Some of you may be wondering why did I pick up this book and read it. Well honestly, I at first thought it would be a great "get-to-know-the-enemy" book. But after reading some choice sections I found myself agreeing with many statements from Mr. Goldberg. He does preface the book with the idea that not everyone will agree with everyone listed. I guess I'm one of those everyones.
Most of the book is just a big list of anyone that has ever bad mouthed George W. Bush. So according to Mr. Goldberg if you bad mouth the president, you are screwing up America. It may sound as if I'm oversimplifying the book, but that is pretty much most of the people listed. However, there are some of the people listed that I found myself agreeing with.
So let's put the Bush Basher's aside, and focus on the parts of the book that actually took some thinking and some genuine bravado to bring out in the open. Oh, wait first, to give away the ending the #1 person is Michael Moore. On most of the people listed in the book Mr. Goldberg writes up a page or two about how/why they are screwing up America. A few of the folks listed are an exception. Michael Moore is one of the exceptions. All Mr. Goldberg does is print Mr. Moore's picture and puts stars around the number one. I guess he's got a personal vendetta against Michael Moore.
There are a couple of others that don't warrant a full write up they are: #95 Courney Love & #90 Michael Jackson. Courtney's write up is simply one word, "Ho." And as for Michael Jackson....I think we can all agree he didn't even deserve a write up.
It is weird that the worst write up in the whole book is one who registered enough to have his name to be on the cover of the book, Al Franken. The write up on Al Franken is really nothing more than childish banter. Mr. Goldberg fakes an interview with Al Franken and the only words out of Al Franken's side of the interview are basically "Liar" or "You are Lying." It wasn't even entertaining.
Now for the ones I really agree with. All the people in the news media and entertainment field, (especially gangasta rap). Mr. Goldberg comes from the news media and even won Emmys for the news program "48 Hours." I think that makes him qualified to speak enough on this topic. His complaint and mine, is that the news media has shifted to infotainment and news no longer matters. The media thinks the public is dumb and thinks that 2 straight weeks of talking about Anna Nicole Smith is news and no other news needs to be aired. Okay this book was published before Anna died and, in fact, Anna is #53 in his book, but that is a recent example of what has gone wrong with the news and many of the ideas presented when discussing the people in the news industry. Yes, he names names.
For the entertainment field, let's focus on gangsta rap. While I am one of the first to champion freedom of expression in the arts, and that music should reflect a culture, I'm not one to say that the negatives of that culture are the reflections needed. In gangsta rap it is great to sing/rap about how many Ho's, bitches or skanks you can slap and make do anything you wish. They love to push that women are worthless except for one thing, and that the almighty bling is where it's at. All I can say is C'MON!!!!
Okay, there's my rant. Back to the book.
So as you can see this book can rile you up no matter which side of the fence you are on. Left or Right, you will cheer and jeer at Mr. Goldberg.
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Comments: 26
If you want to read two books by conservatives that are actually thoughtful, try "Faith and Politics" by John Danforth and "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher. Now you may not enjoy these books if all you want is liberal bashing, because both these very conservative guys are also willing to actually say what they believe is wrong with conservatives- namely a little too much eagerness to base political positions on religious convictions and the concept that the free market is up there with God in terms of absolute infallibility. Dreher even admits that conservatives and liberals divorce at the same rate. Who knew?
But hey, if you are not interested in crossoing partisan boundaries, Goldberg is the guy for you. Just do not call it thoughful or fair minded because I do not see Pat Robertson or Tom DeLay or Karl Rove on the list.
How long would it take you to name three evangelists that ran into the same public issue about their private life.
I'll start by naming a Baker, ... no, no not a candlestick maker isn't next...it's...
However, I have seen Mr. Goldberg on television interviews and have concluded that the book probably doesn't do justice to the title. As you say, it's mostly just a list of people who don't like George Bush. During interviews, Goldberg doesn't back up his list with anything resembling reason.
On the other hand, Mr. Franken's book "Liars and the Lying Liars who Tell Them" is full of researched facts. Actually, I found Franken's book more informative than it was funny (sorry, Al!).
Personally Al would be in my top ten, and not just the Bush bashing, but his entire pusdo-political, highly racial views. The Race card he plays is actually more of an issue than anything else.
I do agree with the Gangsat rap though, it is not free speach, but pure trash.
Anna Nicole, was a drug using tramp when this tycoon met her, and was one when she died, so why does the media have all this crap about her? I agree with the comments here on her too.
Bush bashing is not as much an issue as what is being said, if the people that disagree with him, nave a sound issue and view, I don't see a problem, the thing is so many do not, but just agenda issues.
Jackson, if what is said is true, and there is so far enough evidence to believe it is, then he needs removed from celiberty status and from the stage.
Moore is a fraud at best, and a over financed idiot at least. Even his claimes of where he came from turns out to be fraudulent, let a lone his lie-a-mentries.
This is just from you list here, anything more, would have to be read to find out.
Carl - i got the book from paperback swap and re-listed it once I was done...It was swooped upon the second i relisted..but you could always check there...less than 99cents...it's free.
I read all of Al Franken's books and that's one of the reasons I HAD to read this one. I think Al really knows how to dig into the truth yet at the same time claim satire to keep folks like Karl Rove from visiting him in his bedchamber.
This book definitely makes for a well rounded read, after reading Al Franken :)
I've got one question when you all are rating the article are you rating the article itself? or the political views in the book? I don't see why I should be judged so low for reading and posting a review of a book with such controversial topic. I would understand a 1 rating if I were to totally misrepresent the book, and misspell every other word or use bad grammer.
Given that it doesn't actually try to give a good reason for most of the entries, though, I don't think I'll be checking this one out.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~