Farenhiet 9-11 Causing A Stir Amoung Gop Leaders

[sandt38]

DES MOINES, Iowa(AP) Republicans initially dismissed "Fahrenheit 9/11" as a cinematic screed that would play mostly to inveterate Bush bashers. Four weeks and $94 million later, the film is still pulling in moviegoers at 2,000 theaters around the country, making Republicans nervous as it settles into the American mainstream.

"I'm not sure if it moves voters," GOP consultant Scott Reed said, "but if it moves 3 or 4 percent it's been a success."

Two senior Republicans closely tied to the White House said the movie from director Michael Moore is seen as a political headache because it has reached beyond the Democratic base. Independents and GOP-leaning voters are likely to be found sitting beside those set to revel in its depiction of a clueless president with questionable ties to the oil industry.

"If you are a naive, uncommitted voter and wander into a theater, you aren't going to come away with a good impression of the president," Republican operative Joe Gaylord said. "It's a problem only if a lot of people see it."

Based on a record-breaking gross of $94 million through last weekend, theaters already have sold an estimated 12 million tickets to "Fahrenheit 9/11." A Gallup survey conducted July 8-11 said 8 percent of American adults had seen the film at that time, but that 18 percent still planned to see it at a theater and another 30 percent plan to see it on video.

More than a third of Republicans and nearly two-thirds of independents told Gallup they had seen or expected to see the film at theaters or on video.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" opened in June mainly in locally owned arts theaters that specialize in obscure films and tiny audiences. Drawn in part by the buzz surrounding the film, people packed the theaters and formed long lines for tickets. Within a week, it was appearing in chain-owned theaters along with "Spider-Man 2," "The Notebook" and other big summer attractions.

When he sat down to watch the film at the Varsity Theater in Des Moines last weekend, Rob Sheesley didn't harbor anti-Bush feelings. Two hours later, he left with conflicted emotions.

"You want to respect the president," Sheesley said. "It raised a lot of questions."

Bush's leadership in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks had impressed retired teacher Lavone Mann, another Des Moines moviegoer. After watching the film, Mann wanted to know more about its claims.

"I guess that I think it makes me want to pursue how much of it is accurate and not just get carried away with one film," she said. "I don't hear Bush and (Vice President Dick) Cheney saying that this is incorrect."

Retired college professor Dennis O'Brien, a Bush voter in 2000 and a movie buff who has seen other Moore films, said "Fahrenheit 9/11" hasn't changed his view of Bush but may well serve a larger purpose by sparking debate.

"Moore forces you to think about the role of oil in the politics of American life," O'Brien said. "This goes back a long way."

In GOP-strong Columbia, S.C., watching the movie last week at the Columbiana Grande tipped 26-year-old David Wood's support more to the left.

"I don't consider myself a Republican or a Democrat. I just vote for whoever is right for the job," the University of South Carolina student said. "I think most people don't bother to really research, and all they need is something popular to sway them."

Others at the screening in Columbia were put off by what they saw as the film's biased approach to examining Bush and the reasons he took the country to war. For Scott Campbell, 19, the movie reinforced his apathy toward politics.

"We didn't even stay to see the whole thing," Campbell said. "It was one-sided."

Former Iowa Republican Chairman Michael Mahaffey said the movie's impact could be dulled over time. "It's July," he said. "Conventional wisdom will change completely every four or five weeks."

Still, "Fahrenheit 9/11" is likely to gain an even wider audience when it's released on home video in the weeks before Election Day. The Gallup survey found that nearly half of the Republicans and independents who expect to see the film said they were likely to view it on video.

"In all honesty, in a very close election, who knows what will sway the public?" Mahaffey said.

I bolded a very unique perspective in this quote. While I am traditionally republican, Bush has proven to be one of the worst presidents in my lifetime... The only other president I can think of that has proven to be near as bad is his father.

I have not seen the film, but I wonder if the fact that Bush reduced VA benefits the very first month the military was over there fighting his war on the reason for his father's political defeat. WOW, send a bunch of kids to a hostile forign land for a personal vendetta and pull their benefits for fighting said war... Great Idea.

I wonder if they mention the absolute shambles that Wall Street has become, and what it has done to my savings and retirement.

I wonder if they mention what all those tax cuts that were intended to boost votes and popularity have done to our federal spending and deficits.

I wonder if there is any mention that last year the Bush administration cut federal spending to limit violence in schools by over 30%... and I also wonder if it questioned this years proposed cut of an additional 40%

I am sure it addresses the total incompetance by the White House in the days preceding and the days following 9/11. Are you aware? If not, I wonder how many of you have been keeping an eye on the procedings regaurding questionable policies by the Whitehouse in these events.

I wonder if there is mention of the fact that the Bush administration through irresponsible tax cuts has personally been responsible for the reduction of the life expectancy of Social Security by almost 15 years!!! This is an institution I have personally paid a fortune to, and was hoping to recieve back in my retirement. Now that this is being wiped clean, maybe I can fall back on my investments in the stock market... Oh, wait... This administration has ****ed that up for me too.

Shall I go on?

I'd like to personally thank the 2 Bushs for ****ing up everything in Iraq (like father like son!!!), ****ing up the government's financial situation, and ****ing up my retirement. Way to go guys

With the elections so close at hand I ask you to really look at the mess that George Bush has made of our country. While I am a tried and true republican, I must beg of you all to look at the mess that has developed over the last 3 years. Look beyond your parent's or your employer's pressures and see what Bush has really done to our country. Keep in mind the hundreds of young men and women who have died as a result of a string of lies by the White House, and keep in mind, while they were over there dying, Bush cut their benefits.

While Kerry is a schmuck, I ask that you choose the lesser of 2 evils. Good God, what a cheesy bunch of presidential nominees we have had in the last few years... Bush, Kerry and Gore... We are digging at the bottom of the cesspool for these frikken losers.

[geolemon]

I like the quote that says "you want to respect the President..."
And you do!
But more than ever before, it's apparant that that desire leads to blindness.
Honestly, around here, it's very very difficult to find Bush supporters.
Down south, even just as far as Seth possibly, I understand things to be different.

I've put out so many words on this my fingers are still sore...

But just as Seth said, this Presidency has dug us into a pit.

It doesn't matter if you look at our economy (record budget deficit and national debt that is beyond even that of the Reagan administration - but at least the Reagan administration did good things for the economy!).

It doesn't matter if you look at our global relations (surveys showing our once respected nation to now be viewed upon with increasing contempt, in Europe a survey showed the USA is perceived to be the greatest threat in the world today).

It doesn't matter if you look at national security (since we've given terrorists a stage and a spotlight, their efforts have never been rewarded more fruitfully. Simultaniously, we gave them credibility, by making it appear that their predictions were coming true - USA invading the middle east, spreading our disrespectful, selfish, materialistic culture - and in response, Arabs who formally said "Shut up, you radical nutcases" are now saying "holy cow.. they were right!".
And it's been verified... terrorist recruitment has never been higher, Al Queda's global influence is increasing. That's not tabloid fodder.)

You might not like Kerry...
But let's take the conservative stance here - I want our country to be exactly the same as it's been my whole life... this change to stupidity is just wrong.
We need to PUT things back the way they WERE, the way they are supposed to be. I want my security, I want a stable economy, I want honesty, not a real-life roleplay of the movie "Wag the Dog" - to say nothing of accountability.

This Presidency has dug us into a pit, for sure.
You might not like Kerry.. but here are your choices:
1) Stand at the bottom of the pit, content at being in the bottom of the pit.
2) Take the first step onto the ladder that leads out of the pit.

I don't think Kerry will pull us out of the pit either...
But Bush has been given the dubious title of 'the worst President ever' - that should say something. That hasn't ever happened for any Presidency in my lifetime, prior to this. And the title is hardly given out of the blue.
In that light, you can hardly go wrong, simply voting for "the other guy" - aka. an 'out' vote, rather than an 'in' vote for Kerry.

God save our country.

[geolemon]

...come to think of it, I can't think of any Bush endorsements so far.
I can think of numerous celebrity "anti-Bush" endorsements (that weren't Kerry endorsements)...
And who hasn't seen the "George W... let's not elect him in 2004 either" bumper stickers?

My favorite is Bush's endorsements of sending jobs overseas - outsourcing overseas - claiming that's good for our economy (which I wont' blame Bush for - that's a typical Republican endorsement)...
...while at the same time, working actively to prohibit obtaining prescription drugs from companies outside the USA, keeping domestic prescription drug companies in business, and simultaniously keeping the cost of prescription drugs astronomically high.
Anyone else see the irony here?
What is it... outsourcing, globalization... or not?

Can you say "Agenda"?
I knew you could...

[sandt38]

How did I know you would get involved :P . I know I have said a hundred times in our phone conversations I would not do this, but I just got lit up when I read this article. Not as much about the movie, but the fact that there are people simply beginning to question the war in Iraq. I know you have asked me before to comment and that my personal family involvement (I have a kid over there right now) might allow some new insight... an insiders perspective might shed a light that has been otherwise absent in the conversation. I just found it hard to believe that the lack of knowledge spreads so far beyond young kids (I mean no offence to you guys, but I am a bit older ) and all the way to the 20 and 30 somethings.

I simply cannot continue to keep my mouth shut on this matter. I find the lack of any understanding of our government, and how it is affecting our futures, disturbing. When I went to school we had a class we had to take called "Participation in Government" which dealt with current events. Doesn't anyone still take classes like this?

[The_Ancient]

as you all know I gave up on the american government long long ago....

They are all Worthless

that are born in to

this Class

we live
























--> Here


they dont even know what it is like to be an "american"


that above all else is the probelm with the government

[geolemon]

Oh, I think if you search CAF for my statements on the war, I sure haven't been just beginning to question the war... I'm as shocked as you are.

I was asking about your son not for any political reasons - you can't blame the troops - I always, and fully support the troops... they are just obeying orders, and I'm sure with the small minority that make up the fools such as those playing "my private little Jackass episode" with the Iraqui prisoners, they are generally good guys trying to do the best they can, with the best of intents.

I just question those that send the troops. Or more specifically, the reasons.

It's doubly difficult when you see the numbers of people that have been killed... and in one sense, thank god there were fewer US casualties... but in another sense... does it matter? It's still lives sacrificed... for what reason?

I've been asking that since day one.

[_gonz_]

Once upon a summer when Clinton was president...

I was paying $0.80 per gallon for fuel. It did'nt go much above $1/gal. that whole year. Then it crept up to $1.25 or so and ppl made a big fuss.

Sure seems to me, that these days, someone is getting Very Rich.


The only reasons i can find for going into Iraq, is personal vendetta against Saddam, or for oil.

So if it was for oil, and gas prices have risen so much since the war began, seems like: "Hey, we've got control for at least four years, let's make oil money! Dad, go buy more stock, watch this!"

Some folks say it's to gain a stronghold in the middle east. I find it complete and utter nonsense, to believe we'll ever have any sort of a hold on that place. And the more who die there trying, the more folks here will demand our retreat.

As far as the deficit, federal spending cuts, billions put into the WRONG things like "Faith based initiatives"... Bush has been the worst president i've seen, or could imagine.

But i believe we have No Control over who gets elected. This is evident by the "choices" we're given. Bush, Gore, Kerry? Exactly! I would'nt hire any of these guys to stuff envelopes, how come they're presidential material?

sad. pathetic. bull****.


but then again, Erie County's Chief Executive, Joel Giambra's driver, Victor Getz, makes nearly $81,000 a year. That's almost $2,000 more than what the county sheriff makes, as well as the county clerk. At a time when Joel Giambra is laying off clerks and secretaries making $20-22,000 a year.

We're ****ed on every level of government.

I support Bush. **** Micheal Moore and his fantasies.. Half of that **** is just from his head, he's a conspirator, and it's sad to know how people believe him when he talks out of his ass.

Oh yea, **** Kerry. He's too liberal to be president (:starts music: they call him flipper, flipper...)

[fb4076]

I do not support one person or the other, but you all do have to look at the fact that much of what is in the movie is quite simply false. Also, a lot of what is in the movie is not false, it is half-truths. It would only play half of a quote, leaving out the rest of it so that Michael Moore could twist the words to fit his movie better. There are people that could throw out just as much evidence to shoot down the movie.

[The_Ancient]

Originally posted by fb4076@Jul 26 2004, 02:58 PM
I do not support one person or the other, but you all do have to look at the fact that much of what is in the movie is quite simply false. Also, a lot of what is in the movie is not false, it is half-truths. It would only play half of a quote, leaving out the rest of it so that Michael Moore could twist the words to fit his movie better. There are people that could throw out just as much evidence to shoot down the movie.

Quoted post

not that I want to Defend Moore..

but ever watch the news????????


that is nothing new, every new story is like that... EVERY SINGLE ONE......

I remember watching the Speaches LIVE and then the next day seeing the "new report" and they twisted the quotes in such a way that the meaning was the exact oppisate of what was really said

so I will end with my normal quote

Bush == Kerry == Worthless as Tits on a Board