Michael Moore: Epic Failure or Right-Wing Double Agent?
by John NolteBesides being intellectually dishonest, anti-liberty and just plain wrong, the Daily Kos, HuffPo, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow and Michael Moore all have another thing in common: a smidgen of my respect for being upfront regarding their political agendas. Each fights dirty and dishonestly, but at least they’re in uniform — unlike those left-wing spies hiding pompously behind “objectivity” at CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, PBS, NPR, CBS and NBC.
I digress…
I like Michael Moore. I like his movies and while there are a number of stories floating around describing him as an awful human being, he seems affable enough during television interviews and personal appearances. Most of all, I like him because he lays completely bare his anti-all-things-freedom agenda for the world to see. He’s my ideological enemy, but unlike the coward Bill Maher who hides behind libertarianism and the coward Jon Stewart who hides behind being a “comic,” Moore makes no secret of the Statist goals he shamelessly pursues.
Too bad for his side he sucks at it.
Not at film-making. Moore’s a terrific filmmaker. Without fail, his documentary features are entertaining in every sense of the word. They’re just not convincing … at all. Not even close. “Sicko” was one of my favorite films of 2007, but not for a moment was Moore able to convince me that socialized medicine was anything close to a good idea. And I wasn’t watching as a right-wing ideologue, either. I was still a few days from being told a spot that had been found on my lung was benign. Believe me, nothing knocks the ideology out of you like being certain you have “6 months to live.”
And when it comes to finding Moore’s anecdotal appeals to emotion and lack of hard facts completely unconvincing, I’m not alone. At best, a look back at the Moore canon shows that each and every one of his films had zero impact on the issue in question. At worst, you could argue that Moore’s championing a cause has only done it damage.
Roger & Me (1989): In his feature debut, Michael Moore went hard after General Motors for plant closings in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. RESULT: The company would go on to enjoy years of record profits until the 2008 financial collapse when, in March of 2009, the most liberal President in history would bail GM out. Ouch.
Bowling For Columbine (2002): A mere seven years after Moore won an Academy Award for summoning all his propagandist powers to target gun manufacturers and lobby for stricter gun control laws, polls show the public’s desire for stricter gun control are at historic lows.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004): Moore’s two-hour anti-Bush, anti-Iraq War screed would break all kinds of box office records but the end result later that same year was Bush coasting to re-election and eventually winning the war in Iraq.
Sicko (2007): Moore spends two hours hoping to convince Americans to champion socialized medicine and today, even with the help of the entire media complex and the President of the United States, polls show support for even a disguised version of socialized medicine (the public option) tanking.
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009): Finally, after a few weeks in release, I was able to duck into a matinee the other day to witness yet another entertaining but ridiculously unconvincing Moore tale – this one openly declaring capitalism an “evil.” And yet…
There’s only one possible explanation. Michael Moore is a genius – an absolute genius. But… A gun-toting, big business-loving, capitalist-embracing, right-wing, neocon genius… Rip off those nerdy glasses, the faux-populist baseball cap, and…
Well, let’s just say that no one’s ever seen Michael Moore and Dick Cheney in the same room together.
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107 Comments
Historically, there has been big money in being 'for the people.'
Does Maher still call himsels a libertarian…just because he wants his weed and hookers to be legal doesn't make him a libertarian. His affiliation with PETA disqualifies him with anything having to do with liberty.
And I agree with you John about Moore being a likeable guy on TV. I saw him on Hannity and he came off as a decent human being. If he were presenting his ideas the way he was on Hannity, I might actually listen to him…I still wouldn't agree with him but at least I'd listen.
Which is why I like the phrase, "Beware of the prophet seeking profit."
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Big Hollywood, John Robert Scott. John Robert Scott said: RT @bighollywood: Michael Moore: Epic Failure or Right-Wing Double Agent? http://bit.ly/37R9o [...]
Michael Moore may be a commie hyping hypocrite capitalist but he doesn't raise my blood pressure like the other libbys you mentioned.
I saw him on Hannity, too. Hannity blew it with the stock footage of the abandoned Cuban hospital. I wish Moore would've gone on O'Reilly for a real grilling.
Well, let’s just say that no one’s ever seen Michael Moore and Dick Cheney in the same room together.
But, I would like to see them out hunting together. My money's on Cheney.
(ducking and running)
I think Maher can best be described, ideologically, as a libertine. In about everything else he's just a dumb f__k.
I don't know what's scarier, Michael Moore with a shotgun, or Dick Cheney with a shotgun.
As for epic failure or right-wing double agent……………………………………………I'm all-in on epic failure, for sure.
I really think that Moore believes himself sincere. He looked quite saddened when Hannity told him that he was wrong about his ideas of american wealth. Moore is an aberration of humanity. He is a person who lives the good life making money off of unsuspecting humanity and believing that he is not "one of them." Like most liberals, he doesn't even consider the other side in his thought patterns. Of course most extremists, right and left, have the same problems with reality.
I'm waiting for a Moore epic on obesity, fatness, multi-chins, truck-like spare tire, broken car seat heavy, dented furniture porky, butt dimples, rolls o' fat hiding rolls o' fat, liposuction that lasts several hours and tag team surgical personel, "Pillsbury DoughPig-My Story" by Moore…
If Michael Moore fell off a 800' cliff and landed on Al Gore would the sound be loud enough to be heard over the cheering?
Just look at all the money ACORN rakes in. Or the ACLU.
Saw part of his 1996 trial in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas over a segment of his "TV Nation" show on NBC that resulted in a lawsuit by a company called Merco Joint Ventures. While it may have been at the advise of his attorneys, Moore was not above playing both the "I'm an entertainer, not a documentarian" card that was a forerunner to John Stewart's "Clown Nose Off, Clown Nose On" gambit (h/t Treacher), and went into the idea of the "higher truth" in which went you're going after an evil corporation — in this case, one spreading New York City wastewater sludge on ranchland 75 miles southwest of El Paso — it's OK to fudge the facts a little, like say, allowing someone to claim people from the company were trying to kill them, if your getting at the higher trurth about the toxic danger of the sludge (the jury didn't buy that, awarding Merco $7 million from Moore and Tri-Star, but the damages were drastically reduced by a federal appeals court).
So he is willing to stand up for his arguments more in an infotainment setting than a Maher or a Stewart, but when push comes to shove, he still won't stand behind some of his more dubious tactics when the potential loss of cold hard cash is on the line.
I'll drive the get-away RangeRover!
Kennedys, all of them.
Moore is a genius, he knows his audience/fans will not think for themselves and therefore will accept, without question, anything he presents to them as fact in his films. I think he fully understands progressive ideology and the faux virtue that it is built upon. I'm envious of him and wish I had thought of this tactic first.
I think you'd need a RangeRover to drive over Moore. Unless I've misunderstood your intention…
John – I am so thankful the spot on your lung was benign. Thank the Lord!
Oh, and I'm also thankful that you've once again nailed a pompous liar to the wall. (Speaking of 'nailed', I would dearly love to see Moore out hunting with Cheney. Afterwards, I would personally volunteer to drive Moore all the way to Toronto for that nifty Canadian health care.)
I'm not sure you could get another person in a room with MM. If he gets any bigger, they will have to give him his own ZIP code…
[...] from: Michael Moore: Epic Failure or Right-Wing Double Agent? This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
Don't forget Canadian Bacon.
I recall originally watching it because it was a John Candy flick that took place locally. I haven't seen it in years, so I can't say how it would hold up now. There are two scenes, however, that stick out in my mind.
In one scene, Kevin Pollack is reminding Alan Alda and Rip Torn about how utterly the United States defeated its last few enemies. ("Remember Granada? They didn't even wake Reagan up.")
In another scene, Rhea Perlman's character finds herself at the mercy of the Canadian health care system. She is told by the Candy Stripers that it had been determined that she would not need an actual doctor until 2005 (the movie was released in 1995), and that they would be making her comfortable in the meantime.
Some of this adds weight to the suggestion that he's playing the left for a bunch of suckers.
Hannity really fumbled the ball when Moore claimed his motivation was his Christianity. When Moore mentioned the Camel and the Needle as that Sunday's gospel, Hannity should have knocked that one out of the park. Hannity apparently doesn't know his bible that well.
Moore is a demogogue. Period.
Mr Nolte is being kind. His films are amatuer theater- if they were conservative they wouldn't be considered high school junior good. His shtick is being disingenuous, not clever as he would like to think.
Politically he is a classic Marxist. Forget whatever sop he tosses about 'returning to small town America capitalism'. He lies.
His agenda is a statist, atheistic one world government. Close examination of his work- and associates- is proof positive. He considers himself part of the priviledged elite and is entitled to wealth that should be confiscated from us.
Are we clear on this?
All of the libs mentioned in this article are all stooges of a socialist plan for the USA, whether they know it or not. If they don't know it then they're dumber then I thought, if they do know it, which I doubt, then they're not worth the air that they breath.
True. I used to watch H&C but tired of it. Neither were good debaters.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
To use wrestling parlance, this would be the biggest most epic swerve of all time. Think MM on stage at the Oscars, bringing out Dick Cheney…and then shaking hands and hugging and laughing at the aghast hordes of liberal elites.
Not likely to ever happen though…
I appreciate your perspective and may evan try watching one of his movies…someday.
Both are very good at ignoring anyone else's point but their own.
Exactly, why does "greed" only apply to money. I bet Moore is pretty greedy when it comes to donuts and cheap, soiled baseball caps.
I went to a theater and asked for a free ticket to see Moore's "Capitalism."
For some strange reason they wanted me to pay.
How come Moore is making a profit charging people to see his movie?
I have to disagree entirely. Message aside, I just don't see the talent. I'm a fan of documentaries and Moore's work is neither compelling to watch nor even temporarily persuasive.
I think the only reason we know his name is that he's targeted the left's bogeymen, so he's good at getting publicity from playing to the derangement crowd.
Sir, are you implying that Mr. Moore is overweight?
When people distort facts, ignore the truth, and otherwise bend, twist, fold, spindle and mutilate the truth in the name of a Quote Higher Purpose they are not entertainging they are dangerous. It does not take long for the lies/distortions to enter the public s minds and once there can never be removed. Think of the Truthers. I am not saying we should shut these people up but the public should be shown at every opportunity that they are a sham. All of the worst Leaders in the world came to power by taking a small dose of truth and mixing it with huge doses of blame the other guy and outright lies. M Moore is dangerous, period.
I have to disagree with you regarding Olbermann & Maddow. Both actually lie right on television. They distort truth. The Daily Kooks is a totally partisan attack machine that doesn't report facts. Moore is the only one that truly, almost half intelligently spells out his point.
Moore is anything but a "Right-wing double agent". He is just a hard-core Liberal that has been given a bigger megaphone than some of the other big Liberals out there. With that bigger megaphone he just makes a bigger fool of himself every time he opens his mouth.
In a couple of years he'll be filming his documentary on how the auto industry finally disappeared. I think he'll call it 'Rusted'. He'll be walking through the abandoned stamping plants with his cameras calling, "Is anybody here?" Then he'll bitterly mumble, "This didn't have to happen." If only Obama's plan mandating every American to buy only American cars it would have worked.
[...] Is Michael Moore a conservative double agent [...]
Nice post, John.
Congrats on a clean bill of health. (You're not getting outta this THAT easy, bud.)
And I do love your Moore-is-a-counter-spy demi-thesis. Though I do believe he's far too disingenuous and outright stupid to execute it… it's a nice thing to circulate just to piss him off.
I guess you can say Michael Moore is a conservative's useful idiot. Interesting theory.
The only thing Michael Moore is supersizing is his wallet.
this is the best comment in the history of the world. Holy s is that funny.
Mr. Nolte, you made it look all too easy-thanks.
Agree with Carolyn's comments!
Nice try but no cigar. Mr. Moore is a Progressive – period.
I quote:
"Progressives divide the world into victims and exploiters, and see themselves as saviors of the underdogs who are incapable of fending for themselves. And that requires greater government power in their hands, to vanquish the exploiters."
What you say may well be true, and I can honestly say I have never seen any of his "fraudumentaries" so I have no way of judging him. But because he is so ideologically opposed to me, and apparently dishonest in his films, I just cannot financially contribute to funding his movies or platform.
I may disagree with Moore, but I must respect anyone who takes ACTION to promote the ideals they truly believe. Moore and the rest of the Hollywood and big media lefties have spent decades worth of time and money to promote their ideology. THAT is the real reason why the left owns the culture. They worked for it.
The irony is that so many conservatives can't get that through their thick skulls. There are thousands of wealthy and talented conservatives in America today who have the resources to create, fund, distribute or promote entertaining and timely films. The vast majority choose not to do so. Why? They "don't have the time." It's a "poor investment." Family obligations. Work obligations. They'd rather golf in Maui. So the left, ever willing to risk their time and money to get their message out, emerge victorious.
Given a choice between shaking Moore's hand and shaking the hand of an influencial conservative millionaire who wouldn't bother to lift a finger to further his own beliefs . . . I'd shake with Moore.
Moore knows he's a liar. He's created multiple companies to create obstacles for lawsuits. He violates union rules left and right. He threatens employees with 'you'll never work again' if they complain. His writers don't get their royalties, and guess what – those multiple companies get in the way of deciphering where the money went.
I do know these things are true. I have worked for him. Some of the people I know have gone back and worked again even after being shafted more than once. They're ideologues and their 'pay' is knowing they made a statement.
I know of one writer who once asked Moore about something they were putting out that was dishonest and the response was 'they lie so much we have to counter it with something bigger.' And yes, that writer bought it hook, line and sinker.
Not a nice man. Not even close.
Yep, Moore's subtends quite a few milliradians at fifty yards, if you know what I mean!
It would surely be a very, very long epic!
I doubt it. It would probably be a rather dull thud, like a ton of lard squishing.
I don't think Bill Maher understands what "libertarianism" means. Other than supporting the legalization of marijuana, none of his political views are libertarian. He must think it makes him sound interesting and cool, but I'm sure that legitimate libertarians laugh at his stupidity. Maher is nothing more than far-left, big-government-loving, socialist a-hole.
Michael Moore really doesn't know the difference between freedom and compulsion. He is just another person who distorts the truth to meet his political objective. I think the word is called "Propagandist".
The problem is that the guys on their side with all the resources are absolutely committed to the liberal cause, and willing to pay whatever is necessary to get the word out.
All the conservative money men are either misers, fraidy-cats, or outright RINOs.
It's quite funny that you made the Moore as a right-wing double agent statement, as earlier this month I read Chris Elliott's "Into Hot Air" (yes, the same Chris Elliott from SNL/early Letterman fame). In it Michael Moore tags along with Elliott and a gaggle of "celebrities" to climb the top of Mount Everest. Also in company is a far right-wing texas oilman. In the book it's revealed that Moore is actually the right winger out to "make the left look terrible", and the oilman is a left winger out as well to make "the right look terrible".
A good read, that book is. Not as excellent as "The Shroud of the Thwacker", though (also by Elliott)
There was that scene in Borat…. ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!! I thought I had expunged that scene from memory: I'll never get to sleep tonight… the horror.
Yup, you got it, Jake. A lot of them just want to pass on every damn penny to their spoiled, narcissistic offspring. Every. Damn. Penny.
Although I don't have any hard proof, I believe that some wealthy conservatives feel that it should not be NECESSARY for anyone to spend money on what they consider "propaganda," that it's somehow scuzzy to even think in such terms. Because history books, economic books, and other infomation are freely available at the library, this line of thinking goes, no one should have to "sugarcoat" that infmation in order for it to be injested by the masses. If they're too lazy to learn history and economics, they believe, they DESERVE socialism.
Come the Revolution, the rich couple and their offspring will move to a New Zealand estate.
I concur with you Carolyn. I don't know you John, but I do enjoy your writings, and am glad to hear that you are OK!
In regards to Moore, I have only seen, "Roger and Me." I rented it when it first came out as a result of watching Siskel and Ebert raving about it, I seem to remember. Although I did like it, I have never felt compelled to watch any other Moore film.
I used to like Maher…when he was a libertarian. But, he caught a bad case of Bush Derangement Syndrome and developed into a full-blown liberal.
Wrong, Moore is supersizing everything including his wallet.
Shown on a wide screen.
richb313 said, "All of the worst Leaders in the world came to power by taking a small dose of truth and mixing it with huge doses of blame the other guy and outright lies."
Yeah, and we've got the worst leader in the White House now.
Michael Moore is an idiot. In other news…it's 7:18am here in the Great State of Georgia and BREITBART IS ON TV!!!!!!!!! yay!
Mooreon is just a fat loser gaming the system, like liberals are wont to do.
http://noliberalspin.blogtownhall.com/2009/10/22/... _out_on_celebrating_freedom.thtml
Liar? Or hypocrite? Hypocrites have an extra gene that allows them to deceived themselves.
I agree with Nolte on this one. Though I cannot abide Michael Moore's propaganda, he is at least up front that he hates America (as it is) and wishes for the Utopia the old USSR was. Maher and Stewart are just as ideological but hide their intentions.
I'm sure it frosts the Lefties that those who haven't drunk the KoolAid see through their propaganda like a window pane. This is the horror they exhibit at "polarization". Polarization simply means we on the other side got tired of keeping quiet and are now either laughing at them or yowling at their excesses.
Unless you know Moore personally and find him to be an affable guy, I can't really see why you say you "like" Michael Moore. He spreads liberal propaganda, making money off of it to (from what I have heard) live a lavish lifestyle, the same lifestyle he would deny to others if his ideas had their sway. What's good enough for his family apparently isn't good enough for yours. And, as you pointed out, there are already so many venues for getting the liberal message out – why do we then need a Michael Moore on top of it?
My only hope at this point is that he now takes his millions and quietly goes away, and leaves everyone else in peace to clean up his mess.
Bill Maher thinks he's a Libertarian? Really?….Really? How? Drug and prostitution legalization and anti-war…ok. I guess he may agree with the Libertarian Party on those issues, but isn't that about it? I've never heard him encourage free market solutions over big government on anything! Can someone please explain to the little pompous ass the definition of a libertarian?
I really take exception with the statement that Rachel Maddow is intellectually dishonest, she is the most honest and thoughtful pundit on either side of the political debate. Glenn Beck is far to stupid to be taken seriously , and he is not an intellectual.
[...] If you haven’t followed why IDCA matters, I recommend two recent diaries to get you started. Michael Moore: Epic Failure or Right-Wing Double Agent? – bighollywood.breitbart.com 10/22/2009 Besides being intellectually dishonest, anti-liberty [...]
Mr. Nolte, I just broke my cardinal rule, and spent precious moments of my life concerned about Michael Moore.
Thanks!
Too bad Moore isn't more curious about what the Gospel reading is trying to teach him instead of just grabbing a quote that he thinks supports his position.
Jerusalem, like many cities of that time were walled for protection from invading armies. The gates leading into the city we not great magnificent structures seen in movies, they were small, narrow openings to force invaders to enter one or two at a time, and to bend over. Makes it very easy to dispatch enemies as they enter. They were referred to by some as "eye of the needle."
In order for a camel to enter one, it must bend down very low. What the Gospel is telling us is a rich man needs to bow low before the Lord, as low as a camel entering a town, in order to enter heaven. And very few rich men were willing to do that.
It's not a lesson about how rich people are evil, its a lesson on how even the rich must be subservient to God.
I haven't watched Maher in years, probably decades. He's to much of a boar and a bore.
He's not libertarian by any means. What he is, is a dyed in the wool modern liberal, who claims to be libertarian, so he can claim to be an objective neutral third party concerning political debates between republicans and democrats.
In other words a coward.
I simply avoid Moore and my days are better for it. What really irritates me the most about Moore is the empty headed, ignorant liberals who reference his work as if it were the Gospel truth.
Wouldn't they bounce?
I wonder what the age demographic IS for a Moore flic? 7 to 33? Or is it 2 to 17?
When people need to prove that they are an 'intellectual' then I am immediately turned off…If you are one and you can perform in a casual way it is much more effective. Rachel isn't too bad in this regard but she doesn't seem to do well when someone on the set thinks differently than she. She maybe can't believe that someone could have a different opinion – and be correct?! OMG!!!
When you go too far right or too far left then you'll meet up again on the other side and that is what happened to Hannity, he took the bait.. Hannity jumped the shark with Moore and it was a sad day..
The only intellect madcow has is air between her ears
No, the real question is, could it be heard over the sound of everyone vomiting from watching the bodies burst? Okay, I admit that's just gross. Forget I said anything.
Wouldn't Barrack Obama run into a phone booth, throw on a RED costume and fly by and catch MM at the last second, zip him right to the shrine of Lenin and put him down gently?
WTF? I've seen Rachel Maddow take clips of Michael Steele and stop him in in mid-sentence in order to be able to take what he is saying completely out of context.
She is just about the most completely dishonest commentator on television, which considering she is on after Keith Olbermann is saying something
In a more general sense, when Jesus spoke those lines, he had just turned away from a fat, rich guy in a nice suit (basically a Michael Moore) who had asked him what he needed to do to be like JC and his posse. Jesus said to him sell ALL OF YOUR clothes, give away ALL OF YOUR WEALTH and come follow us. Jesus never said "advocate a giant government that confiscates the wealth of everyone else. Considering MM had brought that line up as his motivation, I would have loved to seen Hannity put it back into it's context and show what a hypocrite Michael Moore is.
I thought the spot on Hannity (with Moore) was interesting. Especially when Hannity asked Moore to give up 90% of his profits (from capitalism) and give it to the poor. It was fun for me to watch Moore sweat. He is a typical liberal. He says he is for the poor, but he won't help the poor. It illustrated to me the fraud that he ,and most liberals, really are.
he is a full blown liberal PROGRESSIVE.
Anyone who says "he [the president] just needs to drag them [anti-obamacare people] to it… like i said, they're stupid," is definitely NOT a libertarian. Thats about as far from libertarian as you can get. That is 100% Progressive Fascism.
I agree, Maher is no more a libertarian than Obama. However, he is libertine, that is someone who is unrestrained by convention, morality or ethics. Come to think about it, libertine can be applied to most liberals and progressives post 1970.
Clever, funny article. The ending is great. Thanks!
Wouldn't do any good. You could blow Mikey Moorons brains out and he could go on living a normal life.
No. BO would stop long enough to admire how good he looks in his RED costume and forget to do anything about MM. After all, BO doesn't care about anyone but himself and he could care less how many of his libtard buddies go over a cliff.
The moment the author stated Bush "won" the war in Iraq, you were all exposed as the nut bags your are. Really? Bush won the war? I have a few family members that are still over in Iraq fighting for our country. Maybe we should call and tell them we won, and everything is over. Your ignorance is hilarious, but the comments are so ridiculous that I might actually have nightmares tonight. Columbine wasn't an indictment against guns, as mush as it was an indictment of the NRA and the state of America's children. Get over it! I had to suffer 8 long years of morons running our government. The worst part? It seems most people are morons, and I will be spending the rest of my life banging my head against the wall. Obama is more republican than he is democrat, so I have no idea what all the fear is about!
Are you sure that that blood sucker can see himself in a mirror?
You forgot to mention his most accurate and truthful film, Canadian Bacon.
Michael Moore and his ilk are the mortal enemies of western civilization – and if you don't understand that you don't understand anything. Unlike this author, my attitude toward Michael-Moore-types is 'never give a @#%& inch'.
I'm implying he's a big, fat hypocrite that has mastered fooling some of the people, some of the time. So, ya, actually I am! As a capitalist I find his attempt to profit of a movie bashing capitalism ironic and funny, much like I would find it funny and ironic if he choaked on a box of Crispy Cremes.
He is college dropout, but he's found his path to his kind of success.
Ugh, me too. I had to look away. I never finished the movie.
You know Ed, I looked into Maher's background for research on a hit piece I was contemplating and he's ideologically all over the ballpark. He an Ivy Leaguer so he has the *white guilt* thing working, lapsed Catholic, used to be – by I guess by east coast standards, a bit more – er, conservative but he just decieded to high dive of the 10 meter into the shallow end of the leftist pool. I dropped the effort when school started again. I think his ideological inconsistancy shows sometimes, like a Freudian ~slip~.
exactly Ken, see above. I think he's morally rudderless.
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