Republicans invited to anti-Bush movie

Theater operator will pay for their tickets

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updated 4:09 p.m. ET July 15, 2004

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Theater operator Eric Faden has had a hard time persuading Republicans to see “Fahrenheit 9/11.” So he’s inviting them to a special showing.

What’s more, he’ll even buy tickets for any card-carrying Republicans who come to see Michael Moore’s assault on President Bush’s actions regarding the Sept. 11 attacks.

“Hopefully, some people will come out,” said Faden, executive director of the nonprofit Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg and an assistant professor of film studies at Bucknell University. “That is the sincere intent of this.”

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Faden isn’t trying to convince anybody that Moore is right. He’s ambivalent toward “Fahrenheit 9/11,” describing it as “both a fantastic film and a fantastically flawed film.”

“There’s, obviously, a lot in the film that was very provoking and intriguing, but there was also a lot in the film that I questioned,” Faden said.

Faden heard liberal patrons praising the film, but when he sought the opinions of his conservative friends, he found most hadn’t seen it, often because they didn’t want to support Moore financially. That’s why he’s willing to ante up.

One local GOP leader said he hoped people would take Faden up on the offer.

John Meckley, Republican Party chairman of neighboring Northumberland County, saw “Fahrenheit 9/11” last week and described the movie as “intellectually dishonest as a documentary.” But he also said he would encourage local Republicans to see the film so they can participate in an informed debate.

“I called Eric to applaud him for doing this,” Meckley said. “I think what he’s doing is he’s really trying to open the doors to make the film available to more people, so that he can open the debate. And in this country, debate has always been a positive thing.”

Even a free showing might not be enough to persuade some to see the film. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found 63 percent of Republicans had no plans to see “Fahrenheit 9/11,” compared with 38 percent of independents and 27 percent of Democrats.

“We’ll see what happens on Saturday,” Faden said. “I think it’s going to be one of two things — it’s either going to be packed and I’m going to be really poor, or no one’s going to show up.”