Rating: 
Summary: Mea maxima culpa And an overdue apology
Review: For those of us left of center, the mendacity and injustice outlined in "Blinded by the Right" is no surprise. What is shocking, however, is Brock's 180 degree shift in direction, full disclosure, and furthermore complete acceptance of responsibility.The extent of his disclosure tends to strain the credibility of this memoir, as well as some excessive detail, e.g. the point is not enhanced by his recalling that he was sitting on a blue linen couch when he was advised about damning evidence concerning Clarence Thomas. Additionally, there appears to be a some zeal, and no small amount of shadenfreude in his revelations about the many prominent and pivotal figures in the radical right. However, the credibility is sustained by Brock's willingness to accept complete responsibility for his sins, and his acknowledgement of how hypocritical, loathesome, and entirely self serving his actions were. I was disinclined to read this book after its very critical review in the New York Times. However, Hendrick Hertzberg's review in the New Yorker intrigued me, because besides the reviewer's own credibility was his belief that this was a sincere apology, not just an expose. This is a very important source of information in terms of revealing the means by which the radical right encumbered duly elected officials and thwarted the people's will, as well as their ruthlessness by engaging in outright fabrication for character assassination. It is a critical read since many of these same people hold prominent positions in the current administration. Fairness requires you to read this with a raised eyebrow, in light of what he confesses to having done in the past. However, it is credible as little good in terms of self promotion could have motivated what he writes here.
Rating:
Summary: Common Sense Prevails
Review: This is an excellent book telling me things I always had a hunch on but never expected to see it in writing. Good work! Too bad most people who really need to learn something from this book won't have the open mind to actually read it. I'm glad I found out about this book...and I hope more people do, too.
In addition, I saw the author interviewed on TV recently about this book. Very articulate, intelligent man who seems sincere in his desire to set the record straight. God bless him.
Rating:
Summary: Credible witness?
Review: David Brock portrays himself as someone who was excessively naïve. I don't think he has alleged that he lied intentionally, rather that he trusted others who deliberately lied to him. Obviously, he was a bad reporter. Was the cause a lack of training, or an overwhelming need for approval by those rabid right-wingers with whom he had aligned himself? Read the book with an open mind and reach your own conclusion. However, this book is not the product of research, it's a memoir. David Brock is describing his own experiences, and I believe what he is saying. This is a fascinating account of how Mr. Brock's need for acceptance involved him in a conspiracy to undermine the Clinton presidency. He enjoyed success in his career at an early age and he was an enthusiastic tool of those he worked for, writing only what they wanted. But as time passed, he came to realize that the admiration that came to him was based only on how willing he was to wear blinders, to ignore all evidence that contradicted their desired message. As he matured, he saw that he what he experienced was an illusion, not real achievement, which led to his questioning his own position, and to facing his own complicity in the creation of a lie. By not talking to anyone willing to contradict the story told by Clarence Thomas, Mr. Brock presented their biased view in his book, The Real Anita Hill, and gave him status with the right. When he read later of evidence that contradicted what he had reported, he expected his "friends", those people who he had believed when they told him that Clarence Thomas was incapable of the behavior that Professor Hill accused him of, to be able to counter that evidence. When they laughed and declared, "He did it, didn't he?" he finally realized that he had been deceived. David Brock details the behind the scenes machinations that led to the investigations of President Clinton, hounding him during his entire term of office and wasting millions of taxpayer dollars. Why is Kenneth Starr the darling of the right? Did he unearth any hard evidence of criminal activity? No, he presented documentation of a consensual relationship between the President and a woman who was not his wife. If even a fraction of the evil were true that some people believe about Bill Clinton, Mr. Starr was an incompetent investigator. It seems incomprehensible that anyone could cover their tracks as well as the Clinton haters want us to believe he did. The right got what they wanted, insinuations and innuendo. But ultimately, they were not able to fool the American people. The voters did not want the President impeached and they saw the Monica Lewinski scandal as something that should have remained a private matter. I wish I could say that what I read here surprised me, but it did not. It's frightening to understand that while the conspirators were unable to destroy the Clinton presidency, they have accomplished their ultimate goal. I am troubled to realize how many of those who were involved in this story have been rewarded with positions of power within OUR current government.
Rating: 
Summary: There's no story here, author Brock trying to sell books...
Review: David Brock was a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on the comedy channel yesterday. He comes off as whiny, insincere and not entirely sure of what he is talking about. What is clear however is that he is trying to drum up business for his book by playing on the fears and fantasies of liberals. His big revelation that there are conservatives who were trying to take down Bill Clinton is old news and not news. Both parties attack the other side with gusto. The more popular the president, like Reagan and Clinton, the more earnest the attacks. Don't think for a second that there isn't a team of liberals out there trying to dig up something new on George W. Bush. The rhetoric we hear from people like James Carville and Alec Baldwin illustrates how unhappy the liberal democrats are with the Bush administration. If they had the means to cause trouble for Bush, they would.
Mr. Brock has written a book that panders to suffering democrats and gives them something to fuel their anger and he did it to sell books and make money (nothing wrong with that).
There's another turncoat expose that blasts the liberal media that is much more revealing because the author was a CBS news insider.
"Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News -- by Bernard Goldberg" is a good read for both Dems and Reps. I think members of both parties will find their suspicions confirmed about the media's laughable claims of being objective.
Buy "Bias" and leave "Blinded by the right" for the bitter whiners who are still crying over Al Gore losing the election.
Rating: 
Summary: Tales From The Dark Side (An Independent's Review)
Review: Once again Brock shows that it is always popular (and profitable) to sling mud at whichever party happens to hold office at the time. Like other books Brock has written, "Blinded by the Right" is long on accusations and short on facts. Brock admits he lied for the Right. No doubt that the next time a democrat holds the presidential office, he'll write another book admitting how he lied for the left. While well written, "Blinded by the Right" would be better suited in the check out isle next to the tabloids, or on a shelf in the "fiction" section.
Rating:
Summary: Sad Little Story
Review: I'm amused once again by this attempt at justifying the misbehaviors of the democratic party.I purchased this book to,hopefully,gain insight into the mind-set that the ends justify the means!What a waste of time! The democratic party(Let's just openly say the words!)sells snake oil and promises! If the last presidency had been able to,I am positive it would have used communism as it's scapegoat! This story is laughable.....
Rating:
Summary: Foolish
Review: Well, I have to say that the essence of liberalism is captured in this diatribe of hate and self-loathing. Preying upon the emotions of the weak and destitute and those that feel like outsiders in an attempt to ignite American class warfare by oversimplfying fundamentally complex issues is very dangerous to our society. Read this book if you want better understanding of the caustic machines called leftism and socialism. For enlightenment, I would suggest you look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Another Bust for Brock.
Review: David Brock churns out another pile of trash in his newest book "Blinded By the Right". He continues to prove that he is nothing more than a glorified tabloid writer. The author of "The Seduction of Hilary Clinton" tries to convince everyone he is only out to clear his conscience and uncover the conspiracy being run by the conservatives. This quite apparently never would have happened if he couldn't make money out of it. He didn't have a conscience when he blatently concealed information in the Clarence Thomas sexual harassment fiasco, and certainly hasn't gained one now. Seizing the oppurtunity, Brock further proves that he should be writing for the National Enquirer, exposing FAKE scandals, since he has so aptly proven his ablility so far.
Rating:
Summary: For the Money
Review: Another "expose" with all the cliches and anti-American code words from a person who is just trying to make a buck. The media will love this, and it will get reviewed by the NY Times Book section, simply because it confirms all their pre-concieved notions about people. Conservatives are always extremist, but liberals are only for the "working families". This would be just laughable if it weren't for the fact that a lot of ill-informed people will actually believe it. It's too bad we can't get people in Washington that will actually do something for people, rather than for their party, or their personal power trip. This is truly a bottom-feeder book.
Rating:
Summary: Hypocracy at it's Best
Review: I wonder how all the people criticizing this book feel about the author's other works "The Real Anita Hill" and "The Seduction of Hillary Rodham". I remember ads in the early 90s(shownduring the Ruch Limbaugh show) on how great the Anita Hill book and it's author was. All of a sudden this man lacks integrity? All of a sudden Brock's ideas have absolutely no basis whatsoever!?! The scariest thing is how he admits to shirking his duty as a reporter and not disclosing his knowledge of Clarence Thomas's pornographic video. A relvelation which no doubt would have forced the republican party to vote against his supreme court nomination. Of course, it's too late now, there is no recount...
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