Rating:  Summary: Tough to Crack Review: The parts of this book I managed to slug through were tough to comprehend because of its broad and specious allegations. By someone who was supposed to be a friend, and advisor, at least during the early years of Clinton's first term, despite the fact that he was a Republican, may be one of the problems now that Republicans are in office. After all, riding the fence as Morris has always claimed to be able to do, may not have been that easy after 9/11. But to suggest that Clinton, himself, was responsible for the Trade Tower disaster is pretty unbelievable after he ran around the world trying to make and negotiate peace. Of course, none of us could possibly know if there was cause for concern "behind the scenes," that is always a possibility, which is one of the major concerns with the Bush administration at this moment. If what Morris says is true, it merely adds fuel to the doubt that we may be victims of terrorism cultivated by at least two administrations, Clinton's and Bush's. It's doubtful that they would be working so closely together, but who knows? Someone should inform the current candidates of 2004 who are taking great pains to make a distinction between "what anyone knew, and when they knew it" to confront Bush on these same exact issues, in hopes of unseating him in November. Since tomorrow the Patriot's expect to win the Super Bowl, it just might be the ruminations of an admittedly very active, and unfair Monday night quarterback. Of course, boredom doesn't sell books, and subdued audiences don't inspire the enthusiasm of football teams. If there might be merit in its content, though, you would think that any number of others might have picked up this ball and run with it. Since they haven't, there's a good chance that the extreme speculation within and the puffery that accompanies it may not measure up to the scope and capability of Mr. Morris's obviously educated potential. For sure, it should cause the Democrats, and even the Clintons some cause for concern in terms of choosing loyal friends, even those who claim to be positioned to give advice and guidance. The work seems to speak for itself in that regard. Few would imagine that it adds much to the dimension of Clinton, but it seems to characterize Mr. Morris pretty well; possibly Washington D.C. at its finest? No wonder Hillary would not run for President. I wouldn't either under these circumstances. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Rating:  Summary: More pandering claptrap Review: I've been reading a LOT of books lately, trying to make up my mind about the upcoming elections. And this book is utter crap. As so many conservative whores, Morris has sold his soul to one side. Apparently he rode the fence for a while, but took his millions to sell his "I was there" dirt on the Clintons. Well, folks, there's plenty of dirt on BOTH sides, and every word of criticism Morris delivers on Democrats and liberals applies equally well to republicans and conservatives. He's making his millions on the most biased news source available, Fox, but hey, that's OK, if you're stupid enough to believe Fox is "fair and balanced" then you deserve what you get. I'm even OK with him defaming the NY Times as biased ...if it really was, it would be in the trash heap. The market speaks MUCH louder than conservative whines...the reason the NYH Times is #1 is that it delivers the best, least biased news. It defines "center" and defies its critics every day.Morris misses the most important question: whose lies are worse? I see lies, lies, and more lies coming from all politicians in both parties. I was asked to believe Clinton's lies about his indiscretions with Monica, and altough I never believed them, I am disappointed to a greater degree about Bush's lies that Iraq posed an imminent threat with its "weapons of mass destruction." I've lost friends in Iraq, and for what? To settle a personal Bush family grudge? Certainly now that we know the war in Iraq was actually on the top of the to do list even before 9/11/01 we must give due pause to the depth of the lie it represents. Now we're being asked to believe the lie "disproportionally large tax breaks to the rich improve the economy" again...just like the Reagan days. Clinton, despite all his faults, did bring the deficit under control. People who refuse to have their ideas spoon-fed by Rush Limbaugh noticed how strong the economy got, and how strong the dollar was! The two are related. Bush's tax "cut" has cost me and my family thousands of dollars already, and cost my brother his job benefits. In the future, cleaning up the deficit it created will cost us even more. We're still 2 million jobs in the hole since he took office...so, "tax cuts create jobs" is another lie impossible to stomach. Morris...your sellout is shameful. You are the very epitamy of the bias you attempt to find in others.
Rating:  Summary: Three, plus one for entertainment Review: Dick Morris wants you to respond. If he doesn't grab your attention with an argument, then he'll resort to block capitals and depending on where you stand on the various issues approached by the book, you can find his call 'Off With Their Heads!' justifiable, offensive, or irritating. Much of the book is hugely enjoyable as well as easily digestible, but too often Morris comes across as the class's know it all. There's nothing he won't venture an opinion on. He makes a good case for Clinton's culpability in the intelligence wars behind foreign policy and offers a credible enough reason (how could a man who dodged the draft feel comfortable sending young men and women off to war), but then he veers off the road in pursuit of less attractive targets. His diatribe against the New York Times feels like a preemptive strike by a man fearing a bad book review. Wherever he wanders, it's best to remember that this isn't really a book, in the sense that it's hard to find cohesive elements to it. It's more like listening to a highly entertaining after dinner speaker who lost his notes somewhere in the back of the limo. When he's on, he's on, but you're left cold by the chapters that seem to be scratching in thin dirt. Whatever Morris writes, it's always readable, and he's worth ploughing through for the simple reason that when his machine gun spray hits, you really do stagger back. Probably worth more of a flip through than a concentrated read, so my advice would be to buy the paperback, but do buy.
Rating:  Summary: Morris knows more domestically than internationally. Review: This book constitutes the third in a triolgy of conservative writers, the first two being Lynne Cheney and Ann Coulter, who I have purposely read in order to determine why conservative Americans are so filled with anger regarding the actions, writings and words of people that don't agree with their vision for contemporary America. For someone like me who has lived far away from the U.S. for many years this little political journey has been both fascinating and maddening and this book straddles both emotions well because Morris, in his first five chapters plays his conservative card and in the final four chapters he plays, dare I say, a more liberal card. I was appalled with the mindless neo-con view of the contemporary world in his chapters on a left-leaning media [ch. 1 & 2], a moral relativist president [ch. 3], a useful but monstrously erroneous chapter which catagorises the 12 major Liberal Apologist Lines [ch. 4] and finally in chapter 5 he excoriates the French for daring to disagree with the neo-con version of the perfect life. I had absolutely no trouble with his analysis of the many crimes committed in the name of stockholder avarice regarding big tobacco and nursing homes. In chapter six he illuminates a sorry episode in current American history with a sharp analysis of the problems caused by the machinations of Senators Gramm and Dodd. When I finished his book I thought that he was far more understanding and knowledgable about American domestic affairs than about America's relations with other countries.
Rating:  Summary: Great Book Review: OFF WITH THEIR HEADS is a great read regardless of your ideological beliefs. Far from being a rigid ideologue, Dick Morris gives criticisms of the Hollywood liberals, France, and those who oppose the recent Iraq invasion while refusing to spare the tobacco companies of some condemnation. He makes great use of sources, and consistently makes use of them throughout the entire book. As a result, OFF WITH THEIR HEADS is informative and is not the work of someone airing his thoughts around without any factual backing.
Rating:  Summary: Dick Morris' game Review: When Morris recently appeared on a talk show, the inteviewer went along with Morris' line of thought, and then continued by saying "So basically what you say depends on who is paying you". It took Morris about 10 seconds to realize what was going, indicating that in fact the interviewer had correctly identified Morris' game. So it is with the latest book by Dick Morris. Recall that his zipper problems got him fired from the Clinton team. Imagine that. Remember: The Right wing lies. They just want to take your money so they can buy drugs, gamble, or work with an employee from the oldest profession. Ignore them!
Rating:  Summary: Excellent book Review: Definitely a page turner from cover to cover. Dick Morris calls it what it is. He exposes those who wish to do harm whereas others are scared to offend someone.
Rating:  Summary: He makes good points, but... Review: He makes good points, but this book was very tough to read. Morris jumped on the liberal bashing band wagon with this book, pointing out all the usual hypocrits and immoral scum in hollywood, wall street, the senate and so on. Although he had some witty euphamisms and allusions, it was just very hard to read beacuse it was somewhat dry and carried on too long. He esily could of cut a 150-200 pages out of this book, and the French phrases really bothered me, they just didn't need to be included. So my synopsis is that this book probably needed a better editor, but the Morris is an ok guy.
Rating:  Summary: An Ax to Grind Review: I admire to the fullest this clever insider to the beltway. I always read or listen to every word from him available to me. I am not planning to attack his intellect or his character here, as I am an avid admirer of both. What I found to be troubling was that toward the end of the book I began to get bored. It seemed Mr. Morris had a few axes to grind with the tobacco industry and other things too close to his heart to hold my interest. He spoke too emotionally, and in the process, didn't speak with the ferver that I have grown so accustomed to over the years. Dick, the book was a dissapointment, but you will still always be a must read, and one of my top analysts to listen too, and I am sure this is just a rare moment of extreme passion in your objectivity.
Rating:  Summary: It doesn't deserve one star Review: Everyone needs to make a living, even self-destructive nuts like Morris. Talented? Yes, but nutty as a fruitcake. What was he was doing in that hotel? Off with their heads? Start here with Dick Morris, who fits his title as few others can.
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