All the President's Spin
George W. Bush, the Media, and the Truth
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
All the President's Spin, the first book from the editors of the acclaimed nonpartisan website Spinsanity, unmasks the tactics of deception and media manipulation that George W. Bush has used to sell his agenda to the American people.
From his campaigns for tax cuts to the debate over war in Iraq, President Bush has employed an unprecedented onslaught of half-truths and strategically ambiguous language to twist and distort the facts. Fritz, Keefer, and Nyhan's powerful critique of Bush's record of policy deception explains why the media has failed to hold him accountable and demonstrates the threat these tactics pose to honest political debate.
This is the essential book for every citizen who wants to understand how George W. Bush has misled the nation and why, if left unchallenged, all the President's spin could soon become standard practice -- a devastating development for our democracy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
George W. Bush vowed to restore"honor and integrity" to the White House during his 2000 presidential campaign, but instead he has launched an"assault on honesty," argue the authors, who founded the watchdog Web site Spinsanity.com after concluding during the 2000 election that the"national debate had been reduced to an endless barrage of spin." In this lucid critique of Bush's"permanent campaign of policy disinformation," the authors evenhandedly point out instances when other politicians, including Kerry, Clinton and Reagan, have distorted the truth to their advantage, but they contend that Bush is the"current leader of the arms race of deception." Bush's weapons:"emotional language designed to provoke gut-level reactions, slanted statistics that are difficult for casual listeners to interpret, and ambiguous statements that imply what Bush does not want to state outright." The authors support their claims with many solid examples. For instance, when commenting on the method that Bush used to imply a connection between Saddam and September 11, they point to a televised address that aired prior to the war in which Bush linked Iraq, al Qaeda and September 11 without saying directly that Iraq was responsible for the attack. The book isn't just a critique of Bush's spin tactics, however. The authors also reproach the media for letting statements like this go unchecked and for being so overly concerned about objectivity that they've become a mere outlet for politicians'"talking points." Well organized and heavily referenced, this passionate indictment will pique readers' awareness of political spin and of the outlets--bloggers, publications like the Economist and"infotainment" programs like Comedy Central's The Daily Show--that are purportedly fighting it.
