Book criticising Bush anti-terror efforts flying off shelves

Yahoo! News ^ | March 26, 2004 | AFP

[El Conservador]

NEW YORK (AFP) - A book that charges President George W. Bush (news - web sites) with failing to take al-Qaeda seriously enough before the September 11 attacks has shot to the top of the bestseller lists on a wave of hype and controversy.

Since going on sale Monday, "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror" has gone through six printings as the publisher, the Free Press -- an imprint of Simon and Schuster -- has struggled to keep up with demand.

Written by Richard Clarke, a counterterrorism adviser to the past three presidents, including Bush, the book says the current administration failed to heed warnings of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and then focused its attention on Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) rather than al-Qaeda.

The charges have prompted an aggressive response from the White House, amid apparent concerns that they could undermine the president's re-election bid in November.

A Free Press spokeswoman said there were currently 550,000 copies in print -- a huge figure for a political non-fiction work.

The publisher had brought forward the book's release by a week to take advantage of Clarke's appearance Sunday on the prime-time news show "60 Minutes" and his testimony Wednesday before the commission investigating the September 11 attacks.

As of Friday, "Against All Enemies" was at the top of the Amazon.com bestseller list, while the US book chain Borders said it was the company's number-one title for the week.

"We took a very strong stock position, so have been able to keep up with the demand based on the stock we have already in our pipeline," said Borders spokeswoman Jenie Dahlmann.

"The appearance on '60 Minutes,' and then the fact that he was testifying mid-week before the 9/11 commission, really made it critical for us to take a strong stand on the book," Dahlmann aid.

[El Conservador]

Either there's a lot of gullible people who will believe Clarke's BS, or it's just a rabble-rouser article to peddle the book.

[Semper Paratus]

Only members of the choir are buying it.

[Dane]

A Free Press spokeswoman said there were currently 550,000 copies in print -- a huge figure for a political non-fiction work

Probably bought up by the DNC while using union dues to enrich Richard Clarke.

[palmer]

Hopefully. It's a nice idea to have the left waste their money on Clarke and CBS while convincing themselves that they can't possibly be wrong. OTOH, it's not good if the swing voters get swept away by the hype.

[kevkrom]

currently 550,000 copies in print -- a huge figure for a political non-fiction work

But pretty lame for fiction, which is what Clarke's book should be filed under.

[bobo1]

Or perhaps organizations are buying it in bulk to give legitimacy to blatant lies.

I doubt the general public would buy it. Most of them could not give a rat's rear end.

blessings, bobo

[dighton]

Since going on sale Monday, "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror" has gone through six printings as the publisher, the Free Press -- an imprint of Simon and Schuster . . .

. . . a unit of Viacom. Book was promoted by CBS, a unit of -- guess who?

CBS News Pushed Book It Owns; '60 Minutes' Did Not Reveal Parent Company's Financial Stake

[KellyAdmirer]

How many copies do you think he would have sold if the book were complimentary?

That explains the motives, follow the money.

[rwfromkansas]

The good news is that books don't win votes; people will read it and say "wow, how very shocking if true and good for Bush."

But how many will change their vote to Kerry after reading it? At most, one or two.

[Dane]

BTW, 550,000 copies, means that appx. 0.20% of the American population "bought"(out of a population of 290 million) the book.

And that probably include mass buyings by the unions.

Do a google search of Jim Wright's book back in 89.

[Peach]

What a waste it will be when they discover it's all lies.

The RNS is going on defense, finally:

1. Rep. Christopher Shays says in a nationwise press release that Clarke told the Intelligence Committees that he wasn't worried about terrorism.

2. The White House is trying to get Clarke's 15 hours of private testimony released to see if he committed perjury.

3. Condi Rice is going on 60 Minutes and has ample rebuttal against Clarke. One item: He was missing a lot of meetings for someone who was "so concerned with a terrorist attack."

4. He can claim to be non-partisan, but he has NEVER contributed $$ to a Republican candidate for office, only Democrats.

[SolutionsOnly]

***"Only members of the choir are buying it."***

Agreed. They've finished Franken's book and are hungry to feed their delusions. There's nothing to worry about here.

[sarasota]

Just like Hillary's book flew off the shelves. Big deal. I still say this issue is just another footnote to our candidates' issues. In the end, the man with the strongest ethic will win. Whom do you trust? Certainly not Goofy Two Shoes (Flip and Flop).

[mystery-ak]

I thought the economy was so bad, how can all these unemployed people afford to buy a hardcopy book?....(sarcasm)

[Skooz]

A book that charges President George W. Bush (news - web sites) with failing to take al-Qaeda seriously enough before the September 11 attacks has shot to the top of the bestseller lists on a wave of hype and controversy hours and hours of free and worshipful publicity with the mainstream media grovelling at the author's feet and treating him as if he is some sort of messiah.

[Arrowhead1952]

There is something wrong in the article. Corrected in red.

A Free Press spokeswoman said there were currently 550,000 copies in print -- a huge figure for a political fantasy and fiction work.

[NYCVirago]

A Free Press spokeswoman said there were currently 550,000 copies in print -- a huge figure for a political non-fiction work.

Jayson Blair's book had 250,000 in its first printing, and sold a grand total of 1,400 copies in the first nine days.

[E=MC²]

Proving yet again that fools and their government handout money are soon parted.

[BlueAngel]

Not to mention George Soros hatred for Pres. Bush. I'm sure he has bought up thousands.

[sergeantdave]

Unions are buying it by the pallette load and storing it in basements beside the Hillary book, right next to Republican absentee ballots they steal and never count.