WASHINGTON (AP) - Cheered by supporters, Michael Moore previewed his Bush-bashing documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11," before a mostly Democratic audience in the nation's capital Wednesday night.
Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said he thought the film would play an important role in this election year.
"This movie raises a lot of the issues that Americans are talking about, that George Bush has been asleep at the switch since he's been president," McAuliffe said as he walked the red carpet into the premiere.
Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa implored all Americans to see the film: "It's important for the American people to understand what has gone on before, what led us to this point, and to see it sort of in this unvarnished presentation by Michael Moore."
The two-hour film depicts President Bush as lazy and oblivious to warnings in the summer of 2001 that al-Qaida was poised to strike. It also accuses the administration of manipulating the Sept. 11 attacks and fanning terrorism fears to win support for the Iraq war.
Dozens of fans greeted Moore outside the theater with applause and shouts of "Go Michael!"
Moore, a fervent Bush critic, said he hopes the movie will get people to the ballot box in November.
"If this movie can inspire a few of that 50 percent that did not vote in this country to get back involved, to re-engage, then the movie will have accomplished something important," he said.
Opening in limited release in New York on Wednesday, the film drew mixed reaction.
"This movie is slanted - it's a backlash at the president, taking the view that U.S. leadership is incompetent," said Miguel Brown, 22, a production assistant who did not work on the movie. "Moore makes it look like U.S. soldiers in Iraq were thrown into battle straight off the streets. The American army is better than that." Brown is the son of a military officer.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" won the top honor at last month's Cannes Film Festival.
The movie, which carries an R rating, opens nationwide on Friday. Moore and his distributors lost their appeal Tuesday to lower the rating to PG-13.
