Rating: 
Summary: Worthwhile Read Even For Those Of Us Who Vote Republican
Review: Despite my semi-conservative Republican outlook, I have to admit that this book is a pretty worthwhile read. If conservatives such as Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly grow arrogant and fail to police themselves meticulously, they only make it that much easier for Franken, not to mention Michael Moore, to achieve credibility and outstanding sales numbers. If everything Franken says is true, Coulter, O'Reilly, etc. are making it that much more difficult for the rest of the world to take seriously those of us activist Republicans who hold strong and genuine beliefs while toiling in obscurity.This book just came out and inevitably will be debated. Perhaps Ann Coulter will be able to defend herself against the examples Franken cites of her seem-impossible-to-have-been-accidental misleading "footnotes" in "Slander." At this point, that seems to me a far-fetched scenario. I found this book quite funny at times (and probably would have found it even funnier if my politics were anywhere near left-of-center). While not anywhere near the classic hysterics that Franken achieved in the gorilla scenes in "Trading Places," the book did make me laugh out loud on a few occasions, more so than any other book I've read recently other than Jay Johnstone's "Temporary Insanity." My one major criticism is that the book seems inexplicably to spare David Horowitz, the hustling, hypocritical, hatred-consumed homunculus who right now is probably doing more to damage the credibility of the Right for the long term than any other pundit.
Rating: 
Summary: Informative and Hilarious
Review: Despite subject matter that is sad and sobering, this found a spot as a new #1 on my laugh-out-loud list of books. With hysterical delivery, Franken demonstrates how shamelessly many of the right's most revered champions lie repeatedly and with impunity.
Rating: 
Summary: Title very redundant
Review: Despite the claim by the earlier reviewer below about that thing about the Volvo, my main objection is that some joker from Saturday Night Left is attacking a respectful journalist like O'Reilly who has won two awards like Peabodys. Does no-one remember our Veterans anymore? This book would offend any real American with its price tag alone!!! God Bless America.
Rating:
Summary: Great job, Al!
Review: Did any of the people who rated this book with only one star actually bother to read it?!?! Franken does a first class job at exposing how many Republicans distort and factually mislead the public. His analysis of books by Ann Coulter, Bernie Goldberg, and Sean Hannity were FACTUAL and undermine their integrity. He does so truthfully and without spin. Even the most die-hard of Republicans should read this book and take a hard, honest look at who's out there publicizing their beliefs (after reading the Ann Coulter chapters, I can't image ANY true republican wanting her as a party spokesperson.) Reading this will change the way you listen and think about the news.
Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: Did someone say information was give to Rice at least 8 months before 9/11? As in before Bush took office? During the Clinton presidency, right?
Rating:
Summary: A must read, but a question
Review: Disclaimer: I haven't finished the book yet, I'm 2/3 done with it and will finish today or tomorrow. Al Franken is back in form with a better book than "Rush Dimbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot." Franken takes a wealth of knowledge provided to him by "teamFranken" (a group of 14 researchers at Harvard) and wields a tale of that should anger anyone who reads it. It should not matter which side of the political aisle you are on; if you are a Democrat you should be outraged at how so many lies have been made against your party. If you are a republican you should be outraged at how your pundits poorly researched their claims, and instead resorted to "fact by repetition". An example from the book; Ann Coulter used as an example of 'liberal' media the fact that Evan Thomas' father, Norm Thomas, ran for President as a socialist four times. Evan Thomas is bureau chief for Newsweek. Franken uses this lie to hilariously discredit Coulter. You see, it turns out that Norm Thomas isn't Evan's father at all. To add insult to injury it turns out that Norm Thomas ran for President six times not four. Now my question. Given the breadth of deception, lies, and hypocricy demonstrated by the right's pundits I find myself wondering why there hasn't been a major investigation into the whole deal? Is it just so expansive that there is too much to take on, or is it (as Franken would say) that the mainstream media is just too lazy? Overall, a great read that had me laughing out loud more than a few times.
Rating:
Summary: Wickedly Funny!
Review: Do not pass up the opportunity to read Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. It is the funniest book out there since The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. Franken rescues American satire from the diluted depths of weak Saturday Night Live skits and tight-arsed political cartoonists with this scathing attack on Far Right media's fabrications and the mainstream media who parrot them. This is the true face of comedy in its unabashed Juvenailian form. As with Rush Limbaugh Is A Big, Fat Idiot, Franken reduces the rants of conservative pundits to their natural absurdity by using meticulous research against their own statements. He is also a charming, provocative raconteur who lampoons himself along with his targets. Don't expect to catch the likes of Hannity, Coulter, or O'Reily doing that any time soon. Franken fills Lies and the Lying Liars with abundant, side-splitting goodies, such as practical jokes (a visit to Bob Jones University and a letter to Ashcroft and other prominent conservatives, requesting their juvenille just-say-no stories), nasty parodies of Bill O'Reily's pornographic mystery pulp, and a scabrous little piece of fantasy fiction about what would have happened if blowhard conservatives Limbaugh, Buchanan, Dubya, and O'Reily couldn't weasel out of military service in Viet Nam. Finally, the comically adopted tone of righteous indignation in this book trumps the radical Right commentators at their own game, and it is not surprising to see the National Review's book critic bemoaning Franken's latest victory over them. Bravo, Al!
Rating:
Summary: A troubled Liberal
Review: Do we have Conservatives lurking here who're attempting to slander this excellent book by Al Franken? It does appear so. Check out these two reviews: A 1-star reviewer writes on October 26, 2003:
A troubled liberal
"A friend of mine (another moderate liberal like me) recommended I read this book. I initially thought it would be just more bilge of the type spewed by Moore, Conason and the like except this time from the far right. I usually ignore or just laugh at those jokers. However, I found this book different in that it is not very well researched." The above review seems fine, except that it's a rip-off of a 5-star review on October 24:
A troubled conservative
"A friend of mine (another moderate conservative like me) recommended I read this book. I initially thought it would be just more bilge of the type spewed by Limbaugh, Coulter and the like except this time from the far left. I usually ignore or just laugh at those jokers. However, I found this book different in that it is very impressively researched." This is a great book, be careful so as not to be misled by fake reviews!
Rating:
Summary: You have to give this book 5 stars, IF...
Review: Do you like clever, intelligent comedy? If so, you should see what Al Franken says in this book. It's an enjoyable read for all colors of the political spectrum, as long as you don't take it too seriously. However, if it was really meant to be guerrilla politics using comedy to get away with it (like "Stupid White Men.." was), then I would suggest that we Americans step back, and look at ourselves, and see how far we have drifted from "first principles" of right and wrong, and re-institute our original standards as so aptly presented in such books as Remick's "West Point Character Leadership..." and Bennett's "Book of Virtues". You have to give this book 5 stars, IF it is really meant to be fair and balanced, and IF it is not meant to be guerrilla politics, and IF it isn't meant to cleverly demean people.
Rating:
Summary: I write political books now, yes, its me.."Al Franken"
Review: Do you remember the skit from the old SNL shows in the late 70's when "Al Franken" used to do this hilarious bit where he basically didn't say anything meaningful but inserted his name, "Al Franken", into every other sentence? I remember that name being superimposed at the bottom of the screen, "Al Franken", and laughing out loud. That was some funny stuff. Too bad he "peaked in the 70's" (to borrow a line from the late Phil Hartman). So, why isn't he funny anymore? Granted it's hard to top the, "yes it's me...Al Franken" bit, but I truly expected better. So, he wants to write political books now. So, he wants to take on O'Reilly, and other Right-Wing pundits. That's cool, there sure is enough opportunity. So why didn't he? He spends a whole chapter telling how O'Reilly thought he won an award for a show it turns out he didn't? WOW. Hold the presses. What is this, Jr. High? I'm sure he can do better than this? His chapter on sex education was so lacking in basic common sense that I kept looking for the punch line. Are we supposed to think abortions and teen sexually transmitted diseases are a good thing? Is this what Liberals believe nowadays? I find that hard to believe. Nonetheless, when the only thing you can do is slam an idea that is sound because people fail to execute it, and then offer no suggestions of your own, you leave yourself open. Franken does so here. I think that his extended comic on "Supply Side Jesus" had some merit. This is too bad, in that many are in fact corrupting the Faith for monetary gain. So I will give him some credit for at least trying here. Overall, I guess that if you are a liberal you will cheer this book, if for no other reason than he supports your worldview, but as an independent who doesn't agree with either Left or Right extreme offered, I just thought it was pretty ordinary and not very funny. I miss the good ole days with the "yes it's me...Al Franken". Can we get that back again?
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