Posted on 07/09/2002 7:38:31 AM PDT by mikeb704
This week’s New York Times bestseller is Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right. The author is Ann Coulter.
Miss Coulter is well known to regular viewers of the cable news networks. Long blond hair. Long legs. Short skirts. Big attitude and a quick wit that slashes Leftists down to size faster than you can say I feel your pain. Clearly, she qualifies as a pinup girl of the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Using computer searches and other research, Miss Coulter has delivered a 205-page tome that stunningly (for those who haven’t been paying attention) establishes how Leftist politicians, newspapers, television shows and news magazines have turned truth on its head. Those poor mislead souls may point to the supposed perils of conservatism, but they’re the real purveyors of hate. The almost 800 footnotes persuasively document her case.
Despite its number one ranking on their own list, the folks at the New York Times are undoubtedly astounded at the success of Miss Coulter’s book. Indeed, Slander points out how often liberals are flabbergasted at the success of books targeted to conservatives. Examples are provided, and here are just a few.
The Washington Post found Senatorial Privilege: The Chappaquiddick Cover-Up a "surprise national bestseller." United Press International (UPI) took note of ". . . such surprise bestsellers" as Illiberal Education and The Real Anita Hill. Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times was deemed "a surprise best seller" by USA Today.
Robert Bork’s Slouching Toward Gomorrah was a "surprise best seller" according to the Chicago Tribune. National Public Radio branded retired FBI agent Gary Aldrich’s Unlimited Access, a book detailing the sleaziness of the Clinton White House, a "surprise best-seller."
It’s understandable that conservative books being bought – and read and discussed – come as an unwelcome shocker to the deep thinkers who’ve propagandized Americans for decades. They are so detached from reality that they simply can’t fathom that some people still prefer to think for themselves. Why, they must wonder, aren’t customers scarfing up all of those riveting Jimmy Carter volumes instead?
I found a particular passage of Slander especially relevant: "Leaving nothing to chance, liberals also hide conservative books. The hiding books trick – long well-known to conservatives – eventually became comical enough to be written up in the New York Times."
Last Sunday I visited a bookstore located in a mall and looked for Ann Coulter’s book. Not finding it, I asked for assistance from a clerk who located it fairly quickly. The reason I hadn’t seen the book was because, in contrast to most of the other books displayed, it was shelved with only the side of the book opposite of the spine showing.
The clerk gave me a copy and commented there was only one left. "Guess we should have ordered more," he said cheerily. Not that I think there’s a conspiracy afoot or anything like that.
Some conservatives may take issue with a few of Miss Coulter’s conclusions. She doesn’t think, for example, that Bill O’Reilly of Fox News is a conservative. She cites his opposition to the death penalty, his support of gun control, his warming up to the notion of global warning, and his belief Elian Gonzalez should have been sent back to the prison that is Cuba as evidence.
She also doesn’t accept Pat Robertson as a genuine conservative. Here she points out his endorsement of Dole over Buchanan in the ’96 primaries, his calling for an end to Clinton’s impeachment, his endorsement for Most Favored Nation status for China, and his apparent acceptance of China’s forced abortion policies.
Perky Katie Couric, who is unfavorably mentioned in Slander, introduced Ann Coulter using the phrase "right-wing telebimbo." Not that Perky Katie thinks that, but someone else does. With enemies like Mz Couric, you just have to love Ann Coulter. Her book is terrific and will confirm – if you need additional confirmation – that your suspicions of media bias are grounded in fact.
"On a 1994 radio program titled 'Christian Conservatives Defend Their Politics' (try to imagine a program called 'Liberal Jews Defend Their Politics') National Public Radio host Bob Edwards raised the issue of the religious right's vast influence over the Republican party, saying 'Christian conservatives showed their strength' by helping to nominate a Republican gubernatorial candidate whose 'platform is almost identical to the Christian coalition.'"
Ann makes many points as scathing and on the money as this one. Buy her book--it's the best thing since Bush won the election.
I like 'em hostile.
(Ooops, did I say that outloud?)
She's certainly not every conservative's favorite. What I particularly like about her is she drives the libs stark raving nuts. That's a quality I really like in a gal.
Annie is correct about O'Reilly
She is right about O’Reilly, but there are plenty of conservatives who could question her bona fides, based on her support for the constitution-smashing, big-government War on Drugs (a liberal boondoogle, if there ever was one.)
These successful conservative books are killing the libs/socialists/journalists/unions/demonrats (did I miss anyone?).
Maybe Hollywood celebs, even though there are lots of crossovers certainly.
We have Ann and E.D. and they have Hildebeast and El Renyo. No wonder it's the "end of time" for the demonrats!!{yuk patooey!!! I hope this isn't a profanity but just a profundity!}
Ann has more balls than Bill Kristol and the rest of the regular "conservative" talking heads combined.
Ann might have a mean streak, but the rest have a yellow streak.
I did buy Bernie Goldberg's book "BIAS" but it wasn't easy. Walden Books was sold out. Guy there had put it out on a large display. Then on to Media Play. Couldn't find it anywhere, despite its position at #1 on the NYT Non-Fiction Best-Sellers list. Computer tells clerk there are 3 copies in stock. Finally locate copy in HISTORY section. Media Play won't give me the Best Seller's 45% discount because the book is not on ITS Best-sellers list.
I now visit Media PLay a lot. I don't buy much, but I walk around a lot with books in my hands.
Michael
I went to the counter to asked if they had the current Cigar Afficianado. He looked at me and said "Is that the one with Limbaugh on the cover?" I told him yes.
He told me to wait a minute, he went into the back room and came out with a copy for me to purchase. He put it on the counter and said "We don't sell many copies of this magazine." I told him "You would sell a lot more if you put it in the magazine rack and not in the store room."
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