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Jeffrey St. Clair

Joshua Frank

Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion Paperback – May 15, 2012

by Jeffrey St. Clair (Editor), Joshua Frank (Editor), Kevin Alexander Gray (Contributor),

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"Those who feel that like lemmings they are being led over a cliff would be well-advised not to read this book. They may discover that they are right."—Noam Chomsky

“Jeffrey St. Clair and Joshua Frank have skillfully smoked out the real Barack Obama . . . the technofascist military strategist disguised as a Nobel Peace Laureate, but owned, operated, and controlled by Wall Street, Corporate America, and the Pentagon.”—Thomas H. Naylor, co-author of Affluenza, Downsizing the USA

“The writers assembled here hit hard, with accuracy, and do not pull punches."—Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship: A Human History

The Barack Obama revolution was over before it started, guttered by the politician’s overweening desire to prove himself to the grandees of the establishment. From there on, other promises proved ever easier to break. Here's the book that dares not let Obama off the hook. It's all here: the compromises, the backstabbing, the same old imperial ambitions. Covering all major "Obummer" categories since he took office, this fast-paced collection will delight the critical and offer food for thought for those contemplating the 2012 electoral circus—and beyond.

Jeffrey St. Clair is co-editor of CounterPunch, author of Born Under a Bad Sky and Been Brown So Long it Looked Green to Me, and co-author of Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs, and the Press.

Joshua Frank is an environmental journalist and co-editor of Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland. His investigative reports and columns appear in CounterPunch, Chicago Sun-Times, Common Dreams, and AlterNet.

Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

AK Press
Publication date

May 15, 2012
Dimensions

5.9 x 1.1 x 8.9 inches
ISBN-10

1849351104
ISBN-13

978-1849351102
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book is not organized by topic; it’s a random, if chronological, ride through a catalog of catastrophes. But it’s united by the theme of horrendously bad government in the age of Obama. It ignores the mythology and treats Obama based on his actual performance." — David Swanson, FireDogLake

"The book is not organized by topic; it’s a random, if chronological, ride through a catalog of catastrophes. But it’s united by the theme of horrendously bad government in the age of Obama. It ignores the mythology and treats Obama based on his actual performance." — David Swanson, FireDogLake

About the Author

Jeffrey St.Clair: co-editor of Counterpunch,author of Born Under a Bad Sky and Been Brown So Long it Looked Green to Me and co-editor of Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland, Whiteout:The CIA,Drugs,and the Press and Dime's Worth of Difference: Beyond the Lesser of Two Evils.
Joshua Frank: progressive journalist, author of Left Out!: How Liberals Helped Reelect George w.Bush, and co-editor of Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland.
Kevin Alexander Gray is a civil rights organizer in South Carolina. He is also a contributing editor to Black News, was a former president of the South Carolina ACLU, and was Jesse Jackson’s South Carolina campaign manager in 1988. He s author of Waiting for Lightning to Strike.
Ralph Nader: Author of Unsafe at Any Speed, lecturer, attorney, and five-time campaigner for president of the US.
Kathy Kelly is an author, pacifist,and three time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. She s author of Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ AK Press; 1st edition (May 15, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1849351104
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1849351102
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.09 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 1.1 x 8.9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #495,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #418 in Political Parties (Books)
- #643 in Elections
- #993 in United States Executive Government

Customer Reviews:
46 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		61%
4 star		20%
3 star		9%
2 star		4%
1 star		7%

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Top reviews from the United States

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harryshaw3178

Superb evaluation of Barrack Obama as CEO.

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

Clear. Concise. Articles are well written and researched.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

James W. Hartley

Obama's Presidency

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

I thought the book was interesting, but it was written before Obama's second term so it's a little out of date now. Still, it accurately describes some of the problems with the Obama presidency.

Helpful

Malcolm L. Mac Leod

and then became angry and disappointed voters. How can Mr

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

Most of us who bought the book were Obama supporters until after his election, and then became angry
and disappointed voters. How can Mr. Obama call Mr. Snowden a traitor, when Obama has caused much
more injury and suffering to his voter base than Snowden ever could. It's the pot calling the kettle black.

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Robert E. Laine

Obama a Big Let-down

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

Thanks to this book I found out too late what a disappointment the Obama administration was.Sharp and witty commentary.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Richard Bailey

Great Radical Critique.

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is one of the few books on Obama that criticizes him from a socialist perspective. It is wonderfully argued. It covers a wide spectrum of topics. It is a much needed addition to the library of any radical or liberal. ALL political science students should read this book!

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ingeborg Hanson

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2015

Verified Purchase

I have read it a long time ago by now. Things have not changed they are still hopeless.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Irma Lipscomb

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2014

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Disturbing read but clarifies much.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

KAEM M

eye opening!

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2014

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Very important for anyone interested in saving our Democracy. Now you'll understand that Wall Street is the culprit ruining America

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Jon Calder

Contrary to the griping 1 star review, this book ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

Contrary to the griping 1 star review, this book details the first Obama administration from the expansion of the GWOT, the response to the banking collapse, his Gitmo policy, Iran sanctions and nuclear talks, expanding US nuclear doctrines, NATO, Libya, the ACA, domestic spying, ISIS, Iraq, and on and on and on and on, especially relevant now that Trump is prompting a rush to lionise a "radical centrist"

4 people found this helpful

Health Professor

Politics of Illusion.

Reviewed in Canada on October 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

Like Justin Trudeau, Obama was a fraud.

Jamil Azad

boring and bumpy but unfortunately important compendium

Reviewed in Canada on May 24, 2016

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A difficult, boring and bumpy but unfortunately important compendium.

DA

Just a collection of articles

Reviewed in Germany on April 4, 2014

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Did not originally understand that this is simply a collection of few page articles without any context around to explain further

M.C.

Tell us something we don't know.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2012

Verified Purchase

This book basically comprises a group of predominantly leftist or self-styled 'anarchists' informing the reader how, in their eyes, Barack Obama is just not left-wing enough for them.

To be fair, the essayists grumble about a wide range of issues but the gist of the book is the fact that under Obama, despite his pre-election promises, nothing has changed: the Presidency is still in the pocket of Wall Street, big business, the Jewish Lobby, etc. etc. etc....
You don't say.

Don't be fooled by Chomsky's recommendation on the cover. The only highlight was the contribution by the wonderful - and sadly missed - Joe Bageant.

2 people found this helpful

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