In a move that has garnered a lot of media attention, McCain took on film maker Michael Moore, whose documentary "Fareinheit 911" was extremely critical of the Iraq war and the President's reaction to the 9/11 attacks. USA Today reports McCain's comments on Moore provided "one of the evening's most electric moments." Moore was sitting in the press section at Madison Square Garden. McCain called Moore a "disingenuous filmmaker who would have us believe that Saddam's Iraq was an oasis of peace, when in fact it was a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children held inside their walls.'" The audience "spotted Moore and began chanting 'four more years.'" Moore "clapped in reaction to McCain's line, waved to the crowd and appeared to say 'two more months.' McCain then said his line about Moore was so good he'd have to repeat it."
McCain Says Kerry Would Be Good President, But Bush Is Proven Leader.
ABC World News Tonight interviewed McCain last night. McCain said, "I am a friend of John Kerry's. I think he'd be a good president. I think this President proved himself with his leadership after September 11th and his strength and ability to lead the country."
National Media Figures Turnout For McCain Birthday Party.
The Washington Post 's "Reliable Source" column reports that McCain "tended to his political base Sunday night: the entire national media. The maverick Arizona Republican, once (and future?) presidential aspirant and press secretary's dream hosted a hyper-exclusive 68th birthday party for himself at La Goulue on Madison Avenue, leaving no media icon behind. Guests included NBC's Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert, ABC's Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, Ted Koppel and George Stephanopoulos, CBS's Mike Wallace, Dan Rather and Bob Schieffer, CBS News President Andrew Heyward, ABC News chief David Westin, Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons, CNN's Judy Woodruff and Jeff Greenfield, MSNBC's Chris Matthews, CNBC's Gloria Borger, PBS's Charlie Rose – pause here to exhale – and U.S. News & World Report publisher Mort Zuckerman, Washington Post Chairman Don Graham, New York Times columnists William Safire and David Brooks, author Michael Lewis and USA Today columnist Walter Shapiro."
Tonight's Program Outlined.
NPR reports this morning that "the theme of the Republican Convention today is 'People of Compassion.' Speakers such as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who is a doctor, and Education Secretary Rod Paige will talk about domestic policy and social service. The headliners of the night will include the President Bush's nephew George P. Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Laura Bush."
Convention To Target Four Voting Groups.
Two GOP pollsters told US News Bulletin why the Republican National Convention is putting on a moderate face this week in New York City: The Bush campaign feels it has the conservative vote locked up and is now reaching out to moderates to beat Sen. John Kerry. The pollsters said in interviews that new data provided to the Bush campaign finds that "97 of 100" conservatives will back the President's reelection but that moderates, especially centrist Democrats, are on the fence and are not driven to back the President because of his conservative policies. The four target groups sought by the Bush campaign, said the pollsters, are married women, Catholics, Hispanics and independents. "It could be a very large crowd if you include everyone who is on the fence on both sides," said one pollster who asked to remain anonymous. He added that the Kerry campaign is trying to woo the exact same crowd of uncommitted voters, which is why the Democratic campaign largely ignored its liberal roots and provided a moderate theme in Boston.
