Letterman talks to Moore, then McCain

Michael Moore with LATE SHOW stage manager Biff Henderson at the Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden; Moore talked to David Letterman via satellite from there

(when Letterman introduced Moore, LATE SHOW audience booed)

Letterman: “Now, well, tell us about what happened the other night. You’re sitting up there and John McCain is speaking and then what goes on.”

Moore: “I’m just sitting up there - I’m writing a guest column for USA Today this week - and just sitting in the press box and all of a sudden, John McCain, a man I admire, was giving a great foreign policy speech and suddenly, he turned into, you know, McCain and Ebert or something. I don’t know. He started reviewing the film. I looked up and he’s making these comments about the film and I thought, ‘Geez, you know, he hasn’t even seen the movie, he’s reviewing a scene that isn’t even in the film.’ And afterwards, Chris Matthews said that to him and he admitted not to have seen the film. And I just felt bad that the Bush people had sent him out there, they didn’t tell him I was here and then gave him these things to say and, - ah, you know, it’s just sad really.”

Letterman: “But how did you feel when everybody in the place was booing, though? That must have been exciting.”

Moore: “I was bathed in boos.” (Moore, Letterman laugh) “It was like a spring morning. No - ah - look, I understand why the Republicans are mad at me. I’d be mad at me too. A lot of people have seen the movie and - “

Letterman: “How much money has that film made, Michael?”

Moore: “Ah, I think about $120 million at this point and it’s still playing.”

Letterman: “Whoa! $120 million.”

(audience applause, audience boos, Moore, Letterman laugh)

Moore: “See, they’re just booing their fellow Americans, you know, who have gone and to see the movie.”

Letterman: “And are you taking any of that money and donating it to charitable causes?”

Moore: “Yes, the charitable cause of removing George W. Bush from office.” (audience reacts, applause, boos)

Letterman: “Oh, now, alright. Well, you know, John McCain is here tonight, Michael, and we’ll ask him about the whole episode.”

Moore: “Yeah, I think he probably wants to clear it up, you know. And actually, I want to — Dave, ask him, you know, he hasn’t seen it yet, I’ll take him to the movies while he’s here in New York - it’s just playing down the street and if he doesn’t like it afterwards, I’ll let him pummel me like you suggested.”

Letterman: “All right, good enough. Thank you very much.”

• * *

[Next LATE SHOW segment, scheduled guest Sen. John McCain talks to Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theater.]

Letterman: “Now, you just saw Michael Moore there with Biff.

McCain: “Yes.”

Letterman: “So tell us your side of the events.”

McCain: “I was giving a speech at the convention - great speech - ” (audience applauds) ” and I did not know he was there, and it was kind of a throwaway line although it was somewhat important because Mr. Moore’s movie has had a significant impact on a lot of Americans. And the delegates, as you saw began - and I didn’t know what was going on, I thought maybe it was an incident or something. Then I could see it was Mr. Moore and that was pretty much the size of it. I admire his skills as a movie maker and certainly admire his success at making money. It seems like he could afford a shave and a haircut.”

(audience laughs, applauds)

Letterman: “Now, now, now. But, do you agree with his position that it was maybe wrong to say critical things about him and the movie if in fact you had not seen the film, or not?”

McCain: “I did not see ‘Catwoman.’”

Letterman: (laughing) “I don’t know that…”

McCain: “I did see many excerpts from the film which received widespread coverage and I did see the scenes of the wedding and the kids flying kites in Iraq. And there was no scenes of the mass graves, of thousands of innocent people who were killed. I visited a mass grave outside Baghdad, 3,000 bodies - they were very efficient. They would take two people, tie them together, shoot one in the head and throw them both in the grave. We know about the prison that had 8- and 9-year-old boys in it and terrible rape and atrocity. That was not part of the film and I think maybe it should be to give people a better idea of how atrocious this guy was, that’s all.”

Letterman: “Well, when you cite examples like this, it makes the whole discussion about what happened the other night completely trival.”

McCain: “No, but it’s not. It’s fun and I’m glad that - “

Letterman: “But in this position, would you owe him an apology or is that not necessary?”

McCain: “I think that it was something - he’s a very big guy and - big guy - ” (audience laughs, Dave laughs) “I didn’t mean - he’s a big man, and I don’t think I owe him an apology because I do think it is disingenuous to portray a picture of Iraq - I saw the excerpts of the film - that do not portray the terrible brutality of this regime. I think that’s only fair.”

Letterman: “But the only position from which to apologize might be not having seen the entire film, that’s all. You know, maybe I’m splitting hairs here. I’ve seen the film and I’ll tell you, it makes a very powerful impression and is very compelling, but what I was left wondering about was, well, how much of it is true.”

McCain: “Well, I think probably there’s a lot of truth in it, I just think he clearly states that’s his agenda and I understand that and - but, look, it’s something that just passes and very frankly, the reason why I’m sorry it happened mainly is because it might detract from what I was trying to say: this is a just cause. This is noble cause; we can bring peace and democracy to the people of Iraq and I want nothing to detract from that message.”

(audience applauds)