This is it. ONE DAY LEFT. There are many things I’d like to say. I’ve been on the road getting out the vote for 51 straight days so I haven’t had much time to write. So I’ve put together a bunch of notes to various groups all in this one letter. Please feel free to copy and send whatever portions are appropriate to your friends and family as you spend these last 24 hours trying to convince whomever you can to show up and vote for John Kerry.
Here are my final words…
To Decent Conservatives and Recovering Republicans:
In your heart of hearts you know Bush is a miserable failure. From having no plan on what to do in Iraq once he conquered Baghdad to the 380 missing tons of explosives that could be used to kill our brave young men and women, this guy doesn’t have a clue how to fight and win a war. You should see the mail I’ve been getting lately from our troops over there. They know how much the Iraqi people hate them. They are sitting ducks anytime they go out on the road. Many believe we are not that far away from a Tet-style offensive inside the Green Zone with hundreds of Americans and Brits killed. Bush refused to go after and capture Osama bin Laden. He fought, every step of the way, the investigation into the 9/11 attacks. Who on earth would oppose such a thing? If 3,000 people died at your place of work and your boss said we don’t need to find out why or how it happened, he’d be thrown out on his ear. Bush’s behavior after this great tragedy alone is reason enough for his removal. You already know that George W. Bush is the farthest thing from a conservative. He’s a reckless spender who has run up record-breaking deficits and the biggest debt in our history. He believes in having the government pry into everything from your library records to your bedroom. He has hit you with hidden taxes with his tax cuts for the rich. I know many of you don’t like Bush, but are unsure of Kerry. Give the new guy a chance. He won’t raise your taxes (unless you are super-rich), he won’t take your hunting gun away, and he won’t make you visit France. He risked his life for you many years ago. He’s asking for the chance to do it again. Scott McConnell at The American Conservative magazine has endorsed him. What more do you need?
To My Friends on the Left:
Okay, Kerry isn’t everything you wished he would be. You’re right. He’s not you! Or me. But we’re not on the ballot – Kerry is. Yes, Kerry was wrong to vote for authorization for war in Iraq but he was in step with 70% of the American public who was being lied to by Bush & Co. And once everyone learned the truth, the majority turned against the war. Kerry has had only one position on the war – he believed his president. President Kerry had better bring the troops home right away. My prediction: Kerry’s roots are anti-war. He has seen the horrors of war and because of that he will avoid war unless it is absolutely necessary. Ask most vets. But don’t ask someone whose only horror was when he arrived too late for a kegger in Alabama. There’s a reason Bush calls Kerry the Number One Liberal in the Senate – THAT’S BECAUSE HE IS THE NUMBER ONE LIBERAL IN THE SENATE! What more do you want? My friends, this is about as good as it gets when voting for the Democrat. We don’t have the #29 Liberal running or the #14 Liberal or even the #2 Liberal – we got #1! When has that ever happened? Those of us who may be to the left of the #1 liberal Democrat should remember that this year conservative Democrats have had to make a far greater shift in their position to back Kerry than we have. We’re the ones always being asked to make the huge compromises and to always vote holding our noses. No nose holding this time. This #1 liberal is not the tweedledee to Bush’s tweedledum.
To Nader Voters:
See the above note. Ralph’s own party, the Green Party, would not endorse his run this year. That’s because those of us who want to build a third party in this country know that the only way to do this is to build bridges with those who believe in the issues Nader believes in. But not one of those people will sacrifice the chance to remove George W. Bush from the White House on Tuesday. The choice here is clear: do we join with our friends, or do we piss on them? After the debacle of 2000, the Democrats got smart and abandoned the conservative wing of their party. That’s why 8 of the 9 Democrats in the primaries this year were from the liberal wing. Ralph should take credit for that and declare victory. It’s so sad that he doesn’t realize the good he’s accomplished. But for reasons only known to him, he’s more angry at the Democrats than he is at Bush. He has lost his compass. I worry he has lost his mind. But he still gives a great speech! And Lila Lipscomb, the mother from Flint who lost her son in Iraq, she still grieves -- as do the mothers of 1,120 others (not to mention the mothers of the 100,000 Iraqis who have died because of Bush’s war). That’s what this election is about. Not Ralph proving some point. Almost none of us on his 2000 advisory group are supporting him this year. His total lack of respect for his best friends should tell all of you something about what he really thinks of you, too.
To the Non-Swing States:
Stop listening to how your vote doesn’t count in this election and that your state is already decided for Kerry or Bush. It is critical that you vote because we not only need to give Kerry the electoral win, but he needs to have a HUGE mandate with an ENORMOUS popular vote victory as well. It will be impossible for him to get anything done for four years if there is no clear mandate. We must not only defeat Bush, we must put a stake in the heart of the right-wing, neo-con movement. If you live in New York, California, Illinois, Texas, the Northeast or the Deep South, you need to vote and you need to bring ten people with you to the polls. If you live in a state where we have the chance to elect the Democrat to the Senate or the House, you need to vote. Turn off the TV. Quit listening to news media that has a vested interest in repeating to you over and over that your vote does not count. It does. If you have friends or relatives who live in the 30-plus non-swing states, call them and remind them how important it is that Kerry gets a massive popular vote victory.
To Non-Voters:
I understand why you stopped voting. Politicians suck. Nothing ever seems to change. You’re only one vote. Yes, politicians suck. But so do car salesmen – and that hasn’t stopped you from buying a car. Politicians only respond to the threat of the angry mob also known as the voting public. If most people don’t vote, that’s good news for them ‘cause then they don’t have to answer to the majority. Almost fifty percent of Americans don’t vote. That means you belong to the largest political party in America – the Non-Voting Party. That means you hold all the power to toss George W. Bush out of the Oval Office. How cool is that? I believe that we are going to have the largest election turnout in our lifetime tomorrow. You don’t want to miss out on that. The lines at the polls are going to be long and raucous and fun. It is an historic election. You won’t want to say that you were the only one who wasn’t there. Promise me you’ll vote, just this one time.
To All First-Time Voters:
Welcome to the longest running, uninterrupted democracy on earth! You own it. It’s yours. A few words about how messy it’s going to be tomorrow. The lines are going to be long. Bring your iPods. Better yet, bring a friend or two. The election officials have no clue just how many millions are going to show up at the polls. This will be the largest turnout in our lifetime. They don’t have enough machines. They are going to have to send for more ballots. And they are going to make it difficult for you to vote. The new law says if this is your first time voting you must bring ID with you that matches the address you are registered at. If for some reason they can’t find your name on the voting rolls, you have the right to ask for a provisional ballot, which you can fill out and then sort things out later. If you have any problems at the polling place, please call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. The people there can tell you how to find the precinct where you should be voting, get you legal help if you are denied the right to vote, or answer any other questions you may have. If you need any help figuring out the ballot, don’t be afraid to ask. If you screw up your ballot, you can ask for another one. In fact, the law allows you to screw up your ballot two times before you finally have to submit your final ballot! Be careful to vote on the line that says John F. Kerry/John Edwards. Don’t vote for more than one Presidential, Senate or House candidate or you ballot won’t be counted. If your polling place has a stub or a receipt from your ballot, make sure they give you one. Thanks for joining us. Democracy is not a spectator sport. It only works when we all come off the bench and participate.
To African Americans:
First of all, let’s just acknowledge what you already know: America is a country which still has a race problem, to put it nicely. Al Gore would be president today had thousands of African Americans not had their right to vote stolen from them in Florida in 2000. Here is my commitment: I will do everything I can to make sure that this will not happen again. And I’m not the only one making this pledge. Thousands of volunteer lawyers are flying to Florida to act as poll watchers and intervene should there be any attempts to deny anyone their right to vote. They will NOT be messing around. For my part, I have organized an army of 1,200 professional and amateur filmmakers who will be armed with video cameras throughout the states of Florida and Ohio. At the first sign of criminality, we will dispatch a camera crew to where the vote fraud is taking place and record what is going on. We will put a big public spotlight on any wrongdoing by Republican officials in those two states. They will not get away with this as they did in 2000. In Ohio, the Republicans are sending almost 2,000 paid “poll challengers” into the black precincts of Cleveland in an attempt to stop African Americans from voting. This action is beyond despicable. Do not let this stop you from voting. I, and thousand of others, will be there to fight for you and protect you.
To George W.:
I know it’s gotta be rough for you right now. Hey, we’ve all been there. “You’re fired” are two horrible words when put together in that order. Bin Laden surfacing this weekend to remind the American people of your total and complete failure to capture him was a cruel trick or treat. But there he was. 3,000 people were killed and he’s laughing in your face. Why did you stop our Special Forces from going after him? Why did you forget about bin Laden on the DAY AFTER 9/11 and tell your terrorism czar to concentrate on Iraq instead? There he was, OBL, all tan and rested and on videotape (hey, did you get the feeling that he had a bootleg of my movie? Are there DVD players in those caves in Afghanistan?) Speaking of my movie – can I ask you a personal question before we part ways for good on Tuesday? Why did you and your friends fund SIX “documentaries” trashing me -- but only ONE film against Kerry? C’mon, he was the candidate, not me. What a waste of your time and resources! Sure, I know what your pollsters told you, that the film had convinced some people to vote you out. I just want you to know that that was not my original intent. Funny things happen at the movies. Hope you get to see a few at the multiplex in Waco. It’s a great way to relax.
To John Kerry:
Thank you. And don’t worry – none of us are going away after you are inaugurated. We’ll be there to hold your hand and keep you honest. Don’t let us down. We’re betting you won’t. So is the rest of the world.
That’s it. See you at the polls – and at the victory party tomorrow night.
posted
It's both depressing and irritating how much I was reminded of some passages of War Watch reading Moore.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Should I go see him speak tonight? Just off campus at 8:00. I know my fellow Republicans won't be protesting this time around because any time organizing a protest would be better spend down at campaign headquarters. But since I can't get to headquarters... On the other hand I already saw F9/11 (for free) and that pissed me off enough. His arrogant tone towards me as a conservative really pisses me off.
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Yep. Right here in good ol' Tucson, AZ. I was so proud to be represented by people who do run-by pie-ings Posts: 378 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I'm still waiting for him to come out with an actual film. You know, something that doesn't attack some belief that isn't his...
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Michael Moore is a better propogandist, its not as if he's going to win an Oscar or anything...oh wait, he did.
Posts: 3446 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I skipped the part where he addresses Bush, but I like the rest. It's an opinion piece. It's his last letter before the election, and for the most part, his message is that of go vote. Sure, he thinks you should vote for Kerry and he tells you why. This is only as vitriolic as some of OSC tamer, saner columns.
This is honest opinion about America, and for the most part, all of his comments are approriate. Again, even if you are not swayed, he isn't posing or hacking nearly as much as Ann Coulter, he is a liberal democrat who believes in voting. He didn't say the world would explode if Bush were elected; he did express his opinion honestly.
Posts: 611 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I dont much like michal moore, or atleast not the way he goes about things in his movies, he is quite an ass who stunts are compleatly useless and ditract from the meaning of his films
Posts: 33 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
If he is a caricature, it's because people have made him one. My feelings are mixed about F9/11, but this letter as a letter is just fine.
quote:I dont much like michal moore, or at least not the way he goes about things in his movies, he is quite an ass whose stunts are completely useless and detract from the meaning of his films.
And are you so sure that you know the meaning of his films, especially considering that they are the child of his brain, that you would say that he is screwing them up. It's not that this isn't possible. It's just more likely that blank and blank movie wasn't about what you thought it was about, and you feel cheated in the transaction.
First of all, let’s just acknowledge what you already know: America is a country which still has a race problem, to put it nicely. Al Gore would be president today had thousands of African Americans not had their right to vote stolen from them in Florida in 2000. Here is my commitment: I will do everything I can to make sure that this will not happen again. And I’m not the only one making this pledge. Thousands of volunteer lawyers are flying to Florida to act as poll watchers and intervene should there be any attempts to deny anyone their right to vote. They will NOT be messing around. For my part, I have organized an army of 1,200 professional and amateur filmmakers who will be armed with video cameras throughout the states of Florida and Ohio. At the first sign of criminality, we will dispatch a camera crew to where the vote fraud is taking place and record what is going on. We will put a big public spotlight on any wrongdoing by Republican officials in those two states. They will not get away with this as they did in 2000. In Ohio, the Republicans are sending almost 2,000 paid “poll challengers” into the black precincts of Cleveland in an attempt to stop African Americans from voting. This action is beyond despicable. Do not let this stop you from voting. I, and thousand of others, will be there to fight for you and protect you.
posted
It's wrong, and I'm sorry about poking potential fun at fellow hatracker's names, but I can't stop laughing at the thought of (the significantly smaller than human sized) Polio hugging MM...
quote: And are you so sure that you know the meaning of his films, especially considering that they are the child of his brain, that you would say that he is screwing them up. It's not that this isn't possible. It's just more likely that blank and blank movie wasn't about what you thought it was about, and you feel cheated in the transaction.
I was refering to f911 and bowling for columbine. and both of their objectives where verry clear. for example in bowling for comlumbine he tryed to return bullets to wallmart that where still in someones boddy...not exactly a great point. in f911 he asked senitors to send their kids to war and then he drove around in an icecream truck reading over the loud speaker. also in bowling for columbine he went to the presedent of the NRA and went into his house and basicly asked him questions like why did you want those kids to get shot? are you for child shootings? that kind of thing...just mean pointless assinine stunts. that is what i was refering to.
Posts: 33 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote: You know, if Bush is re-elected... I wonder what ol' mikey is going to do...
Capitalize on the people who hate Bush for four more years? I actually wonder what he's going to do if Kerry is elected. He'd lose any credibility (that he hasn't allready lost) if he attacked Kerry the same way. You know, after supporting him and all.
edit: you know, this guy got paid $17,500 dollars for a single visit to UVSC. And they were going to shell out $40000+ to him if it hadn't been for all the crazy republicans in the area complaining about mis-spent funds...I really don't care what happens to Mikey...I think he can retire happily now.
[ November 02, 2004, 01:35 AM: Message edited by: Boris ]
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Attacking Kerry wouldn't be a big jump he condemned everyone in Stupid White Men, and he's criticized Ralph Nader after supporting him.
Posts: 3446 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:You know, if Bush is re-elected... I wonder what ol' mikey is going to do...
Crap himself in delight that he gets to spend the next four years continuing to spew his bile all over the president?
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Well, the reason is... He can complain all he wants, but what will it really amount to? If Bush is elected, all Moore can really do is whine, he isn't going to get Bush out any sooner, Bush would just have four more years.
Where as if Kerry is elected, Bush could always just run again...
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:If Bush is elected, all Moore can really do is whine
That's kind of my point. I think that's exactly what Moore likes to do. As far as discrediting a political opponent goes, I would think that reasoned arguments and indisputable facts would be far more effective than simply making things up and telling ridiculous lies. A Kerry presidency could well be the worst thing that could happen to Moore--what then would he piss and moan about? How could he get any attention without a conservative president to spray vitriol at? Mikey loves his precious attention.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Attacking Kerry wouldn't be a big jump he condemned everyone in Stupid White Men, and he's criticized Ralph Nader after supporting him.
Oh yeah, I forgot. No scruples will do that to a person.
Actually, I think a willingness to criticize the official actions of someone in a positon of power -- even if a personal friend, much less someone who you've supported in other endeavors -- is a mark of character.
The opposite is, well, slimey.
[ November 02, 2004, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posts: 2919 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote: have to agree with a lot of you-- Moore is too much of a polemic. Too far left, the way Coulter is right.
Erm, what's so far left about Moore? I see how he's loudly left and aggressively left, but far left? Not really. He is a Democrat after all.
Posts: 2443 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
unicornwisperer, the UVSC student body council decided to invite Moore for a speaking engagement along with conservative speaker Sean Hannity for an opposing viewpoint. They're budget was $50,000 and they hired Moore for $40,000, but Hannity offered to do his for free except for the travel expenses. After the contract was signed with Moore a bunch of alumni decided to pull their donations in protest, and some UVSC students started a petition for a student body recall election. Well it started coming out that Moore's travel bill would be something like $17,000 and people got mad that the students "broke the rules" about money spent on speakers and blah blah blah until Moore finally came to speak about two weeks ago to a packed house.
I have to read the Deseret news for my class, and I for one was rather sick of the whole argument by the end. Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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That may be part of his message, but it undeniably is not his only message.
His real message is to go out and vote...but if you vote Republican or conservative, you're a mouth-breathing, hunch-backed, club-carrying neanderthal.
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Micheal Moore 
