Schlockumentarist and radical leftwing activist Michael Moore challenged possible Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson to a debate Tuesday; Thompson comically responded by video (available here).
*****Interesting International Update: So much for all politics being local. Andrew Bolt of Australia's Herald Sun linked to this piece at his blog Thursday.
Moore’s challenge, posted at his website, began (emphasis added throughout):
Given that it has been publicly reported in The Weekly Standard, a leading neo-conservative publication, that you support Fidel Castro and the Cuban regime by being a purveyor of fine Cuban exports despite the trade embargo, I was surprised to see your recent op ed in a more traditional conservative outlet, The National Review, regarding my trip to Cuba (I suspect you choose The National Review in an effort to pander to an outlet that had criticized you for your opposition to medical malpractice legislation).
[…]
Putting aside the fact that you, like the Bush Administration, seem far more concerned about the trip to Cuba than the health care of these 9/11 heroes, I was struck by the fact that your concerns (including comments about Castro's reported financial worth) apparently do not extend to your own conduct, as reported in The Weekly Standard's April 23, 2007 story, “From the Courthouse to the White House Fred Thompson auditions for the leading role.”
[…]
In light of your comments regarding Cuba and Castro, do you think the “box upon box of cigars – Montecristos from Havana” that you have in your office have contributed to Castro's reported wealth?
While I will leave it up to the conservatives to debate your hypocrisy and the Treasury Department to determine whether the “box upon box of cigars” violates the trade embargo, I hereby challenge you to a health care debate.
In his declination video to Moore, Thompson said:
You know, the next time your down in Cuba visiting your buddy Castro, you might ask him about another documentary filmmaker. His name is Nicolás Guillén. He did something Castro didn’t like, and they put him in a mental institution for several years giving him devastating electroshock treatments.
Mental institution, Michael. Might be something you ought to think about.
For those interested, Thompson was referring to Nicolás Guillén Landrián, who died on July 22, 2003, having made eighteen documentaries, with several winning awards in Europe.
According to “Blog of Death,”:
[H]e was expelled from Cuba's Institute of Cinematography for making a movie that mocked the Cuban dictator. In the late 1960s, Guillén was accused of plotting to kill Castro. He was imprisoned for two years, then confined for nearly a decade to mental institutions where he was subjected to electroshock therapy.
The New York Daily News reported Wednesday:
Thompson's stogie stunt surprised Moore.
"Why would a potential presidential candidate provide photographic evidence of himself committing a felony?" the director told us last night before he showed his film to the 9/11 workers he'd brought to Cuba.
"Someone should tell him that 'Law & Order' isn't just a TV show, it's real life. I hope the federal government will take the proper and necessary actions against him for violating the law."
Stay tuned.
