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Book review "Presidents and States" (barf alert!)
McGraw-Hill Childrens Publishing ^ | 6/17/02 | Vets_Husband_and_Wife

Posted on 06/17/2002 5:31:23 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife

I'm hoping the picture of this book will post. I really found the way they portrayed Clinton vs. President Bush (43) to be obviously slanted. See also the description of President Reagan!!

I will quote exerpts from the book.

Titled "The Complete Book of Presidents & States"

They do have our Presidents in chronological order.. but it is the way they portray Clinton, and the little boxes beside the drawing of the president and the comments inside with the picture that stopped me short. My grandson really wanted the book.. but I would not buy it as it tried to portray Clinton as something other than I believe him to be.

Here is the way they portray Clinton. They have his picture, (all the pics are artistic drawings, not actual) and in the boxes it says in seperate boxes: "Prosperity" "Low Inflation" "Impeached Not Convicted".

It goes on to say: "William Clinton grew up in Arkansas. A well-educated young man, Clinton graduated from Georgetown University and Yale Law School. He also spent 2 years studying in England on a Rhodes scholarship. Clinton returned to Arkansas to become attorney general, then governor. Later, Clinton won the Democratic nomination in 1992 and was elected president. As president, Clinton successfully reduced the national debt and promoted trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico. In Foreign policy, Clinton was successful in restoring the presidency of Haiti's Jean-Bertrand Aristide after he was forcefully removed from office. Clinton supported NATO forces to end the Serbian occupation of Kosovo, Yugolosvia. Clinton was re-elected in 1996. During his second term, Clinton became involved in a scandal over court testimony and was impeached by the House of Representatives. Clinton was acquitted of the charges by the U.S. Senate.

In contrast there was the drawing of President Bush, and a drawing of Uncle Sams hand giving money to a citizens hand. All it says is "Tax Cut".

The body of the text about him states: "George Walker Bush was named after his father, the 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush. George Walker grew up in Midland, Texas, graduated from Yale University in 1968, and served as a pilot in the Texas Air National Gaurd. After recieving a degree from Harvard Business School in 1975, he began working in the Oil business. In the late 1980's, Bush helped manage his fathers presidential campaign and later became the managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. Elected governor of Texas in 1994 and re-elected in 1998, Bush was the first Texas governor to be elected two consecutive four-year terms. While governor, he decided to run for president. The 2000 presidential election was one of the closest in U.S. history. Bush received a smaller number of popular votes than Democrat Al Gore but won more votes in the Electorial College. The outcome of the election was in doubt until 5 weeks later, when a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ended vote recounts in Florida, and Bush became the 43rd president. A "compassionate conservative," Bush's platform included limiting government, cutting taxes, and improving education.

To help you further understand the liberal bias of this book.. here is what they wrote on President Reagan. First we have the drawing of President Reagan. In the box with his portrait is what looks like a newspaper. The newspaper is called "The Daily Herald". It is imposed over a map of Libya with an airplane flying over that country. The newspaper print says: "REAGAN APPROVAL RISING IN (you are left to wonder the rest as his picture then is superimposed on the paper and covers the rest of the headline) Then below that line is "MILITARY SPENDING INCREA" then the Presidents face again. Then "TERRORIST HAVEN ATTAC" and his face continues. I'm cutting off words just as they did.. but you get the idea.

Then here is how they describe President Reagan: "Ronald Reagan went to school in Illinois where he studied economics and sociology. After college, he was a sportscaster in Chicago before beginning a long career as an actor. Reagan later became active in Politics as a Democrat in 1948, but he became a Republican in 1962. His first public office was governor of California in 1966. In 1980, at the age of 69, Reagan won the Republican nomination for president. He promoted traditional American values and won a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter. Reagan then set out to strengthen the military defense, stop inflation and improve business growth. Reagon won a second term by a landslide. During his second term, terrorism rose worldwide. In 1986, it was discovered that the Reagan administration had shipped guns to Iran in an effort to get American hostages released. Reagan was criticized from around the world. Reagan finished his sencond term in poor health.

I'm not going to comment further on this.. I want to see if I'm reading this wrong, or if anyone else sees a bias here.

Am I correct in reading this the way I am? These people do a ton of homeschooling books, and educational material that goes into the schools. Go to the site and see for yourself. Then let me know what you think.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: educational; material
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I'd appreciate your comments. If I'm reading this wrong.. I'll accept that. If not.. then let me know that also. Thanks all...
1 posted on 06/17/2002 5:31:23 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: weegee; texasbluebell; JohnHuang2; MeeknMing; Snow Bunny; Budge; Internet Golfer; BADJOE...
Bump for your opinion.
2 posted on 06/17/2002 5:33:38 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
Here is my submission for Slick Willie's summary:

He married a lesbian in a political deal. He had a tiny bent one which he displayed whenever he thought he could get away with it, and flabby, pasty legs, which jiggled and betrayed their lack of tone when he pretended to exercise for publicity. He was also a perjurer who got away with it when the US Senate lacked the courage to convict him after his impeachment trial.

3 posted on 06/17/2002 5:51:17 PM PDT by jrewingjr
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
I'd appreciate your comments. If I'm reading this wrong.. I'll accept that. If not.. then let me know that also. Thanks all...

I'm reading it the same way you're reading it and it's not good for my blood-pressure.

4 posted on 06/17/2002 5:51:19 PM PDT by lonestar
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
In 1986, it was discovered that the Reagan administration had shipped guns to Iran in an effort to get American hostages released

And this was a problem? (I have NEVER understood the outrage over this; I chalked it up to lib rage over Reagan's vastly popular presidency.)

5 posted on 06/17/2002 6:02:43 PM PDT by PLK
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife; Squantos; GeronL; Billie; sinkspur; Slyfox; San Jacinto; SpookBrat; COB1...
Heads up! Please check this out, comment and bump this article. Thanks!
This publisher needs FReeper input, imho........

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my ping list!. . .don't be shy.

6 posted on 06/17/2002 6:07:50 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
Clinton was re-elected in 1996. During his second term, Clinton became involved in a scandal over court testimony and was impeached by the House of Representatives. Clinton was acquitted of the charges by the U.S. Senate.

Translation: The SOB lied and got away with it !

7 posted on 06/17/2002 6:11:36 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
An anticonservative perspective ("bias," to you) inheres in entertainment, and in commercial journalism (which to be successful must entertain). So anything which is not (eg, talk radio) explicitly conservative will, late or soon, show a "liberal" streak.

That's why there is such a niche for conservative talk radio, and so little market for "liberal" talk shows.

To be fair, GW hasn't had much time to do a whole lot yet, not that x42 ever did (for the country, not himself). But the comparison between x42 and Reagan is more telling. There is plenty of distance with which to see that Reagan took office in a nation with four main problems:

Inflation
Unemployment
Energy shortage
The USSR at the height of its influence.
Those problems were a memory by the time he left office; look in vain for a leader who in 2 terms more successfully handled the nation's actual priorities in the past century. The insinuation about Reagan's health is that the Alzheimers' was already starting. But even after his diagnosis years later, Reagan wrote his benedictory note longhand, in one sitting, with fewer edit marks than I would be likely to do it on my best day.

In his first 2 terms liberal icon FDR is the one who acquiesed in Hitler's military metastasis and didn't get the economy going very well.

How does Jimmy Carter fare in comparison with Reagan? Carter's presidency was an exemplar of ineptitude, but from that book you probably wouldn't suspect that the whole nation of Iran went from ally to enemy on his watch . . .

8 posted on 06/17/2002 6:12:30 PM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion
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To: MeeknMing; summer
It looks like this is a childrens book. (I wasn't aware that Reagan finished his term in poor health).
9 posted on 06/17/2002 6:13:37 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: SpookBrat
duh...it is a childrens book. HELLO???
10 posted on 06/17/2002 6:14:26 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
You could probably find a lot of bias in children's literature. I know you'd be surprised at what else is out there! The GOP should be actively encouraging more people to write children's books, because kids do read these books -- and, they believe what they read.
11 posted on 06/17/2002 6:16:19 PM PDT by summer
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
The 2000 presidential election was one of the closest in U.S. history. Bush received a smaller number of popular votes than Democrat Al Gore but won more votes in the Electorial College. The outcome of the election was in doubt until 5 weeks later, when a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ended vote recounts in Florida, and Bush became the 43rd president.

Translation: The election was won by George Bush, but dang, we sure wish those popular votes
would have been the legal outcome (even though THAT's not what the Constitution calls for!) And
since Bush won FEWER popular votes, we sure think this must be ILLEGAL. Remember this in
the future, kids, and vote DemocRAT, for sure !

12 posted on 06/17/2002 6:25:10 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
The cover picture makes Washington look like a geek!
13 posted on 06/17/2002 6:32:06 PM PDT by 7beuties
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
During his second term, terrorism rose worldwide. In 1986, it was discovered that the Reagan administration had shipped guns to Iran in an effort to get American hostages released. Reagan was criticized from around the world.

Hello? Terrorism rose during REAGAN'S office?

During Kringtone's administration:

1993: WTC Bombing
1998: South Africa Embassy Bombing
2000: USS Cole Bombing
(This is the short list, there's MORE)

Effective reaction by clintoon: Nuttin', honey ! But this publisher fails to mention these, huh?
Why am I not surprised?

14 posted on 06/17/2002 6:38:12 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
I do not think you are reading this wrong. I would NOT buy that book for my kid. It's too bad because on the surface it looks nice and it's something he wanted. But there has (have? --need grammar help) to be better books out there.
15 posted on 06/17/2002 6:38:46 PM PDT by WillaJohns
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife; All
Bush won FEWER popular votes, we sure think this must be ILLEGAL. Remember this in the future, kids, and vote DemocRAT, for sure !

For any Lurkers out there, let me state I forgot to insert my < /sarcasm> mark. Thanks !

16 posted on 06/17/2002 6:43:59 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife;MeeknMing
I would not buy this book.I am so tired of both the Clintons in any way.Sick of liberals lies and rewriting history into their sick lies. hahahahha Just sick of them up to here.LOL
17 posted on 06/17/2002 8:24:08 PM PDT by Snow Bunny
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To: jrewingjr
To funny .. (in a sad pathetic embarrassed as an American to have had Clinton as our president, sort of way) :o)
18 posted on 06/17/2002 8:35:24 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: lonestar
It wasn't good for my blood pressure either. Nice to know I'm not alone in my thinking on this one.
19 posted on 06/17/2002 8:36:06 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: PLK
You sure wouldn't know how popular President Reagan was reading this crap. And to think,.. they are "educational" books. Used in schools and for homeschooling!!!
20 posted on 06/17/2002 8:37:16 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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