Rating: 
Summary: An inside look at beltway isolation from reality
Review: For me, the most telling fact in this book is David Brock's confession that in researching and writing his best seller about Anita Hill and the Thomas confirmation hearings, he did not speak to ONE source from the other side. Not one. This book's greatest revelation is this: That a best selling author of books and articles that could so profoundly affect our politics, and, in turn, profoundly impact the lives of the nation's citizens, spent years completely isolated within a very tiny beltway community -- that was equally isolated from much of the rest of Washington, as well as from the greater interests of the nation. Nowhere in this book is there any indication that the denizens of that little world gave any real thought to what was going on in the larger life of the nation. The desires and interests of the larger population of American voters is not part of the equation in their strategies and scheming. As for the "other side" -- they were simply perceived as the hated enemy, with no consideration ever given to the fact that they represented the political will of large numbers of Americans. In Brock's tiny world, not only was Clinton "illegitimate," but so, by implication, were the millions of voters who put him, and kept him, in office. Mr. Brock's experience is on the Right, of course, and there is no way to know, from this book, if the obvious detachment from the greater American experience and interests is as rampant on the Democratic side as it apparently is within the conservative "3rd Generation" movement that Brock writes about and once epitomized. But, considering how completely the "mainstream" beltway reporters and pundits abandoned the issues that American voters had made apparent as their major concerns in the '92 election -- health care, economic strategies for dealing with the displacements of a globalized economy, deficit reduction, among others -- in order to embrace the questionable "character" themes and false scandals propagated by these conservative strategists and polemicists, one can only conclude that, at least in what is often called the "liberal" beltway media, an equally profound detachment prevailed. Brock is a good writer, and this book moves along briskly. His gradual awakening to the lack of integrity and honesty in his own work is logical and believable. This is not the usual tale of political conversion from one "side" to its opposite. Instead, it is the story of one man's journey away from self-delusion. In the process, much is revealed about how political opinion is manipulated and controversy contrived. In the long run, this book left me with disturbing questions about what is going on in Washington -- most especially about the apparent lack of commitment to, respect for, and understanding of, the principles and institutions of democracy among our nation's "chattering" class. Anyone who cares about democracy -- at every point on the political spectrum -- should read this book. It provides a clear view of a disturbing reality that every voter needs to be aware of in order to be truly informed.
Rating: 
Summary: You almost feel sorry for the guy -- almost.
Review: Any evaluation of Brock's new book must begin from the fact that he can't be trusted. His account of 1980s-90s "movement conservatism" mentions a number of former liberals -- like David Horowitz -- who switched teams without changing their often extreme tactics. One has to wonder whether Brock, like them, has simply turned his knack for half-true (if that) political hits against his former comrades. In this case, however, if even half of what Brock recalls is true, it's pretty damning. Brock depicts a political movement that loses its principles with the decline of communism, driven more by a thirst for power and sheer animosity than by any cohesive ideology. Indeed, the political right Brock inhabited was -- and still is -- an uneasy melange of libertarian economics, Bible-beating cultural pessimism and fringe looniness. All factions came together in the effort to cripple the Clinton presidency, which they regarded as illegitimate. (The fact that our current president took office after losing the popular vote is one of many ironies that expose the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of the 1990s conservative methods even without books like Brock's.) Undoubtedly, the best aspect of this book is the dish. If you've ever been thoroughly disgusted by Laura Ingraham's TV blather (most of which, according to Brock, she confessed not believing), you'll love the image of her crawling drunk around the floor of a D.C. gay club. Then there's the creepy pseudo-pass that pundit Armstrong Williams makes at Brock, or the hypocrisy of moralistic philanderers like Bob Barr. Of course some of these exposures have been reported elsewhere, as have the workings of the various plots to destroy Clinton (see "A Vast Conspiracy" by Jeffrey Toobin, who doesn't have Brock's personal axe to grind). In the end, "Blinded by the Right" is an effective and entertaining tell-all, gossipy and music to every political liberal's ears. But it's also an intriguing portrait of Brock himself, perhaps more revealing than intended. Brock shows his reliance on lies in his personal life as well as his professional, his anxious relationship with his adoptive parents, his lifelong conflicts of identity, and an annoying self-centeredness (which perhaps ought to be excused in an autobiography). One wonders what might have happened had he not pursued fame and fortune in a movement where he never truly felt at home, squandering his credibility and a good decade of his life in the process. We might all have been better served had Brock spent his energies confronting his personal demons rather than trying to bring down a president and, in the process, helping to create a coarse and cynical political culture that lives on today.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for Americans who still care about democracy.
Review: David Brock has written a watershed book, one which finally blows the lid off the group of dedicated, ruthless, amoral neoconservatives who have taken over the U.S. media machinery. It's fascinating reading, full of amazing information coming from someone who was there. The press has insisted that the only question is "He admits he was lying then - so is he lying now?" But this ignores the larger issues brought up and discussed with candor and intelligence throughout this book. It'll be interesting to see whether this book will get one-tenth the attention in the so-called "liberal media" that Bernard Goldberg's shoddy, ridiculous "Bias" did - Goldberg was able to make about 300 media appearances while whining the whole time about how the "liberal media" was trying to suppress his views. Read this book, even if you're a fan of the people Brock dissects here. It may well prove to be an eye-opener. (Assuming you're interested in hearing a differing opinion.) David, as far as I'm concerned, all is forgiven. You have written a brave, painful, and liberating book here.
Rating:
Summary: David Finally Confronts the Real Goliath
Review: All Davids should read this book. Granted, most Davids are almost instinctively anti-Goliath defenders of the underdog...but David Brock took a while to realize that he had become a hitman for Goliath...most of whom seemed to be named Bob -- a less burdensome name, really.
Who ever heard of the relationship of Bob and Goliath? Bobs could freely become the catamites of Goliath, and few eyebrows would be raised. David finally realized that this was, in essence, the case. He was, as Alexander Theroux put it, a "fake giant among real pygmies."
As Schopenhauer once said: "Dull minds think alike", and David came to realize that the Right-Wing CONspiracy he was fighting to promote and defend, was such a cadre of dull minds...whose mantras were always the same. "Lower taxes", "smaller government", and anything else to protect the richest Americans while shunting the common good. "Fear and self-interest", Brock says, was the impetus of many to this conservative "movement".
He names names, and comes up with the goods...on those paid to lie for the Right Wing. Drudge, Fund, Limbaugh, Liddy, the think-tanks, the magazines, the Moonie Washington Times, Scaife, Murdock, and the rest of the Mammoniacal and deceptive thwarters of democracy...still dishing out their distorted versions of reality on a 24-7 schedule, and now occupying many posts in the ill-gained White House. Granted, Brock is no Karl Kraus, but few in this country have the courage to stand so boldly against power, money and corruption.
One poignant image that seems to sum up their offering was when, after 12 years of writing for the Right, and now submitting to an honest publication, he finally received his first fact checker. His panic, at that moment, should be the panic those who have been duped, blinded by the right, should feel after reading, perhaps, years of unchecked propaganda.
Garbage in, garbage out. As above, so below.
If you are a slave of the dollar, the Right will pay you very well to tell lies. But if you've a conscience, as David found he had...you will shun the money and follow the good.
Welcome back, David. And nice slingshot! David Beckwith
birdfinger.com
Rating:
Summary: A window into the inner workings of the GOP's witch hunt
Review: David Brock, the right-wing's hit man during the early 1990's, says his conscience got the best of him and this is his apology/revenge. Well, he didn't hold back. Mr. Brock details his early upbringing and college years within the first couple chapters. He explains why he became a Reaganite, even after attending and graduating from Berkeley. Brock explains that during a speech by Jeane Kirkpatrick, the Berkeley crowd booed her until she left in disgust. This event turned Brock sharply to the right and he began seeking out conservative professors and writing a conservative columns for the campus paper. He moves to Washington and after a couple stints with conservative media, he lands a job with the "American Spectator," where he met and started hobnobbing with a young conservative crowd. While at the Spectator, Brock made a name (and good money) for himself with articles and books about Anita Hill and Troopergate. But, according to Brock, things were not as they seemed. He was wary of his sources and constantly needed/wanted second opinions before he would publish something. Nobody ever asked him to document or corroborate his sources. For his article on Anita Hill, Brock admits he used information from sources that he never met or talked to, he just did what his bosses wanted him to. He was a hit man. Brock's life was miserable. As a closeted homosexual, he was unable to enjoy a social life and maintain his career. Brock chose his career. Day in and day out, he was surrounded by people who were commonly racist and homophobic. The beginning of the end occurred when, scared of being outed, Brock outs himself. At first things seem fine. His conservative 'friends' pretend to accept and defend him. Following the publication of "The Seduction of Hillary Rodham" the unthinkable, at least in Brock's mind, occurs. His conservative friends were anxiously anticipating an attack book that would help destroy Hillary's image. Instead, they got a fair, balanced book that actually seemed to pity Mrs. Clinton for the mess she was in. Brock's friends disappeared overnight. Now it's their turn to see what it is like to be on the receiving end of one of his character assassinations. Highly recommended
Rating:
Summary: The truth and about time
Review: Read how they did it folks. It's all in there.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous! A Scathing Inside Look at the Rabid Right
Review: Excellent work by David Brock! I just read his new book, I I loved it! I love how he gives an insider's view of the inner circle of the far Right, and perfectly tells his story of his journey from hardline conservative who hung out with the likes of Newt Gingrich and William F. Buckley, and how he became a tool of the political machine of the Right, and almost lost his soul. He exposes the lies they told, and still tell, how he saw the light, and how his secretly held progressive views were suppressed. I am a committed progressive myself (a left-leaning moderate to exact), and I love how he showed the evolution and the self-destruction of the conservative movement. His book is very readable, and concise, and only the most rabid right-wingers won't be able to take him seriously. The way he gets inside the minds of these key conservative thinkers in amazing, and his story about the Anita Hill affair is enough to warrant buying this book. Well done!
Rating:
Summary: Out does BIAS!...Look here for the truth...
Review: Every word is true, so how can you trust it? Just closed the book after my first read. I was amazed, by page 50, Brock already had more proof in his book for a LIBERAL media bias in the early 80's than Goldberg managed to come up with. More tellingly though, Brock had also shown the groundwork for what would become an overwhelmingly RIGHT-WING media bias in the coming years. This would lead to the endless Clinton investigations and the "Arkansas Project" to weaken and destroy a President based on nothing more than his differing political opinions. In the end, it created the lazy and lop-sided corporate media we have today. The motivations and funders of this movement are clearly outed. The personalities, political motivations, and behavior that would lead to the system of right-wing coverage we have today are clearly outlined. Just get the words in print, true or not, and the right-wing machine will pick the story up. Once it's in a dozen op-ed pieces, it is news. What makes this a compelling story is Brock's personal journey into this world. He never fails to point out his own bad behavior in defense of the conservative cause or candy-coat the behavior of others. The occasional Cassandras that come along to warn him are dutifully noted, and he comments on the reasons he ignored them at the time. They foreshadow his eventual awakening and break with the movement. It is this very personal aspect that makes the tale compelling. It all feels true because of the highly personal lens of Brock's retelling. He is cleansing his soul in one revelatory tome. He is also asking for our forgiveness. In the end, can you forgive him? Anita Hill and Clinton have. I'm not sure if I can. The very thing that makes the story compelling makes me wonder if this isn't just another reactionary move on Brock's part. Offended by liberals, he crusades against them. Now offended by Conservatives, maybe he just turns the tables? In the end, it is sure to be more complex than this, but expect the Right to seize upon this idea...
Rating:
Summary: I am very pleased Brock finally wrote this
Review: I have somewhat followed Brock for years, I laughed at him initially wondering if he'd ever clue in to the real world. I am not critisizing him as I know how easy it is for average thinkers to get taken in or [pulled] into mainstream policy especially government and press doctrines. Right view thinking has the majority trapped to this date, but with a few converts such as Brock the middle real light just might show forth as this book trys so hard at that. Brock enlightens those in need here, the rest of us who have lived in the real world and are able to avoid the plastic may wonder how this book got published, it is no surprise as it is still,,, a little right. This book would never have been published in my opinion if it were written by an average person, since to most of us who are not "Right" the book is super dwell on the obvious but coming from a person being blinded and well established in the "Right" this is no surprise to anyone having common sense. I like the fact that many of my colleges agree with me on one thing about this book,...Those who read this, especially the naive followers of the "Right" have to admit its very very fundamental truth. Now all we need is a thousand more Brocks to overwhelmingly convince the majority "Right is more than wrong, it is just plain ignorant of a true easier to understand real world. I recommend one of those persons quite able, Karl Mark Maddox, author of SB 1
Rating:
Summary: Do we really want to know?
Review: ...In his new book "Blinded by the Right, The Concience of an Ex Conservative" Hillary Clinton's claim of a "vast right wing conspiracy" comes to life as a real and sinister plot to overthrow the legitimately elected government of the United States....David Brock begins his book by taking the reader to his political beginnings at UC Berkeley in the sixties. It was there that he found his liberal principles challenged as campus liberals inhibited the free speech of anyone who might oppose their ideas or ideals. Brock found it impossible for him to honestly follow a political movement that opposed the basic right of free speech and press. He also was a fierce opponent of the communist ideal and the infatuation with communism that campus liberals seemed to embrace, that dragged him to the conservative side. When he defended conservative speaker's right to speak their minds he was attacked and almost recalled from his job on a student newspaper. By the time he left Berkeley he was an avowed conservative with enough anger to take him to the top of the conservative journalism hierarchy in Washington DC. He relished his new celebrity and acceptance by the far right of the Republican party... His book "The Real Anita Hill" reported every rumor, lie, innuendo, and accusation against her by Republican operatives as though they were facts. Not once did he check the facts and his compendium of slander became a best seller and propelled Brock to stardom in the conservative set. "Blinded by the Right" is the confession of an admitted liar. Brock describes his journey through the years of rubbing elbows with the elite of the Republican party, his own éclat, and wealth to the ultimate encounter with the of truth. Rising from his political lies, and hypocrisies, he reveals his tortured road to recovery naming names, places and all the ugly hypocrisy of his former sponsors. Readers from the left and middle will find this a fascinating insider account of one of our countries worst times. Readers on the right will no doubt find his admitted lying and homosexuality ample reasons to reject the expose. Most readers will find it a intriguing insight to history
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