BuzzFlash Reviews

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS

Yes, this is the book with the sensational charges about McCain's temper that the mainstream media recently cited: 1) that back in the '90s, McCain publicly called his wife the "c" word; 2) that he regularly tells colleagues to "F" off; and 3) that he engaged in at least one punching brawl on Capitol Hill.

But the book is a lot more than titillating details on John's temper tantrums and vulgar tactlessness. It's kind of the inside scoop on Mr. Flip-flop incarnate. In fact, Schecter -- a wry informative progressive political commentator known to many on the web, television and radio -- refers to McCain's different political positions as if he were versions of Windows, only McCain doesn't get better with each version.

From a certain prism -- the one shown in this book -- McCain is more of a Frankenstein with an ingratiating streak for the media than a maverick.

Okay, so the guy doesn't know Sunnis from Shiites? Hey, that doesn't matter because McCain knows victory when he smells it, and it doesn't pass the sniff test until you kill enough of them that it doesn't matter whether they are Sunnis or Shiites.

On the day before we wrote this review, McCain said that he would eliminate the deficit (balance the budget) in the same manner Reagan did. Poor John, never one for facts or history, because Reagan actually nearly tripled the deficit!

A special treat in this book is the last chapter, "McCain's Cabinet of Horrors," in which Schecter assembles a possible McCain Cabinet. You got to go with Joe Lieberman as Secretary of Defense. Good grief! Paul Wolfowitz as Secretary of State. Oh my Gawd!

If this book doesn't get you to vote Democratic for president, nothing will.

Abouth the author:

Cliff Schecter is a Knight-Ridder columnist, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and a frequent guest on NPR, CNN, MSNBC, and many other national media outlets that cover politics.

From the publisher, PoliPoint Press:

Thinking about voting for McCain? Read this book.

Cliff Schecter's hard-hitting profile explores the gap between the public record of Senator John McCain and his media image. Drawing on a range of sources and adding his unique perspective and humor, Schecter guides the reader though McCain's long history of expedient flip-flops—especially on his signature issues of national security and campaign finance reform.

Far from a straight-talking maverick, McCain emerges as a temperamental political chameleon who will do or say virtually anything to become president of the United States. On issue after issue—including the invasion and occupation of Iraq, torture, abortion, and gay rights—The Real McCain reveals a politician who started as a Goldwater Republican, experienced a brief period of sanity after his loss to George W. Bush in 2000, and began pandering to the very groups he challenged after deciding to run again in 2008.


BUZZFLASH REVIEWS