Popular provocateur Michael Moore was recently featured on CNN's "The Situation Room" to promote his newest documentary "Sicko." The interview opened with a preemptive segment that, according to the textual headers on the bottom of the screen, purported to be a "reality check" and a "healthy look at the facts." However, this entire CNN segment employed blatant techniques of misinformation at a time when the American public needs accuracy in mainstream news coverage - not the evocation of phantom WMDs or other scare tactics designed to perpetrate political ideology.

The show opened with a clip in which CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta informed the audience that Moore's support of Cuba's tax-based health care system is ill-advised. Cuba has actually slipped to number 39 (two rankings below America) in the World Health Organization's rankings of data on the medical systems of 191 countries - an irrelevant factoid that distracts the viewer from Moore's point that Cuba has more readily accessible services and cheap prescription drugs. Although Cuba may rank slightly below America, that hardly means that America can't explore the beneficial practices that Cuba employs in its facilities.

After this, "The Situation Room" put up a smokescreen of statistical data that denigrates from what could be a platform for discussion about America's low-ranking position on the list. Gupta reported that America has the shortest waiting periods for non-emergency electrical procedures, which is a moot point. What difference do long lines make when many Americans cannot even afford coverage to get in the door? The entire segment served the purpose of silencing Moore's message before he was even interviewed.

When Wolf Blizter gave Moore an opportunity to respond, he remarked, "That report was so biased. I can't imagine what pharmaceutical ad is coming up right after our break here." Moore demanded that the media provide unbiased reporting to the public, not something sponsored by a corporate conglomerate.

Despite this, immediately after the interview, Lou Dobbs remarked that Moore is "more of a left-wing promoter than Hugo Chavez." This semiotic comment aligned Moore with someone who the media depicts as a sort of radical Communist; the average viewer sitting at home was alienated as CNN attempted to minimize his political message under the subterfuge of stereotypes it had already invoked.

Jennifer Sussex is an LSA sophomore and a member of the Daily's editorial board.