Filmmaker Michael Moore urges voter turnout

By Tyrone Beason
Seattle Times staff reporter

ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES Michael Moore, left, greets a crowd yesterday at KeyArena, with Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam, at his side. Vedder and Mike McCready, also of Pearl Jam, performed at the event.

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He has plenty of both watching his every move on a 60-city "Slacker Uprising" lecture tour that stopped at Seattle's KeyArena last night. Judging from the name of the tour and Moore's passion about civic involvement, nothing may irk him more than people who don't care, or can't make up their minds.

Whether he's imploring Americans to vote on Election Day or defending his films "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Bowling for Columbine" and "Roger and Me," Moore speaks as forcefully against apathy and ambivalence as against right-wing politics.

He's traveling the country to encourage Democratic voter turnout, especially in states where polls indicate the presidential race is too close to call.

"I only wish George W. Bush could see this," he said, greeting the crowd of about 10,000 in Seattle. Then he chanted, "Two more weeks. Two more weeks. It will be all over," he said, as the crowd roared with approval.

For Seattle, the political showman invited friends Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam to perform for those gathered at the event, sponsored by the nonprofit arts group Foolproof.

His Bush-mocking political collage "9/11" has become the largest-grossing documentary in history, with about $119 million in ticket sales and a hit DVD.

Meanwhile, pundits, journalists and bloggers continue to debate the film's critiques of the Iraq war and its insinuations about the Bush family and wealthy Saudis.

Outside KeyArena, 10 protesters gathered to complain about what they saw as "mistruths" in "9/11."

When asked at a news conference before his speech whether his films were more propaganda than documentary, Moore responded: "My movies are the anti-propaganda."

He said the real propaganda happens every evening on the news when the media act like an arm of the Bush administration.
 
Moore wears his detractors' hostility like one of his signature baseball caps.

In Michigan, Moore offered packages of underwear and Top Ramen noodles as a way to encourage people who don't vote to cast a ballot for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Cries of vote-buying ensued. Moore reacted with amusement.

In Seattle, he made the same offer, tossing noodles and underwear to "the slackers" in the crowd, once they'd made the pledge to vote.

Moore has turned himself into a political target in more ways than one. Today he travels with bodyguards.

"He has a security detail that rivals that of presidents," said Foolproof's Marilyn Raichle.

Even if Moore can't physically reach out to people as often, he's betting that his high-energy style will move hearts and behinds come Election Day.

Tyrone Beason: 206-464-2251 or tbeason@seattletimes.com