The Book on Bush: How George W. (Mis)leads America - Softcover

Alterman, Eric; Green, Mark J.

3.72

98 ratings by Goodreads

9780143034421: The Book on Bush: How George W. (Mis)leads America

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0143034421 ISBN 13: 9780143034421

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2004

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A critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush reveals how his administration has used half-truths, distortions, and other deceptions to mislead Americans, resulting in failed policies and damaged foreign relations.

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Review:

While other liberal-minded books, written by everyone from documentary filmmakers to political strategists to comedians, have been broadly critical of the entire early 21st-century conservative universe, Eric Alterman and Mark J. Green have narrowed their focus to the man living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And unlike some of their contemporaries, they choose to largely eschew the clever metaphors and whimsical storytelling to get right at their pointed criticisms of George W. Bush, whom they accuse of being less than honest with the American people while serving the interests of large corporations, the religious right, and neoconservative ideologues. Such charges, by themselves, are so commonplace by this point as to be unremarkable but Alterman and Green provide voluminous, detailed research and come at the case with the vigor of prosecuting attorneys certain of a defendant's guilt or maybe a pair of exceptionally ambitious graduate students ready to present a final dissertation. They contrast sections of Bush's public statements, especially campaign rhetoric, that seem to strike a centrist, conciliatory tone with evidence of his actions that veer hard right and contradict the very things he had said. Some of Bush's words come off more as simple talking points on complex issues than outright deception, and the authors do stop short of calling Bush a liar, but even in these situations, the president still comes off as either out of touch or disingenuous. And though some of their supporting material comes from opinion pieces in publications like the New Republic, serving more to echo the authors' perspective than document it, there's plenty more from objective sources and raw factual data. Liberals will find plenty in The Book on Bush to arm them in arguments against conservatives and they'll have the evidence to make their case. --John Moe

About the Author:

Eric Alterman is distinguished professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and the graduate school of journalism at the City University of New York. He is the author of the national bestsellers What Liberal Media?, The Book on Bush (with Mark Green), and When Presidents Lie.

Mark Green is an author, public interest lawyer, and a Democratic politician who lives in New York City. He has written and cowritten over twenty books, including two bestsellers: The Book on Bush and Who Runs Congress? He has also collaborated on numerous published works with consumer advocate Ralph Nader. In addition to his career endeavors, he is also the host of the nationally syndicated radio show Both Sides Now with Huffington & Matalin.

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