Rating: 
Summary: Oh for crying out loud!
Review: Can I really be the first person to review a book which is an Amazon #1 best-seller, and which has been discussed in the elite cyber-bytes of the "Drudge Report" and which is the subject of a major Intellectual Property lawsuit? Impossible.If I am the first, then let me say that I have not read the book. And I do not intend to. But since 99% of the Congress did not read every single page of the USA PATRIOT Act, not to mention umpty-ump other things that their crack staff will 'get to' reading just after they finish other important stuff they forgot to finish or couldn't quite get through (such as "Finnegan's Wake"), but which will pass into the law of our land, I feel perfectly qualified to review this book. Fact of the matter is, Al Franken may be right or he may be wrong but he is a lonely man. That is, name one other person you can describe with the words "funny" and "Democrat" in the same sentence. Think about it: Dan Quayle is still a Republican and Franklin Roosevelt is hard to call funny, given the wheelchair and all. Bill Clinton is, oh never mind. I suppose the fact that it bends to the left is funny. So Al Franken has done us a proud American service. Not that we didn't already know Bill O'Reilly was an arse. But never before has it been so articulately explained exactly why and how he is an arse. Oh, now I get it. Thanks, Al. At least I assume that's what you do in this book. But how hard can that be? O'Reilly ought to walk around with toilet paper stuffed up his nose, just for those who are too slow to catch on. But crying out loud, Al, why waste all this ink taking these people seriously. Well, OK, let's face facts, the nutcases and numbnutzes of he right-wing media are the only fair and balanced target left for a conscientous left-winger. Our famously fumblemouthed President has been fatally misunderestimated. Regardless of what you might think of George W., he is clearly not the vacant caretaker President. No, he got hold of that army and did bold something with it. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, I leave to the cordial civilized discussions on freerepublic.com (and to subsequent Amazon reviewers) but it's important to note that serious issues are entirely another subject from those matters covered here in Franken's pleasant tome, which skewers only liars. Consciously mendacious people and such. Speaking of whom, let me say that, since I didn't read the book, I especially liked the part where Ann Coulter smears chocolate all over her body. And the part where Sean Hannity dips his member in a vase of urine. Oh, that's good stuff. I can't wait to read what Franken really wrote. But who cares about the truth, really - it's all about scoring points. And believe me, when Fox News sees the Polaroids I've got of Al Franken - at least I'm pretty sure that was him - at this slutty motel in Hoboken, plus the footage from Vegas - hah, the points will be all mine. The only thing fair and balanced in these pictures is the incredible symmetricality of the hooters on either side of Franken's schlong. Whoo-oo, and to think I only paid that windbag Poindexter $50 for these secret spy satellite photosnaps. Take that, you liberal!
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous, yet depressing...
Review: Can I say something new or better than the many hundreds who have already spoken? No. I just wanted to add my voice to the many... I loved this book. I wanted more. Anyone who really considers themselves a patriotic American should read this book and then come back and tell me how they could possibly vote for George Bush? Thank you Al! And God help us...
Rating: 
Summary: Poor Al, No radio show, NO credibility at all . . .
Review: Can it get any worse for this fat, steel wool-haired, Buddy Holly glasses wearing pig? The answer, sadly, is yes. He'll blame the "vast right wing" for sabotaging his radio show. He says that the LIES in this . . . this . . . thing (it is only a book according to the dictionary because it has pages with words - but they are filled with dozens of lies and statements taken out of context) that his mean-spiritedness and cruelty to other, much more influential members of American culture, is simply satire. It is amazing - if a Republican/Conservative would have said some of the things that this no-talent, over rated, worthless, liberal swine said on the pages of this "book", Alley would have been the first one to stand up and cry about it. What a hypocrite. Al, you told us you were going to do "drug-free radio" (your VERY funny slap at Rush Limbaugh's SELF-ADMITTED prescription drug dependency). You should have given FREE uppers to anyone who dared to tune in. Maybe then you would have held their attention long enough to stay on the air more than a few weeks. It won't be long until the other stations drop you as well - just as I predicted a few months ago. If you people out there really want to read a book by a REPUTABLE liberal, buy Alan Colmes book. I hardly ever agree with Alan, but at least he is above name-calling (something that can't be said about the ignorant, unfunny Franken) and is willing to discuss the issues instead of pointing the finger of blame at any and everyone but himself! The O'Franken Factor? Do you not have an original thought in your minuscule, warped mind, Al? Do you ALWAYS have to elicit the REAL movers and shakers of our time for your retched little endeavors? Can you do ANYTHING without attempting to steal a bit of spotlight from Rush, Sean or Bill? The answer is NO. Face it, folks. This is not a book that you will glean any information from. You will not learn another point of view from it. You'll only get name-calling, finger pointing and a great many LIES from the king of all Liars himself, Al (I've got a face for radio but no audience) Franken. If you are looking to buy a book to agree with (if you are of the far-left liberal crowd) then by all means, buy this piece of garbage. You'll not have any trouble finding one . . . there are DOZENS piled up in your local bookstore and close to 50 here on Amazon. If you are indeed an "Independent" thinker, then don't waste your time. This book is as classless as the washed-up, parody of himself clown without an original bone in his body - Al Franken. Why don't you just retire and let some new blood get some spotlight? Just have ONE original joke every once in awhile . . . that's all we ask, Al. But that's just too much for you, isn't it? You are a disgrace to America. Do us all a favor - take your family and yourself and all of your books (the thousands left on the shelves of the Nation's bookstores gathering dust) and go over and entertain Osama and the rest of your friends. I'm sure they would LOVE your "humor".
Rating:
Summary: The Franken Family Book Club
Review: Can you imagine living with these people? Here's a sample dinner conversation: Al: Boy, that Anne Coulter sure is a nutcase. Franni: Yeah, and Bill O'Lie-ly is splotchy. <kids laughter> Al: Hey, did you know that I did a few USO tours? Franni: Yes, and you almost got shot down! We really do support the troops, don't we? Al: Well, we like to say that, but secretly I want more U.S. troops to die so I can help elect a Democrat into office. Franni: Hey, it's only a couple a day. Well worth it. Al: These people on Amazon are vicious, calling me a greasy, cross-eyed, lumpy, geek. Franni: Well, you do kind of resemble a retarded chipmunk. Just kidding honey! Al: I'll get 'em back in my next book, but first I'll need a face transplant to overhaul my Groucho Marx features. Franni: Oh, and don't forget down there honey. I want that little caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. Al: <blushes>
Rating:
Summary: Franken's right - the neo-cons ARE manipulating the media.
Review: CBS pulls Reagan miniseries
Tuesday, November 4, 2003 Posted: 1:54 PM EST (1854 GMT)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Following a storm of protest and threatened advertiser boycott, the CBS television network announced Tuesday it was pulling "The Reagans" miniseries off the air. . . . ". . . the producers have sources to verify each scene in the script . . ." the network said in a statement. . . . Supporters of the former president . . . were concerned the miniseries would be critical of him. The conservative Media Research Center had asked major advertisers to review the script and consider not buying commercial time on the show.
Rating:
Summary: More Left-Wing Lies from a Left-Wing Extremist Liar
Review: Chalk another one on the scoreboard of liars who consistently distort the truth, fabricate "facts" and "statistics" to fit the extremist left-wing agenda. If you want good liberal reading material, look for a book from someone who can think on their own and isn't just another mouthpiece the extremist left wing-hijacked Democratic Party power-mongers, and toss this one in the garbage from where it came.
Rating: 
Summary: read pages 328-341, 349-351
Review: Chapter 42, the No Child Left Behind Standardized Test, is brilliant: howling funny and important. The two other key chapters are 39 and 40: Vast Lagoons of Pig Feces: the Bush Environmental Record, and I Meet Barbara Bush. What Franken shows is, Bush is _mean._ Most of the book knocks down the right-wing media. Some of it is pointless and unfunny.
Rating:
Summary: While reading this, you may want to...
Review: Check out frankenlies dot com. While Mr. Franken begs you to believe that honesty is of tantamount value to him, he seems to have some personal issues with holding himself up to such a high standard. There are more facts with references on this simple web page than what Mr. Franken was able to cram into his book. Typical liberal schlock - Sounds good, feels good, no facts to back up the argument, hmm...Guess I better make stuff up to slam the conservatives...
Rating: 
Summary: A great book, but is it fair and balanced?
Review: Checks and balances. That is what the book is all about. Al does a great job of illustrating how some members of the media (and politicians) tend to use poorly stated statistics to justify broad assumptions, misquote and/or take quotes out of context, and simply lie or use incorrect data. And of course what is most troubling is these infractions often go uncorrected. These people are all too often unwilling to admit they were wrong, and even try to cover up their lies/mistakes. If you would enjoy factual accounts of such situations peppered with wit and satire, you will like this book. If you are unable to stomach his liberal tangents, you may not like this book. I tend to think that most conservatives don't blindly follow such media icons as Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity just as most Democrats take anything said by Donahue or Al Franken or Barbara Streisand with a grain of salt. But I think Al makes a strong case for the notion that these media moguls do have a lot of power (perhaps indirectly) over the media. Of course the people I mentioned above tend to call themselves 'analysts' instead of journalists, which offers them much freedom. They don't have to live up to the same standards as do journalists... And I think this is a problem. After finishing the book I couldn't help but wonder: What about the left, or the center? Is it just the "big bad right?" I don't believe there are any liberal 'analysts' that have the audience scope that the right has, but certainly "left" special interest groups and memebers of Congress use some of the same tactics. Al didn't really persue this angle...I wish he would. There were a couple chapters that didn't really seem to fit well in the book. I have to wonder if they're filler, or if they are included for the sake of entertainment. The chapter about meeting Barbara Bush & the chapter about his adventure at Bob Jones University can be pretty much summed up as (respectively): Barbara Bush isn't very friendly to those with different views while being annoyed on an airplane, and that ultra conservative Christian schools have ultra conservative Christian rules. I'm sure these chapters were intended to craftily complete some sort of irony. Perhaps I just missed it. I don't know if the book is "fair and balanced," but I think his research was worthwhile. Its important to hold the media responsible for what they report.
Rating:
Summary: Funny, informative and interesting take on the Right
Review: Clearly, if you are a big fan of Fox News, Bill O'Reilly, Anne Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and the like, you will not be a big fan of this book. If, however, you enjoyed Franken's earlier efforts, than there will be much to enjoy in this one as well. The premise of this book is that the media and pundits on the Right have a tendency to distort and, well, lie in their discussions on ... I guess just about everything. Franken and a team of Harvard students set out to debunk much of the deception that they have uncovered with cold hard facts. A lot of the lies they expose are shocking and in many cases pretty funny. And Franken's description of his interactions with various people (such as Paul Wolfowitz and Colmes - of Hannity and Colmes) are really entertaining, making me chuckle out loud many times. Of course, an equal number of times I found it all quite frightening and worrisome and depressing, which somewhat tempered the humor quotient! Although I did enjoy the book tremendously, I do not think it is quite as funny as "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot..." and I did have some problems with the fact that Franken does not include more extensive notes (either foot- or end-) while criticizing others for the same practice. Yes, there are end notes, but the facts that he cites are not specifically referenced, which I found strange, given the time he spends criticizing others for that practice or for manipulating citations. Still, if you do look through the notes, you do find the sources that he uses and they are informative. Franken's books and similar ones seem destined to infuriate anyone who does not share, at least to some extent, his political perspective. I do think, however, that there is a lot of important information in the book and that it is presented in an entertaining and humorous fashion - of course, it can't help but be a bit frustrating to see the level to which our current national political discourse has sunk, but that's not a fault of this book. In short, despite a few caveats, I do think this book is definitely worthwhile - informative, smart, and entertaining albeit somewhat depressing....
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