Michael Moore, you're wonderful. I have to say, the people most vilified by the establishment are the ones it is most important to listen to. But I am so sorry for the vilification. And especially that so many people buy into it. The good news is that more and more people are waking up.

Thank you, Kathy Jones

Guts, Honor, and PATRIOTISM!!!

Go Michael...

Way to go, Michael! Just for 'Sicko' alone we ought to make you an honourable Canadian!

I saw the piece on CNN (my 17 y/o son told me about it: since we don't have the money for cable TV or high speed Internet because of massive health care bills)and I cried. I felt like a breeze was blowing through a dungeon that had been airless and dark for centuries. I, of course, knew most of what MM was saying (we live it) but to have it screamed out from the mountain top (unfortunately CNN) as clear as a church bell on Christmas Morning was like being resurrected. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MM. If you are now an honorary Canadian, I also bestow on you the title honorary parent of children with cystic fibrosis.

"I'm about to become your worst nightmare. 'Cause I ain't ever going away."

Best line in the article!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

"$1.5 billion is spent each year by the drug companies on ads on CNN..."

Holy ****. I asked you to go after the mainstream media, Mr. Moore, and this is a good start.

I hope SICKO is out on DVD soon; I will buy TWO copies, and give one away to somebody who can't afford to buy it.

Hey, if you want to see a movie that documents CNN's lies about Iraq, check out "War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death"

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/involved/warmadeeasy.html

Michael, run for Congress. Serve with Franken in the Senate or Kucinich in the House. Go to where the power is. You would still be able to make films. Make one about Congress . . . as a member. We need more progressives. How many true progressives like you actually have the money to run? Run against some corporate Democrat in the 2008 primary. With you running along with Sheehan running against Pelosi (it looks like) we'll get excited about a Congress that is held accountable *from the inside*--excited about a Congress growing more progressive.

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Mr. Moore,

It is very heartening to see someone stand up to the corporatocracy and its puppet journalists. And I do not at all want to reduce the effectiveness of what you are doing because I think it is great (I actually thought Wolf Blitzer was going to need to go to a commercial break to go change is underwear after the well-deserved shelacking you gave him). But, you are well-to-do and many of us are not and cannot have the same effect and influence on the corporatocracy you have (true we do have a vote and as consumers are not obliged to use a credit card, drive a car, etc.) That is not to bring up the argument of "well you had a chance to become wealthy and did not do it, so too bad." This is the Republican approach to life in America. I guess what I am saying is how can those of you who have power and influence help those of us who are not as affluent and powerful? As we all know, we have a dipshit for a President who relies on cronyism as a crutch to run the country, a spineless do-nothing Congress that actually really has no intention of ending the war (at least anytime soon), and a Supreme Court that has entirely swung in the direction of conservatism. So the chips are entirely stacked against us and I have been hearing people talk about revolting, perhaps in the form of civil war. Any ideas??

In CNN's defense, a quick fact check has revealed they did not make a single mistake in all 42,100 minutes spent covering Anna Nicole Smith's death and Paris Hilton's every step.

Because that's the kind of professional journalists CNN be.

Claudius:

Re the "conservative" monopoly (actually, there is nothing conservative about any of them: Neo-cons are radical nutcases)...

Defy them, verbally tar and feather them, stand up to them, wipe their smug faces with facts.

The key words: Defy them. Don't back off.

The healthcare insurers will soon launch a brutal campaign and spend millions, if not billions, to defeat the welfare of Americans. We must prepare for the assault and not back down.

Investigate what the CEOs of these insurance companies are raking in; ditto with the pharms. And then attack, attack, attack.

I can tell you right now: Chances are great that your own doctor (and nursing staff) are opposed to the healthcare insurance companies; they want them gone. That alone is a lot of power and influence waiting to be tapped.

It's about time someone take on CNN. Thanks again and again Michael Moore!!! BTW, congrats on your next Academy Award for "Sicko."

Mr. Moore,
You are my hero. I have purchased your other films on DVD and expect to buy this one and yes, also give them as gifts to family.

As far as CNN, during the post 9/11 panic, I stopped watching CNN and never, never, watch FOX News, except when going through the channel selections.

Early on I saw the opportunistic manner in which the media disregarded the public's welfare. Today those who run things at CNN and Fox News, and some of those talking heads have blood on their hands. They must also bear part of the responsibility for the Constitutional Crisis going on right now, with the Executive Branch assuming it has total power over us.

Last night I watched the Bill Moyers interview with the Nation writer who wrote the book about impeachment and the man who pushed for impeachment of B. Clinton for perjury. They both had an extraordinary amount of the most compelling facts about why we must impeach both Cheney and Bush, which I listened to with bated breath. I was wondering when they would get around to the great influence of the media, not only on the public, but also on those elected to Congress and the Senate, who believe all that they see and hear from this corporate media. Our elected officials, today, are playing to the phantom CNN and FOX viewer, taking their cues from the nitwit talking heads about what America wants and is thinking. Not true, we don't want what CNN and FOX News has to sell. Even MSNBC doesn't quite get it.

The conversation between Bill Moyers and his guests eventually did turn to the media's role, when they discussed that the elected officials conducting the current hearings lacked courage,forgetting that they must represent us, the people who have placed on their shoulders all the power and authority of their office. To Congress and the Senate, and all their aides, I say: Turn off CNN and the FOX Channel. Listen to the people who have been brave enough to get themselves fired, blacklisted, arrested and exposed (such as Joe Wilson's wife). These are the ones who are speaking for the people.

Mr. Moore, has not only dared to say that this government is the emporer with no clothes, with his latest film, but has also exposed the mainstrem media as parading around with no clothes, no truth, no proof, no sense, no morality!

Michael Moore, you scored twice!

The lie about the mainstream left news should be obvious to everyone by now. You the man MM!

Redwriteman: Perhaps Michael Moore's charm and effectiveness is that he isn't too smooth. Personally, when anyone is too glib and polished, I begin to question their authenticity. No one is always smooth and unruffled. Serenity on air is an act, oft-rehearsed, and practiced to perfection. Michael Moore's outrage was real. It was honest, and his facts are right. If we determine the "winner" by their delivery, well . . . I guess that explains the quality of our government.

You are a National Living Treasure MM

Finally! Someone calls out "Wookie" Blitzer!
I recall vividly last year "The Wookie" was interviewing Bill Clinton on some subject via remote. "Wookie" asked a question off topic and President Clinton said: "Wolf, I'm not going there. You're just trying to create a story."
"The Wookie" responded, almost without thinking (obviously):
"Mr. President, it is my job to create news. It's yours to answer my question's"
Mr. Clinton blinked as tho he couldn't believe what he heard and "The Wookie" looked as tho a demon had unexpectedly jumped out of his mouth and quickly ended the segment.

Mr. Moore,

I would love to see you focus exclusively on the Mainstream Media for an entire film. You've done some fun stuff with them, but a whole two hours of editorial lines compared to advertisers and ownership interests...maybe looking into who is on the Board of each news organization and showing the conflict of interest? I'm very excited. Nice about Joe Theisman (I never liked the Redskins) shilling for Glaxo-Smith Kline. There are so many PR pieces slipped in as news, these days, it is impossible to tell where journalism starts and advertising ends (does advertising end?) It would be truly cool to see the media shamed on the sliver screen. Maybe Congress would have to start rolling back all those media mergers. Really, I hope CNN doesn't apologize and that, two years from now, we're thanking you for your latest film on the Corporate Media!!!

www.unknown-arts.org/politics

Your movie ROCKS!
Hey, what do you say to Edwards and Obama when they propose health care reform plans that "give the insurance industry a seat at the table"? I know you endorse Kucinich's plan that he wrote with Conyers, HR676. Are you going to endorse him as a candidate?

Michael. I know this might rain on your parade a little bit, but when you faced off with Sanjay on LKL, You lost the argument. The facts are on your side, but to the neutral observer, Sanjay cleaned your clock. You were somewhat hesitant in your responses.
You flubbed your words and you were obviously a little out of your league when it comes to conversing with pundits. Being right is not good enough, unfortunately. You have to present your arguments more effectively. Remember, these bastards are experts at SOUNDING CONVINCING over the air. Please, please, before you go back onto one of these shows (and I hope you do), get with a debate coach and a verbal communication expert. You don't have to convince me that you are right. I know you are. But it is not me you have to make an effective argument to. Its the passive news observers and those to whom you are just another pundit showing up on the tube that you have to convince. Keep fighting the good fight, but remember, its not enough just to be right. You have to sound right (the republicans are masters at this). Take Care.

CNN, Corporate News Nonsense

God bless you, Michael Moore!

I saw the movie "SiCKO" and was deeply moved by it. Already, people are talking about it, debating about it, discussing it in coffee houses, at the office water cooler, in staff break rooms, in bars over beers, on buses, etc. - wherever people gather, there is inevitable discussion about it. That people are talking - and doubtless across party lines and political loyalties - says a lot for the fact that this film speaks truth to power so eloquently.

Health care isn't a Democratic issue, it's not a Republican issue, it's a HUMAN issue. We all get sick sooner or later and we all end up in our doctor's offices, at emergency rooms, urgent care centers, hospitals, etc. and are socked with whopping bills afterward to shock us out of our recovery. It's a crime when this happens.

We have a local columnist here in the Akron, OH newspaper who frequently writes about people with serious illnesses or injuries and usually in the context of an upcoming fundraiser to help defray medical costs. No one should have to resort to concerts, benefits or other fundraisers just to pay for catastrophic illnesses or injuries! That people have to lower themselves to, in effect, begging, is dehumanizing and probably very demoralizing as well.

So, I say to you, YOU GO, MICHAEL MOORE! You have my great respect and admiration as a true patriot! (Oh, and BTW, we also share a birthday! So we have April 23rd in common!) Thanks for all you do to keep being the great muckraking journalist that you are in the great tradition of those past who did the same thing in their day.

Blessings and peace! |--(~

Maybe there is hope for America after all.

I can't believe that in a country of almost 300 million, founded on a revolution of "We the People", that it took so long for somebody to stand up for the people.

Here's hoping America turns on the CNNs/FOXNews/CEOs/GOP & Democrats. Drag them all out into the streets, like the French did with the Nazi sympathizers in 1945.

Interesting that CNN made such a big deal with its "fact check" of Sicko, yet I haven't seen the same attention to fact checking Bush and the war.

Gosh, do you remember that bogus press conference before the war started where those selected journalists asked Bush "questions" after his announcement? "Did you pray to God before you decided this?" or other such dumb questions. Moore is right-- you all DO owe us an apology.

Mike's interview with Wolfie was great television. He simply got to tell them on their own program - LIVE! - what millions of us have wanted to share with the tv audience for years: We know network news isn't honest.

Network news can't be honest. They depend on politics for profitability. Look at the Telecommunications Act of 1996, access to the President in press conferences, appeasing sponsors, embedded reporters with occupation forces, etc.

And I actually liked that dishonest "hatchet" piece that CNN aired prior to the interview, and on Anderson Cooper's show. It was funny. Geez, with a straight face, they filmed a Deloitte health analyst defending the US medical industry. That's like having someone from Arthur Andersen on film defending Enron's financial practices, without identifying Arthur Andersen as Enron's accounting firm. Sick, eh.

Americans are SUPPOSED to be outraged when faced with injustice that right is part of being a free man. Pity there are not more who have the intellegence and brass to be as effective as Michael Moore. I too would love to see him run for office...what a hoot THAT would be! What a hoot it would be to see 100 real Americans in the Senate and 500+ (who can keep track of THOSE dimwits) real people in the House. Just think of what America could achieve with all the money we would not be spending on war. A strong military, damn right...and there is a lot of good that many well trained people could be doing except killing those who the Corporation say are our enemies.

John Freeman,

So what do you propose we do about it, how, and where do we start (meet)?

Certainly Not News

It is the rugged individualist reports at CNN who daily betray their brothers and sister who are trapped in dead end lives that revolve from paycheck to pay check.

'Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.' RFK

Yay, Michael!!!

The hesitation you all are ascribing to MM is, I think, due to a delay in the broadcast. Watch closely and see how all his reactions appear delayed. Whether it's intentionally built into the broadcast, who knows, but yeah, probably. Fox does this too.

Re:redwriteman
You're absolutely correct about Michael Moore losing the debate in terms of the average, uninformed viewer. In fact I think this is why MM gets invited to these debates... he is not an experienced debater. Compare this to Jon Stewart who basically destroyed CNN's Crossfire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE) when he exposed the so called experts to be nothing more than partisan hacks.
MM does need coaching but would do even better if he chose an experienced debater to represent his views.

As long as your up to hearing suggestions Michael, how about you and Ward Churchill getting together and doing a piece on the shabby, mean spirited treatment of the First Nations Peoples? How their disenfranchisement has benefited the same groups who benefit from all the other crappy stuff that happens to folk. ie war, tall buildings falling down etc.
Also if you ever get close enough to him, could you give that Alan Dershowitz a good solid round house kick right where he should have balls. (sooner or later your gonna run into him) get it on camera post to utube. Give the whole world something to grin about.

thnx
wr
thanks

I knew in my gut while watching the streams of diverted aircraft coming in to land, that the sob in the white house was deeply in to it.

Hang in there, Mike. Hire some good security people to watch your back.

Thank you Michael, I've been frothing at the mouth about health insurance, pharma corporation for quite a while now.

As you can tell from this feedback, we're all fervently with you. The problem is, this is preaching to the choir. How about giving us CNN's addresses? I've emailed CNN, but it's an email form. Wolf's email address? CNN's directors' addresses? Phone numbers? If you can give us any suggestions of CNN's access points, perhaps chinks in their armour?

Thanks again & heed what Spike just said, beware of Rovian revenge techniques.

That's why I don't watch CNN. Michael, you knew that they've been behaving like Fox lite, that shouldn't be a surprise. CNN has bigots like Lou Dobbs who trash Latinos every day. And the way CNN covers the Middle East, it might as well be ZNN - Zionist News Network.

Congress has once again sold out to big Pharma. They have made the incorrect (or calculated) assumption that the FDA's inability to regulate drugs better is due to lack of funding.
See:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6039.cfm

How will the main stream media or even CNN report this? Probably they will say it's good for us.

Mopy, I think you meant Honorary Canadian, right?
Claudius, "...what I am saying is how can those of you who have power and influence help those of us who are not as affluent and powerful?"
'
Moore IS doing quite a bit with his power, celebrity and money: Bowling for Columbine, Farenhiet 9/11, SiCKO and now bitchslapping Blitzer and CNN. What more do you think he can do? Go Mikey!
Having worked in Hollywood through the 80s and early 90s, I met many filmmakers that had no outward focus at all. They didn't see the power they had, that their fans would listen to them more than to their school teachers and that that was a responsiblity. When people memorize your lines, verbatum, that's extrordinarily influencial, it's important not to give them lines that cause harm. A couple years ago, Sly Stallone realized that Rambo had stirred up a militarist vein in America that was causing all kinds of grief, he apologized, but it's too late to wind back and edit.
That's not to say that all of movieland is Paris Hilton. There are filmmakers that are very conscious of what they are saying and some of them can still get work.
Ps, Mr Moore, please make a short feature or extra of your interview with Tony Benn. It looks like you spent a day with him and the few minutes that made it into SiCKO are riveting. I'm sure that there are other parts of that interview that would speak to many people on a bunch of topics.

Dr. Robert Zimmerman quoted RFK:
'Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.' RFK
My take on that:

Those who make violent change inevitable do so to achieve their goal for profit.

There are some new names (to me) beside Haliburton who are profiting from the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. Last Saturday's expose was aired on PBS, and named names of those who have held top government appointed positions and who have financial interests in these corporations, flip flopping between government jobs and sitting on their corporate boards. Those are the people who fit JFK's description:
'Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.' RFK

CNN was called Chicken Noodle News when Ted Turner started it back in the early 80's I think. They had hired the best of the best and given journalists free reign to cover the news as it happened. So the major corporate news companies of ABC, NBC, & CBS launched an all out attack on CNN beginning with the nickname above. The reality was that CNN was anything but chicken noodle news then. they were objective and searching for the truth, the journalists news cast. Today, they are owned by Time-Warner and the "news" is just like their sister company NEWSCorps (Fox News Channel's owners) and the broadcasters are no longer the independent minded likes of Bernard Shaw, and Peter Arnett. In fact, the last journalist from those glory days left is Christiane Amanpour and her AP Wire releases NEVER make the evening news anymore. CNN s/b called Censoring News Now or something to that effect. I'm really glad this has happened because it seems Michael Moore may have finally exposedc the farce CNN has become. Al Jazeera is far more objective in its coverage of news. Think about this, the governments of Saudi Arabia, Iraq (under Saddam), Pakistan, Iran, and the U.S. & U.K. have all tried to silence Al Jazeera, the U.S. military was even used to assault their HQ's in Iraq and maybe other places as well. we need to rethink what news actually is here in the Us. It has sadly become infotainment geared to advertise the parent companies other nedia money making ventures rather than actual news. Every morning news show now has a piece each day for a recording artist or one of it's network shows on later in the day or week. rarely is there any real news coverage regarding the truth about events overseas or even here at home. Facts are always treated as if there is an opposing view now. Where are you Ted?

Imagine that you hold a job as a Clinical Trials Manager in a leading big Pharma. You make great money, you work with Government and leading MDs; you work as a team to get that product to market. In this landscape, how is a movie going to affect the way you run the business. Sicko is understood to be hostile. Up and down the organization, a film like this is a threat. In any industry, their are times when folks are 'caught up in it', making good money. To apply some sort of moral litmus test is career destruction. If you ask too many questions, this is another symptom, treatable by Big Pharma.

I looked at the "mistakes" Moore mentions and they are minor. I like Moore's movies but some of his publicity tactics are cheap and below the belt.

Also, on Wikipedia, the entry used to say that commondreams deletes all messags which dont conform to its views.

Is this true?

Is commondreams an echochamber like redstate org or Democratic Underground?

Michael's next film: "BOUGHT AND PAID FOR" America's Corrupt Corporate Media.

About the media, the corporate media, Michael Moore is right on, again. They have so poisoned the well of American d the abysmal state of the American health care "system" can be laid upon their door step. Going back to the Reagan years, Michael Moore's ROGER AND ME was a shining light...a bit of truth and reality in the midst of a huge media coup by the American right wing. I live in Cleveland, a town of (mostly) democrats, union members, progressives, etc. Why should the airwaves not carry their voices, ideas, and opinions? Little has changed since those Reagan years. Just spin the AM or the FM dial around here. GO AFTER THEM, MICHAEL, IN THE SAME DOGGED AND TRUCULENT WAY YOU WENT AFTER GM.

Forget CNN. We have Al-Jazeera! :)

travb,

Actually, Commondreams is quite balanced and not an echochamber. In fact, your thread seems to resemble a conservative trying to camouflage himself in progressive clothing, i.e. Republicans hit below the belt all of the time, so Michael Moore has every right to hit back below the belt. And he does a great job of it!

I think we need to have a naming contest for the film about the media.

How about "SlICKO"? "TrICKO"? "PrICKO"?

Or "LyINGSONSOFBITCHESO"?

CNN responds to Moore's open letter here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/15/moore.gupta/index.html#cnnSTCText

Reading their response, it's obvious that they have no problem as long as it's them doing the 'fudging'.

I found especially 'fudgy' their implied denial that Keckley has no residual bias in his 'expert' opinions after having been in the pocket of pharmaceutical corps and Republican power politics for most of his working life.

They accuse Moore of comparing apples to oranges to come up with his results, but my experience is that, in a corporate-dominated world, choosing ANY one source to trust for ALL data isn't the surest path to truth.

I went to their comments section and let them know I hope Moore DOES sue them for libel if they don't apologize. A news source with their reputation making an allegation that Moore 'fudges' his facts makes a definite impact on Moore's livelihood as a journalist. That's the textbook definition of libel, as I understand it.

"Remember, these bastards are experts at SOUNDING CONVINCING over the air. Please, please, before you go back onto one of these shows (and I hope you do), get with a debate coach and a verbal communication expert."

This is good advice, not only for Moore, but for all progressives who can get on any mainstream media outlet.

Neo-cons are convincing because of their self-confident smugness when spewing rhetoric. Progressives simply will not go down the same path, even though they're armed with truth.

I'd like to see some good old-fashioned loud, righteous indignation and strong verbal assault on the neo-con lies.

Moore exhibited defiance in the first interview, but the follow-ups were too weak and forgiving.

Thanks for the response claudius. I am glad that commondreams is not an echo chamber.

CNN just posted a response to Michael Moore, point be point.

As per CNN:

"Again, Moore seems to be creating controversy where none exists."

I tend to agree with CNN on this one.

RE what claudius wrote: In fact, your thread seems to resemble a conservative trying to camouflage himself in progressive clothing

Thank God there is no McCarthy-type oath of allegence to show my true progessivism. I dont think there should be. I like how in general we progressives are willing too accept dissent and tough questions more than conservatives.