IF you read the BBC’s

Damian Fowler’s report on the continuing controversy over Fahrenheit 9/11, you are led to believe some shifting of tectonic plates has occurred in US politics. No, this is not just Michael Moore going for a walk, it’s a real ‘liberal’ (liberal as in MoveOn.org) awakening in the US.

The introduction is a classic bit of emotionalism, depicting the awakening in tears of a former US marine whose twin brother was killed in Iraq:

‘Ivan Medina fought back tears during a recent screening of Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.’

Fowler continues,

‘Mr Medina was joined by other military family members who shared his outrage. Until recently, voices such as these – not typical die-hard liberals – have been less than conspicuous in challenging the government.’

Well, it all depends on your definition of ‘recently‘, or even ‘conspicuous‘- because Mr Medina’s story has been featured in the media since March and was featured on the Larry King show on CNN in April, where he said

‘this was another plan from the president to win reelection and show and try to get his popularity back up when the truth is, we were not needed in Iraq… My brother and I never supported the war’.

So, not quite such a Damascene conversion after all, and certainly not the result of Fahrenheit 9/11- but why let that spoil a good story?