the rest of our lives trying to make another THIS LAND and it’d never happen. That’s okay. We’ve accepted that on some deep metaphysical level. But as two guys trying to build a career, we had to make a choice…

livejournal michaelmoore: Michael Moore on Campus

michaelmoore: Michael Moore on Campus: "Michael Moore came on campus today. It was a great event. If Kerry said half the things Mike did with the amount of passion Bush would be behind in the polls and having to get Pakistan to move up the bin Laden capture.
He talked about several things. He encouraged democrats and progressives not to give up. He did a good job impersonating some of the whiners who have e-mailed him.
He has moved up the DVD release of Fahrenheit 9/11 to Tuesday and is also releasing a book of letter written to him by soldiers. Real letters, not that one that twelve or so soldiers supposedly wrote while in the hospital. The DVD has extras including extending the 20 second pre-Iraq scene to six minutes and interviews with Iraqis against the war before it started. He also adds Bush's comments after talking to the 9/11 commission with Dick Cheney. That part is completely unedited and showed in its entirety. It's funny to here him bumble through explaining things, until you realize this idiot is the leader of the free world! You think he would have prepared a statement ahead of time, at least in the general sense.
Here is a sample of comment he made:

'They took our Jesus' (in reference to right wing)
'What would Jesus bomb?' (Quoting a bumper sticker)
If Matt Lauer did his fucking job people wouldn't be listening to a man with a high school education wearing a Spartan cap! (Paraphrased, not verbatim)"

(click title for more)


piperton


Did you see this outside while you waited?

Hollywood Reporter: Three wild cards could impact awards races

Three wild cards could impact awards racesWild card worries: It's October and Hollywood's awards marketers are back in action.

From the looks of things, those who hope to take home the gold have got their work cut out for themselves this year competing for Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations in what looks like an unusually challenging race. The problem is that there are three wild cards to worry about that could impact in a big way on this year's awards competition.


The list includes Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" from Lions Gate Films, IFC Films and Bob and Harvey Weinstein's Fellowship Adventure Group; Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" from Icon Productions and Newmarket Films; and Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein, who might be serving his final season as his company's driving force on the awards front. Between them, these are three 800-pound awards gorillas that could make it harder than ever for everyone else to land nominations.

What makes the situation unusual and potentially worrisome for smaller films is the fact that these are three very high profile forces to contend with. Moore is clearly a human dynamo when it comes to getting what he wants. This has nothing to do with how you feel about him personally or whether you agree with his politics. He's simply an astounding manipulator of the media who knows how to further his cause this way.


By Martin A. Grove
Hollywood Reporter

BYU NewsNet - Moore problems for UVSC

BYU NewsNet - Moore problems for UVSC: "A Utah Valley State College donor threatened to pull over $1 million in artwork donations as a result of the university's recent decision to invite Michael Moore to the campus.
The donor, whose name has not been released, will only donate a portion of his collection to UVSC's Woodbury Gallery.
'What upset him most was the price that the students offered Mr. Moore for coming, because Mr. Moore has never made that kind of money for a one hour speech,' said Barbra Wardle, director of the gallery.
Wardle said the donor would instead donate the other fraction of his collection to Brigham Young University.
'This gentleman can do as he chooses with his own property,' Wardle said. 'We would have loved to have had it, but I respect his rights.'
Ian Wilson, vice president for institutional advancement and marketing at UVSC, said the donor has the same concerns as many of the alumni."

UPAC funds bulk of Michael Moore speech

UPAC funds bulk of Michael Moore speech: "The contract is in the mail and the bills are almost paid for Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's visit to Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center on Oct. 22.
'Everything looks good,' said Megan Green, president of the College Democrats. 'He [Moore] is pleased at how everything has turned out and is looking forward to being here on the 22nd. Between UPAC and fund raising, we've been able to cover the cost of it all.'
University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) chairman Tom Truong said the College Democrats were allocated about $23,000 for Moore's visit to Penn State, $15,000 of which will go toward Moore's speaking fee.
Green said the total cost of Moore's visit was about $30,000, and added that about $4,000 has been raised through private donations and about $1,000 has come from Kerry-Edwards item donations.
'Half of the donations from the booths go to covering costs and the other half goes to covering Moore,' Green said."


By Kayur Patel
Collegian Staff Writer

GMU cancels Moore as campus speaker - The Washington Times

GMU cancels Moore as campus speaker : "George Mason University yesterday rescinded its invitation to filmmaker Michael Moore after state lawmakers balked at the pending deal, which could have cost the Virginia school as much as $35,000.
The 'Evening with Michael Moore' event had been in the works for Oct. 28. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, university officials and Mr. Moore still were negotiating the details of a deal, including his speaking fee and whether taxpayer dollars would pay for the event.
But after dozens of conservatives sent critical letters and e-mails to university President Alan Merten, university officials said late yesterday the school had rescinded its offer. "

By Christina Bellantoni
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

ABC12.com: Michael Moore stops at MSU Thursday (Video Report)

ABC12.com: Michael Moore stops at MSU Thursday: "Thursday he made a stop in East Lansing while the Flint mother featured in his latest film appeared in a separate anti-war event not far away.
Bisi Onile-Ere had more.
We're told it was pure coincidence that both Moore and Lila Lipscomb were in the Lansing area at the same time. But the similarities in the messages they sent were no accident.
Without saying a word, controversial filmmaker Michael Moore received a standing ovation from hundreds of Michigan State University students.
On the first leg of his 'Slacker Uprising Tour,' Lansing is one of 60 cities he will visit leading up to the November election.
Before taking aim at President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, Moore stressed the importance of the young vote."

By Bisi Onile-Ere

The Michigan Daily -- 113 Years of Editorial Freedom - Moore turns up heat in Hill

The Michigan Daily“Calm down, Republicans,” said Michael Moore, setting the tenor for sold-out Hill Auditorium. “They’re a little ornery. They only have a few weeks left.”

The activist and filmmaker announced that while he respects Republicans, “Bush has got to go” and the only way for the American people to accomplish this is to go out and vote.

The goal of the night was to reach out to college-aged students, one of the largest underrepresented groups at the polls. Moore gave out prizes to people who registered to vote while at the speech, but the majority of the night was an anti-Bush rally.

Moore talked about the catchphrases of the Bush campaign: “Top liberal, flip-flop, you’re going to die,” chanted Moore. Moore compared the “mantra” to a bad song that gets stuck in your head. He continued on to say that those mantras do get stuck in your head, saying all challenger John Kerry has is “I’m not Bush.” Moore then laughed, “This is good enough for me.”

The Michigan Student Assembly, who paid for the event using student funds, made a $200 profit and sold out all 3,500 seats in Hill Auditorium, according to Jesse Levine, MSA student general counsel.

By Sarah Peterson
Daily Fine Arts Editor
The Michigan Daily

KUTV: UVSC President Says Moore Issue is Hurting Fund-Raising

KUTV: UVSC President Says Moore Issue is Hurting Fund-Raising: "The controversy over the student leaders' decision to invite filmmaker Michael Moore to speak on campus has hurt fund-raising, Utah Valley State College President William Sederburg said during a panel discussion.

The issue has created a heated debate on campus, with students passing around a petition to get the student leaders who invited Moore kicked out of office. They said Tuesday they have enough signatures to send the issue to a vote by the student body.

UVSC officials also have reported donors are pulling funding and some also have said legislators, who are largely responsible for the funding the state college receives, may be unhappy with the decision to pay Moore $40,000 in student fees to speak.

``There is no doubt that it has not helped our fund raising,'' Sederburg said,

But he said that many donors are not as angry as they were when the announcement was made, and the amount of funding the college loses may not be as significant as first thought.

Much of the anger has been over Moore's $40,000 fee. "

Associated Press

Daily Kos :: Kerry-oke for Music Row Dems + Michael Moore!

Daily Kos :: Kerry-oke for Music Row Dems + Michael Moore!: "We're fired up in Nashville! We may not win TN, but I promise it will be alot closer to the tie Zogby was predicting earlier than the 16-point poll M-D put out.

It's a banner couple of weeks to live in Nashville. Tonight (Wed.) at The Trap (by the Stadium) at 6:30 is the final night of Kerry-oke to benefit the Music Row Democrats, Nashville's newest hippest Democratic organization. This one is going to be a huge, star-studded rally. The 10 buck admission price goes toward putting their TV ad on the air in middle Tennessee. Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, and many other great musicians are scheduled to be there, including some surprise guests!
Next weekend, on Saturday the 9th (just after recuperating from The Pixies on Wednesday), Michael Moore will be here as part of his 'Slacker uprising tour!' Cost is only 7.50. If you live anywhere close, get your butts over here!! "



Message Board

NPR : Connie Rice: Top 10 Secrets They Don't Want You to Know About the Debates (Audio Report)

NPR : Connie RiceThe Tavis Smiley Show, September 29, 2004 · After weeks of political wrangling, Sen. John Kerry and President Bush will square off for the first of three key presidential debates. Both camps have agreed to an elaborate, 32-page contract that spells out everything from the size of the dressing rooms to permitted camera angles.

But the controversy over the debates threatens to overshadow the events themselves. Some citizen groups complain that the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) isn't as non-partisan as it should be, and that Kerry and Bush won't be pressed on urban issues. Commentator Connie Rice says that's just the tip of the iceberg, and she's got another Top 10 list -- this time: Top 10 Secrets They Don't Want You to Know About the Debates.

Campaign 2004: Cheney changed his view on Iraq

Campaign 2004: Cheney changed his view on Iraq: "

Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Campaign 2004: Cheney changed his view on Iraq
He said in '92 Saddam not worth U.S. casualties
By CHARLES POPE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON -- In an assessment that differs sharply with his view today, Dick Cheney more than a decade ago defended the decision to leave Saddam Hussein in power after the first Gulf War, telling a Seattle audience that capturing Saddam wouldn't be worth additional U.S. casualties or the risk of getting 'bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq.'"

MSNBC - Musicians use their talent to further the cause

MSNBC - Musicians use their talent to further the causeMost of us have grappled with the task of figuring out song lyrics. Recently I attempted to decipher out what Johnny Rotten was saying in an old Sex Pistols song called “Revolution in the Classroom.” The only lyrics I could make out with any certainly were the words, “revolution in the classroom.” The rest of it sounds like a man with a lisp experiencing convulsions after a two-week drinking binge.

Artists in the music business have a long history of social commentary, even if they don’t always vocalize their views with pinpoint clarity. Sometimes you can be listening to a song about saving the whales and mistakenly believe it’s about global warming. As important as the message may be, it’s even more essential that it be heard.

These days, stars of the music world are not only getting the word out, they’re jeopardizing their careers to do so. Fans may still struggle to sort out the words, but the message is perfectly clear.

By Michael Ventre
MSNBC contributor

The Japan Times Online: Death or glory? Not another jingoistic story

The Japan Times Online: "So as preppie-turned-Texan George W. Bush leads America into a hard-right policy of 'pre-emptive' attacks against people for spurious reasons, it's only natural that the Disney corporation -- the same people who refused to distribute Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' -- brings us 'The Alamo' one more time. What better to cultivate the national mood of patriotic self-sacrifice, to re-acclimate the country to the idea of deaths in a noble cause, to reinforce the paranoid belief that America is outnumbered and beset upon by enemies? (Yes, 'The Alamo' was green-lighted for production after '9/11.')
Unfortunately for Disney, what they got was not the chest-thumping jingoism of John Wayne's 1960 'Alamo,' which was explicitly made to rally Cold War audiences. Instead, director John Lee Hancock has attempted to give us a historically accurate telling of the battle. But judging by the film's underwhelming performance at the box office (a major factor leading to the recent resignation of CEO Michael Eisner), it just goes to show that you can't please all the people all the time.

For all the apocalyptic fury of the final battle, "The Alamo" (which had a PG rating in the States) seems far tamer than such recent battle films as "Musa" or "We Were Soldiers," or even "Cold Mountain." In the end, this may have lost it more of its target demographic than any of the revisionism. In the age of "Doom 3," splatter-free battles are a hard sell."

By GIOVANNI FAZIO
The Japan Times

NPR : Moore Seeks to Boost Young Voter Turnout (Audio Report)

NPR : Moore Seeks to Boost Young Voter Turnout: "Filmmaker Michael Moore is touring battleground states to convince non-voters to support Kerry on Election Day. He's targeting the young vote, especially, by visiting college campuses with his multi-media road show. Interlochen Public Radio's Peter Payette reports."

Michael Moore's Blog: The 'Slacker Uprising Tour' begins

Michael Moore's Blog: "We kicked things off last night in Elk Rapids, Michigan, a small village in the North Country. The high school auditorium was packed and we probably could have filled it three times over. The event was put together by a group called the 'AllDems' who are from an even smaller village than Elk Rapids. Nobody up here knew there were so many liberal-leaning people! The AllDems were founded by one woman, a while back, who thought she was the only Democrat in the area. It then grew by leaps and bounds once word got out that it was safe to come out of the closet. Word also got out that there was free beer and wine at the meetings. Following the belief that it is better to go to where people are than expect them to come to you, the AllDems are a perfect model of how ANYONE can just go ahead and start their own political organization where they live and make things happen. If you are waiting for someone else to do it (or for the official party representatives to do so) it's going to be a long wait."