Michael Moore: Democrats
need to embrace Hollywood

Michael Moore (courtesy United Artists)

Don't blame Hollywood for Sen. John Kerry's defeat in the presidential election last month, says filmmaker Michael Moore, who insists activist entertainers made the race closer than it would have been otherwise.

TRENDING: Anthropologists cancel event on identifying sex of human skeletons over 'transphobia' concerns

Reacting to charges that his polarizing activism galvanized Republicans, Moore -- director of the provacative, anti-Bush film "Fahrenheit 9/11" -- contended Kerry lost the race simply because he was "not the best candidate."

"For the last month, we've had to listen to a lot of conservative pundits talk about how Democrats need to run away from Hollywood," Moore told reporters before addressing the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

"It's actually the opposite," he said, according to Reuters. "Democrats need to embrace Hollywood because this is where they need to come to learn how to tell a story."

President Bush "had a more compelling story to tell and the Democrats didn't, and that has to change," Moore insisted.

The filmmaker is engaged in a series of public appearances ahead of the Oscar nominations.

His film, considered an Academy Award contender, was a catalyst along with the efforts of other Hollywood liberals that brought millions of new Democrat voters to the polls, he believes.

"What 'Fahrenheit 9/11' and Bruce Springsteen and MoveOn and all the other people that were working during this election, what we did was we prevented a Bush landslide," Moore said. "We're all going to continue to do this in the near future. No one's giving up."

RELATED: Kerry takes up $1 million offer to disprove swiftboat vets

Moore said America "likes to vote for Hollywood," citing Republican movie figures such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former President Ronald Reagan.

"And I think we need to turn to Hollywood, because who wouldn't vote for Tom Hanks or Paul Newman or Robert Redford or Oprah?"

Moore reaffirmed his desire to do a "Fahrenheit 9/11" sequel on Bush's second term, calling Republicans "arrogant" in victory.

"They're going to overreach, they're going to go too far, and I think we want to be there with our cameras to capture that."

Related stories:

Hollywood's 'coldest' star: Michael Moore

Michael Moore urges: Don't slit your wrists

Michael Moore pulls out of Florida

Michael Moore off hook for underwear gimmick

Michael Moore's latest: Kerry a lousy candidate

'Michael Moore Hates America' huge hit

Democrats urge party to shun Michael Moore

Newspaper: Moore faked its headline

Michael Moore to monitor Florida vote

Michael Moore to sing with Ronstadt in Vegas?

Ronstadt fans boo tribute to Moore

Ray Bradbury rips Michael Moore

Pundit: Michael Moore faked interview

Michael Moore reveals talk host's number

Michael Moore hammers Rush Limbaugh

Did Michael Moore deceive Academy?

Michael Moore website in Oscar hack attack

Disney to finance Moore's Bush-bash

Michael Moore's Oscar targeted

Michael Moore likes U.S. 'to some extent'

Michael Moore booed trashing Bush at Oscars