The Obama Haters: Behind the Right-Wing Campaign of Lies, Innuendo & Racism

Description

On November 4, 2008, the election of Barack Hussein Obama as the forty-fourth president of the United States showed that the country had finally overcome its most hurtful, shameful, and enduring legacy-slavery. Though Obama's election showed progress, the John McCain-Sarah Palin campaign and the Republican Party used age-old smear campaign tactics. Their operators pulled out all the stops in an attempt to win and spread falsehoods about Obama that have only multiplied after the election. The Obama Haters seeks to answer the following questions: Who are these Obama haters? Why do they despise him? Why do various news organizations, commentators, and political entities treat the same facts differently? Why are these pundits so powerful? In order to do so, Wright first lays out the democratic principles and civility toward which Americans should strive. Next, he investigates the persistent expressions of hatred for President Obama, connecting historic antecedents of political mudslinging along with the background of virulent right-wing smear tactics over the past two decades. And finally, he shines a harsh spotlight on the haters and fearmongers and their tactics. While Americans have the right to criticize their political leadership, their reasons for disapproval should be based on facts. Those who invent and repeat lies to hurt the reputation of leaders weaken the democratic ideal. This book is for anyone who wishes to learn how to cut through the hypocrisy and propaganda to make informed decisions based on truth.

John Wrght is an award-winning journalist with more than thirty-five years of experience. He has worked for the Associated Press in Latin America and Knight-Ridder (Bridge News), and served as the bureau chief for Dow Jones newswires in Brazil. He lives in the Seattle area.

""The Obama Haters" is a compelling look at the profit-driven political opposition 'industry' that threatens civil discourse and rational solutions through lies, half-truths, and exploitation. It's a must read for anyone who cares about what's ailing our democracy and worries about the divisiveness and partisanship that's tearing it apart."--Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania--Edward G. Rendell (01/03/2011) "The Obama Haters" is a compelling look at the profit-driven political opposition industry that threatens civil discourse and rational solutions through lies, half-truths, and exploitation. It s a must read for anyone who cares about what s ailing our democracy and worries about the divisiveness and partisanship that s tearing it apart. Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania--Edward G. Rendell (01/03/2011)" Many Americans, myself included, wonder what happened to our public discourse in the last few years. This book tells that story more vividly than any other I ve read. If you want to know how the conservative media went off the rails and why elected representatives started calling Obama a traitor and a tyrant, John Wright is the perfect guide. U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona s Seventh District--U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (02/02/2011)" "Many Americans, myself included, wonder what happened to our public discourse in the last few years. This book tells that story more vividly than any other I've read. If you want to know how the conservative media went off the rails and why elected representatives started calling Obama a traitor and a tyrant, John Wright is the perfect guide."--U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona's Seventh District--U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (02/02/2011) -Many Americans, myself included, wonder what happened to our public discourse in the last few years. This book tells that story more vividly than any other I've read. If you want to know how the conservative media went off the rails and why elected representatives started calling Obama a traitor and a tyrant, John Wright is the perfect guide.---U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona's Seventh District--U. S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (02/02/2011) -John Wright exposes how Obama's detractors have created a caricature of the president as a turban-wearing, Mecca-praying, Kenyan-born communist who learned his politics from bearded little men clutching hissing bombs. As Wright points out, what makes Obama's self-appointed enemies different from haters of past presidents is that they will invent any tall tale to promote the lie that Obama is not a real American.---Edward McClelland, author of Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President--Edward McClelland (01/26/2011) -The value of this volume is in its calling out hate mongers before they encourage more political violence such as the January 2011 tragedy in Tucson. In effectively countering vicious lies about President Obama, John Wright makes a strong case for recognizing and marginalizing potentially dangerous hate speech thinly veiled as free speech. The words we choose to use color our world and perceptions and influence our behavior. Even when there is an absence of incitement to violence, there are those whose inner psyches are stimulated to ethnoviolence by such rhetoric.---Anthony Cortese, professor of sociology, Southern Methodist University, and author of Opposing Hate Speech--Anthony Cortese (01/19/2011) -The Obama Haters is a compelling look at the profit-driven political opposition 'industry' that threatens civil discourse and rational solutions through lies, half-truths, and exploitation. It's a must read for anyone who cares about what's ailing our democracy and worries about the divisiveness and partisanship that's tearing it apart.---Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania--Edward G. Rendell (01/03/2011) "John Wright exposes how Obama's detractors have created a caricature of the president as a turban-wearing, Mecca-praying, Kenyan-born communist who learned his politics from bearded little men clutching hissing bombs. As Wright points out, what makes Obama's self-appointed enemies different from haters of past presidents is that they will invent any tall tale to promote the lie that Obama is not a real American."--Edward McClelland, author of Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President--Edward McClelland (01/26/2011) "The value of this volume is in its calling out hate mongers before they encourage more political violence such as the January 2011 tragedy in Tucson. In effectively countering vicious lies about President Obama, John Wright makes a strong case for recognizing and marginalizing potentially dangerous hate speech thinly veiled as free speech. The words we choose to use color our world and perceptions and influence our behavior. Even when there is an absence of incitement to violence, there are those whose inner psyches are stimulated to ethnoviolence by such rhetoric."--Anthony Cortese, professor of sociology, Southern Methodist University, and author of Opposing Hate Speech--Anthony Cortese (01/19/2011) "The Obama Haters is a compelling look at the profit-driven political opposition 'industry' that threatens civil discourse and rational solutions through lies, half-truths, and exploitation. It's a must read for anyone who cares about what's ailing our democracy and worries about the divisiveness and partisanship that's tearing it apart."--Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania--Edward G. Rendell (01/03/2011) John Wright exposes how Obama's detractors have created a caricature of the president as a turban-wearing, Mecca-praying, Kenyan-born communist who learned his politics from bearded little men clutching hissing bombs. As Wright points out, what makes Obama s self-appointed enemies different from haters of past presidents is that they will invent any tall tale to promote the lie that Obama is not a real American. Edward McClelland, author of Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President--Edward McClelland (01/26/2011)" The value of this volume is in its calling out hate mongers before they encourage more political violence such as the January 2011 tragedy in Tucson. In effectively countering vicious lies about President Obama, John Wright makes a strong case for recognizing and marginalizing potentially dangerous hate speech thinly veiled as free speech. The words we choose to use color our world and perceptions and influence our behavior. Even when there is an absence of incitement to violence, there are those whose inner psyches are stimulated to ethnoviolence by such rhetoric. Anthony Cortese, professor of sociology, Southern Methodist University, and author of Opposing Hate Speech--Anthony Cortese (01/19/2011)" The Obama Haters is a compelling look at the profit-driven political opposition industry that threatens civil discourse and rational solutions through lies, half-truths, and exploitation. It s a must read for anyone who cares about what s ailing our democracy and worries about the divisiveness and partisanship that s tearing it apart. Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania--Edward G. Rendell (01/03/2011)"