Michael Moore Lashes Out
Michael Moore is famous for saying what he thinks — no matter where he is.
And that could mean saying "Shame on you, Mr. Bush" like he did four years ago at the Oscars, or reaming out CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room" for what he called CNN's biases.
The documentary filmmaker and political activist appeared on "The Situation Room" Tuesday to promote his healthcare movie "Sicko." Moore appeared following CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's "reality check" about the movie, which criticized parts of Moore's argument that the U.S. healthcare system falls both comparatively and dangerously short of the mark.
Gupta's report said that Canadians wait longer than Americans to be seen by a doctor and that Cuba, the nation Moore compares the U.S. system to, is actually ranked lower in a ranking of nations' healthcare systems.
Moore said he would like about ten minutes to respond to Gupta's report.
"That report was so biased, I can't imagine what pharmaceutical companies are coming up right after our break here," he said. "Why don't you tell the truth to the American people? I wish that CNN and other mainstream media would tell the truth about what's going on in this country … you guys have such a poor track record."
Moore said that the media failed with its coverage of the war in Iraq and didn't take his other movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" seriously. He said everything he predicted about the war in Iraq came true. When Moore appeared on CNN three years ago to promote that movie, Moore said the network ran a similar piece of criticism. He said that piece also proved to be faulty and that Blitzer owes him an apology.Photos: Michael Moore
"I took you in that film to Walter Reed hospital, and it took three years before you or any of the mainstream media to go to Walter Reed and see what's happening to our troops," he said.
Blitzer looked a little taken aback while Moore went on his tirade and tried to defend CNN. He said CNN ran commercials for "Sicko" just as it does for drug companies. Blitzer also said he would stack Gupta's reporting on medical issues against anyone else in the business.
"Sanjay Gupta is not only a doctor and neurosurgeon but he's also an excellent, excellent journalist," Blitzer said.
Moore said that he would show how Gupta's reporting was flawed on his Web site and just like the media failed on Iraq, it is failing on healthcare. Moore said that when Gupta was embedded with the troops in Iraq, he failed to ask the hard questions. The mainstream media's failure to hold the Bush administration accountable is what lead the United States into a quagmire in Iraq, he said.
"Why are we here in this war?" Moore said. "Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Why did it take you so long, Wolf, to finally take on Vice President Dick Cheney?"
Blitzer said: "Those are fair questions... let's talk about 'Sicko.' "
Back on that subject, Moore said that of all the presidential candidates, only Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, is making sense on healthcare reform. He praised Sen. Hillary Clinton's efforts as first lady when she tried to restructure American healthcare. Moore also said that Vice President Al Gore was right on Iraq, right on global warming and right on health care — if only he would get in the race. Moore also said Rudy Giuliani is wrong about letting private companies control healthcare.
When the interview ended, tensions diffused and Moore was laughing. He thanked Blitzer for allowing him on live, something not many news shows do, he said.