Filmmaker Michael Moore (search) likes to portray himself as a common man, his uncommon riches notwithstanding. But he doesn’t stand up for the collective wisdom of his fellow Americans when speaking in front of foreigners.
Mr. Moore told a Toronto audience last week: "Why would you want to be like us?" The American ethic, he said, is "every man for himself. Me me me me me."
When he was in England recently, Mr. Moore expanded on his unique brand of populism, saying of Americans, "They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet... in thrall to conniving, thieving smug [expletive]. We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don't know about anything that's happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing."
In an open letter to the German people in Die Zeit, Moore asked, ''Should such an ignorant people lead the world?"
While Europeans love this stuff, one might think its popular appeal would wane a bit back home. And yet, as David Brooks of The New York Times points out, this is the man for whom a Senate vote was delayed because so many members wanted to see his movie.
And that's The Observer.
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