It took a while to download--which I hope is a sign of popularity. And I wrote before here about how even in the Houston, Texas suburbs, Moore's "Fahrenheit 9-11" was a huge hit even at a midnight showing on the first night it was released--there were young people of all kinds cheering wildly. But I worry about the GOP's painting Obama as the candidate of "Hollywood" and "Michael Moore" and all that.
The first thirty minutes of Moore's new film are a celebration of Michael Moore--and you could say that the whole film is, but it turns the corner right about the time that Moore makes a point Kerry and Edwards failed to make in 2004, but Moore made very well. He welcomed Republicans to his events and challenged them very effectively. At Bush events, you had to sign a "loyalty oath" to get in.
From that point on, I was sold. We need Moore out on the campaign trail again this year. But what about Maher's film, coming out soon?
Call me a "concern troll" if you like. And I am still concerned that we are not seeing some obvious and easy crisp attacks against McCain, such as "You opposed the Bush tax cuts as 'unfair and irresponsible' back then. Were you wrong then or are you wrong now?" And that question could be asked of Palin as well. And it should be. Let her try to defend McCain's record of things he had differed with Bush before and now supports.
Moore has been arguably a "concern troll" as I pointed out here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
In watching his latest film-now downloadable for free on Amazon--I felt better and better about Moore's message and his continuing value for our campaign.
I just don't think the "finesse" plan works. I would have liked to have seen Obama embrace Wesley Clark's criticism of McCain, and I would like to see Biden take on Palin when he gets that inevitable question, "Do you question Governor Palin's qualifications to be Vice President or President?" Gore got that one about Bush in 2000 and failed miserably. All he had to do was to quote McCain from the primary: "He's not ready for prime time." Biden should say something about how he's not seen much that was not read off a teleprompter, but what has come out from interviews is not reasurring. Let's hope he is better prepared than Gore was on that obvious question.
On to Maher. Do we really need his film that is making fun of religion? Or is he the egomaniac that some accused Moore or Nader of being not too long ago? Once his film is out there, maybe he becomes the Michael Moore/Barbara Streisand/Hollywood target of this year. I'm more worried about that than I would worry about Moore. Remember, Moore's film was sold out in suburban theaters in Houston!
In Moore's new film, he recounts the impression the Kerry campaign had that Ohio was a winner for Kerry/Edwards. I had the same impression until the weekend before the election, when I found out for the first time that there was a "gay marriage" issue on the ballot. That, coupled with Blackwell and Diebold, told me that all was lost, and I predicted that Bush would win.
Still, mid-afternoon on Election Day 2004, I had e-mails from old friends, high school, college, dopers, slackers, all over the place, saying "Bush is out of there!"
Moore's film concentrates on the "battleground states" of WI, MI, OH, PA, and FL, those having been narrowed down from some of the states we are seeing again this year. On the last weekend before the election, apparently the Kerry campaign thought Ohio was won and that Florida needed attention. That may well be the situation again this year, and that is one of the reasons that the Maher film worries me.
So anyway, I approve of Moore's message, especially as he reaches out to young people who almost made the difference in 2004. I am worried about Maher's message.