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Countdown Introduces Michael Moore to the Health Care Voldemort Who Came in From the Cold

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by Tommy Christopher | 11:36 am, November 23rd, 2010

» 12 comments

In what could have been called “Wendell Potter and the Death Panel Hallows,” Countdown’s Keith Olbermann arranged a first-time introduction between health insurance whistleblower Wendell Potter and Sicko director Michael Moore. The subject was Potter’s participation in an industry effort to discredit Moore’s universal healthcare opus, and while the exchange promised to be riveting, the result was rivetingly awkward.

The most fascinating aspect of this is that Moore has met Potter before, but not Courageous Whistleblower Potter. The photo above was taken at the premiere of Sicko, when Potter’s son asked his dad if he could meet his new “hero.” In their Countdown interview, Potter tells Michael Moore that he knew, even then, that what he was doing was wrong, but carried on with it anyway. If you look closely at the picture, you can almost see Potter twisting the knife back there.

Moore immediately lets Potter off the hook, accepting his apology, which sets up a weird dynamic in which the filmmaker calls Potter a hero, but also asks how did it feel to sell his soul in full view of his son. They also spend a lot of time describing the populist Sicko uprising that the insurance industry feared, a notion that might seem self-aggrandizing until you recall what a Rick Santelli rant and some astroturf seed money have wrought.

Adding to the weirdness quotient, Olbermann just shrinks back into a corner to watch the stilted fireworks, emerging only to comically battle Moore for a commercial break.

Here’s the segment, in two parts: (from MSNBC)

Part 2:

The Potter/Moore segment is hampered by the fact that Moore, meeting whistleblower Potter for the first time, seems anxious to let him know that all is forgiven. As this CNN segment attests, a pissed-off Michael Moore is much more engaging. Wolf Blitzer plays a “fact-check” segment that includes Potter’s industry shills (and their “fast and loose” script), and Moore gives him a blistering earful:

Michael Moore went on to debate Dr. Sanjay Gupta (in 3 parts, here, here, and here), tearing him a new Situation Room over sins far less egregious than Potter’s. Given the importance he assigns to the health insurance industry’s effort, Moore is far too quick to grant Potter absolution.

CNN, Countdown, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, keith olbermann, Michael Moore, Sicko, Wendell Potter, Wolf Blitzer

More Liberty

Tommy wrote: “Given the importance he assigns to the health insurance industry’s effort, Moore is far too quick to grant Potter absolution.”

That’s because it’s about money Tommy. Don’t be fooled by Mr. Moore’s “regular guy” routine. He is a millionaire, and wants nothing more than to make more money. Moore is a hypocrite. He owns a “non-profit” foundation that owns a multitude of stocks, and once even owned Halliburton stock.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek

Tommy Christopher, where is all the condescending, partisan language that is usually a staple of your writing? Oh wait, I see. The article is about far left wing nuts and you agree with them, so you suddenly developed some maturity and professionalism.
disenlightened

I’ve noticed that liberal Hollywood males usually end up looking like old women as they age. Google Robert Redford or Paul Newman for images sometime. But, take a look at that mug of Michael Moore’s at the top of the page and tell me you don’t see Granny written all over it. He already looks like Barbara Bush.
tatboy

Tea Party getting money = astroturf.

Huffington & friends supporting Stewarts rally = not astroturf.

OK kids you got that. When the lefties with big money support a cause, it’s grassroots. When righties with big money support a cause it’s fake astroturf.
Rusty Shackelford

Did Moore try to eat him?
CosmosDan

Wow, that was dam interesting. I was pretty unhappy about the editing of Bowling for Columbine so I haven’t watched anything else from Moore, but Potter makes me want to watch Sicko and read his book.

Interesting, the Health Care for profit industry spends the money to set up a fake non profit organization in order to discredit a film that promotes universal health care.
CosmosDan

More Liberty said:
That’s because it’s about money Tommy. Don’t be fooled by Mr. Moore’s “regular guy” routine. He is a millionaire, and wants nothing more than to make more money. Moore is a hypocrite. He owns a “non-profit” foundation that owns a multitude of stocks, and once even owned Halliburton stock.

What about Potter and his book. Do you have any dirt on him?
VoiceofReason

He should have introduced Tubby to the doctors who just defected to Chile from that mecca of modern medicine…..Cuba.

That and a rep from Jenny Craig.
glenn113

Great interview and information on shedding light of corporate greed! Now I suppose all the Tea Party people who are so in favor of the middle class and against all the coporate greed for-profit healthcare industries taking advantage of us would see why the Republicans are against healthcare reform. No? Silly me.
glenn113

Thank you Tommy Christopher. Excellent piece.
Just4thefax

Fact: The term sicko fits Michael Moore like a glove! He’s a tub-a-lard.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-McGinnis/100000472625231 Richard McGinnis

The book “Deadly Spin” written by Wendell Potter will be the first on my list to buy and read… Thumb up to Michael Moore, Wendell Potter and Keith Olbermann…