Dirty Politics: Deception, Distraction, and Democracy. - book reviews

Washington Monthly, Nov, 1992 by David Shribman

Fortunately there is not too much of that to fog up her interesting snapshots of the milestones on the road to Willie Horton. There is Lyndon Johnson's exaggeration of his war record. There is Republican Bernard Epton's false radio charges that Harold Washington was a "convicted felon" who had been "disbarred" from the practice of law. There is Democrat Ed Garvey's charge that GOP Senator Bob Kasten of Wisconsin drank on the job. There is Jesse Helms' ridiculing of Jim Hunt's lack of a war record. The truth is that, in forthcoming editions of this book, there will be more examples of lies and exaggerations shaping American political history. Some of them may be playing on the television in your living room fight this minute.

--David Shribman