"Sicko" press conference tape

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Here's a recording of the first half-hour of Michael Moore's Sicko press conference, with moderator Andre Behar asking the first question. It started just after 11 a.m. I had to bolt at 11:30 in order to get on a press shuttle for the Hotel du Cap and a sitdown with Leonardo DiCaprio and the 11th Hour principals. I still don't have my sound editing software up and running, so it's a little raggedy. Behar's introduction of Moore to the press throng comes about ten seconds in.

Sicko director Michael Moore (r.) and press conference moderator Henri Behar at this morning's press conference -- Saturday, 5.19.07, 11:12 am

Larry Charles Religion Doc<< previous | next >>DiCaprio at the Du Cap

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 19, 2007 at 7:05 AM

comment #1

SpinDozer says ...

"And the people who'd flown in for this intimate first screening, a day after the film had been shipped to the Cannes Film Festival, included grateful Sept. 11 "first responders," suffering lung problems or other ailments from their days at ground zero. In the film, Moore takes them to Cuba and tries to get them treated at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay Ã¢â‚¬â€ where, he contends, terror suspects were getting better medical care than the heroes of 9/11...

He says he hadn't intended to go, but then discovered the U.S. government was boasting of the excellent medical care it provides terror suspects detained at Guantanamo. So Moore decided that the 9/11 workers and a few other patients, all of whom had serious trouble paying for care at home, should have the same chance.

"Here the detainees were getting colonoscopies and nutrition counseling," Moore told The Associated Press in an interview, "and these people at home were suffering. I said, 'We gotta go and see if we can get these people the same treatment the government gives al-Qaida.' It seemed the only fair thing to do."

So the group, which included eight patients Ã¢â‚¬â€ three ground zero workers and five others Ã¢â‚¬â€ headed off by boat towards Guantanamo. From a distance, with cameras rolling, Moore called out through a bullhorn that he wanted to bring his friends for treatment at the naval base. He got no response.

"So there I was with a group of sick people," he says. "What was I going to do?"

The answer: head to Havana. There, the film shows the group getting thorough care from kind doctors. They don't have to fill out any long forms; health care is free in the Communist nation, after all."

from MSNBC 'Sicko' Stars Thank Moore for Cuba Trip

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=262720>1=7701

Posted by SpinDozer at May 19, 2007 7:31 AM

comment #2

christian says ...

let the debate begin.

Posted by christian at May 19, 2007 11:45 AM

comment #3

PaulJBis says ...

Okay!

"Here the detainees were getting colonoscopies and nutrition counseling," Moore told The Associated Press in an interview, "and these people at home were suffering. I said, 'We gotta go and see if we can get these people the same treatment the government gives al-Qaida.' It seemed the only fair thing to do."

But I thought that one of the main criticisms against the Bush administration was that many of the people detained at Guantanamo weren't even terrorists? And now Michael Moore is taking as certain that they are "Al-Qaida"? Which is it then?

Not to mention: not just two years ago the world was up in arms against Bush's inhuman treatment of the Guantanamo prisoners, and now liberal hero Michael Moore is claiming that they get better medical treatment than american citizens? Which is it?

Posted by PaulJBis at May 19, 2007 3:43 PM

comment #4

D.Z. says ...

Paul: "But I thought that one of the main criticisms against the Bush administration was that many of the people detained at Guantanamo weren't even terrorists? And now Michael Moore is taking as certain that they are "Al-Qaida"? Which is it then"

He's probably using the label Al-Qaida ironically.

"Not to mention: not just two years ago the world was up in arms against Bush's inhuman treatment of the Guantanamo prisoners, and now liberal hero Michael Moore is claiming that they get better medical treatment than american citizens? Which is it?"

Torture still goes on there, but they have probably have doctors to clean up any "evidence" for the cameras.

Posted by D.Z. at May 19, 2007 6:24 PM

comment #5

Geoff says ...

Michael Moore needs to take better care of his health.

Posted by Geoff at May 19, 2007 9:16 PM

comment #6

le corbeau says ...

He's as fat as a Guantanamo detainee.

Posted by le corbeau at May 19, 2007 9:35 PM

comment #7

christian says ...

but not shellshocked from torture like jose padilla.

Posted by christian at May 20, 2007 3:47 PM

comment #8

Michael Cavayero says ...

Can Moore make a feature for god sakes. We got it - He can master the documentary, hes witty, his movies always put together points like a Kafka sentence spin, slick, spare and slim, but I've seen this already, I want a Horse of a different color. Please Michael Please. I met you last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, I was a young internal core volunteer, I even had my very flamboyent Japanese Photo professor, who is a big fan of yours, come and curl up by your leg - kinda thing - meaning he stayed closed to you in the back row and asked you questions with a big Japanese smile (very rare) and mangled voice. You appreciated it, the questions, and his praise - 'That's very kind of you'. But please, make a damb narrative feature already, I want to see another corner of your mind. As a fan at least. ( And I don't care what anyone says, hate him or love him, a Moore documentary is a genra of its own.) Cheers.

Posted by Michael Cavayero at May 20, 2007 7:54 PM

comment #9