Michael Moore Freaks Out

I'll have to find this on youtube but today I happened to turn on the TV, which I do about twice per year, and while flipping around landed on CNN. Wolf Blitzer was on and they were running a piece on Michael Moore's film Sicko. The report certainly seemed to be opposing the views in Moore's film but when they interviewed him his reaction was pretty amazing. I will first add that I have not ever seen any of his films yet, but plan(ed) to, and I have generally thought that he is on the right track with much of his stuff. I am very happy that we do have strong voice presenting some information on modern issues that the mainstream media isn't doing a good job of covering. However, my first direct exposure to Moore makes me think he's nuts. I have also been a pretty big fan of the way the Blitzer handles stuff in times that I have watched more television news. I typically pick CNN's coverage for major national news because it seems to be a better mix of opinions from both sides than most other media outlets.

Basically after the piece ran, which argued that our health care system is not as bad as the file depicts, the second they showed Moore he went on a tirade. Blitzer first had to sustain a barrage of direct offenses from Moore claiming that he was not allowed a voice on CNN for the past three years and demanding an apology because everything he said in Fahrenheit 911 was true. Moore then continued to rant well into the interview not allowing Blitzer to say a single word. Blitzer largely maintained his composure and tried to get the interview back on topic. He actually managed to get Moore to field 1 question, although the answer was filled with jabs back at Blitzer. I don't totally disagree with a lot of Moore's politics, but I strongly believe acting like a child, or better put, a jackass, is the best way to get a point across. I think Jon Stewart's undercutting commentary has done more to forward our collective mindset than Moore's ranting will ever accomplish.

Check this out:

MOORE: You have the questions. Why are we here? That's the question. Why are we here in this war? Where's the weapons of mass destruction? Why didn't you -- why did it take you so long, Wolf, to finally take on Vice President Cheney? It took you to 2007 before you made the man mad at you.

BLITZER: Those are fair questions.

MOORE: Four years!

BLITZER: Let's talk a little ...

MOORE: Where were you?

BLITZER: Let's talk about "Sicko." That's the film that you're here to talk about.

MOORE: Yeah, let's forget that. Yeah, OK.

BLITZER: There's plenty to talk about the war. There's plenty to talk about with "Sicko."

MOORE: I just haven't seen you in three years, so I was wondering how you felt for three years of not seeing me after you trashed "Fahrenheit" and said that I was wrong about, oh, yeah, this war was -- come on, I'm just waiting for an apology.

Update: Still no video, but the transcript is up:

here

It's a little more than half way down.

Update 2: Here is the video

Update 3: CNN has posted a response.