I just witnessed something that was as absurd piece of television as I have ever seen. Crossfire on CNN just had a show where the topic of debate was Michael Moore's new documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11. This movie has been the source of huge controversy when it was thrust into the limelight after winning the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, so it's natural that Crossfire would eventually get around to it.

The problem is that neither of the hosts, James Carville or Tucker Carlson, had seen the film. And only one of the guests Arianna Huffington, of all people, had seen the film and was there to support it. The other guest, Melanie Morgan, a conservative talk show host (is there another kind) from KGO in the Bay Area, took the position that no one should see the film, even though she hasn't seen it, which seems rather indefensible on a number of fronts.

I can understand why conservative pundits want to attack this film. Because even if Moore's assertion's don't have any veracity, and I'm not judging one way or the other, it works against their man in the White House. But while doing so, they risk at great damage to themselves coming up against first amendment arguments in the Constitution they hold so dear, and rightly so.

Carlson, lacking the ability to attack the film for not having seen it, instead attacked Moore, trying to bait Huffington into defending some of the filmmakers more absurd quotes. But Arianna wasn't having any of it and totally flustered Carlson when she kept asserting that she was brought on the show to discuss the film, not the filmmaker.

Carville and Morgan, having no basis to judge the film either, fell into a heated discussion about free speech. Carville is for it. Morgan is for it when it suits her. Ironically, Morgan is the Vice Chairman of a group called Move America Forward.

According to the organization's website, Move America is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization committed to supporting America’s efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces. I don't know how contravening the first amendment and sponsoring censorship supports the aims of defeating terrorism, but I'm sure they have an explanation.

On their site is a section called "Stop Michael Moore" which states It’s time to take action to stop Michael Moore’s “Bash America” film, “Fahrenheit 9/11.”. The page goes on to say that “Fahrenheit 9/11” should be shown as a recruiting video for Al-Qaeda, not in our movie theaters.

It seems to me that a) they are going to get nowhere trying to ban the film other than marginalizing their group and appearing alarmist and anti-American themselves and b) they would be much better served by establishing a forum for open debate c) should see the movie before doing anything.

Unlike the folks at Move America Forward, Roger Friedman has actually seen the movie. He's a film reviewer over at the Fair and Balanced Fox News. You think his review would slam the piece as propagandist rubbish, but not so. Here's is what Mr. Friedman had to say:

It turns out to be a really brilliant piece of work, and a film that members of all political parties should see without fail...As much as some might try to marginalize this film as a screed against President George Bush, "F9/11" — as we saw last night — is a tribute to patriotism, to the American sense of duty — and at the same time a indictment of stupidity and avarice...More than even "The Passion of the Christ," "F9/11" is going to be a "see it for yourself" movie when it hits theaters on June 25. It simply cannot be missed, and I predict it will be a huge moneymaker.

No matter which side of the political fence you fall on, one thing we can all agree on is that Moore's documentary is going to be a surprise summer blockbuster and Michael Eisner and Disney are going to rue the day they released the rights to the film after refusing to release it.