another F911 Rave: "like a moron looking for a bathroom"

[nostamj]

Rex Reed is no Fan of *.....

<snip>

Forget about the "official" reports from the White House about the activities of George W. Bush on the fateful morning of Sept. 11, insisting he learned about the Al Qaeda attacks while meeting with Florida pre-schoolers and quickly dashed from the room to save the country. The truth, it is now revealed, is that he was informed of the first attack on the World Trade Center before he even entered the schoolroom, and he decided to continue with his photo-op anyway. There he is on camera when Andrew Card informs him of the second plane and utters the fatal words, "We’re under attack!"—but he continues to read My Pet Goat for another seven minutes, his eyes sliding sideways in his puzzled face, like a moron looking for a bathroom, until his staff insists that he leave. (He stayed for another half hour.) If nothing else, that defining moment says volumes about what we can expect from the President of the U.S. in the center of a supreme, history-altering crisis: He’s just clueless.

There are other moments that will impact some viewers and polarize others. So many, in fact, that you watch Fahrenheit 9/11 with disbelief, and leave shaking with rage. Sometimes sarcastic, always funny, Mr. Moore is armed with facts, and he presents them accurately and succinctly. The controversial filmmaker stated on the Today show that White House mouthpieces have denounced the film as "outrageously false" without seeing it, and right-wing Republicans have charged Mr. Moore with staging a "left-wing conspiracy" to influence the forthcoming election. Well, duh. For years, reactionary conservatives have been famous for staging right-wing conspiracies of their own to disgrace and discredit elected Democratic public officials. Maybe this is payback time. Whatever it is, everyone should see Fahrenheit 9/11 first—before debating the issues. The purpose of any documentary is to influence opinion. But instead of the customarily droning voice that comments on the action and tells you what to think, this one asks tough, logical questions, gets rational answers, and never loses its entertainment value.

Mr. Moore shows Mr. Bush justifying American atrocities against Saddam Hussein by actually saying to the camera, "He tried to kill my daddy." Like his daddy, he knows he might also get kicked out of the White House after serving only one term. Still, he pursues a war that is losing the "hearts and minds" of even the boys who fight it (the interviews with our soldiers on the front lines will make you weep) while earning the U.S. unprecedented heights of global hatred and distrust, even from long-standing allies. And he does it on the golf course, ignoring the pressing domestic issues of health care, education, Social Security, unemployment and the economy while instructing frustrated reporters to watch his next drive. (In his first eight months in office, he was on vacation 42 percent of the time.)

http://www.observer.com/pages/onthetown.asp

[MrBenchley]

1. The Atlantic chimes in...

"That moment exposes Bush's character. It reveals what his press conferences proclaim: his incapacity. If he were George W. Smith, what job would he be qualified for? Bush's presidency can be seen as one long cover-up of the most obvious thing about him. A life of upward failure, of being his father's son, left him without "sand," my nineteenth century-born father's word for the residue of strength acquired by "standing on your own two feet" and "taking your medicine." Bush never stood on his own feet, never took his medicine—and he has never been his own man. He's the only president to be related to the Queen of England, and his biography is that of a "royal." Prince Charles would make a sorry prime minister. Like Bush, though, he'd give good strut.
Leaders show what they are made of in a crisis. Bush hid in plain sight with those kids. Later, hiding twice over, he used them as an excuse, saying he did not want to frighten them by ending the reading before finishing the book. Later still, and repeatedly, he said he saw the first plane strike the tower that morning (in fact, no one saw that live; the film was not available until the evening) and that he remarked, "That's some bad pilot"—pure strut. As the Wall Street Journal reported, he also magnified his role in managing the crisis, claiming he gave orders others gave. Conflicting accounts of Bush's communications documented by the 9/11 Commission now raise doubts whether, as he and Cheney told the commissioners, he ordered Cheney to shoot down any hijacked planes still in the air, or whether Cheney, in the White House bunker, acted on his own. Maybe Cheney persuaded Bush to stay away from Washington that day less for Bush's safety than for the country's. "

http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/polipro/pp2004-06-23.htm

[eyesroll]

3. That "sitting in the classroom as not to traumatize the children" thing

always gets me.

Don't people often suddenly have to get up and leave? As long as they don't run from the room screaming, they take it in stride. He could have simply said, "Could you please excuse me, children?" and left. The kids probably would have assumed he needed to go to the bathroom or talk about grown-up stuff. (Didn't your first-grade teacher occasionally need to excuse him/herself -- even in the middle of a book -- to the hallway to talk to someone?)

I don't have kids, but I've been around them enough to know that getting up and doing your damn job isn't something that frighens them.

[nostamj]

7. that video is the most damning thing

we have against * (though, certainly, NOT the only damning thing.

I WISH Kerry would start using it in ads!

[trotsky]

9. Exactly.

I am so sick of that "excuse." Franken did a blurb on his show a few days ago - what he would have done if he was president. Something like "Excuse me children, something came up and I've got to deal with it - how about we meet again, at the White House?"

[TahitiNut]

13. And the reason he lied about his DUI convictions was "the children"

This cowardly piece of shit hides behind children even as he's selling their futures into massive debt and the prospect of endless war.

I look forward to spitting on his rotting corpse. :grr:

[Eloriel]

22. Good point. I was absolutely appalled when he did that --

clearly an abuse, using his own children for his "defense." Shameless. Dysfunctional as all get out.

[Neshanic]

20. Exactly, a person with leadership could of done it easily.

"Children, I have to stop reading now, I have enjoyed visiting with you, and I will come back another time to finish our visit."

Any person with half a brain could of excused himself without alarming.

[trumad]

6. The Atlantic piece was good but what the hell did this mean?

Moore stipples his film with damning (and in some cases doubtful)

It looks like they were trying to straddle a bit here... If you think somethings er doubtful then prove why it's er doubtful!

[trotsky]

11. It's like a lot of right-wing attacks on his film.

A common phrase is "half-truths". Well, what part is true, and what part is false? Usually met with silence, of course.

[trumad]

16. I see it as the media trying to placate the other guys

by throwing them this type of bone. The guy says it in the same paragraph with the 42 percent Bush vacation statistic. Well...is that a wrong statistic? If it is what was the real percentage?

Nit picky, maybe...but this type of shit burns me!

[redqueen]

24. Not nit-picky at all!

This is what we should be DEMANDING from media, because without it people think that whether bush has done a good job or not is a matter of opinion. It's not. It would have been before 9/11 and before Iraq, but now it's clearly a matter of record - he's a failure. Either incompetent or negligent. It's the media's job to sort this out, and they're not doing it, and haven't been for quite a long time.

We need fact checkers. Have one rightwing and one leftwing if we need to, for balance and acceptability. But we need them desperately. It's one thing to want to try to give the appearance of balance, I understand that -- however when that impacts the delivery of factual information (see the Howler breakdown of the 'ad watch' analysis of Kerry's and Bush's ads), then it's directly threatening to democracy.

I think they should have them on C-Span as well, since so many times what is said there is so easily checkable ... I think it does a lot of damage to have false claims repeated endlessly (think 'Gore said he invented the internet!')

We deserve more from the media - it's the only way the public can be informed enough to maintain this republic.

[merh]

12. Thanks for sharing, these are great! (n/t)

[Eloriel]

21. Whoa, that's devastating! Fabulous.

"Gives good strut" -- what a line! ROTFL. And so damned true. In fact, I'd say it's his best (only?) talent.

[Paranoid_Portlander]

23. "If his name were George Smith...

... what job would he qualify for?" (the article asks). Well, there's a George Smith Warehouse here in Portland. Maybe he could work there as the owner's son, being dependent on Daddy's name. But I doubt if Bush could run a warehouse.

[TNOE]

2. Michael Moore

is going to turn out to be one of the greatest "patriots" of our time. What he has done here is huge.

[mzmolly]

4. This is one for the bookmarks, thanks!

:hi:

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

5. "The truth, it is now revealed, ...."

why did the truth take so long to be revealed?

[nostamj]

8. one word

anthrax. the WH told congress and the press NOT to investigate 9/11.

fortunately, Moore is fearless.

[redqueen]

26. BS

I don't accept that excuse. People in Congress know their sworn duty is to protect this country, and people in the press *should* know that the information they provide is the one and ONLY tool the people have in maintaining a check on government power.

I agree that Moore is fearless, and all the congresscritters and media whores that he shames should stand up and accept responsibility and come correct NOW.

[merh]

10. Man, the people's eyes have been opened and they

have awaken from the long sleep known as apathy and King Dubya will be dethroned and we will rebuild our nation.
(edited for spelling errors)

One Tin Soldier

Listen children to a story that was written long ago
'bout a kingdom on a mountain and the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath a stone,
and the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own.


Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
on the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.


So the people of the valley sent a message up the hill
asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill.
Came an answer from the kingdom: "With our brothers we will share
all the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there."

(snip)

Now the valley cried with anger; mount your horses, draw your sword,
and they killed the mountain people, so they won their just reward.
Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red,
turned the stone and looked beneath it. "Peace on earth" was all it said.


Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
on the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.

http://www.thecolefamily.com/onetinsoldier.htm

==============

Mike Moore, our knight in shining armour.

[gratuitous]

14. "Stop them damn pictures"

Reputedly what Boss Tweed said about Thomas Nast's editorial cartoons that were causing Tweed and his political machine at Tammany Hall so much grief. Tweed knew that his mostly illiterate electorate wasn't going to be fazed or outraged by spoken tales of corruption; let the elite commentators bloviate all they want. But the simple drawings of Nast brought the truth about Tammany home to people in a way that speech never could.

Likewise, the facts about 9/11 have been out there for months, even years. But the Bushistas haven't been worried because who cares what Al Franken or Randi Rhodes say or what Paul Krugman writes? But a two hour compendium of Bush's greatest hits, as it were, is impossible to ignore, and has far more impact with the casual observer of events (which means people who don't read and post at DU). Bush and his corrupt buddies are out in force to stop this film or try to minimize its impact. They know what's at stake.

[Ms. Clio]

25. or, "You're the little lady who started this great war."

"The impact that Uncle Tom's Cabin had on the American public was so great that President Lincoln, upon meeting Stowe, is reported to have said, "You're the little lady who started this great war."

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/me1.htm


I really think and hope that F9/11 will have a similar impact and influence.

[gauguin57]

27. maybe it'll be ...

"you're the big guy who ended this war!"

[nostamj]

15. I've met Reed

and talked with him a number of times at parties... really had no idea about his politics until I read this review.

NOW I'm very encouraged that he'll attend the ?W Revue...

[tom_paine]

17. Excellent!

[anarchy1999]

18. I'm sorry, I'm gloating, Scott Ritter tonight, Farenheit 911 tomorrow.

What more could one ask for in the land of BUSH, INC. Dallas, Texas home of "compassionate conservatism". Whatever that means? The land of Big Churches maybe?

What might make us happy today? Maybe new episodes of "The Newlyweds", "Real World", "The Apprentice", "Fear Factor", or just gee, I don't know? The Daily Show? Oh, no, the best is yet to come, Bill Clinton on King tonight, at 8:00 Central time, you can even call in and talk. Wow. I think I might need to stay home and skip Scott.

Sarcasm button off now. Sorry.

[nostamj]

19. duh! forgot to include the opening line of his review

"Michael Moore leaves no turn unstoned" love it!