'Fahrenheit 11/9': Michael Moore Exposes Trump, The New York Times and Establishment Democrats

[babylonsister]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fahrenheit-119-michael-moore-exposes-trump-the-new-york-times-and-establishment-democrats?ref=home

‘Fahrenheit 11/9’: Michael Moore Exposes Trump, The New York Times and Establishment Democrats
The new documentary, which premiered at TIFF, is a sprawling polemical collage that’s less about Trump and more about how to build a progressive future.
Natalia Winkelman
09.07.18 4:41 AM ET


Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9 opens with the word “Hillary.” It ends in silence. The in-between includes Hitler and Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and West Virginia high school teachers, Bernie Sanders and The New York Times.

It’s a surprise to report that a lot of the film, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last night, catches you by surprise—not only because of the deja vu didacticism of so many contemporary political docs, but also because, by now, we think we know Moore’s shtick. Even Trump seemed to have an inkling as to what he would look like under Moore’s microscope: Back in 1998, in the green room of The Roseanne Show, Trump allegedly praised Moore’s work before expressing his hope that Moore never make one on him.

More so than many of his previous films, Fahrenheit 11/9 is a sprawling collage of a polemic, careening from issue to issue with little regard for transitions. When segues do come, they spring out of Moore’s rascally voiceover, which canopies the film with his familiar brand of wit, fervor and infectious lefty idealism. There’s also a distinct sense of self-awareness to this one, along with what feel like deliberate measures to cut against pedagogy and moralizing. This feeling comes to a head in the movie’s final sequence, which hits so suddenly and unexpectedly you’ll be a little sore from the whiplash.

snip//

Yet overall, the documentary, in all its messy tangents, actually spends a minority of its time on Trump. Indeed, Moore’s best zingers and most penetrating indictments land on the Democratic Party, whom he implicates (along with dominant liberal news media) as part of an establishment system continually churning in place to maintain the status quo and impede forward movement. He even calls out Obama on a few occasions: for letting down the people of Flint, for accepting Goldman Sachs money, for deporting immigrants, for drone strikes. But best of all, Moore acknowledges and emphasizes that he himself is not totally free from that establishment either. “The best thing my generation did was raise you all,” he marvels to a Parkland teen in one scene. Her sharp reply: “On the contrary: social media raised us.”

Vagueness and clutter distract from the cogency of Moore’s points on several occasions, and the frenetic pace makes it constantly difficult to keep up. But by the end, he’s stuffed so many tangled tangents in there that the documentary’s impassioned spirit and impact as a whole outweigh the less convincing bits.

“How the fuck did this happen?” Moore demands in voiceover toward the beginning of the film, following a melodramatic election night montage. It’s a question that he only partially gets around to addressing, but no matter. We know the real question he’s striving to confront: What the fuck do we do now?

He might not have the answer, but he can introduce you to a few people who do.

[johnp3907]

1. Oh those evil "establishment democrats!"

Moore can shove his film up his ass.

[Cha]

2. Thank You, John! Blame it all Obama as usual..

not even much about trump? Should be called "Gaslight2".

[Trueblue Texan]

7. I agree with you here...

I get so damned ( boy am I holding back here!) sick of hearing about establishment Democrats and the Lefty media. Why do people on the Left join into the conspiracy against them? FOOLS! You cannot have everything you want. You must work toward the best you can do. You must work toward securing the tools you need to make progress. Get your asses back down to EARTH and your efforts will deliver better results! I love idealism but it doesn't get the work done. It only provides direction.

[Hortensis]

27. Gee, how on earth can I look myself in the mirror

and only wonder if I should get my hair cut short?

Anyone doubt this is mainly meant to divert from little things like the many Trump crises foreign and domestic, treasonous behaviors in the WH and Republican caucuses, the Supreme Court crisis, the increasing numbers of Republicans prosecuted for corruption, and the blue wave?

[RandiFan1290]

3. The whiners are whiny!

Mike is doing a great job!!!

I can't wait to see this film!

[Cha]

5. All you have are your usual insults

[BlueTsunami2018]

4. I'll see anything MM puts out.

Sounds like another gem.

[FreepFryer]

6. Just waiting until Michael Moore gets a show on Russia Today. In 3... 2... 1... (nt)

[still_one]

8. I posted this in a similar thread, but I think I will reproduce it here

F**K you Michael Moore, you phony asshole. You were right out there during

2016 instead of motivating people to vote, undermining and demoralizing saying how the Democrats were going to lose, and no you are NOT FORGIVEN FOR 2000, or your speech along with Sarandon and others at Madison Square Garden telling your fans how a vote for Gore is a vote for bush.

https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/15/us/the-2000-campaign-the-green-party-in-nader-supporters-math-gore-equals-bush.html

Then during the women's UNITY march after trump won, you tried to divide, but Ashley Judd was having none of your bullshit. IT WASN'T ABOUT YOU MICHAEL MOORE, that march was about WOMEN, and unity:

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-womens-march-live-watch-ashley-judd-interrupt-michael-1485017688-htmlstory.html

You fooled me once a long time ago, but NEVER AGAIN

[Cha]

9. Thank You for nailing Michael Moore,

still_one. He ain't nothin' but a RF.

Now his new pos 11/9 is not so much about trump but dragging President Obama through the mud? That's just stupid.

The most important midterms of our lives are coming up and he's whining about the Democratic Party.. that is out there on the front lines for us.. And, winning! Too bad for Moore.. Great for America

Nance says it best..

a snip from her OP..

Remember when Obama was under investigation for obstructing justice and conspiring with the Russians? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama was proven to have lied to the American people an average of seven times a day? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama insulted our allies and praised people like Putin and Kin Jung-Un? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama stood on the world stage and declared that he would take the word of Vladimir Putin over the word of his own country’s intelligence community? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama directed his “fixer” lawyer to pay off a porn star in order to buy her silence just before an election? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama visited foreign countries and was met with tens of thousands of protesters? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama separated parents from their children at the border, and then “lost” those kids so that they might never see their parents again? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama tweeted mis-spelled, incoherent covfefe on a daily basis? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama refused to produce his tax returns? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama increased the national debt in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy, while screwing the middleclass? Yeah, me neither.

Remember when Obama had his name-branded merchandise manufactured in low-wage countries while promising to bring overseas jobs back to America? Yeah, me neither.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211105327

[still_one]

22. I agree Cha

[Cha]

51. It only requires some basic intelligence and a smidgen of empathy to see what a great President..

Link to tweet

[arthritisR_US]

31. Thank you Cha, I needed that. 🤗

[lame54]

13. I forgive him for 2000 - so there

[BannonsLiver]

15. It's not really about forgiveness

It’s about judgement and credibility. When you have poor judgment it calls into question your credibility. Moore got 2000 wrong, and he wasn’t exactly enamored with Obama in 2008. So when you’re on th wrong side or on the fence multiple times at key moments it’s fair to question. Doesn’t make him a bad person, just an oaf.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

25. always got the sense Moore was jealous of Obama

In 2004, Moore had styled himself as "the voice of the left," with the release of F911 and getting invited to the convention, etc

Then, in 2008, along comes Obama, who captivated the youth, and won the primary and the general without kissing Moore's ring.

Mike spent the next 8 years whining and trying his best to depress the vote. Everyone acts like he was so prescient in predicting a Trump win, but he also said McCain and Romney were headed to the WH. He simply got lucky with his demoralizing voice of doom act this once.

Moore's an egotist who's trying to make himself the center of attention.

And he's not that bright, either. He's already fallen for Richard Ojeda in WV, a fake populist who, just two years ago was endorsing Trump, demonizing immigrants and refugees and lying about Clinton and the EPA.

Moore presents him in the trailer as a voice of the working class left. The guy is far more likely to pull a Lieberman or a Traficant and ally with the GOP then ever consider being a Wellstone.

[JI7]

26. he also pushes the economic anxiety bs which we all know was really about racism and other bigotry

[BannonsLiver]

43. that's a great breakdown of Moore's recent history

Particularly the not that bright part. Very accurate.

[arthritisR_US]

32. Excellent point.👍

[still_one]

23. The reason I don't is because he is back to his old diversionary bullshit, and doing this right

before the midterms only proves the point

[JI7]

30. and this around the same time of the last midterms

https://nypost.com/2014/09/11/michael-moore-calls-obama-a-huge-disappointment/

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. Thank you. Michael can always sniff out a dollar. $$$$$

[arthritisR_US]

33. And kill a Democratic candidate in the process. FU MM.

[Tarheel_Dem]

39. I just hope progressives are much smarter this time around. We can't afford the Michael Moores &

the Susan Sarandons who only seek to divide us. I hope the film is a big flop. Pretty soon MM will be as welcome around here as Glenn Greenwald and Alex Jones.

[betsuni]

40. I wonder if MM will do a flip-flop right before the elections and support Democrats.

As he did in 2016 at the last minute, October 18th, when he did "Michael Moore in Trumpland" and admitted that voting for the Democrat was much better than the Republican. Too late. Can't figure out why he does this.

I am not entirely optimistic that people are smarter this time around. Some.

[Tarheel_Dem]

49. After his stunt in 2000, I'm just surprised that so many still fall for his crap. n/t

[Scurrilous]

10. $50 million dollar man railing against the establishment...

Michael Moore: Divorce Is Ugly But Final As Neighbors Dish The Dirt

<snip>

"According to the Washington Post, details of the feud between Michael Moore and Kathy have been leaking out since their march toward divorce hit the courts. Rumors of various disagreements, from career conflicts to when Michael actually left Kelly, were said to plague the unhappy couple.

But the source of real contention came with additions Kelly made on their Central Lake lake front home in Michigan. The McMansion type changes didn’t sit well with the notoriously liberally crusading Michael Moore, who has fashioned a persona of being part of the 99 percent, not the evil money hoarding, mansion building 1 percenters.

The Detroit News reports that reaching the divorce settlement saved Michael Moore from having to go to trial which would’ve hung out all his finances, dirty laundry and lavish lifestyle for all to see. This wouldn’t have jived with Moore’s chubby physique, ever-present baseball cap, guy next door look he portrays.

With nine properties in Michigan and New York and other holdings, Michael Moore and Kathy Glynn are said to be worth about $50 million dollars."

https://www.inquisitr.com/1367767/michael-moore-divorce-is-ugly-but-final-as-neighbors-dish-the-dirt/


...and some are stupid enough to fall for it.

[babylonsister]

12. I don't care how

much money he has or about his marital problems.

I hope to see the flick to make up my own mind.

[mountain grammy]

19. Same here

[lame54]

14. This guy has been very rich for a long time...

Not falling for anything
He can be rich and still care and still know his shit

[Cha]

20. Moore doesn't need to worry with his FU $$$$$$$$ and he could give

a shite about those who do with the Sociopathic Monster rigged in by Russia.

Doesn't have much to say about trump but drags President Obama through the fucking mud?! The one who is out there encouraging us to GOTV and not Fucking whining about the Democratic Party.

Fuck Off Moore..

Link to tweet

[still_one]

24. While that may be, his divorce, or even if there are large sums of money involved has really nothing

to do with his making statements that have the potential to divide Democrats before a critical midterm election.

That is what is disturbing to me, and blaming it on his divorce doesn't cut it for me

[workinclasszero]

11. FO Moore!

Putin and the GOP are no doubt happy that you are attacking the only party that can save America from Trump fascism, you mealy mouthed SOB!

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. Fuck Michael Moore, and the piece of shit film he rode in on.

[brettdale]

21. so its up

To Tom Arnold to provide damaging intel on trump then.

[JI7]

28. no, it's up to Robert Mueller

[JI7]

29. "He was the first black president. OK, not a bad accomplishment. But that's it."

<Moore continued: “When the history is written of this era, this is how you’ll be remembered. He was the first black president. OK, not a bad accomplishment. But that’s it. That’s it, Mr. Obama. A hundred years from now, (it’ll be noted that) he was the first black American that got elected president. And that’s it — eight years of your life and that’s what people will remember.”>

https://nypost.com/2014/09/11/michael-moore-calls-obama-a-huge-disappointment/

[betsuni]

35. Ugh, I forgot about that.

It's not like Obama was FDR who came into office with majorities eventually reaching 80% in both chambers. OF COURSE a president could get things done. WTF. And Trump has greatly increased drone warfare, civilian deaths in wars increased 200 percent in 2017 over the year before, but silence about that. Obama drone Obama drone Obama drone was a constant refrain and now, who cares I guess, unless a Democrat does it.

So tired of this ignorance.

[Cha]

47. I never saw that stupidity from Moore before. BS was for the

Last edited Sat Sep 8, 2018, 09:54 PM - Edit history (1)

the drones, too.. said it "did some good..". Any fucking word from MM on BS' drone approval?

Gaslighters like Moore never take anything into account except their own demagogic agenda.

[BannonsLiver]

44. What a jealous, spiteful bastard he is

But I guess being elected the first black president beats being an uber wealthy fake man of the people layabout who puts down the caviar once every four years to tell us all we’re doing it wrong. Fuck you, Mike. As always.

[Cha]

46. Moore does sounds like a jealous mean thing. No fucking wonder

he made 11/9 more about bullshit than the reality of trump the fucking Russian asset.

[BannonsLiver]

54. Wait till 2020

He likely won’t have much to whine about after the mid terms, but we all know that unless we nominate the candidate he supported in the 2016 primary, he will piss all over whovever we nominate. Whoever it is he will find a problem. Some unforgivable transgression. You can practically set your watch to it.

And yeah he supported Hillary in the general, albeit half heartedly, I think it’s safe to say had the GOP not nominated an obvious lunatic in 2016 there’s a good chance Moore would have been extolling Jill Stein’s virtues. see: 2000.

[Cha]

56. Yeah, Moore has his followers who don't seem to know or

care that he's doing the goPutin's work for them..

Moore reduced his legacy to BullShit claiming all President Obama is good for is being "the first Black President".

I leave you with this..

Link to tweet

It only requires some basic intelligence and a smidgen of empathy to see what a great President Barack Obama was.

[Cha]

45. That right there shows what a Fucking Disgusting Disgrace Michael

Moore is. Idiot.

Damn.. Thank you for that, JI7. I thought he was disgusting before I read that.

<Moore continued: “When the history is written of this era, this is how you’ll be remembered. He was the first black president. OK, not a bad accomplishment. But that’s it. That’s it, Mr. Obama. A hundred years from now, (it’ll be noted that) he was the first black American that got elected president. And that’s it — eight years of your life and that’s what people will remember.”>

https://nypost.com/2014/09/11/michael-moore-calls-obama-a-huge-disappointment/

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

48. What will be Moore's accomplishment?

He made F911, a film that didn't swing the 2004 election as he'd hoped.
At least Obama managed to win 2008.

[Cha]

50. President Obama won 2008 and 2012 even though BS

thought "it was a good idea to primary him". hmmmf.

Link to tweet

[steve2470]

34. worst possible timing for this

Release it the day after the mid-terms, Mike. By the way, you suck for dissing President Obama and "establishment" Democrats. You are very badly out of touch, almost as bad as Susan Sarandon. You need to get out of your bubble and go talk to real voters of all stripes.

[YessirAtsaFact]

36. He is and always will be someone who sabatoged Al Gore in 2000

Thanks to Moore and the “both parties are the same” coalition, we got W and Trump.

Yes, the Russians helped Trump but so did Moore and people like him. How many votes did the “both parties are the same” meme cost Hillary? More than enough to win the election.

W gave us the Iraq war; a destabilized Middle East, ISIS and an economic collapse that almost caused a depression.

Trump has already given us two years of chaos and Facism Lite, not to mention a bazillion right wing ideologue judges and an outrageous tax cut for the rich-and he’s just getting started.

Moore does more harm than good and has for years.

Asshole asks “How the fuck did this happen?” His dogging of the Democratic Party has cost us a lot of close elections for years, that’s how the fuck this happened.

People like him.screw the Democratic Party by depressing turnout and convincing lefties to vote for candidates who can’t win for the sake of some ideological purity bullshit.

If you enjoy his work, fine, but Moore just as much our enemy as Trump is. He just acts like a friendly dog until he bites our hand again.

[JHan]

38. +++

[JHan]

37. nope.

[JustAnotherGen]

41. Establishment?

Why stop there Mr. Moore?

Establishment Oligarch Plutocrats Capitalist Blood Sucking Banksters. He's becoming a broken record.

Here's an idea - Shut up and let the Democratic Party activists do what you have been incapable of doing . . . Flip indietearepublican women.

[MuseRider]

42. I have been waiting impatiently to see this!

Can't wait. Who says just because you have a D after your name you are perfect? Chances are I will agree with most of what he says. Love his films, his efforts and his heart to do all this. Oops, I forgot, he has gotten rich off this. Man oh man, maybe I should forget going..........ha ha. Go Michael, it is your film, your opinion and if some cannot take it they will try to destroy you. I don't think that is actually possible. Can't wait to see what it actually is that he says instead of excoriating him with preconcieved notions.

[RandySF]

52. Here we go

[RandySF]

53. He's mad because his guy didn't win the MI primary

[shanny]

55. Michael Moore is always on target.

I remember when he was sounding the alarm bells about Rump long before the election. His hair was on fire, and he was trying to light up the rest of the left. I remember some here claiming he had gone to the dark side and wanted Rump to win...

[Cha]

57. Michael Moore is BullShit on target.

Link to tweet

[OhioBlue]

58. I will wait to form an opinion until I see it for myself.

I think Moore has been characterized unfairly on DU. A lot of people bring up 2000 but don't point out how he recognized his mistake and in 2004 begged Ralph Nader not to run and take votes away from Kerry.

And, while I absolutely LOVE Pres O and think he is the best of my lifetime, I also can recognize that no person is perfect. I do remember a friend's husband that was deported under O and I felt it was unfair. We have to be able to reflect honestly.

As far as Moore as a film maker, I remember one of the last scenes in "Capitalism, a Love Story" (and btw - I do disagree with him on some things in the film), where he unearthed a clip of FDR dictating a second Bill of Rights. I cried at that scene. The Second Bill of Rights would have made such a difference in our Country had it been adopted. I wish our national dialogue included FDR's second Bill of Rights very prominently. It would be a guiding principle, an ethical and moral compass and would have changed the trajectory of our National conversation.

Nothing in Michael Moore's past leads me to think he is an enemy or someone to be scorned by the Dem Party. There are decisions and statements we may disagree and a shitload of stuff taken out of context, but he is an ally even if many don't see it. As far as this film, I will wait to make a judgement until I see it for myself.

[SunSeeker]

59. Oy. Well, I saw his other films. Won't be seeing this one.