The film "2016 Obama’s America"

[Comish]

Dinesh D’Souza is the author of the best-seller The Roots Of Obama’s Rage, which is the basis for the film.

 

I haven’t seen it and probably won’t, but find the author’s comparison to the treatment Michael Moore received interesting. D’Souza has more credentials in his resume (College President, Hoover Fellow, etc.) than Moore but can’t get the mainstream to discuss his work.

 

http://www.deadline....ays-mainstream-

 

Some excerpts:

 

DEADLINE: What is your reaction to today’s Obama-Biden campaign slam of 2016 Obama’s America??

“The criticism of the film actually bothers me less than the neglect of the film. If I were Michael Moore and I were to make a film that was the No. 2 political documentary of all time, I would be on every network. I would be on Meet The Press, and I would be profiled in The New York Times, and I would be all over MSNBC. Instead large sectors of the press are refusing to cover the film. They are just pretending it doesn’t exist.”

 

DEADLINE: What is your response to charges that you are simply an anti-Obama propagandist?

D’SOUZA: I tried very hard with this film to make an intelligent film with credible sources and new information. I’m a college president [D’Souza in 2010 was named the president of The King’s College, a Christian college located in New York City], I’ve been a fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the American Enterprise Institute, so what is kind of funny is in a guy like Michael Moore we have a true propagandist and a true conspiracy theorist. A guy who is fast and loose with the facts. My film was to some degree inspired by Fahrenheit 9/11. In the sense that I remember that Michael Moore dropped that film in the middle of the 2004 campaign and it had a big impact. But nevertheless, I set out to make very different type of film than Michael Moore. One that is, first of all, not just preaching to the converted. And second, one that doesn’t insult the intelligence of the audience. And I really think that is actually a large part also of the film’s appeal. That even though the left says it’s propaganda, it’s a risky attack on the film because when people go to see it, they actually see whether they agree or disagree that it is not propaganda. Whatever your politics, you are going to come away from this film saying at least, “Hey, I do know a whole bunch of things about Obama I didn’t know 90 minutes ago.”

 

DEADLINE: How do you respond to claims that the film is racist?

D’SOUZA: There have been some factual attempts to puncture the film but those I think have not worked. So now we have the sleezeball attack. Basically an attempt to blacken my name and imply the film is some sort of a birther type film, which it most emphatically is not, or to suggest that there is some racial element in the film. Whereas in reality I go out of my way to diffuse the race issue to say this is not about race. What Obama is about, in my opinion, is he is a Global redistributionist. He’s pursuing reparations but it’s not racial reparations. It’s global reparations for the sins and conquest of colonism. So the film is manifestly not racial. Now it does explain that part of Obama’s appeal is that he, you know, offers White America the certificate of racial absolution, if you will. That he makes people feel good about voting for him, as if by doing that they are somehow transcending America’s racial past. …But that hardly makes the film a racial film. That’s simply part of the film’s intelligent analysis of what’s going on out there.

 

Just wondering if any have seen this film (or intend to) and/or if some have some comments on it. Not necessarily the film itself but whether the author has a legitimate gripe about being shut out of the mainstream compared to Moore with relatively comparable products.

[knapplc]

This guy is a conservative Michael Moore. He claims, like Moore, to present only facts, yet what he does, like Moore, is present BS conjecture intended to spin his propaganda message to the masses. We should celebrate the fact that we're not falling for this crap anymore. We should celebrate the fact that Michael Moore isn't taken seriously anymore.

 

If this guy is crying that he isn't getting the respect Michael Moore got.... he can go cry somewhere else. Moore is and always was lambasted for his lunacy. That's not something a serious filmmaker should aspire to.

[Comish]

This guy is a conservative Michael Moore. He claims, like Moore, to present only facts, yet what he does, like Moore, is present BS conjecture intended to spin his propaganda message to the masses. We should celebrate the fact that we're not falling for this crap anymore. We should celebrate the fact that Michael Moore isn't taken seriously anymore.

 

If this guy is crying that he isn't getting the respect Michael Moore got.... he can go cry somewhere else. Moore is and always was lambasted for his lunacy. That's not something a serious filmmaker should aspire to.

 

I tend to agree with you, although arguably Moore was feted by the media and did influence some people in that election.

 

Interestingly, Scott Paulson (a liberal) from CBS saw the film and has a different take...

 

"Yet, I’m glad I saw the hyped-film because it was more informative than I had thought it would be and included less propaganda than I had predicted. If anything, it was nearly too informative as there was an enormous amount of information condensed into the nearly one-hour-and-a-half documentary. Fact after fact is put forth which shows that President Obama definitely has many skeletons in the closet that have not been released prior to the nation’s trust in him with the Oval Office."

 

http://newyork.cbslo...ngly-necessary/

[BigRedBuster]

This guy is a conservative Michael Moore. He claims, like Moore, to present only facts, yet what he does, like Moore, is present BS conjecture intended to spin his propaganda message to the masses. We should celebrate the fact that we're not falling for this crap anymore. We should celebrate the fact that Michael Moore isn't taken seriously anymore.

 

If this guy is crying that he isn't getting the respect Michael Moore got.... he can go cry somewhere else. Moore is and always was lambasted for his lunacy. That's not something a serious filmmaker should aspire to.

 

I don't like any of this kind of crap and it is a prime example of why I think the media is extremely dangerous in America right now. People actually believe this crap. I remember having discussions on message boards when Moore's movie came out about 9/11 and liberals actually believed that Bush knew about 9/11 and may have helped plan it.

 

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

[knapplc]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

 

I'm not liberal - never have been. I'm an almost dead-center moderate.

 

Ever taken the Political Compass test? This is where I fall on their compass:

 

 

Slightly more Socially Authoritarian, but Right-leaning economically. Overall, nearly smack dab in the middle.

[carlfense]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

I didn't know that anyone took Michael Moore seriously.

[carlfense]

Interestingly, Scott Paulson (a liberal) from CBS saw the film and has a different take...

Liberal media mocks documentary? Ignore it and decry the liberal media.

Liberal media doesn't mock documentary? Look! Even the liberal media agrees with us!

 

 

 

 

Also . . . is this your liberal? http://www.examiner....l/scott-paulson

 

[knapplc]

This guy is a conservative Michael Moore. He claims, like Moore, to present only facts, yet what he does, like Moore, is present BS conjecture intended to spin his propaganda message to the masses. We should celebrate the fact that we're not falling for this crap anymore. We should celebrate the fact that Michael Moore isn't taken seriously anymore.

 

If this guy is crying that he isn't getting the respect Michael Moore got.... he can go cry somewhere else. Moore is and always was lambasted for his lunacy. That's not something a serious filmmaker should aspire to.

 

I tend to agree with you, although arguably Moore was feted by the media and did influence some people in that election.

 

Interestingly, Scott Paulson (a liberal) from CBS saw the film and has a different take...

 

"Yet, I’m glad I saw the hyped-film because it was more informative than I had thought it would be and included less propaganda than I had predicted. If anything, it was nearly too informative as there was an enormous amount of information condensed into the nearly one-hour-and-a-half documentary. Fact after fact is put forth which shows that President Obama definitely has many skeletons in the closet that have not been released prior to the nation’s trust in him with the Oval Office."

 

http://newyork.cbslo...ngly-necessary/

 

How is Scott Paulson "a liberal?" The name of his column is "The Right Politics." It's filed under "Political Blog Conservative." Paulson's other blogs are equally from Right-Wing bizzarro-land. For goodness' sake, that website has "Related Tags" on this blog including: Obama's America, Barack Obama, Bill Ayers, Conservative, Documentary, Economy, Mitt Romney, Obama movie, propaganda, Sean Hannity, talk radio, Tea Party

 

Some more quotes from this little hatchet piece:

How could one so-highly educated and intelligent as Obama not know what he was doing when he incurred such debt? I left the movie thinking more strongly than I had in the past that the current debt and this economy was part of Obama’s plan all along. Increasingly making Americans dependent on the government is the plan. What’s more, he knew his blind followers would believe it was not the plan and, of course, was all Bush’s fault.

 

 

He must be laughing at his blind followers all the way to the “new America” they’re allowing him to create. My belief is that Obama continues to prey on his die-hard followers’ stupidity to accomplish his personal goals for America.

 

The most disturbing part of the film to me was the interview with President Obama’s half-brother George Obama from Nairobi, Kenya. How can Obama claim to want to help people when he has done absolutely nothing for his own family? It makes me wonder if he really cares about anybody if he can’t find it in his heart to help his own family.

 

This sounds like a liberal to you? Man, do I have some beachfront property in Arizona to sell you....

[BigRedBuster]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

I didn't know that anyone took Michael Moore seriously.

 

Really??? Good Lord, the guy was a celebrity amongst many because he finally was uncovering the truth. Fahrenheit 911 is the highest grossing documentary of all time. That isn't because everyone thought it was a bunch of lies and didn't take it seriously.

[BigRedBuster]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

 

I'm not liberal - never have been. I'm an almost dead-center moderate.

 

Ever taken the Political Compass test? This is where I fall on their compass:

 

 

Slightly more Socially Authoritarian, but Right-leaning economically. Overall, nearly smack dab in the middle.

 

Yes, I am slightly opposite of you. I am slightly libertarian socially and to the right economically. So, I guess from your graphic, I am a Libertarian Right.

[sd'sker]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

I didn't know that anyone took Michael Moore seriously.

 

Really??? Good Lord, the guy was a celebrity amongst many because he finally was uncovering the truth. Fahrenheit 911 is the highest grossing documentary of all time. That isn't because everyone thought it was a bunch of lies and didn't take it seriously.

that is why i saw it. although, i remember buying a ticket to a different movie and then sneaking in, a vote with your dollars sort of thing. i really do not remember much about that movie other than being bored and maybe confused. i was much younger, but i remember just thinking it only proved that bush was a businessman and that had consequences. someone mentioned how his movies affected elections? how so? if they did, i would imagine it to be negatively. as in, 'moore is such an idiot, i am voting for bush just to spite him'. however, i did like 'sicko'.

 

the tagline for the obama movie is so stupid. 'love him or hate him; you don't know him', or some such nonsense. why is this guy privy to who obama really is when no one else is? it just smacks of propaganda.

 

if you want to see a documentary that will knock your socks off, check out 'the corporation'. i believe it is streaming on netflix. 'outfoxed' is good. i also liked 'manufacturing consent'.

[BigRedBuster]

I take politically based documentaries all the same way. There is an agenda behind them.

[krill]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

 

You can file me under that heading too...Moore is no different than 95% (random number) of the talking heads. Hypocritical, won't hesitate to mislead / lie to sway the audience, and really only seems to care about the power of his voice and getting paid. His first big movie, Roger & Me, was a big rant about closing factories in Flint that were uncompetitive; 20 years later after GM finally had to declare bankruptcy and reorganize into a competitive company with compensation competitive with transplants in the south (still a very good wage), he's has nothing but praise for how great GM is.

[knapplc]

I think you are the first liberal leaning person I have read on a message board that openly condemns Moore.

 

I'm not liberal - never have been. I'm an almost dead-center moderate.

 

Ever taken the Political Compass test? This is where I fall on their compass:

 

 

Slightly more Socially Authoritarian, but Right-leaning economically. Overall, nearly smack dab in the middle.

 

Yes, I am slightly opposite of you. I am slightly libertarian socially and to the right economically. So, I guess from your graphic, I am a Libertarian Right.

 

"Slightly opposite" means, to me, that you're probably a Moderate like me, just a smidge on the other side of the spectrum. An issue here or there different, but largely the same. Yet we bicker about Republican This or Democrat That and draw lines.

 

I know "us vs. them" is a human trait, ingrained since the caveman days to protect precious resources like food and shelter, but it really gets in the way of progress today when we just want to move along from partisan BS.

 

And yes, I'm guilty of fueling the bickering, too. To some degree I'm entertained by it, but for the most part I'm utterly bored with it. I'd still rather talk to you about cooking. I think we have a ton of common ground there.

[sd'sker]

I take politically based documentaries all the same way. There is an agenda behind them.

but that does not mean they can not be truthful, or at least provide a different perspective. some are better than others. it is up to you to decide, 'does this make sense to me'.