A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (and Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media [Hardcover]

Bernie Goldberg is always informative and fair in what he writes, but for some reason people on the left can't hear his message and often angrily dismiss him. Also, his writing is often misused by those on the right who believe in a vast left-wing media conspiracy. To set the record straight before I tell you all that is in this very valuable little book, I want you to know that Goldberg is clear that the mainstream media did not defeat John McCain. He says that in the November election, the lefties in the media who were actively and openly pulling for Obama probably cost McCain about a single percentage point. The author explains how three factors that beat McCain. 1) History: the fact that only once since FDR and Truman has America elected the President from the same party three times in a row (Reagan twice and the first Bush once). 2) McCain was ineffective in presenting his case for becoming President and while Palin energized the conservative base, she didn't pull in moderates and independents. Even with these winds in his face, McCain was still in the game until 3) The huge economic crisis just before the election. I think these are good points to remember.

Nevertheless, the fourth estate has a lot to answer for in their slobbering love affair with Obama. Without them he might not have won the nomination as the candidate for the Democrat Party. Their bias was so obvious that it even became the point of parody on Saturday Night Live. What does Goldberg point to in this book?

1) The way the media gave Obama a pass and packaged him as sexy, vital, and basically a rock star, while McCain was treated as old, out of touch, and even a racist. The author points to the difference in treatment each received in "The View" where Obama was given softball after softball and McCain was asked by Whoopie if she had to worry if he was going to make her a slave.
2) The way MSNBC was completely in the tank with the thrill running up its leg.
3) How the media set out to destroy Palin including printing rumors without evidence, but failed to ask any questions about Obama's background.
4) Limbaugh's view of the media treating Obama as "too big to fail".
5) The protection of Obama from Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers except for Sean Hannity and conservative media outlets.
6) The way the media set out to destroy "Joe the Plumber" in order to protect Obama.
7) The acceptance of the lame excuse about Bill Ayers that Obama was "only eight years old" when the bombings occurred and the failure to ask about the Annenberg Challenge or digging into Obama's time at Harvard.
8) The dismissal from the Obama for President plane of reporters for newspapers that endorsed McCain.
9) Charles Schumer and others on "The Fairness Doctrine.
10) The way that some in the press began to notice how little we really know about Obama only after he won the Presidency.
11) Ten questions Goldberg would like to ask Barack Obama.
12) How the Press can fix itself and avoid its slow march to irrelevance and extinction.

There is even more than this, but these are the points that hit home for me.

I think you will find Goldberg's writing style much like his TV reporting style and very easy to read and understand. I recommend the book to you and hope you read and think about the issues the author raises about the media. Remember this isn't really about Barack Obama, but the way the New York Times, the major networks and other established media went beyond its normal bias to actually shill for Obama.

Enjoy.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Without a doubt, the presidential campaign and election of 2008 was a historical time of our lives. I don't hide the fact that I favor small government and believe the president's ultimate responsibility is to keep us safe - trademark characteristics of someone who leans right on the political spectrum. I am also one who relies on the media to keep me informed and regardless of one's politics, you had to be comatose or dead not to clearly see the biased reporting throughout this campaign, all in the mission to ensure Mr. Obama would be elected. As the weeks and months went on, I couldn't believe my ears and anxiously awaited a book covering what I view as the epitome of irresponsible journalism.
Bernie Goldberg absolutely nailed it - from this book's title "A Slobbering Love Affair," to the thought-provoking contents, he managed to crystalize the thoughts that had been festering in my mind for more than 12 months. After the initial pages, I was hooked reading some of the quotes from Chris Matthews...

After Obama swept what was called "The Potomac Primary," winning Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC on the same night, he gave a victory speech when Matthews blurted out: "I felt this thrill going up my leg."

When Obama won the Iowa caucus a month earlier, Matthews was a guest on the Tonight Show and said to Jay Leno, "If you're actually in the room when Obama gives one of his speeches and you don't cry, you're not an American."

One more quote from this same appearance on the Tonight Show is as follows: "Barack and Michelle Obama are cool people. They are really cool. They're Jack and Jackie Kennedy when you see them together. They are cool. And they're great looking and they're cool... Everything seems to be great. I know I'm selling him now. I'm not supposed to sell."

I'm not sure what planet Chris Matthews is from but that is just a taste of what you will read in "A Slobbering Love Affair."

Bernie, this book is great and you'll notice the 5 star rating I gave you... If there were 6 stars to give, I would have done that for this is a classic read and as funny as it is, the fact that unbiased journalism can no longer be expected is an unfortunate drawback that will affect all of us. With consideration for the blatant examples of one sided reporting, the only thing missing from this book is the inclusion of a little sickness bag with every sale. That would have been a nice touch as there were times I needed one. Thank you for writing this book, Bernie - I loved it!

I got Bernie Goldberg's new book yesterday, and read it with great enjoyment.

Today, I heard him on the Michael Medved show, as he had to deal with an incredible array of rude, boorish, and poorly informed callers. Wow, did he hit a nerve

This book is not an attack on President Obama. What the book does attack is the media, the silly, slavish
followers of Obama who did all they could to shape public opinion, and get their man elected. No candidate has ever had the free ride Obama got. The media had a basic rule-----Barrack Obama can do no wrong.

I particularly liked the chapters on Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman. I have never seen any media figures act the way those two did during the election. It went beyond a "man crush." They were nothing but shills and
salesmen for their candidate. Some of their statements were pathetic. Others , many others, were worse than pathetic. Olberman, in particular, came across as a nasty little weasel, a mean spirited partisan who shed all
vestiges of decency.

I came away liking Bernie Goldberg even more than I did after I read his other books. He is fun, funny, and a
shrewd observer of the way the media works----or, in this case, works for Obama. The entire campaign made my blood boil. Going through the book brought it back again, as I cringed at the treatment of Sarah Paliln and "Joe the Plumber."

I like this book. I think it has a lot to say in a small number of pages. Highly recommended.