Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[NovoMira]

TA....Re Moore...I though this exchange was most interesting:

During Both Conventions, Leftist Moore
Shows Up on NBC

Five weeks ago, on their Wednesday morning in Boston, NBC's Today did a feature story on Michael Moore's star turn, "a big hit here with Democrats." On Wednesday morning in New York, NBC balanced that out with -- another interview with Michael Moore, this one so he could rebut John McCain's criticism on Monday night.

"Some people say that you're not helping the Democrats, because you're seen as too extreme, a bit of a jerk, no offense," Katie Couric suggested.

After recounting McCain's criticism, Couric began: "Didn't your mom ever tell you, you shouldn't chew gum on national television?"

Moore said of McCain: "He later told Chris Matthews on MSNBC that he hadn't seen the movie. So I felt bad for the guy. He's like, making comments about a movie he hasn't seen, and then he's describing a scene that's not in the movie. In a speech, at a national convention. It's bizarre."

Couric at least corrected that untruth: "Well, I think it was in the movie. And that's one of the scenes that I sort of had trouble with when-"
Moore: "What, that Iraq was an oasis of peace?"
Couric: "Well, you did show a shot, and I don't want to get into a major debate here."
Moore: "Oh, I know the one you're talking about, yeah."
Couric: "A shot of kids playing-"
Moore: "Yes."
Couric: "-in the playground, sort of tranquility in Iraq.
Moore: "Yes."
Couric: "And it didn't seem to me, in your movie, that you did outline, some of the atrocities that had been committed by Saddam Hussein. You did sort of show it-"
Moore: "Right."
Couric:"-as a serene and peaceful place. Do you think that's a fair criticism?"

Without seeming to recognize the irony, Moore complained he was being taken out of context: "It's a misrepresentation of what my intentions were." He claimed he just wanted to show how "we're about to bomb civilians" -- smarmily pretending that was really the U.S. military's criminal goal.

After a few questions about how he's been received by Republicans in New York, Couric asked: "Some people say that you're not helping the Democrats, because you're seen as too extreme, a bit of a jerk, no offense, by some people."

Moore tried to rebut that by suggesting that Katie knows him well, and wouldn't say that.

Couric protested: I don't know you well enough to make that assessment."

Moore: "Well, you and I have hung out a little bit."
Couric: "Well, I've interviewed you."
Moore: "Well, and off-camera here, we've talked a little bit."
Couric: "But I guess-"
Moore: "What's your impression of me though, just on a personal level?"
Couric: "It has nothing to do with my impression of you."
Moore: "But it's not a jerk thing is it?"

She changed the subject: "But let me ask you, if you think, in a way, you becoming the face of the Democratic Party is actually hurting John Kerry?"

Moore: "Why would you say that?"
Couric: "Some people say that."
Moore: "Who are these people, I'd like their names."
Couric: "Tim Russert actually talked about it, and said that that is not necessarily the face that the Democrats, yours, is not necessarily the face the Democrats want to project. So no, what do you think about it?
"
Moore touted himself as the representative of the heartland: "This face actually looks like, you know, much of Middle America."

http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040901pm.asp#1