GOP 2004: Michael Moore Draws McCain Barb, Taunts from Crowd

[scubadude]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000621414

By Joe Strupp

Published: August 30, 2004

NEW YORK The biggest commotion at the Republican National Convention Monday night occurred just before 10 pm with the entrance of anti-Bush filmmaker Michael Moore, who was repeatedly halted by security attempting to reach his reserved press seat in section #340 near the side of the stage. Moore is writing a daily column this week for USA Today.

Then, after taking his seat, he watched as Senator John McCain referred to a certain "disingenuous film-maker who would have us believe that Saddam's Iraq was an oasis of peace," and seemed to glance at Moore above him. Much of the audience erupted in boos and then, turning to Moore, many delegates shouted "Four more years!"

Moore waved, good-naturedly, and exclaimed, "Two more months!" He also said, "I can't believe they'd mention the film and help the box office."

A short while later Moore exited, accompanied by heavy security. He told E & P on the way out that he was not fleeing: He had to speak to a Planned Parenthood gathering at a theater uptown.
--snip--

According to the Chicago NBC Reporter where I originally got the story from who's name I didn't catch, fellow members of the news media were thrown up against the wall while Moore was "escorted out".

Scuba

[napi21]

1. Was this the scuffle behind Tweety? Mentioned on another thread.

I haven't seen the follow-up on that other story that said something about Tweety being attacked. This sounds like it could have been it.

[VolcanoJen]

2. Everyone: previous LBN thread here...

Michael Moore thrown out of convention by Secret Service

It was locked because the subject line had yet to be substantiated, and because the only available print source (the article above) claims Moore left on his own, accompanied by "heavy security."

But... I think that Chicago NBC reporter's story is intriguing. Who "roughed up" the reporters? What kind of "security" is referred to in the Editor & Publisher article -- Moore's own personal security staff, or MSG staff, or RNC staff... the whole thing is strange, and I'll bet we'll hear more about this soon.

Thanks for your original LBN thread, scuba. :-)

[susanna]

3. At least Moore's got guts.

He went into his own personal war zone. No chickenhawk there.

[dave123williams]

4. McCain

McCain admitted to Matthews, after his speech, that HE HADN'T SEEN THE MOVIE.

[despairing optimist]

5. McCain's comment wasn't even accurate

Nowhere, in F9/11 or elsewhere, has Moore argued that Saddam was a nice guy and should have remained in power. It was a total distortion brought to the airwaves through the courtesy of those who brought us an illegitimate invasion of a sovereign country that posed no threat to us, on pretexts that have been resoundingly refuted.

It was the usual Repuke tactic, attack the man who argues rather than provide a meaningful response to his allegations. It obviously plays well to people of a certain (I almost typoed "cretin") mindset. More than 40 percent of Americans buy it, which speaks volumes about the state of education in this country. Never mind No Child Left Behind when nearly half of all adults took the off ramp.

I wonder if Moore will try again tomorrow. He is credentialed, after all, and didn't McCain bloviate about how inclusive the GOP is and how all of us should stand together as Americans? What better way to demonstrate that than by welcoming Moore to his seat for the rest of the convention.

I did sense genuine fear as well as loathing of him. He has them running scared almost as much as Tom Ridge and John Ashcroft.

[Nordic]

6. 99% of these assholes, including McCain, haven't seen the film

because their masters told them not to

[lebkuchen]

7. The GOP is so undemocratic

and let's not forget incredibly childish!

McCain is a fucking fool. The neocons must have the goods on him.

[opihimoimoi]

8. How Revealing of them.....The Result of Close Minded Thinking

thinking of the Worst Kind....Arrogant thinking

[VolcanoJen]

9. Washington Post has the goods on the Reporter Scrum with the NYPD

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48292-2004Aug31.html

Excerpt:

Moore first attracted attention around 8:45 p.m. as he walked slowly over the temporary bridge that connects the media spillover building to Madison Square Garden. Stopped by a handful of reporters, Moore began to hold court. Video camera lights quickly popped on, and the knot around Moore grew.

It quickly became a crowd-control issue, and officials began trying to corral the unruly scribes. "You were told to stop," shouted one police officer as reporters tried to break through his hallway cordon. "If you don't, I can arrest you."

This set off grumbling in the mob, with several reporters asserting their sacred First Amendment right to chase a celebrity through the corridors of a sports arena.

"This is my big rugby scrum," Moore said, explaining the scene around him to a security guard. "It's a dangerous situation here," yelled a plainclothes NYPD officer. "Please make a lane, please make a lane."

[Manix]

10. ..Moore has more guts than those chickenhawks in the White House!

[EST]

11. The near universal opprobrium of these ridiculous windbags

reminds me of the response I used to get when I would borrow a page from Mark Twain and bet my biblical scholars they hadn't read the thirteenth chapter of Hezekiah... The silly sight of a politico of national prominence scolding a film producer about the content of a film he hadn't even seen? Why this sort of thing doesn't trigger an immediate horse laugh from all concerned merely points out the stupidity of the "average" American.

[thecrow]

12. They jeer what they fear

'nuff said