Rating: 
Summary: Al Franken is overzealous
Review: First let me state my bias. I'm a registered Democrat who votes for people, not parties (Pete Wilson - Repulican; The Green Party a few times). I read this book from cover to cover not because it is great (or even good) literature but because I love reading about sticking it to the pompous, holier than thou Republicans on the right. From that point, the book was mostly worthwhile. As a writer, Al Franken is not very good. He is crude, confused and confusing. As a comic writer, he is not very funny. I got literally one belly laugh and maybe two or three grins, but that was it. He obivously thinks a lot more of his talent than I do. His continued need to state how wonderful his corporate presentations are I suppose is done as humor but really suggests a sense of major insecurity, a need to justify himself. So be it. I don't recommend this book to anyone other that those interested in letting the hot air out of the evil Coulter's, O'Reilly's, Hannity's, Limbaugh's and other President Shrub operatives.
Rating: 
Summary: Frankenlies.com Distorts Truth.
Review: First of all if you notice that most of the foot notes are from Partisan Books and Opinion colums and some using slide-of-hand methods. Why can't they point to hard evidence, real news, or something more concrete? Maybe because they are more Lying Lairs that Al forgot to put in his book. Don't believe what you want to believe and use falsehoods or misleading things to prove points, look it up yourself and try to prove what you believe wrong before you prove yourself right.
Rating:
Summary: Packs a punch and makes you laugh
Review: First of all, I don't often write reviews and never do if I did not read the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book (many a good out loud laugh) and found it instructive at the same time. Franken had a team of Harvard students helping him research and they turned up reams of flagrant lies, some silly and some insidious that the "right" utters incessantly until they believe their own lies. He demolishes Coulter, O'Reilly, Hannity and company. He shows how Cheney lies reflexively, for example, making a pious speech about the dead in Arlington Cemetery describing "rows of crosses" which don't exists at Arlington Cemetery... It turns out that the imagery of the speech was lifted from a poem about Flanders. There is a skit about who benefits from Bush tax cuts. In 4 simple pages, Franken demonstrates how the lower/middle classes will be worse off. This book clearly shows the right wing media creatures and the Bushies are not just totally dishonest but stupid and slipshod as well.
Rating:
Summary: exceptional work - hilarious and a call-to-arms
Review: First of all, please note that many of the 1 star reviews are identical or subtle variations on the same exact paragraph. If this person would put down his or her ideological hammer and actually read the book, they would recognize that their criticism is utterly off base.I think there is reasonable basis for criticizing Franken's relentless positivity about Clinton - as someone wrote above, Clinton did a great job, but was also the beneficiary of great historical circumstances. That said, the truth-be-damned conservative media has been dealt a knockout blow; someone who truly believes in conservative principles ought to be ashamed that their vision for the world has been so thoroughly corrupted and used for such venal by Hannity and his gang. I thought this was going to be comedy, but its biggest impact comes from the overwhelmingly powerful analysis of the truth behind the lies. And, unlike the "no spin zone," Franken provides footnotes and examples for every one of his claims. Incredible work. I am buying the rest of his books immediately.
Rating: 
Summary: Sometimes subtle, always oddball, but not hypocritical.
Review: First of all, the book has a lot of merit on humor alone. Even if you completely disagree with Franken, there are a few chapters that you can't help but laugh at. The difficulty in a book like this, then, is trying to fit the humor in with the serious political commentary. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's serious and what's not, and, in fact, the first time I ever read a book by him, I was left thinking he lied all the time. It really seemed to undermine his intent, which was to dissect various ideological opponents of his, often by accusing them of lying. As I read more of his work and gave it more thought, I got to where I could pretty routinely tell when he was kidding around and when he was being serious. There are three types of lies he tells. The first is a sort of dramatization lie, where what he says is basically true but he takes a little license in the telling so that the story is funnier. You can't always tell when he's doing this, but that doesn't really matter because it's tangential to the point he's making. The second sort of lie is really obvious. He might claim, for example, that Rush Limbaugh has a gay younger brother that he used to beat up as a kid (to my knowledge, he has never claimed this). These sorts of lies are generally obvious and used purely for cheap laughs (he usually adds disclaimers to them, in fact). The third type of lie is more subtle. Often he'll give an example of something he's been talking about within his work. In one chapter, he talks about a technique some people use to mislead their readers, and then actually does it himself right there. He does it nowhere else in the book, so clearly he's using it as a sort of subtle tool to further deride the person he's making fun of and illustrate how underhanded the technique is. In any case, it is easy to mistake these sorts of "lies" for the sorts of things he accuses his opponents of, but if readers keep his tone and intent in mind, they should never accuse him of hypocrisy.
Rating:
Summary: To the reader from SF . . .
Review: First of all, the guy's name is Mr. Griffith, not Mr. Arnold. Obviously you CAREFULLY read Mr. Griffith's post. I'll address your points one by one: 1. You said Mr. Griffith stated that the Republican party controls the media. That isn't what he said. Obviously you CAREFULLY Mr. Griffith's post before mouthing off. 2. You railed about Mr. Griffith's comments regarding church and state and capitalism and a free society etc. Your comment here makes no sense in regard to the point he made. He was commenting that he agreed with Al Franken's contention that the so-called Christians who advocate such things as supply side economics that help the rich and hurt the poor are, in fact, very un-Christian. Such people, if they truly wanted to see the manifestation of the word of Christ in the world, would be advocating polices and programs aimed at helping poor people, not gaining further tax breaks for people who are already filthy rich. 3. You said the only allies we upset were those who had an economic interest in Iraq. Wrong. Check the facts on that one. You will find a great many countries that had no economic interests in Iraq were opposed. But even if they did, how does that make it unacceptable for them to freely choose to avoid participating in an UNNECESSARY war? A clear headed reading of Mr. Griffith's statement is that he agrees with Franken's contention that it is hypocritical and morally reprehensible for people who evaded military service to start an unnecessary war and send others to die in it. He didn't even mention that they used lies and deceptions as an excuse to start that war, which makes it even more reprehensible. Mr. Griffith did not say he felt it was fine that Clinton did not serve either. He was merely commenting on the present situation. I too agree that it is stomach turning that many of the top military advisors of the country, as well as both the President and Vice President, who evaded military combat service themselves, have started an unprovoked war which is throwing this country into an economic crisis and killing hundreds of kids (with no end in sight). Check your FACTS sir, before posting. That is point of Al Franken's book.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: First of all, this book is VERY funny! I just read "Dude, Where's My Country?" by Michael Moore but his humor doesn't come off as witty and infectious as Al Franken's. I was seriously laughing out loud to this book! He does an amazing job at pointing out all the lies the right-wingers have told but at the same time is honest about the left. The difference between Al and Ann Coulter is, Al is honest, smarter, funny and frankly better looking than she is. As far as books go, I enjoyed Michael Moore's "Dude, Where's My Country?" more because he writes with more passion. But Al's book does what it sets out to do and that is correct the lying liars.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant AND insightful. Conservatives, you've been exposed
Review: First of all, unlike many of the ONE STAR reviewers, I actually read the book. You should do the same, or is that beyond your capabilities? Among the many topics Franken covers are: • Fox News' right-wing bias
• Ann Coulter actually IS a nut case
• Bill O'Reilly IS a conservative (and a creep)
• Hannity and Colmes is a sham debate program
• The myth of a Liberal media
• Dubya and his whole administration are liars
• Bush's policies make the wealthy wealthier (and screw over the poor and middle class)
• and much, much more! All with humor and a relentless persuit of the facts (Team Franken, take a bow). Plus a short novel (Operation Chicken-hawk), Supply-Side Jesus, a one-act play, this book should be read by all Americans. Especially the ONE STAR people!
Rating:
Summary: This is for jimmy361's review.
Review: First of all, you need to actually read the book. Your whole arguement told me that you didn't even read the book. And, two: Go back to high school and refresh your grammar skills. They need some help, now!
Rating:
Summary: Not only true, but very entertaining
Review: First off I don't claim to be Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican so I am not taking sides here. I think I laughed more while reading this book than I have at the last ten years of Saturday Night Live. Al franken is what Rush Limbaugh wishes he was: witty, well researched, intelligent...How come none of the Democrats are man enough to stand up against this Troglodyte we have in the white house? It takes books like this one to Shed some light on what is really going in this country. How did we go from the most prosperous time in our country to where we are now so quickly? Read this book and find out. This is one of the best books I have read in recent years. Unless you believe everything President Shrub and Rush limbaugh tell you you may still have a chance to break away form the undertow this administration is throwing us into. READ IT!!!
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