Rating: 
Summary: AMAZON BUYERS BEWARE: Take a closer look...
Review: I usually put a lot of confidence into the rating that the respectable readers give to the products on this fine website. But, I am sad to say that the rating that is given to this book (and related books by Franken and O'Reilly) are inflated, or deflated in O'Reilly's case, and simply misleading. Too many reviews by "reader" from Anytown, USA giving the book 5 stars and recommending each other's reviews to make them most helpful. Per the most helpful review by "A reader from Greensboro, NC" titled "A review from the right, September 5, 2003". 533 of 613 people found the following review helpful... Read it yourself and judge whether you think he's reviewing the book, or reinforcing Franken's, and his own, political views.Numerous other reviews follow the exact same format. Any dissenting reviews are overwhelmingly voted as non-helpful, while equally gross rhetoric on their side is overwhelmingly voted as helpful. Odds are this review will fall in the former category, even though I am trying to actually review the book. Case in point: Jan P. Dennis (see more about me) from Monument, CO USA, a top 1000 reviewer who wrote as honest a review as any of the other reviews and got this: 136 of 1002 people found the following review helpful. I would rather trust a top 1000 reviewer's words than the 100 anonymous "readers" who give this book blind praise without actually discussing the elements of the book. On to my review: I find Franken's comedy occasionally funny and his appearances on Conan, Daily Show, etc... to often be hilarious. But, an accurate source of facts he is not. A comedian by night, serious political figure by day is not his persona, but he believes himself to be. Disturbingly, according to their reviews, too many reviewers take his word as accurate portrayals, even though he himself has classified this book as satire, comic reading for a few laughs (NPR FreshAir Interview with Terry Gross 9/3/03) not to mention. Please do not treat it as more. With a sweeping hand, Franken bashes the right, Christian Coalition, Bush, Coulter, O'Reilly, and everybody else right of Michael Moore. He lumps all these figures together into one mass and lets loose his furious wit and temper which he is so well known for. Many times I found myself laughing at his antics, and found his comments not revealing of the subjects of his attacks, but of himself. Even if his loosely constructed arguments are in any degree true, it is hard to take him seriously due to the nature of his delivery: "God answered, 'YOU KNOW THOSE STUPID BOOKS BY ANN COULTER AND BERNIE GOLDBERG?'". If you are in the mood for a good comic read and enjoy Al Franken's diatribes on TV, this might be an interesting read to gain insight into his wacky, wacky world. Otherwise, ignore this book for it has no political value except to those who's views it reinforces like so many "reviewers" on this book. Funny, I've forgotten so much of what he was trying to say and I read it only yesterday. If this is such a classic, how will people remember what he was trying to say 50 years from now...
Rating: 
Summary: Funny book with a serious message.
Review: I very much enjoyed Al Franken's newest books. It of all of his books is the strongest both in it's comedy and in the evidence used against it's intended targets. While, I deeply value free speech as any Americans should I think it's extremely disapointing to see so many people who simply disagree with Al Franken's views ignorantly and immaturely knocking this book and claiming he doesn't back up his statements. Which, if you actually read the book you will find he uses quite a lot of evidence provided by the right wingers themselves. This book certainly isn't for everyone and some may find the opinions contained within offensive. This however, doesn't give you the right to pretend you have read this book and act like a bitter child by writing a fake review in a pathetic effort to 'scare' people away from an excellent book which has recieved many accolades. And all you are doing is proving many of the statements Al makes about certain right characters also apply to many Nationalistic right wingers who fake reviews on Amazon.
Rating:
Summary: Conservative bedwetters on the run
Review: I want to be careful not to overstate this but... this may be the greatest piece of literature of all time. How did I do?
The guy is a comic genius, and with Team Franken working for him he comes across as a research genius too. I just love the unpredictability of his humor and his ability to hit you out of the blue with wonderful uncensored raunch. But the book devastates the right. By reading the odd vapid review posted here by right-wingers (who clearly haven't even read it) one would think they are dumbstruck. Why no substantive rebuttal's to any points made? I would love to see some substance instead of the blather.
I thought Franken's Chicken Hawk story was the weakest part humor-wise but his main point here is a good one. A surprising number of hawks on Team Bush took a pass when it came time possibly face war themselves. I loved the Supply Side Jesus cartoon. The "Waitress and the Lawyer" play was excellent. The 15 or so pages showing how Bush dropped the ball on terrorism before 9/11 are probably the most disturbing. I already knew most of it from an article in TIME mag., but Al and his team put it together in a very powerful and concise way. Not nearly enough is said about how the incredible incompetence of Bush's team left America open to the 9/11 attack. I think we don't hear much about this because people think it might appear as unpatriotic and Americans just don't want to contemplate that they might have a president that in this important area, was this incompetent. And of course, sadly, there is nothing we can do about it now. Rather depressing really but it needs to be said, and Franken knocks it out of the park. If you are going to be disgusted with the facts, you might as have a little humor along with the medicine.
And that's what this book is, medicine for a nation drunk on endless streams of blatant distortion, lies and effluent put forward by the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Coulter and Team Bush. The humor is the sugar that helps it go down. But the right-wing faithful are still going to gag, should they read it. And with good reason. Franken takes their "geysers of liquefied pig ...." and shoves it back down their throat, and no amount of sugar can make that stuff taste good.
I will be buying several copies to distribute to friends.
Oh, and thanks to the conservatives who have provided endless whoppers in their little ranting reviews here ("Franken provides no sources," etc.). You make Franken's case. Dishonesty is rampant on the right. I read several hundred reviews and in not one instance did anyone point out an error or lie in Franken's book. Pathetic.
Rating:
Summary: Thanks Fox!
Review: I want to first off thank Fox News and their lawsuit for bringing this book to my attention. I'm definitely a strong liberal person that's rather into politics, so the commentary appeals to me, and I absolutely LOVE the humor in this book. It sends a strong political message with it criticism, and is funny enough to hold anyone's attention no matter how interested they are in politics.
Rating:
Summary: What is wrong with Ann Coulter anyway?
Review: I want to thank Al Franken for writing such an important book for todays public. It is a must read for all Right-Wing Conservatives, but considering their "pack mentality" chances of that are slim-to-none. These people would rather spew uneducated hate than have an open mind to the truth. The fact that Rupert Murdock has now purchased more media outlets to spew his form on hatred says that America needs to be afraid, be very afraid. The dumbing down of America is starting at the top with GW who spent 42% of his time on vacation last year keeping out of Cheney's, Ascroft's and Rumsfeld's hair so they can run the country. It will take numerous years for the US to recover from these environmental robber-barons. It took Al Franken to point out what intelligent people in this country have known all along.
Rating:
Summary: Full of facts, yet vastly entertaining!
Review: I was a little hesitant about reading this book. I was afraid that a laundry list of the sins of the right would be too much for my blood pressure. But Franken does it in a way that is very funny and entertaining. His research is current and comprehensive, but presented in a playful manner. He should write college textbooks on economics--it would make it a lot easier to stay awake while studying.
Rating:
Summary: Well-Researched Book!
Review: I was amazed at the research work put into this book to easily expose the outright shameful lying going on by the right-wing media pundits. Al Franken is intelligent with a quick wit. The wit catches you by surprise sometimes. This book was a real eye-opener if anyone had any doubts about the self-serving lies being told in our right-winged media day after day.
Rating:
Summary: So well done, you just have to pay attention!
Review: I was buying some additional copies of this for friends and family and I noticed some of the negative reviews written by conservatives. Things like: this is hate speech and it's all lies and why doesn't Franken debate? Obviously they did not read past the cover. The book does the following and does it exceptionally well: 1. It picks out people with major right-wing loyalties (Coulter, Hannity, O'Reilly, Bush, etc.) 2. It takes their words and cites blatent lies and obvious attempts to misrepresent the truth(these cannot be construed as interpretations). 3. It demonstrates a pattern of lying which is hard to ignore, especially that by the Bush Administration. 4. It does all of this with solid references taken in context and not the usual out-of-context tricks. Regardless of your views about Al or liberals, just like his book on Limbaugh, the man tells the truth, makes you think, and makes you laugh. And, also like his Limbaugh book, people may call him a hater and liar because that is what a four-year old does(right Ann Coulter?), but nobody can ever seem to pick out his "truths" and prove them to be lies, unlike the excessive lies told by the Bushes, Coulters, Hannities, and O'Reilly's of the world -- all of which are EASY to prove are lies. If I had any doubts when I was reading the book, I saw Bill O'Reilly in BWI airport last week and had just finished the book on the plane. I thought, what irony! I looked at him for a few seconds to verify the identity and got a serious dirty look. So, I can confirm two things. He is tall, he is a jerk, and he is splotchy. Enjoy this amazing book.
Rating: 
Summary: Who are the sources for his book?
Review: I was concerned about the lack of booknotes to reputable sources, and the overall scarcity of booknotes. Mr. Franken has already apologized for stealing certain Harvard stationery, writing seemingly innocent questions on it, then sending it to reputable conservatives so that he could use their innocent comments in his book in order to mock them. It was public knowledge he did this to John Ashcroft, amongst others. Look, Franken, unable to get his information legally, and finding no truthful information that will advance his Leninist agenda, will lie and make it up. Franken already issued an apology for doing this to Ashcroft and others. Like Linus Pauling said: I am not interested in your fantasies about experiments, I am interested in only one thing: What would the data lead us to believe? And the data tells us Franken is the liar. He wouldn't have a book without his own lying. He admitted as much!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing but instructive.
Review: I was disappointed but I think that I was expecting Franken's usual searing humor and irony. This is mostly a rant but it does have moments of instruction. I especially appreciated his instruction on how easy it is to check the facts that we tend to swallow whole hog from the media. I will never read or listen to a 'news' story at face value again. With that said, I will say that I was surprised at how heavy handed Franken's humor was. I have greatly enjoyed him in the past, especially his very funny "Why Not Me?" book of his campaign for the presidency. That was hilarious - this is mostly a screed against the right with little humor which may be the point but I expected more.
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