Courtesy of The Stig, Roger Ebert on Michael Moore:

The pitfall for Moore is not subjectivity, but accuracy. We expect him to hold an opinion and argue it, but we also require his facts to be correct. I was an admirer of his previous doc, the Oscar-winning "Bowling for Columbine," until I discovered that some of his "facts" were wrong, false or fudged.

In some cases, he was guilty of making a good story better, but in other cases (such as his ambush of Charlton Heston) he was unfair, and in still others (such as the wording on the plaque under the bomber at the Air Force Academy) he was just plain wrong, as anyone can see by going to look at the plaque.

Because I agree with Moore's politics, his inaccuracies pained me, and I wrote about them in my Answer Man column. Moore wrote me that he didn't expect such attacks "from you, of all people." But I cannot ignore flaws simply because I agree with the filmmaker. In hurting his cause, he wounds mine.

This is exactly what I've tried to argue in this here blog. My politics are progressive not because I believe aliens are being held at Area 51 or that G8 summits are constantly punctuated with mustache twisting and bellowed "Mu-ha-ha-ha" evil laughs like Enron employees. I don't believe the Nick Berg beheading was faked -- oh my GOD, it's the same chair! Christ. I'm a progressive because of honest to God truths. Job growth is way down from four years ago, off-shore corporate tax shelters are raping the country, the middle-east is even further from stablizing because of our stunts, the oil-based economy is bad for the environment and for social justice, we're one of the only industrial nations without guaranteed health care only because health care is big business -- do you want me to continue? Those are TRUTHS.

The point is, nothing is more irrefutable than the truth, and if the only defense to a truth is a lie, then we've won. The corollary is that we can't lie. Then we end up on the ropes. And I chafe easily.

Another point: There's one other thing that Ebert says that I enjoy, quoting Jean-Luc Godard: "'The way to criticize a film is to make another film.'" The other night, Kelly was telling me that Republicans only know how to react, that Liberals are putting out moves like Fahrenheit 9/11, The Hunting of the President, and The Corporation, and Republicans can only go on the defensive, copying liberal tactics. (I'm sorry if I misunderstood you, Kelly, but that's what it sounded like.) I think that only means one thing, and it's good--conservatives are on the ropes. And isn't life nothing but reactions to stimuli? Aren't the rise of blogs a reaction to mainstream news coverage? If the Republicans want to make a movie, they can go right ahead, but at this point, it would be too little, too late.