"They said they would push me off a cliff"...a letter from Michael Moore

I received this from a mailing list today. It is maybe the best example of how and why the MSM are so effective at disinformation, and gives a glimpse as to how far some will go to protect their assets.


From: Michael Moore
They Said They Would Push Me "Off a Cliff" ...a letter from Michael Moore

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Friends,

Yesterday, on the TV and radio show "Democracy Now" hosted by Amy Goodman, the former Vice President of CIGNA, one of the nation's largest health insurance companies, revealed that CIGNA met with the other big health insurers to hatch a plan to "push" yours truly "off a cliff."

The interview contains new revelations about just how frightened the health industry was that "Sicko" might ignite a public wave of support for "socialized medicine." So the large health insurance companies came together over a common cause: Stop the American people from going to see "Sicko" -- and the way to do that was to cause some form of harm to me (either personally, professionally or...physically?).

Take a look at this stunning section of the interview with Wendell Potter:

WENDELL POTTER [former executive, CIGNA]: ...We were concerned that the movie ["Sicko"] would be as successful as "Fahrenheit 9/11" had been. And we knew that if it were, it really would change public opinion about our health care system in ways that would be harmful to the profits of health insurers. So, it was very important for this [attack] campaign to succeed. At one point during a strategy meeting, one of the people from [the insurance companies' public relations firm] APCO said that if our efforts, our initial efforts, were not successful, then we'd have to move to an element of the campaign to push Michael Moore off a cliff. And not meaning to do that literally, but to—

AMY GOODMAN: Are you sure?

WENDELL POTTER: Well, I'm not sure. To tell you the truth, when I started doing what I'm doing [as a whistleblower], I was concerned about my own health and well-being, maybe just from paranoia. But these companies play to win. And we're talking about some big bucks at stake here—billions and billions and billions of dollars.

AMY GOODMAN: So what were they talking about when they said, "If this doesn't work, we're going to push him off the cliff"?

WENDELL POTTER: Well, it would be just an incredibly intense PR effort, if necessary, to spend more premium dollars to defame Michael Moore, to discredit him even more as a filmmaker.

AMY GOODMAN: So, were you doing research on him?

WENDELL POTTER: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

AMY GOODMAN: You were going—personally?

WENDELL POTTER: Well, I was a part of the effort. I didn't—that was part of the reason for hiring APCO and to work with a trade association, is that it relieved me of the responsibility of doing that kind of work. You paid for it to be done by people who were experts in doing that kind of research.

AMY GOODMAN: But they were doing an investigation into him personally?

WENDELL POTTER: Well, absolutely. We knew as much about him probably as he knows about himself.

AMY GOODMAN: About his wife, about his kid, about—

WENDELL POTTER: Oh, yeah. You know, it's important to know everything that you might be able to use in some kind of a campaign against someone, to discredit them professionally and often personally.

AMY GOODMAN: And did you use that?

WENDELL POTTER: You use it if necessary.

The interview goes on as Potter reveals how his front group was able to get its talking points and smears into stories in the New York Times and CNN. It is a chilling look inside how easy it is to manipulate our mainstream media -- and just how worried the health insurance companies were that the American people might demand a true universal health care system.

In particular, Potter talks about how they may have succeeded in influencing CNN to run a factually untrue story about "Sicko" by its reporter, Sanjay Gupta (which led to my infamous encounter with Wolf Blitzer and later, an apology from CNN for getting their facts wrong).

Potter believes his work to defame "Sicko" succeeded, as the film didn't end up posting "Fahrenheit 9/11" grosses. To be clear, "Sicko" went on to become the 3rd largest grossing documentary of all time at that point. And as the release of "Sicko" in June of 2007 was the first time since the defeat of Hillary Clinton's healthcare bill in 1994 that the issue of health insurance was brought to the forefront of the national media, I believe it helped to reignite the issue during the 2008 election year by exposing millions of Americans to the truth about the health insurance industry. More than one person on Capitol Hill will admit that "Sicko" was a big help in rallying public support for the compromise bill that eventually passed earlier this year. But I agree, their smear campaign was effective and did create the dent they were hoping for -- single payer and the public option never even made it into the real discussion on the floor of Congress.

(There was really only one reason "Sicko" didn't sell as many tickets as "Fahrenheit" and that was because of a felony that was committed -- a felony that I will discuss for the first time on this site in the coming weeks or months ahead. Stay tuned.)

Please read or watch the entire interview with Wendell Potter. It's a fascinating peek behind the curtain of how corporate America really runs this country. And how if any of us get in their way, then those people must be stopped. It begs the question: Seeing how there's more of us than there are of them, how long will we let their takeover of our democracy continue?

God Bless the Ruling Class,
Michael Moore
[email protected]
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. Over the next few days I will continue this examination of the Wendell Potter revelations on "Democracy Now" and in his new book. Please check in to my website.

www.michaelmoore.com...

Link to the full interview.

Poor, poor Michael. Yet another man who got rich using Capitalism in it's purist form who claims to hate all Capitalists.

He must be needing money or a job the poor fellow. Blew his millions on helping people I'm sure.

Wasn't Sicko a flop? Yes it was. It banked only 36 million worldwide and Moore got 50%. The Producers must be livid and broke.

The Movie Industry is the epitome of the system he pretends to hate. P.T. Barnum would be proud. Moore got 18 million for a video few are willing to pay to watch. The rest I doubt would cover distribution costs. He is a legend in his own mind.

When do you suppose he will do an expose on the Documentary Industry and it's use of sensationalism and distorted facts?

Click for image

Originally posted by Blaine91555
[SNIP]

So you don't like Moore....do you have any thoughts on the actual topic posted? Or are you just derailing to rant against an individual you don't like.

This article isnt about Moore, its about the industries which control our media, and the mind's of people like you.

Thanks for being an example.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Nice an example why these mega corporations need to go out of business. They do not want their profits hurt, by people who see how cheap medical treatment is in other countries. Makes you wonder though doesn't it. Third world countries in many cases have access to treatment centers that at least provide the most common care. Need you teeth fixed go in and get it done. Just because I am in favor of government ran healthcare, does not mean I support corporate healthcare regulated by government to keep profits up.

"Tis a shame they didn't mean it literally..............
He just is looking to stir the pot, we all know the msm twists things for a reason, he's just upset this time it didn't work for him.

I think whether you like Michael Moore or not, this sort of thing shows the power that big corporations have and the potential along with that for actual, real life conspiracies.

I like MM personally. I don't agree with him on a LOT of things, like gun control, for example, but I like his sense of humor and I like that he does seem to 'get' what's going on with most average working class Americans.

reply to post by captaintyinknots
Are you Michael Moore?

reply to post by TWILITE22

Originally posted by captaintyinknots
I received this from a mailing list today. It is maybe the best example of how and why the MSM are so effective at disinformation, and gives a glimpse as to how far some will go to protect their assets.

He got the letter via a mailing list.

Originally posted by TWILITE22
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

Are you Michael Moore?

Nope. Why do you ask?

Derailing?

Originally posted by adifferentbreed
"Tis a shame they didn't mean it literally..............
He just is looking to stir the pot, we all know the msm twists things for a reason, he's just upset this time it didn't work for him.

So you advocate big business murdering their opposition? And you are okay with the idea that those who have the money influence your media, and obviously the way you think?

This letter (press release) from Michael Moore is nothing but PR for his website and his cause.

First of all, this is from a mailing list. Mailing lists, more often than not, are about promoting things. Not for nefarious reasons, but for promoting. They send something to you in hopes you will go to a website, a store, subscribe to their beliefs etc etc.

Second, I doubt he believes that they meant any kind of physical harm. Why do I think that?

Stop the American people from going to see "Sicko" -- and the way to do that was to cause some form of harm to me (either personally, professionally or...physically?).

If this was a doc, we would have gotten some scary music, and maybe even a zoom in on his face. Maybe a funny cartoon clip of some guys in suits sneaking up behind him at a scenic overlook.

It was sensationalist when this group said it, and sensationalist when he does.

I said this letter (press release) was PR. "For what 'Supes?" You ask.

(There was really only one reason "Sicko" didn't sell as many tickets as "Fahrenheit" and that was because of a felony that was committed -- a felony that I will discuss for the first time on this site in the coming weeks or months ahead. Stay tuned.)

My emphasis.

He tells us to "stay tuned" to HIS website about a FELONY.

Now, if he had proof of said FELONY, why would he not have come out with the info, to authorities. Why would he not say "Screw this little letter, I'm hitting them with the big one!" After all, if I found out someone committed a FELONY against my film, I wouldn't give them advance notice I was going to tell the public. I'd just do it.

He doesn't give a date. He doesn't say "next week" "tomorrow" or "next month" He says "in the coming weeks or months ahead." (so make sure you check out his site daily so you don't miss it!)

Of course insurance companies would want to discredit Michael Moore (and from the sounds of it, they got some dirt on him) they don't want him hurting their business. This is par for the course when it comes to someone threatening your business. It's dirty yea, but not uncommon, at all.

This letter (press release) was to promote his "reveal" of a FELONY that he feels was committed, while gaining sympathy.

I can't say it's a bad idea, but this isn't about him being "physically threatened" it's about him pushing his next "big thing". That is all. He doesn't write this as someone who is scared for their life, he writes this as a business man.

reply to post by iamsupermanv2


I can see why you would say this, the problem is, though, that this is a transcript which he had no involvment in. He simply passed it on.

Testimony of one whistle blower will never get a case to trial. That doesnt make what happened any less impactful, and it doesnt make the fact that this is flat out evidence of disinfo campaigns any less relevant.

I have to say, I am bothered by the amount of people who are letting their feelings toward moore cloud their view on this instead of seeing it for what it is.

I'm disgusted that anyone here finds this to be acceptable behavior. Disgusted but not shocked. Humans.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Nope, the media doesn't influence how I feel about MM, he does. He's a sensationalist idiot...............and frankly if he was pushed off of a cliff it wouldn't bother me in the least.

reply to post by adifferentbreed


So in otherwords you advocate violence and murder. Just come out and say it.

What a sad example of human decency

reply to post by captaintyinknots


While I am aware that he had no involvement in that transcript, it does not defeat the fact that he is using it to push his website and cause.

Also, I am aware that one whistle blower does not a trial make, but he threw out that he believes there is "felony" afoot. That is a pretty harsh claim, one that, in my opinion, should not be made unless one is prepared to lay it all out there. He could have used other words, yet threw out felony.

I am aware that it is evidence of disinfo. Disinfo of certain lobby against a certain film maker that harms their cause. While I think it is unethical, it happens constantly and I am more then confident that any documentary trying to "expose" things has similar disinfo tactics attempted on it.

All of that does not defeat that he hyped up the "pushed off a cliff" part,when it appears he doesn't even believe it was meant physically, in order to draw us in to reading that one part. "Stay tuned"

While I am not a fan of Michael Moore, plainly because of an interview on David Letterman a few years back, I still give him the benefit when a story comes up. I think he has good thoughts first, then just bastardizes them because of the business he is in, selling hype.

That is not clouding my judgment of this instance though.

This letter was a press release. There were two bits of info we were supposed to take from it: The evil insurance lobby wants to discredit him through any means necessary (duh) and that he has info of a FELONY that we should stay tuned to his website for an indefinite amount of time. (in order to make him and his sponsors more money I'd imagine.) I'm not saying any of this is a bad tactic, it's quite smart in fact, but this letter was more a press release than him being scared.

I hate the insurance companies but this is laughable. The insurance mafia doesn't need to discredit Moore(though I have no doubt they did discuss it); he is his own worst enemy. All they had to do was sit back and let him hang himself. "Documentary" is not what he makes. He makes hit pieces guided by his own political agendas that are fueled by his bitterness. He is on a revenge mission against the country that took away his cushy job and reduced him(through his own laziness) to mooching off of his parents. Almost all the "facts" in his films have been debunked and that is why no one backs him anymore. He is an embarrassment physically, intellectually retarded, emotionally hamstrung and spiritually bankrupt. He's a joke and no better than a TV preacher selling prayer clothes to desperate, ignorant sheeple.

Fatboy needs to feel important to someone, so its logical that he would come up with a story like this without offering any real proof.

It's a sign of an insecure, feeble minded human being.

Micheal Moore is a asset . Even this topic has a agenda . This never happened in my opinon .He has supposedly spoken out about this threat , he can becaused it never happened , hence it is engeneered and he is able to make such a claim because it works for the agenda .It is false , if his claim had any truth to it you would not hear a peep out of someone like Moore who would truely be hidding under the bed ! Moore is a asset and controlled oppersition , research Mr Moore's relationship with Rahm Emanual's brother and follow the money .Sounds like he has taken one out of Randy Quaid's book .The only differances is I believe Quaid .