Rating: 
Summary: Every voter must read this book
Review: Al Franken exposes lie upon lie told by President Bush, the Bush administration, and the idiotic conservative "journalists" that support any and all disastrous Republican causes. Not only does Franken provide meticulous research to expose every deception for what it is, but he does so in a humorous tone that belies the obvious rage he must feel. Eventually, his jokes provide fewer laughs, not because Franken becomes less funny, but because the reader is so upset by the countless lies we have been fed year after year that it simply becomes difficult to manage a smile.
Rating:
Summary: exposes right-wing liars in a very funny way
Review: Al Franken exposes right-wing liars like GWB, Cheney, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Susan Coulter, Fox News, etc. in a very funny and well-researched way. Franken shows how these liars distort the facts, make up numbers, quote out of context, or just generally fail to back up their claims. If you're a Republican, you should give Al's book a fair read, and then re-evaluate a lot of what you thought you knew.
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Summary: Exposing the Liers
Review: Al Franken exposes some of the "right wing" liers in an intelligent, rational and very funny read. I couldn't put it down.
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Summary: Franken's Smart Enough and I Like Him
Review: Al Franken exposes where real media bias exists and the imps that set the infamous "fair and balanced" table for us each day...
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Summary: Straight Talk from a Gap toothed former SNL comedian
Review: Al Franken first appeared on the national scene as a comedy writer and occasional performer on Saturday Night Live in its early and best days, where he was hopelessly overshadowed by the talented Belushi, Ackroyd, Chase, and Murray. After a few years, he left the show to make movies, featuring characters he recycled from the show. When this charade ground to a halt due to total indifference from the ticket-buying public, he carved out a new and unique niche for himself as the ultra-liberal alternative to the wildly successful conservative commentators. The key difference being that millions of people listen every day to Limbaugh, O'Reilley, and Hannity, while Franken gets gigs speaking to the Des Moines Rotary Club and the National Association of Slaughterhouse Executives. At least Franken gets the occasional 3am appearance on C-SPAN, and is doing better than America's other liberal know-it-alls, Michael Dukakis, Mario Cuomo and Al Gore, who haven't left home in years except to pick up supplies at Walmart and to run the Buick through the carwash. Having failed at TV, movies, public appearances, and numerous other ventures over the last thirty years, Franken turned to books. He is a reasonably good writer and like his earlier political book, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, this is a funny, well-researched, though generally disorganized book. It is well stocked with funny bits, weird adventures, and chapters guaranteed to insult everyone, such as Supply-Side Jesus and Operation Chickenhawk. Even as a conservative, I agree that certain conservatives, such as Phil Gramm, Spiro Agnew, Strom Thurmond, and Dan Quayle are begging to be satirized. Unfortunately for Franken, he has elected to take on the herculean and unwinnable task of disproving the arguments of very popular conservatives. When he shows them to be wrong now and then, one can easily dismiss him by pointing out that he has now shown his adversary to be 99.9% correct. I dont see how the republic is endangered by O'Reilley claiming to be from a lower-middle class Long Island neighborhood, instead of an upper-middle class Long Island neighborhood, especially since I have never been to either. Like most women that I know, the fabulous looking Anne Coulter lies about her age. Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh clearly don't understand statistical analysis or mathematics, but I doubt other radio personalities do either. In other cases, Franken takes on politicians with mixed results. He obsesses about Bush's claim that the tax cut will primarily aid the lower income bracket. This is either true or false, depending on your assumptions, point of view, and definitions. To be clearer, the President should have said that the majority of people getting tax cuts will have income below a certain level. Or he could have said that low-income folks will get a larger percentage reduction in federal income tax. Both of these are probably true (I dont really claim to be a tax expert), and clearer than what he did say, although maybe that is what he meant. Unlike FDR and JFK, the Bushes are not known for clarity and exactitude of speech. Read the book to see what the other side is thinking and also, find a few holes in our guys' arguments. Franken is best in his comedic trips and encounters, such as the admissions trip to Bob Jones University, the backstage argument with O'Reilley about use of splotchy photos on the book jacket, and the chance encounter with a former first lady.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible irony
Review: Al Franken focuses on his favorite target; the right wing and the lies he claims they push. The irony is that Franken focuses little to none on the truth himself but instead uses this book as yet another launching pad for his one-sided views. I'm sorry I wasted the time going thru the book. Reading the first few pages is sufficient to get his point. The rest of the book is wasted paper... I would strongly suggest that you spend your money on a book that is 'fair and balanced'...
Rating:
Summary: Great read and informative
Review: Al Franken footnotes all of his references making it easy to check his facts. It was a great book with insight into Fox and the far-right which is kept hidden.
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Summary: Thorough research, artfully presented... oh yeah, hilarious
Review: Al Franken has a cause; he is not shy about being a liberal. However, his book isn't a whining liberal's bitter attack on The Right, rather it is a thoughtful and well mapped out discourse on the tired journalistic tricks and deceitful practices of media neo-cons. His examples are clearly stated, backed up with facts and rebutted in such a hilarious way that the book never left my hands from the time I opened to page 1.
The examples Franken uses show the "facts" as presented by conservative writers/journalists/TV personalities. He picks them apart with such precision you'd almost expect to see such titles as Slander (Coulter), Let Freedom Ring, (Hannity), Bias (Goldberg) in the FICTION section.
He sites various examples of how the current administraion leads the public to believe their intentions are honorable when their motives are precisely 180 degrees the opposite. The enviroment, education, taxes, terroism, the military, etc. are all taken to task. I actually couldn't believe some of the things I was reading so I took to verifying them myself. UNBELIEVEABLE! His explanations of the effects of Bush's policies are specific and worrisome (and should be punishable). What's more, because these LIES of the Bush administration are not daily fodder for mainstream (or cable) news, it illustrates just how ludicrous it is to suggest the media is slanted to the left (The chapter on Terrorism really blew my mind. This should be MUST READING for every voter in the 2004 election).
I was shocked and dissapponted at what I "believed" happen in Minnesota during the memorial to Paul Wellstone. The reports from even CNN and MSNBC had me convinced that this was a charade which backfired for the DNC. Franken, a native of Minnesota, recounts the "actual" event, how the right wing media distorted it and even fabricated untruths about it. He then explores the process of how the mainstream media begins to echo these distortions, enabling the public to be mislead (especially yours truly).
Franken is eloquent to be sure. He is funny(tm). He is genuinely [angry] and honest. His facts are not buried at the back of the book or aimed to be misleading. His style is such that I felt less like I was reading and more like I was eating tiramisu (I love tiramisu).
One among many of the liberal 'call to arms', this one is a must for any voter or seeker of the "truth".
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Summary: Truth and Humor Combined!!
Review: Al Franken has a healthy approach to the outrageous antics of the neo-conservative movement: tell the truth, and laugh at them. The lies from the right, and the greed-motive of the press in repeating them, makes all who know the truth angry. But it sure feels great to laugh about it, and Al Franken shows up the ridiculous extremes for what they are. This book and Joe Conason's latest should finally retire the Lie of all Lies: that the media is "liberal."
Rating:
Summary: A wake up call for Republlicans
Review: Al Franken has addressed very serious issues with both great research and wit. I can see why the Republican/conservative reviewers are so angry in their writing. The truth, especially when documented with research is very painful. I hope that the Republicans wake up soon to the fact that their party has been hijacked by a group who is Republican in name only and has anointed themselves as the neo-cons. Start reading and doing some research into the PNAC and their praise of Machiavelli.
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