Fahrenheit 9/11 playing well with critical swing voters (AP Pumps Michael Moore-on)

AP Politics ^ | 7-24-04 | None Dare Put Their Name On This

[Lance Romance]

Fahrenheit 9/11 playing well with critical swing voters

Fahrenheit 9/11, the blockbuster documentary that slams President George W. Bush s handling of the war on terror, is playing well with a critical voting bloc, according to a survey.

Independent or swing voters are not only flocking to see the movie in numbers equal to those of Democrats, but an overwhelming majority of them are lapping it up, according to a Harris Poll.

More than two-thirds (70 percent) of self-styled independent voters who saw the doucumentary came away with a postive impression of it, compared to 89 percent of Democrats and 44 percent of Republicans.

And more than half of the independents (56 percent) said they thought the movie was fair to President George W. Bush, versus 85 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of Republicans.

The results of the online poll appear to contradict predictions of some right-wing critics of the movie who had predicted it would only appeal to Democrats and hence have little or no effect on public opinion.

It may also give Republican strategists pause for thought just over three months from the presidential election in which swing voters are expected to carry the day for one or other party.

The online poll of 2,242 adults conducted earlier this month also found a sizable Republican minoritiy rated the movie as positive (44%), while about a third felt it even gave the president a fair crack of the whip.

The film, by director Michael Moore, which took top honors at the Cannes Film Festival in May, bashes Bush over the war in Iraq and for an alleged erosion of US civil rights amid the war against terror, and has beat all previous box-office records for a documentary.

[Lance Romance]

More than two-thirds (70 percent) of self-styled independent voters who saw the doucumentary came away with a postive impression of it, compared to 89 percent of Democrats and 44 percent of Republicans.

Are these numbers fishy to anyone else? 44% of Republicans?

The online poll of 2,242 adults conducted earlier this month also found a sizable Republican minoritiy rated the movie as positive (44%), while about a third felt it even gave the president a fair crack of the whip.

AP deems an online poll as newsworthy?

[Tom_Busch]

"AP deems an online poll as newsworthy?"

No, but they are no longer really a news organization. They are just another cog in the giant Democrat propaganda machine.

[bad company]

"And more than half of the independents (56 percent) said they thought the movie was fair to President George W. Bush, versus 85 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of Republicans.'

Yeah right, I'm buying this. This is why polls need to be freeped. Good pickup Lance.

[tsmith130]

Online WHERE...Moveon.org?!

I was going to say you forgot the Barf Alert, but the AP byline IS the Barf Alert.

[Dane]

Looks like fartinghigh 9/11 is losing steam. AP( a news organization goebbels would be proud of) is desperately trying to give it CPR.

[Fenris6]

"a sizable Republican minoritiy rated the movie as positive (44%)"

LOL. Name one. Just one...

[HostileTerritory]

44% of Republicans?

Moore exploits sympathy for military families who have put children in harm's way. I expect patriotic Americans to respond to this.

[cripplecreek]

Those "republicans" are the same ones who call radio talk shows proclaiming that they're republicans to validate their opinion that they hate Bush.

In simplest terms, they're liars.

[REAGANBELONGS TO THE AGES]

There is no doubt that the movie will have some effect. Very hard to determine how much and for which side. It's just like every other political commericial.

I can't believe and don't believe it will have that much effect either way.

[G.Mason]

Undecideds, or "Independent or swing voters" if you will are:

A) Rather ignorant persons

B) Rarely exceed 5% of the total vote

C) Believe illegal drugs should be legalized ... or ...

D) Think the rest of the country swoons at their every word

E) All of the above

And the answer is ... E

[The Wizard]

NO, repeat, NO republicans believe this crap

[Puppage]

but an overwhelming majority of them are lapping it up

ie "we're too lazy to do our own research & make up our own minds...we'll let a movie tell us HOW to feel".

[eddie willers]

Voters Seen Little Swayed by 'Fahrenheit 9/11'

Fri Jul 23, 8:49 PM ET

Add Movies - Reuters to My Yahoo!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - If Michael Moore had hoped that his biting documentary critique of the Bush administration might turn the tide of the upcoming U.S. presidential race, he may have to settle instead for the film's box-office success.

A Los Angeles Times poll of likely voters published on Friday showed that "Fahrenheit" is drawing an overwhelmingly Democratic audience and that few Republicans who have seen the movie appear to have been swayed.

The findings support the contention of conservative critics that in terms of its political influence, "Fahrenheit 9/11" is unlikely to go beyond preaching to the Democratic faithful. Just 9 percent of 1,529 registered voters surveyed nationwide July 17-21 had seen the film, which lambastes President Bush (news - web sites) for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on America and his reasons for going to war in Iraq (news - web sites), the Times said.

Of those who had seen the movie, 78 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 9 percent as political independents and 6 percent as Republicans, the Times said. Ninety seven percent said they were planning to vote for presumed Democratic nominee John Kerry (news - web sites).

In addition, 79 percent of those who had seen Moore's film said it would not change how they vote in November, though 18 percent said it made them more likely to vote against Bush and 3 percent said it bolstered their resolve to vote for the president, the newspaper said.

Because only registered voters were surveyed, the poll did not provide any insight as to whether "Fahrenheit" has encouraged anyone who sat out the last presidential election to sign up to take part in the heated 2004 race.

"Fahrenheit," which won top honors at the Cannes film festival (news - web sites) in May, is on its way to crossing the $100 million mark in U.S. and Canadian box office receipts this weekend, an unprecedented sum for a political documentary.

Moore has said he hopes the film could shape the outcome of the election, but political scientists and campaign strategists have speculated that the movie's most likely effect would be to energize the liberal base of the Democratic Party.

[cripplecreek]

"we're too lazy to do our own research & make up our own minds...we'll let a movie tell us HOW to feel"."


Ive had liberal "demand" that I see the movie before voting. He said that I would be an idiot if I vote without seeing the movie.

[Puppage]

He said that I would be an idiot if I vote without seeing the movie

They do so love to demand, don't they?

Anyone who bases his or her vote on a "movie" is, IMHO, an idiot.

[Belisaurius]

These are the same folks who think 'President Bartlett' should still be in office.

[chilepepper]

unfortunately, there are far too many of those in the US, which is why Clinton was elected...

[EDINVA]

it's a HARRIS poll, so throw in a grain of salt

[Puppage]

there are far too many of those in the US, which is why Clinton was elected

Sadly, you're quite correct.

[AmericanMade1776]

July 23, 2003 Howard Dean Polls Top In California

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean has a commanding 16 percent lead over the rest of the Democratic field amongst California voters in a recent poll conducted by the nonpartisan Field Research Institute. The poll also found that 33 percent of the Democratic voters polled were still undecided.

http://meta.popdex.com/link/432

AND THEN..HOWARD DEAN OPENED HIS MOUTH....JUST LIKE JOHN KERRY WILL EVENTUALLY DO...