In what Michael Moore himself states is a rare moment, an actual "live" interview, he blasts Wolf Blitzer and the mainstream media, demanding that they "tell the truth" to the American people. Moore vehemently denies fudging the facts in his movie Sicko.
(The Sicko Trailer can be found
here)
Michael Moore is once again playing defense against the mainstream media. His latest movie release, "Sicko", takes on the health care industry. In the movie Moore exposes the facts, as he sees them, regarding the corrupt, all for profit, not for people, health care industry in the USA.
Why does the richest nation in the world rank #37 in health care? Why are there four health care lobbyists for every member of congress? Why are doctors paid bonuses for each claim they deny, furthering the profits of the HMO's?
There are 47 million uninsured in the United States; 1/2 of all bankruptcies filed in this country are triggered by medical bills; and 18,000 uninsured die every year due to lack of health care.
Moore has most recently come under attack on CNN, in Wolf Blitzer's "Situation Room". Prior to introducing Moore to the viewers, CNN ran a report researched and narrated by their resident medical expert Sanjay Gupta. The report attempts to illustrate all of the areas in Moore's latest film that are in fact "fudged."
Gupta indicates that the statistics Moore quotes in his movie are inaccurate, and accuses the film maker of delivering "hard punches and working fast and loose with the facts".
Following the thee-minute report, Blitzer welcomes Moore to CNN. Blitzer asks Moore for his response. Visibly upset, Moore indicates he would need at least 10 minutes to make his position clear. Blitzer's response? "Give us a couple of headlines".
"I don't talk in soundbites," retorts Moore. He then proceeds to lambaste Blitzer and all of the other media cronies for their failure to report factual news. He reminds them of how they all attacked him for his position regarding 9/11 and the resulting war, and questions why we are still there five years later.
It was quite the sight to see, and I found myself cheering for Moore. I've never been a big fan, but I really felt that everything the man was saying. I watched this clip (above) with a new understanding of just what this country has been doing (and is doing) to it's people, and it cast Moore in a new light in my eyes.
I haven't seen the film yet. But it is at the top of my list. I visited Moore's personal website
here, and read a memo that he received from an employee working for Blue Cross/Blue Shield put out by its Vice President of Corporate Communications, Barclay Fitzpatrick.
His job, it seems, was to go and watch "Sicko," observe the audience's reaction, and then suggest a plan of action for how to deal with the movie.
The memo, which I (Moore) am releasing publicly in this email, is a fascinating look at how one health care company views "Sicko" -- and what it fears its larger impact will be on the public. The industry's only hope, the memo seems to indicate, is if the movie "flops."
You can read the memo in it's entirety
here.
With every other country in the Western world offering universal health care, namely Canada, France, England and Cuba, why on earth can the US not follow suit?
It is apparently all about greed, according to Moore. Big Business and Big Pharma aren't about to let go of the money-making machine they have created just to see to it that the little guy gets health coverage.
Moore has demanded an apology from CNN and Blitzer for the skewing of the facts in their lead in story.
"Just apologize to the American people and to the families of the troops for not doing your job four years ago. We wouldn't be in this war if you had done your job. Come on. Just admit it. Just apologize to the American people." -- Michael Moore, live on The Situation Room
He has
posted a rebuttal, illustrating exactly how Dr. Gupta misled the viewers in his lead in report.
"If we get that confirmed, obviously, we'll correct the record." -- Wolf Blitzer, live on The Situation Room
Will that apology be forthcoming? I doubt it.
Critics of universal health care argue that it would cost too much. In Moore's film, he interviews a former member of Great Britain's Parliament. "If you can find money to kill people, you can find money to help people," the man says.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
