"Sicko" Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight

Michael Moore has outreported the mainstream media yet again. As promised he delivered a point-by-point takedown of Sanjay Gupta's biased, anti-Sicko, report on July 9th. Which was, by the way, one of several Gupta stories that were meant to point out the so-called "fact fudging" in Sicko. I wonder how they're gonna respond to this:

This post originally appeared on Michael Moore.com

EXAMPLE OF DISTORTIONS CNN COMMONLY GETS AWAY WITH - BUT NOT WITH MICHAEL MOORE:

SiCKO' Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN: "(Moore says) the United States slipped to number 37 in the world's health care systems. It's true. ... Moore brings a group of patients, including 9/11 workers, to Cuba and marvels at their free treatment and quality of care. But hold on - that WHO list puts Cuba's health care system even lower than the United States, coming in at #39."

THE TRUTH:

* "But hold on?" 'SiCKO' clearly shows the WHO list, with the United States at number #37, and Cuba at #39. Right up on the screen in big five-foot letters. It's even in the trailer! CNN should have its reporter see his eye doctor. The movie isn't hiding from this fact. Just the opposite.

* The fact that the healthcare system in an impoverished nation crippled by our decades-old blockade (including medical supplies and drugs) ranks so closely to ours is more an indictment of the American system than the Cuban system.

* Although Cuba ranks lower overall than the United States, it still has a lower infant mortality rate and longer life span. (see below)

* And unlike the United States, Cuba offers healthcare to absolutely everyone. In an independent Gallup poll conducted in Cuba, "a near unanimous 96 percent of respondents say that health care in Cuba is accessible to everyone." ("Cubans Show Little Satisfaction with Opportunities and Individual Freedom Rare Independent Survey Finds Large Majorities Are Still Proud of Island's Health Care and Education," January 10, 2007.

See many more on AlterNet 

WHEE-MD Observations

The internet is a savior - allowing rebuttals to misinformation and disinformation (deliberate misinformation used to influence opinions of viewers) from the media.

Blessings

Dan Benor