Moore: From anti-Bush to anti-Blair

Moore to start 'war room' for June 25th Opening

The 50-year-old filmmaker - whose latest documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" won the top prize at May's Cannes Film Festival for its highly critical look at President George W. Bush's connections with high-ranking Saudis and his hawkish Iraq policies - has new prey in sight: British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Moore intends to focus on Blair's role in backing the war, reports Reuters.

"I personally hold Blair more responsible for this war in Iraq than I do George W. Bush, and the reason is Blair knows better. Blair is not an idiot. What is he doing hanging around this guy?" says Moore.

The director adds that Blair is like an older brother to Bush, and therefore must be held to a higher standard when trouble arises, much like what happens in a family.

Before Moore starts on his cinematic Blair-bashing, however, he is rounding up his own troops in anticipation of critical and political backlash to "Fahrenheit." He will reportedly create a "war room," in which two of Bill Clinton's former advisers, Chris Lehane and Mark Fabiani, will support the movie's claims with the help of a small staff. The group will operate 24 hours a day, monitoring all media for any efforts to discredit the film.

"You come at me with anything, we come back with the truth," Moore says.

Although Moore is obviously outspoken against Bush, he wants to make it clear that this does not make him an automatic supporter of the presumed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Moore is a registered independent voter, and adds that if Kerry is elected, "I'd keep my eye on him, too."