Fraud

About the Book

In Fraud, leading political and media analyst Paul Waldman exposes the truth behind the rise of George W. Bush. What is revealed is more shocking than just a pattern of lies and incompetence. It is the story of how a clever political machine built a high-stakes game of deception, a policy of lies to capture the highest office in the free world, a fraud that continues to this day. How to Build a Fraud:
Portray son of one of America's most influential families as down-home Texan

Berate media as "liberal" until they stop asking tough questions

Take advantage of reporters' tendency to not check the facts

Mask reactionary policies in compassionate words and pictures

Push false stories from right-wing media into mainstream media

Extol the virtues of workers while systematically pushing an anti-labor agenda

Propose a series of tax cuts aimed at the wealthy, but sell them as a boon to ordinary Americans

Disguise destructive initiatives with friendly sounding names

Befriend media with "genuine guy" routine

Keep the public from accessing information

Maintain message discipline at all times

Question patriotism of anyone who disagrees

Repeat above until it all seems trueAt some point, George W. Bush took a good long look at who he was and what he wanted for the country and decided that the American people would never buy it if he gave it to them straight. So Bush and his political machine made their decision: the American people would have to be lied to. They would construct a persona that would be everything Bush was not. They would take the same reactionary agenda and cloak it in comforting catchphrases and pleasing visuals, presenting to the public a false image of sympathy. And they would repeat this message endlessly. The power of the fraud lies in the ability of the Bush machine to manipulate the press, and thereby avoid having the truth exposed. Waldman's findings reveal an astonishing record of how the nation's media has not only given Bush a pass again and again, but have failed to follow up on even the most openly dishonest parts of the Bush agenda. For all Americans who have been uneasy about the honesty of the Bush administration, but unsure what it means or how far it goes, Fraud is a shocking wake-up call.


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