LIKE THE UNABOMBER WITH A BETTER AGENT (via Glenn Dryfoos):

Moore Is Less (Michelle Cottle, 05.07.04, New Republic)

[Michael] Moore, a darling of the left, does not deny that Fahrenheit 911 slams the president. Disney, in turn, does not deny that it objects to the political nature of the documentary. But that is pretty much where agreement ends. Citing a chat he had last spring with Disney chief Michael Eisner, Moore's agent claims that Disney fears the film would irritate presidential brother and Florida Governor Jeb Bush, prompting the younger Bush to reassess the sweet tax deal currently enjoyed by the Orlando-based Disney World. Company execs reject this claim, instead citing concerns that Moore's overly partisan film would offend the millions of pro-Bush families who patronize their parks and movies.

Whatever the particulars of Disney's objection, Moore has gone nuclear in response. On his website, the filmmaker portrays himself as a courageous, long-suffering truth-teller, lamenting the "profound censorship obstacles" he often encounters and characterizing this latest "struggle" as part of a larger "lesson in just how difficult it is in the country to create a piece of art that might upset those in charge." Fortunately for the American people, the resolute Moore vows to keep fighting for our right to view his latest masterpiece--"because, after all, it's a free country."

Yes, it is a free country, but it is not a perfect one. Because in a perfect country, an irresponsible, intellectually dishonest windbag like Moore would not be a rich, successful, Oscar-winning documentarian. He would instead be just another anonymous nutter, mumbling about fluoride in the water and penning anti-establishment tracts by candlelight in some backwoods Appalachian shack. And he would never, ever find another funder for his "art."

Gotta figure a Michael Moore helps the President more than he hurts.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 16, 2004 1:13 PM