Moore to Kerry: stay left

[cal04]

Controversial filmmaker Michael Moore had a piece of advice for Democratic presidential contender John Kerry on Tuesday: stay away from the right. Moore, whose fiery anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has earned more than $100m, warned that Kerry could lose many votes if he goes after centrist voters.

"If you move to the right to pick up a few extra votes, you will encourage millions to stay at home" during the November 2 election, Moore said at a news conference on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention here. The film director, who makes a living exposing what he perceives as the wrongs committed by corporations, politicians and the media, said Kerry should promote progressive policies to lure a silent majority, which he said leans to the left. He discarded opinion polls showing Kerry and President George W Bush, a Republican, in a dead heat, saying the surveys ignore a large swath of the country - 50% - that has failed to vote in the past.

"A big surprise will come November 2," Moore said.
"We'll see the largest number of people voting," he said. "It ain't a 50-50 country. People are angry. They want Bush out of the White House." "You can't compare this election to any election," he said.

"(September 11, 2001) has made Americans more aware. It's cool now to talk about politics, it's uncool to be apathetic. ... The media didn't see that shift in the country."






http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1564140,00.html

[Alpha Wolf]

1. Disappointed with Moore's spot on Nightline

Koppel threw out some obviously loaded questions and a few times Moore got the "deer in headlights" look. Surely he's fielded these types of questions before?

Example:

Koppel notes that if one claims Bush lied, then one must also claim the British lied, the French lied, the Germans lied, the UN lied, Clinton lied, Kerry lied, etc... as they all were informed by the same faulty intelligence. So instead of saying the intelligence wasn't faulty or else saying "fine-- they all lied, but Bush was president and should be held accountable", Moore just sat there with a blank look and changed the subject.

Of course, who knows what ended up on the cutting room floor.

[jimshoes]

2. I hope JK listened to Ted Kennedy's

wonderful speech yesterday. He set the tone. Mr. Kerry must now stoke the fire Sen Kennedy, as well as Pres. Carter, Barak Obama, Teresa H. Kerry, and others have lit among the faithful.

[gasperc]

3. "the media didn't see that shift in the country" great quote

I consider myself one of the few who grieved for our nation after September 11th, but part of the 10%? that DISSAPPROVED of Bush's job in office. I think just about everyone here on DU was part of that 10%

[MadHound]

4. Moore is spot on!

Now let us hope that Kerry and his DNC/DLC handlers listen.

[DoomFook]

5. Stay Left Indeed

Not only should Kerry move sharply left but once he is in he should work towards having all the neo-cons put on trial for treason starting with bush. He may even have to declare martial law because the bush crazies may try a coup. He should also get his newly appointed FCC people to get rid of Limbaugh's show and also Hannity's and replace it with balanced stuff like NPR. I woul dlike to see a firing squad made up of African Americans to execute the neo-cons; justice served.

[Kazak]

6. "A big surprise will come November 2," Moore said.

"A big surprise will come November 2," Moore said.
"We'll see the largest number of people voting," he said. "It ain't a 50-50 country. People are angry. They want Bush out of the White House." "You can't compare this election to any election," he said.

This is what I've been thinking for a while now. *crosses fingers*

[PATRICK]

7. Kerry is not moving "right"

only appealing to people of conscience in the GOP. He is in effect asking them to forsake the extreme consequences of runaway corporate triumphalism and become Americans again- all without proposing a SINGLE legislative darkness such as Clinton's welfare reform.

Kerry is standing- as he is- square in the center and asking all to join him.

Save your policy disagreements for the inevitable discontent with details the next four years, but remember it Bush, trapped, stubborn, who has pitched his throne on the shores of the abyss. This movement thing in no way affects Kerry's commitments.

As for the war fiasco, his stance now has to be pretty much what it is or
he would be making things worse even before he got elected. He intends to do the right thing when he can. It is the war itself that is moving. It is Bush who is frozen in the dragon's pose.