Rating: 
Summary: Mea maxima culpa?
Review: It's always morbidly fascinating to watch someone flagellate themselves in public. When they're being paid money to do it, you have to take it with a grain of salt. When they're being paid money to do it after the statute of limitations on doing it has run out, well...Still, I've read enough independent corroboration of much of what Mr. Brock claims to feel fairly confident he's telling at least a form of the truth. As a mere reader, it will never be possible for me to know just how many axes he may have to grind personally, or how much redemption he's really seeking. But when it comes to the Clintons, the right-wing's sheer hatred of them just as human beings always mystified me. Disagree with someone's policies, ideology, sure. But when it came to the Clintons (even now)the right quickly and consistently got strangely personal. For this reason alone, I was curious to read this book and see if any of it seemed plausible. As much as I wish character counted in all ways at all times, the truth is human beings are excellent at compartmentalizing their talents, values and morals. That applies to Mr. Brock as much as anyone he writes about, whether it's desperate right-wingers pushing people like Newt Gingrich to Do Something or Bill Clinton himself. Read critically, as always. David Brock claims to have made up a great deal of the nineties' sleazier media headlines when it comes to certain prominent Democratic political figures. I'd doubt him more if the timing of these stories hadn't been so interesting, and their tone and predictability hadn't been so reliable. The cumulative evidence he offers feels like it's in his favor, as regrettable a person as I find him to be. He seems to know where at least some of the bodies are buried, and comes off with much less of a screed and far more detail and story in general than Ann Coulter, who's book I see some readers are recommending either in conjunction with this one or instead of this. I hope it won't escape readers' notice that both Ms. Coulter's book and Mr. Brock's are published within a few months of each other by the same publisher, Crown. Oh, to be a fly on the wall at *those* editorial meetings! Chain-yanking from the left and the right, conveniently published so as to land prominently on display together at a bookstore near you. These two authors are a publisher's dream, as far as stirring the waters goes. I'd dearly love to find out which of them started writing their book first, and when the other learned of it. And who's idea it was to write each. Do I sound too suspicious?
Rating: 
Summary: There Really May Have Been a Conspiracy
Review: The problem with American politics in recent years is that hardly anyone (on either side) has a conscience like David Brock. He was a muckraker for the Conservative movement that overwhelmed the more moderate side of the Republican Party in the 80's and 90's. As he desperately toed the party's unyielding ideology in his need for acceptance and validation, Brock admits that he sold his soul. Here we see that the Conservatives (this does not correspond to all people with legitimate right-of-center views) really weren't for anything, but were obsessed with crushing what they were against - Bill and Hillary Clinton - by any means necessary. Through the entire Clinton administration the Far Right dealt in character assassination and rumor mongering as opposed to leadership through policy ideas, with a pathological personal hatred for the Clintons along within anyone who was socially different. We also learn of their incessant abuse of the media and legal processes to destroy the administration and overturn a fair majority election that they disagreed with, culminating in the impeachment based on flimsy evidence of Clinton's personal peccadilloes (as opposed to actual crimes, for which there was never any evidence). Brock was a key player in this process, writing "articles" in the Far Right press that he admits were just rehashing of groundless rumors and accusations. Brock provides plenty of evidence that there really was an organized effort by the Far Right (the word "conspiracy" is tricky) to crush the Clintons personally. But Brock's conscience eventually got to him, especially because he was a gay man enslaved to a political movement that was virulently anti-gay, and also because he saw through the hypocrisy in general. The problems with this book include Brock's tendency toward very long and unfocused run-on-sentences, while he can't keep his timelines in order. He tends to place too much importance on his own journalistic works for the Far Right, contending that his writings were more historically influential than they probably were (there were many muckrakers doing what he was doing). Meanwhile, some of his soul-searching rings hollow, as he continued his unethical ways for several more years after his conscience finally started to get to him. But in the end, here we have a courageous account from someone who was heavily involved in the most ridiculous and embarrassing (for the public) political era in recent memory, but decided to take the high road not just for his own sanity but also for America's.
Rating: 
Summary: An Eye Opener
Review: In the later years of the George Bush administration, Operative Lee Atwater, upon learning of his iminent death, published a repudiation of his own dirty tricks during the Bush-Dukakis campaign, eventual calling Governor Dukakis to personally apoligize. This is much of the course Brock takes in his book. I am a lifelong Liberal to Moderate Democrat who has grown to appreciate the politics of consensus, but this book did everything but turn me into an absolute Republican hater, according to Brock it the plot manifested from a small group of radical conservatives, somewhat representing similar Demographics of post 60 Liberals, basically Ivy League and well educated they adopted the Nixon-McCarthy rhetoric in that the end justifies the means. We see the early Gingrich, my first exposure to Ann Coulter writing showing her absolute hatred of the culture that I have enbraced. While herself wearing short skirts sleeping around and enjoying the path that progressives have paved for her. This book can almost give Liberals a guilty feeling to giving any credence to the right.
The book goes on to show how this hatred leaked into the mainstream of Republican ideals and how sour the movement can be to anyone who questions it's motives. Since some of us remember Newt when his career was winding down and the somewhat more concillotory he started to show. This book reminds us that while not all conservative thought is that sinister, while some of their thought can be integrated with the best of our thought.
I think there is room for and essential to have the two party system, we need to make sure that our enemies play by the rules and know that patriotism lies in defending the rights of all to be able to air their views.
Rating: 
Summary: No Thank You, Sir.
Review: I must admit that it was fun to read a bit of dirt on people as repugnant as Anne Coulter and Newt Gingrich. But the fun wore off when I realized I was just reading a left-wing version of the same sort of low-brow tripe that currently infects conservatism political "thought". Mr. Brock's epiphany has come conveniently late. He and his ilk have already mananged to dumb down the discourse on one side of the political aisle, and now it seems he'd like to expand the franchise to the Democratic side. No thank you, Mr. Brock. If I'd wanted to read books filled with pseudo-political drivel written by un-journalists of questionable ethics, I would've become a Republican.
Rating:
Summary: couldn't put it down
Review: Thank you, David Brock. This book exposed the right wing extremists for what they really are: power-hungry, narrow-minded, bigoted hypocrites who want to impose their views on the rest of us at any cost, including the U.S. Constitution. In my view, they pose as much danger to our way of life as the terrorists. Should be required reading for every American
Rating:
Summary: So disappointing I stopped reading it!
Review: I was hoping this would be a Scrooge sees the light type of book but alas it is about a ... republican who starts off liberal, then goes to the conservative side (because the pay is better) and then "sees the error" of his ways. WEAK! Check out Moore's Stupid White Men - much more entertaining and informative!
Rating:
Summary: Not a Pretty Picture
Review: Imagine yourself a political science professor from Mar, interested in contemporary American politics. You've heard nothing but distant sound-bites from the endless news outlets that give us our daily information in thirty seconds or less, and all of it brought to you by, "Our friendly sponsors!" So, you've been tuned in for fifteen years or so, but want to get just a tad more than those thirty repetitious seconds of headline. You deck yourself out like an earthling, disembark the ship, go find a bookstore, and there on the shelf are about a hundred best sellers, or almost best sellers, about Clinton, Newt, The media, each with a picture on the cover of Gee Gordan Liddy, Al Gore, Rush Limbaugh, or even uglier guys. But, right up front, are a few books that have really hit it big. The top name that pops out is David Brock. He's been up there on the top of the charts for a decade, and even the mainstream press has blurbs about his wondrously informative books. So you think, "Gee, he must be good. He must have all the information! Should I get the ones paid for by the same guy who funded Nixon's dirty tricks, or should I buy the last one, the unfunded one, where he promises to tell me all about what went into writing, not only his other books, but half the rest of the books in front of me? Let me see!" So, being a wise professor from Mar, you pick up 'Blinded by the Right', and start reading. About twenty pages in, you realize that Mister Brock is a very disgusting person, who has been motivated by money and fame his whole life. The man starts to sicken you. You wonder if he thinks that his readers are priests? Is David Brock a liar? Definitely. Is his book about a liar? Definitely. Is it a pretty picture? Definitely not! You wonder if there is any other book on the planet as self defacing as this one. (Hint: Not any that I've ever read.) The book is the real deal. The book is unique. About 60% of the way through the book, it explodes on you. The book is the definitive political history of the 90s, and it should terrify anybody who has ever befriended David Brock. Anybody who considers themselves informed about the politics of the 90s, and yet hasn't read this book, is just fooling themselves because, continually on the surface of this book of lies and ugliness is the overwhelming realization that the fabric of this book is undeniable truth.
Rating:
Summary: How can these people stand themselves?
Review: This book kept me reading late into the night and should be a must read for anyone who cares about our country and the state of its government. David Brock reveals the likes of Newt Gingrich and Ted Olson and the gaggle of talking heads on Fox News to be pretty much what I suspected all along...hypocrites of the first magnitude. But little did I realize as we suffered through the 8 years of the conservatives trying to undo two presidential elections that there were so many rich nut cases working behind the scenes, providing literally millions of dollars to track down ridiculous rumors in Arkansas about the Clintons. One comes away sort of half admiring the rubes in Arkansas who managed to make a living off of these people by feeding up a steady stream of totally implausible sleaze. But the scariest part of this book is the Epilogue, where we learn just how many of these power-hungry, conscienceless people are part of the current regime in Washington. Many thanks to David Brock for writing what had to be a painful book. It does in some small way make up for his trashing of Anita Hill and many others, but he still has dues to pay on that account. Let's hope he continues to use his writing and newly-gained reporting skills to atone for his past sins. I agree with other reviewers that an index would have been invaluable; let's hope the paperback edition has one.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing. No more then refreshing, invigorating.
Review: I started this book a couple days ago and have not had the time I would have liked to read it but I intend on finishing it in the next day or two. However, it's funny reading the reviews for this and other left leaning books. All of the favorable reviews have obviously read the book and the vast, vast, vast majority of the bad reviews obviously did not read the book but find a way to make this their bully pulpit. Like someone who enjoyed the book would take them as serious philosophers anyway. Go figure!? I then look at some reviews of right slanting books and there is no such discernable paradox. I expected that but it was refreshing to see for my own eyes. The real name callers are always the ones calling the non-name callers name callers. Hooey on the right! You will have to think about that to understand it. If I have to explain, it is over your head. Just read the review "Liberal Drivel, November 3, 2002, Reviewer: A reader from Walpole, MA United States "for starters. Is this person real? This person is simply ignorant. Get the facts and get off your bully pulpit! Read the book. You might learn something. Any way, I am sure it will be a great read. I cannot wait to finish it.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Human Tale of Redemption, With Echos of "1984"
Review: This book is interesting on many levels. On one level it reveals that there really is a "vast right-wing conspiracy," names the eccentric ultra-rich financiers like Scaife & Coors behind the "conservative think-tanks" such as the Heritage Foundation & Cato Institute. On another level it serves as a gay "coming out" story; and "coming out" from a very unlikely place, as well as tales of life while being gay on the "dark side." Then there is the "coming of age" story of "growing up" alongside common right-wing names like Limbaugh, Coulter, Drudge, Carlson, etc; as they rise from eccentric obscurity or entertaining buffoons into famous hacks with the help of the heavily-funded "think tanks" and right-wing press outlets. I also found it hilarious that Brock didn't encounter a "fact checker" in 12 years of writing for the right-wing press! The level that really interested me was the Orwellian "1984" similarities that flowed (unintentionally I think) through the book. Here was a man working faithfully for the bureaucracy while living a lie and disagreeing deep down with much of what he helped publish & speak about. But it wasn't too tortuous a life; he obviously took great pride in his work and enjoyed the more-than-15-minutes of fame and backslapping and notoriety; even when he had serious doubts about his books on Hillary (not being "mean" enough for the right-wing construction of "Hillary" and "Bill"). It reminded me of Winston Smith faithfully toiling for the Ministry of Truth -- against "Big Brother" but at the same time taking pride in his scrupulous work and coming up with great falsities such as "Comrade Ogilvy" to grab the attention of the Inner Party big-wig O'Brien (who could be anyone from John Podheretz through Scaife in Brock's life, or perhaps his Svengali-esque Larry Silberman). And what are the zealous writings of Coulter, Horowitz, et al except modern versions of Orwell's "Two Minute Hate" against Emmanuel Goldstein (not to mention we have our own eternal war against terrorism and Eastasia in the works). And in the denouement Brock basically has to become an "unperson" as far as his Inner Party is concerned. Although thankfully there's no Room 101 and unlike Orwell's tale, this one has a redemptive ending as Brock can make his peace with Hill & Hillary & the American public. I admit that I'm a biased left-winger in an Orwell & Hitchens tradition (I enjoyed Brock's portrayal of meetings with Hitchens, who stiffed him with an expensive restaurant bill!). This book is still very useful to show the extremities and fanaticisms that abuses of power coupled with (basically) rich eccentrics with nothing better to do can come up with the most insane conspiracies and hate tactics to try and force upon society a moralism that they hardly ever keep (the closeted or "outed" gay Republicans, the affairs of Gingrich etc) and a phony conservatism that is basically just a treadmill of corporate welfare to their financiers, so that they may get some of that "trickle down" payback money.
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