Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative

the birth of a nation ( griffiths)

excellent expose of the extreme right's hijacking of the republican party. brock, as an insider ( the spectator's former poster boy of sludge ) documents the birth of the current media bias and it sure 'aint liberal. the cast of characters and their behavior in the bigoted service of what they illegitimately presume to be the public good makes me long for the days of a scare as clean and honest as creature features.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dirty justice is served. PASS IT ON!

This is an excellent disclosure of 'behind the scenes' dirty politics, in this case played by the Right. I believe in Brock's sincerity, admire his humility, and I'm further disgusted by right-wing extremists. I'm hoping this book is widely read, and produces some changes in our political system.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

validation of the vast right-wing conspiracy

If you want to learn the truth, read this book! If you want to hide your head in the sand and ignore what's going on in this country then don't read this and when you get so deep in the sand you can't dig yourself out, you don't have anyone to blame but yourself. This book is a book that everyone should read. It shows how the people of this country were hoodwinked by sore Arkansas losers, politicians, judges, the mega-rich, Starr and his group, and the media. How do we know? Because the author was one of those that wrote the lies and stories and then developed a conscience and wrote this book. He lists names, events, etc. He was in fear of his life at times when he was writing this book and you will see why when you see the names he has listed. And guess what?! No one has taken him to court on any of the details in this book that I have heard of. How more telling can that be that the facts are true? Read the book!

Good news, there is still hope.

I saw David Brock on C-span and listened to what he had to say and found him to be very genuine. I could not wait to go get the book and I read it in two days. He calls it like he lived it and I applaud him for coming out and affirming what I had suspected for some time. What scares me is that it seems that more and more people are being brainwashed. They don't seem to realize how dangerous these powerful people are to the American way of life and our democracy. I had suspected the entire time all of the stupid investigations were relentlessly going on that it was some kind of vendetta against the Clintons. They all seemed so convenient and contrived right down to the Paula Jones farce which made way for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. As an American, it seemed to me outlandish that anyone would have the gall to try to overturn an election, especially of the President of the United States. But that is exactly what they tried to do and we should all be very uneasy and downright angry about how they went about it. Thank God, Bill Clinton stood his ground and no matter what they threw at him he did his job to the best of his ability. Thank God the Senate used good judgement and did not set a precedent to make any President who's party did not control Congress a sitting duck. Just think about what he could have accomplished if he had not been hassled constantly. This next election, we had all better pay attention and for God's sakes get out and vote. These right wing zealots are in the process of taking over our country right in front of our eyes. Just look at the last Presidential election. Think about the significance of fewer and fewer coporations gobbling up media outlets, such as radio stations, newspapers, etc. We had better wake up.

Setting His Record Straight

A good read and an unburdening for Brock of things that obviously troubled him for sometime. Caught up in his own power, Brock, like many, succombed to his own pressure to be what he thought others wanted him to be. He finally let go of the burden and moral conscious he was fighting to fit into a world he never really belonged in. Whether on the left, right, or in the middle, this book is a great example of what can happen to anyone who goes against thier gut insincts and succombs to power.

The Wingnut Who Came In From The Cold

I remember watching the whole Paula Jones mess unfold back in the early 1990s. The ever-changing lawsuit, remember, was originally NOT a "sexual harrassment" suit, but claimed that somehow President Clinton had "ruined her good name" -- this despite the fact that the allegations over which she was suing, those contained in David Brock's "Troopergate" article, were never mentioned by Bill Clinton until she herself brought them up. This makes one wonder: if the only persons "ruining her good name" by broadcasting this story are David Brock, the American Spectator's owner and editors, and herself, then why the hell is she suing Bill Clinton? Other persons asked that same question, which is why the lawsuit suddenly morphed into a sexual-harrassment lawsuit. If Paula Jones had tried to do this to George W. Bush, the press would have laughed her and her nuisance lawsuit all the way back to Little Rock. But the corporate media's rules are different for Democratic Presidents, and the press took Paula Jones and her flimsy, constantly-changing story very seriously, indeed. So much so that, now that David Brock has come out and said what we all knew -- that the lawsuit had no basis in reality -- the US media can't bear to admit that they were rolled, or worse, that they were actively helping the GOP and Scaife promote a story they knew to be bogus. This book has some scary lessons for anyone who thinks that the media is anything other than the tool of powerful conservative ideologues. Highly recommended!

Sounds a little "bitter" to me......

Typically, this comes across as another bitter person who one can't help get the feeling he was somehow "wronged" along the way. It reads fairly well, but the writer's credibility is in serious question........

An Antipodean View.

After reading this book much that goes on in American politics became clearer to me. It seems that, after the Nixon era, and during the Clinton Administration, the conservative side of US politics was siezed by a mania that dictated "the end justafies the means," a condition that laid it open to manipulation by people who had agendas that tend to be antithetical to a democratic society. Brock describes a group of what V.I. Lenin termed "useful fools," except these useful fools were induviduals who termed themselves "Conservative," individuals who were motivated by nothing save a formless rage against society and, one would assume, ultimately themselves, open to manipulation. Indeed, the state of US conservatism as depicted reminded me of a comment that George Dangerfield made on the Conservative Party in his work "The Strange Death of Liberal England": "The Tory philosophy, up to the beginning of the War, might be summed up this way: be Conservative about good things, and Radical about bad things. This philosophy, so far as can be seen, has only one flaw; it was always the Tories who decided what was good and what was bad. This kind of decision can be made time and time again with the best results; but it contains, in its very essence, some fatal and arbitrary elements, and the mere effort of having to make it has been known to produce any number of fanatics, tyrants, martyrs, minor prophets, and, indeed, most of the disagreeable creatures which have ever plagued this long-suffering planet. In 1912, the Tories decided that a Parliament controlled by a Liberal majority was a Bad thing." Replace Tory woth Republican, Liberal with Democrat, and make the date that of Clinton's election, and you haver the situation Brock describes. Dangerfield also had this to say, which is also totally applicable: "Everything they did... was aimed... against the very existance of Parliament... An utterly constitutional party, they set out to wreck the Constitution; and they very nearly succeeded." Similar forces to what brock described are operating here in Australia, with similar agendas. Brock's book is a timely warning to all about how the hidden agendas of small, shadowy groups can hijack the platform and, indeed, whole parties without the majority knowing it.

Dirty justice is served. PASS IT ON!

This is an excellent disclosure of 'behind the scenes' dirty politics, in this case played by the Right. I believe in Brock's sincerity, admire his humility, and I'm further disgusted by right-wing extremists. I'm hoping this book is widely read, and produces some changes in our political system.

I hate to be biased, but i love this book.

A lot of conservatives will be happy to remind everyone how wrong, immoral, and dangerous liberals are, where as Liberals do no such thing. They would not go as far as to say that conservatives are stupid (arguable), but instead they want to fill the gap between. Conservatives have only proven one thing with books like these. NOT that their opinion is any better (not that its worse), but that many of them are in fact very hateful and cruel to those who are different! I cannot say the same things about liberals. In my experience, liberals have often been more open-minded, un-biased, more people oriented, and of a higher IQ. I want everyone to at least make an attempt, not only to accept others, but to understand, and love other people; regardless of differences. Coming from a higher education (often the foe of conservatism.) I would like to consider all the opinions, but people who are so ignorant often scare me. I would like to tell you why I am liberal. I¿m liberal cause i think an open mind is a good thing. I think that people are more important than dollars, regardless of sex, race, religion, and identity. I think that education and wisdom are more important than spreading bloodshed. I think that words are the weapons of the wise and that LOVE is more important than HATE. I think that differences should not only be tolerated, but embraced as such, cause we can learn from them. I think that Humans are capable of doing GREAT things if they put their hearts and their minds in the right place, if we can learn to live together. Love, peace, wisdom, tolerance, temperance, virtue. One last note, Clinton has the highest IQ for any president ever recorded, Bush had the lowest. Hmmm...It seems that the smarter ones (Clinton, JFK) always can never settle for jsut one woman, nad the dumb ones (BushX2 and Reagan) and war mongers.

Can't be taken seriously

I thought that this book would truly expose a "vast Right Wing conspiracy." However, it does nothing but give voice to one man's bitterness. This book stems from a man who has psychological issues related to his own homosexuality. I found very little in it that didn't tie into his own sense of self-loathing. I believe that he was a conservative for the wrong reasons, but that he changed his philosophy for the wrong reasons also. His wriring style is good, but unfortunately, the content cannot be taken seriously.

Brock Tells the Truth

Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in politics. Painfully authentic, at times sickening, but ultimately motivating.

He Did It

This book comes from behind the walls of the most secretive political movement in recent American history. David Brock was there; he did it. Now he tells what he and others did. Other books and articles are beginning, by drips and drabs, to uncover a loony bin of cult-like behavior -- people who do not know right from wrong, truth from fiction, or good from evil, but are hate-filled and obsessed with winning. All the sleeze of people for whom the end justifies the means is revealed in this book. Again, Brock was there; he did it; he was one of them, on the inside; he knows. This is a behind-the-scenes account from the secret trenches and tunnels used to undermine our country. It's the story behind the news. It names names, and records events that the author either witnessed first hand or was a party to. If you want to know what goes on in government you won't have a clue without this book.

Eye Opener

A great book if you're looking for the truth about what happens in the game of politics. The book reads like a fiction novel. David Brock is like a lot of young people going into politics and for me it was a huge eye opener. Fabulous read for anyone who's curious about that infamous 'right wing conspiracy'.

Betrayed by the Right

Born into a Pentacostal-Holiness family I've seen hundreds of sinners answer the alter call and come forward to admit their sins. At least I thought I had, until I read this book. I've never witnessed a more detailed and sincere confession in my fifty years of life. I had to stop reading every few chapter and breath into a bag. This is very powerful stuff. What David Brock does here is show honest people, religious or not, the difference between a teary-eyed Jimmy Swaggert-style 'I have sinned' brand of made-for-television confession and the kind of repentence that is so sincere, so real, one has to reflect on all the times they've dropped to their knees before God to weigh whether or not those prayers were truly repentinent. I've been a Christian my entire life and I have to say my attempts at earning forgiveness pale tremendously in comparsion to this man. If I were Anita Hill or Bill or Hillary Clinton, or even an innocent voter who'd be blinded by the Right as Brock was I'd feel vindicated. Like President Jimmy Carter, Brock 'lusted in his heart' and his better self rescued him. If I were Anita Hill or Mr. and Mrs. Clinton I'd have mixed emotions about what has transpired within this book. Maybe I wouldn't call him up and thank him but in my heart I think I'd forgive him. David Brock has raised the bar for political responsibility and credibility like no one I've ever heard of. We owe him a debt of graditude for having done so.

Excellent contribution!

This is an excellent contribution in the effort to expose the hypocrisy and deception of the 'Christian' Right, which is far more influential politically than most people would even imagine. If you are interested, read Real Prophecy Unveiled, by Joseph J. Adamson, which not only exposes hypocrites but also provides the real meaning of prophecy to counteract the 'last days-end times' nonsense. Thank God for books like these, because they shed light in a world made dark by 'religious' bigotry, hypocrisy, and aggression.

Had to read it twice

The first time I read this book, I was so shocked that I couldn't believe it so then, I read it a second time and got so involved and remembered all the people David wrote about and was so amazed because I was right because they really said and did those terrible things. So undemocratic of them. Every voter should read this book and even if you don't vote read it anyway. Thank you David. I have to say that some day I will be proud to be an American because now I am ashamed to be an American. I'm ashamed how the media could have let this; encouraged this; made so much money on this. These people I will never trust again. Now, who do I watch on TV? What newspapers do I read? What magazines do I read? Should I just stop reading and watching TV? Yes, I will get all the movie channels and just watch movies. That's it. Thank you David. I will just have fun watching movies and never get involved in dirty politics ever again. I'm 73 years old and I remember the day I became a Democrat. I was only a kid and my Dad, a WW1 veteran finally received that $300.00 bonus the vets were promised and FDR got the economy going during the depression. Hoover set the cavalry against the vets who marched on Washington to get that bonus. Headed by Col. Douglas McArthur and a child was killed. Thats when I became a Democrat because my Dad was one because of that so I became one too. I did vote for Ike but thats the only time. Thank you David...I'll get any book you write and leave the movies for a while. Joan Warwick

Very Revealing

A well written expose by a political insider. Fairly even handed reporting. However, I am left to wonder if the same egoism and self deception that lead him to the conservative movement is now leading him the other direction. A worthwhile read nevertheless.

Demonize 'em

What a treat to read an insider's view of politics. It certainly isn't pretty. They had to have sold their souls to push their agenda onto the American people. Check their knickles because they have certainly scraped the bottom of the barrel. Pirranhas should be held in higher regard after reading about these kooks.

Great Insight On A Former Right-Wing Hit Man's Journey To The Truth

Not only is this a revealing and honest expose about the extremism of the conservative right wing, it's also a well written look into the introspective journey of someone peeling through the mask of lies they've been living. Very telling, and extremely fair, this book is more than an insight into David Brock's former life. It's a journey of self discovery. What I find funny about the critics of this book is that they state 'if he lied before what makes you think he isn't lying now.' To agree that Brock's previous works were those of tabloid hit pieces and made up scandals designed to attack the former president, is to unwittingly agree that the statements in this book are true. Even, in the slightest way of merely stating that all of the previous work attacking the Clinton's was a labor in fiction. By stating that Brock did lie, you help his cause. Way to go, keep up the good work!