Votes for noodles

Republicans in Michigan are accusing Michael Moore of electoral fraud. Desperation, more like.

Moore has been visiting college campuses in the run-up to the presidential election and as part of the gig he invites first-time voters on stage. If they promise to vote, he gives them spoof prizes suitable for students - like noodles, beer or clean underwear.

Now even though this is tongue-in-cheek, it expresses a pretty low opinion of the electorate if you think the only way to inspire them is through gimmicks. It also reinforces a wider problem: if you present politics as so meaningless that it can't inspire someone with policies or principles, just takeaway food and alcohol, won't that increase cynicism in the long run? Moore doesn't even say who people should vote for, only that they should vote, which makes the whole exercise even more vacuous.

Meanwhile, Republicans are clearly suffering a sense-of-humour bypass if they can equate Moore's antics with electoral fraud. 'We want everyone to participate in this year's election, but not because they were bribed or coerced by the likes of Michael Moore', said Greg McNeilly, executive director of the Michigan state Republican Party. Both sides are showing signs of desperation. Republicans hate Moore, but don't know how to deal with him, and fear he might galvanise an anti-Bush vote. Moore's so desperate he's backing John Kerry, even though Kerry voted for the war in Iraq.

With politics in this state, how long before those students are demanding hard cash for their votes?

Moore in 'noodles for votes' row, BBC News, 6 October 2004