Rating: 
Summary: I Expected Nothing More
Review: This book to be blunt is as pointless as he is as bad an actor/comedian. Don't waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Indeed, A Fair & Balanced Look At The Right!
Review: This book uses fact and humor in a perfect mesh to systematically deconstruct the falsehoods holding up the Bush team. It helps that Al comes from what I call the Begala-Carville school of political strategy, in which the tepid response of a token like Alan Colmes is as open for derision as the most ludicrous right-winger. Al realizes that these battles are fought in the media, where conservatives use their network to shuffle concepts into the mainstream - it starts in the thinktanks, moves to talk radio and out onto cable news where it gains respectability among the masses - no matter how stupid it may be.And a lot of it is stupid. It's safe to say that this is the only book around that uses charts to show exactly how dishonest folks like Sean Hannity are. Not to mention Ann Coulter and her cavalcade of idiocy. One of the most important chapters is Franken's exhortation that no matter how much we may want to pass of this administration's fulminations as the work of lackeys, George Bush is the man behind it all. Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, and the rest all answer to one man - and it is he that must shoulder the blame. The last few months have seen some excellent work from the left come out on the printed page, but I have to say Lies And The Lying Liars (along with Joe Conason's Big Lies) are the ammo of choice in the upcoming domestic war. Read them, now.
Rating:
Summary: Let's Be Honest; Al's Humor is Hateful and Improper
Review: This book uses literary tools that shouldn't be used. Anyone who thought this book was funny would probably laugh at the improvised and handicapped. Just because Al takes pot shots at more powerful people doesn't make his hateful humor 'right' (no pun intended but Al you could use a similar pun; at least it is not hateful). Think about all the previous reviews who stated how humorous this book is. I thought we compassionate people agreed that fat jokes were hurtful. I thought we compassionate people agreed that jokes about people's looks and intelligence were hurtful. If so, why do you give Al a free ride with his comments? This guy spews hate and I don't like to associate or enrich those who act or write like this. Al hides behind his supposed 'humor' to insinuate whatever he wants. He takes what I think are some honest errors and uses them to ridicule others (Ann Coulter misstated a grandfather by saying father. Franken uses this as an example of an error but doesn't mention that Ann was off a generation). The left just does not have any original ideas. Even this book has no ideas. It is merely hatred and second-guessing at ideas posed by conservatives. The left counter punches only without offering any substance. Get an idea and a clue. True leaders make mistakes. There is a wise quote about those who don't make mistakes generally don't make much of anything. One last thought about taxes and tax cuts. Do we want to redistribute the wealth and destroy personal initiative and reward? I don't begrudge anyone food clothing or shelter but I do get steamed when people say I don't pay my fair share of taxes. To me, a fair share means I pay for what I use and I certainly pay for more than what I use. Those on welfare don't pay their fair share. Now, we can talk about ability to pay taxes and yes I do need to pay to help others. Just don't tell me I don't pay my fair share of taxes. I should get to keep some rewards for making the right decisions in life and exercising the self discipline to succeed. Then, I should be able to take my earned income and donate as I see fit.
Rating: 
Summary: Please read this book and then give it to a friend
Review: This book was a godsend! Just when I thought that noone was watching the dismantling of a free and objective media, here comes Al Franken. Naturally, he made me laugh. Then, he made me mad, detailing the ongoing pattern of lies and distortions that is the nature of right wing media today. Finally, he made me cry with the heartbreaking story of the death of Paul Wellstone, the attempts by his family and friends to honor him, and the despicable manipulation and distortion of those events by the Republicans/media. At times, this book is almost too painful to read when you realize the breadth of dishonesty and hatred that has permeated national media. However, it is a must-read for all people who have given up hope that things might change. I just hope that those individuals most directly targeted by Franken - namely Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly - are held to some accountability and have to honestly answer some of his charges against them. Now that would be a book!
Rating:
Summary: A funny/scary book
Review: This book was a little different than I expected -- less humor, more research. It's amazing the amount of dirt Franken has dug up on the present administration. The "liberal" media is a joke in more ways than one. The over-arching principle of the Bush administration and its supporters seems to be that if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. We saw this at Bush's press conference the other night. He said the same things over and over ("consoling the families of the fallen soldiers, who are fighting for our country's freedom..." "...stay the course.." etc.) while not really answering most of the questions posed him. So Bush et al chant their mantra of let freedom ring, while systematically taking away those freedoms, national integrity goes down the tubes, and the liar is king! It's enough the chill the blood of the staunchest patriot.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome! Hard-Hitting! Finally!
Review: This book was an absolutely amazing read. I have long felt that much that comes from the right wing media is filth and it was wonderful to finally see someone with some sense putting those hate mongering and fluff spewing dolts over at FNC put in there place. Al Franken for President in 2004! WooHoo!
Rating:
Summary: Great book, funny read, well-researched
Review: This book was as well-researched as it was funny. Very entertaining. Just the foil for the obnoxious, pious right wing media. Al takes them on with wit and humor and honesty. He's at his wicked funniest when he confronts his protagonists head on, such as in phone calls or in face to face encounters that he usually, of course, initiates (e.g. Paul Wolfowitz, Barbara Bush). He exposes some of these folks for what they are, esp. the political commentators and self-described journalists, who come across as lazy liars. Basically, he shoves right back but is simply more clever and funny than his counterparts on the Right.
Rating: 
Summary: When to Laugh When to Cry
Review: This book was at times very amusing. If it wasn't for 9-11 I suppose it would have been funnier. It's just the image of those poor people falling to their death and the non-visible ones crushed and/or burned under the World Trade Center collapse that keeps coming in my mind when I read political discourse like this. Making light of "wacky" liberal hijinks would be funny if the end result didn't end up hurting so many many people. Mr Franken needs to distinguish between entertainment and governance.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible book
Review: This book was awful. I bought it at Costco because it has already been discounted and it was really bad. Another cry baby without vision who has only one idea and that is to bash everyone who does not agree with him. It was not even entertaining!
Rating:
Summary: Magnifico!
Review: This book was everything I expected. A great factual satirical work. Franken explains how Ann Coulter lies using footnotes and how she doesn't think much of the intellegance of her readers(can't blame her on that one though). He points out how Bill O'Reilly is a blatant lyer and also a blowhard by pointing out some of his most egregious lies. For example he told one journalist "you don't come any lower than I did on an economic scale" which was later contridicted from an infromed source (his mother)who told the Washington Post that the family vacationed in Florida regularly and that he went to private school. He brings into light some of the most egregious tactics of Bush's (Karl Rove's) campaign such as calling people in South Carolina during the Repubican primaries and telling them that John McCain has an illigitimate Black child. He also manages to do this while still remaing funny and that really helps to lighten up the tone even though the raw material itself is depresssing. All in all he, and Team Franken, did an eccellente job with this well researched book.
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