The Obama Hate Machine: The Lies, Distortions, and Personal Attacks on the President---and Who Is Behind Them [Hardcover]

Bill Press (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 31, 2012

In Toxic Talk, Bill Press exposed the ways in which the extreme right-wing media has done an end run around the American voting populace by exerting a disproportionate control over open political debate. In The Obama Hate Machine, Press returns to show how the Right has taken rhetoric to slanderous new levels in attacking the nation’s forty-fourth president.

But presidents have always been attacked like this, right? Wrong. As the author shows, while presidents and presidential candidates routinely have been subject to personal attacks, the outright disdain Obama’s extremist opponents have for the facts has inspired an insidious brand of character assassination unique in contemporary politics.

Obama was born in Kenya . . . Obama sympathizes with Muslim terrorists . . . Obama is a communist who wants to institute death panels and touch off class warfare…The extent to which these unfounded assertions have taken hold in the American mindset shows just how ruthless, destructive, and all-powerful the right-wing machine—hijacked by extremists in the media and fueled by corporate coffers—has become. The author reveals how corporate interests such as the infamous Koch Brothers continue to steer political coverage away from fact-based dialogue into the realm of hysteria. Bill Press also observes this phenomenon is not limited to the airwaves and provides an “I Hate Obama Book Club” list, calling out the scores of anti-Obama tomes—and even some from the Left—that have helped drag politics even deeper into the mud.

In his characteristic on-the-mark arguments sure to appeal to anyone on the Left or in the Center, Press shows how the peculiar nature of Obama-hating subverts issue-driven debate and threatens not only the outcome of the 2012 election but the future of the American democratic system.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In a poisoned political climate, negative personal attacks on President Obama must have no place in our public discourse. In an age when sound bites too often dominate the news, Bill Press digs deeper: busting the myths, standing up for the truth and the American people."
—House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

“Press' tactics are straightforward… Liberals will love it”
—Kirkus Reviews

“An unsettling glimpse into the unsavory side of corporate interests and an irresponsible media.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In a sea of anti-Obama literature, The Obama Hate Machine stands out for its clarity, honesty, and willingness to tell the truth about what has gone terribly wrong both in our politics and our media. I highly recommend it.”
—Politicus USA

“Don't call the president a Commie-death-panel-enthusiast who was born in Kenya and espouses Jihad in front of Bill Press. He'll throw actual facts back at you!”
—Ashbury Park Press

“Any collection strong in politics and issues of freedom and media representation needs this detailed analysis of a new kind of force at work in American politics!”
—Midwest Book Review

About the Author

BILL PRESS is the host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Bill Press Show. He writes a syndicated column for Tribune Media Services, and is the former cohost of MSNBC’s Buchanan and Press and CNN’s Crossfire and The Spin Room.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (January 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312641648
• ISBN-13: 978-0312641641
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #500,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bill Press began his career as a political insider and media commentator on KABC-TV and KCOP-TV, both in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Emmys and a Golden Mike Award.

The former co-host of MSNBC's Buchanan and Press, CNN's Crossfire and The Spin Room, Press has built a national reputation on thought-provoking and humorous insights from the left side of the political aisle.

Press is the author of six books: Spin This! (Atria, 2002), Bush Must Go! (Dutton Books, 2004), How The Republicans Stole Christmas (Doubleday, 2005), Trainwreck (Wiley, 2008), Toxic Talk (Thomas Dunne Books, 2010), and his latest, The Obama Hate Machine (Thomas Dunne Books, 2012).

The host of radio's nationally syndicated Bill Press Show (Monday-Friday from 6-9am ET), Press attends the daily White House press briefing and writes a syndicated newspaper column, distributed weekly by Tribune Media Services.

Press resides in the nation's capital with his wife Carol.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

242 of 284 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Won't convince the close-minded February 5, 2012

By Paleo Guy

Format:Hardcover

The negative previous reviews reflect EXACTLY what this book is about. The effectiveness of the Republicans' manipulation of ignorance is incredible. Why would people like Patrizia be so susceptible to their hate-mongering? There is no doubt whatsoever, as Press documents very well (contra assertions like those of Patrizia) that Obama has been the recipient of more blatant hostility at high levels than any other president in modern times. Remember Rep. Joe Wilson's infamous "you lie" screeching? George Bush dragged us into a completely unjustified war that- as much as the foreclosure debacle- plunged us into the current economic crisis. Would any member of congress have dared to shout "you lie" to Bush in a public forum? Of course not. The right-wing propaganda machine, fueled by thinly veiled racism, has made it "acceptable" to treat this president contemptibly. In the past, there has been much more respect shown to the office of POTUS.

It is unfortunate that the divide is so deep in our country that even such an excellent book is unlikely to change peoples' minds. The very fact that lower to middle class republican base people are violently opposed to Obama-care, which would benefit them greatly if they only opened their minds to it, is a perfect illustration.

So, sadly, this book will resonate with educated, free thinking, progressive people and be rejected by the close-minded hordes who get their "news" from Fox and are kept willfully ignorant and poor by a wealth-friendly republican aristocracy that needs to keep them that way to support their social darwinist agenda.

It's still a great book.

106 of 130 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read on the February 13, 2012

By L. Figueroa

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

First let me state that I did not vote for Obama and I actually have referred to him as the "Messiah" (yes, I got it from Rush Limbaugh). I listened to and read many stories that attempted to make Obama alien, foreign and anti-American during his candidacy. The book covers all of this in detail from his candidacy to his current presidency the full throttle "hate" message from the right.
I looked up the book here at amazon.com after seeing an interview on TV with the author. I purchased the book primarily because all the reviews that first came out for this book read as if 1-no one actually read the book 2- they were either extremely pro-Obama or consumers of the hate-Machine.
It intrigued me to read confirmation of my observation that the hatred and negativity directed towards Obama is equal in comparison to the hatred leveled at other Presidents we today regard in high esteem today - Lincoln and Roosevelt. I am not suggesting that Obama is anyway equal in stature to these presidents just that the hatred leveled at him and his family is equal in ferocity and intensity.
The book is rather short and entertaining regardless of what side of the spectrum you are on. The book takes a historical view at Presidents in the past that were vilified and hated while in office. The book covers the many "I Hate Obama" books that have been written before and after Obama took office, the brothers Koch invention of the Tea Party and machinery, and the Role of Media. The author looks at all the charges (e.g. Obama's relation with Bill Ayers), was not born here, etc.
I recommend the book if you are like me more of an independent that puzzles over all the hatred and lies (Socialist? Tyrant? Anti-American?).

After reading this book I have decided to know ask more questions - who is behind this piece of information. Is it fact or fiction? I am going to automatically question negativity and information intended to rile me up. Here is an example: The author reminds us of how Senator Jon Kyl stated on the floor of the Senate that 90% of what Planned Parenthood does is abortion when in fact it is only 3%. The response from the senator when confronted with the facts - "it was not intended to be a factual statement..." Stop right there! That is scary. So it is now okay to lie for the greater good of trying to emphasis some idea and concept?! Is this what the Obama Hate machine about? Read the book.

81 of 101 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved It! However... February 7, 2012

By Mr. Markster

Format:Hardcover

I listen to the Bill Press show daily on WCPT out of Chicago, and have been looking forward to this book being released. It's a quick easy read, and thoroughly enjoyable. While I agree with what he says, I believe he could have strengthened his case (particularly with people who aren't dye-in-the-wool progressives or the mildly curious) by balancing his sources between the blatantly liberal (Politico, Huff Post, Think Progress, etc) with more "unbiased" sources (such as Rueters, The Economist, the Guardian, etc) to give his accusations more credibility. As it stands, ALL of his sources are liberal to begin with.

I guess someone could retort by saying something like "of course his sources are going to be liberal, you dumbass!" However, I'd reply that it's similar to the conservative book that draws all its source material from Fox News: it instantly loses a certain amount of cred, is rightly called "slanted" and does not lend to drawing in new converts. Books written in this manner really only serve to pander to the already- converted. As a progressive, I loved it. However, my conservative Tea Party- supporting father in law would never be won over or influenced by this book. The book simply reads too much like Bill Press' take on things as opposed to a carefully researched book that would make skeptics wonder. The majority of leftwing and rightwing books these days are written in such fashion. Like "The Obama Hate Machine," they are written to cater to their pre-established fanbase.

That is my biggest critique of Mr. Press' otherwise very enjoyable book. Even without a surplus of "unbiased" (I use that word tentatively), Mr. Press does manage to show the inane silliness of rightwing attacks like the whole birther issue, the middle name "Hussein", etc. But again, I already think these rightwing views are ignorant and childish to begin with.

Obviously the 1-star reviews will come from the "righties" (99% who probably never even picked it up, let alone read it). I guess that's just the nature of these political books. For the rare conservative who would actually read this book from cover to cover, this won't likely bring them over from the "dark side." Still, reviews should be MORE about the book's strengths and weaknesses.