Battling the Big Lie

How Fox, Facebook, and the MAGA Media Are Destroying America

De: Dan Pfeiffer

Narrado por: Dan Pfeiffer

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and co-host of Pod Save America—how to combat political truth decay and baldfaced lies of the Right Wing propaganda machine.

In BATTLING THE BIG LIE, bestselling author Dan Pfeiffer dissects how the Right Wing built a massive, billionaire funded disinformation machine powerful enough to bend reality and nearly steal the 2020 election. From the perspective of someone who has spent decades on the frontlines of politics and media, Pfeiffer lays out how the Right Wing media apparatus works, where it came from, and what progressives can do to fight back against disinformation.

Over a period of decades, the Right Wing has built a massive media apparatus that is weaponizing misinformation and spreading conspiracy theories for political purposes. This “MAGA Megaphone”⁠—personified by Fox News and fueled by Facebook⁠—is waging war on the very idea of objective truth…and they are winning. This disinformation campaign is how Donald Trump won in 2016, almost won in 2020, and why the United States is incapable of addressing problems from COVID-19 to climate change.

Pfeiffer explains how and why the Republicans have come to depend on culture war grievances, crackpot conspiracies, and truly sinister propaganda as their primary political strategies, including:

• Republican efforts from Roger Ailes to Steve Bannon and Donald Trump to sow distrust while exploiting the media’s biases and the Democratic Party’s blind spots.
• The optimization of Facebook as the ultimate carrier of Trumpist messaging.
• Educating the Left to stop clutching pearls and start "fighting fire with fire.”
• How to fight back against the trolls spreading disinformation and hate on the Internet.

A functioning democracy depends on a shared understanding of reality. America is teetering on the edge because one of the two parties in our two-party system views truth, facts, and science as their opponent. BATTLING THE BIG LIE is call to arms for anyone and everyone that cares about truth and democracy. There are no easy answers or quick fixes, but something must be done.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The United States is in the throes of a disinformation epidemic that is being fueled by right-wing media personalities, unchecked social media companies, and extremist politicians – posing a clear and present threat to our democracy. In his book, BATTLING THE BIG LIE, Dan has demonstrated a sharp understanding of how we got here, while lifting up some of the most promising efforts leading in this fight and offering a roadmap for how we can all play a role in countering disinformation where it spreads – to quite literally save our democracy. Anyone who is concerned about the impact disinformation is having on society today should read this book."—Tara McGowan, Founder of Good Information Inc. and Courier Newsroom

“Our real lives and online lives are so confusing and frankly at times depressing that we want to just tune out but we know we can’t! Too much is at stake. In BATTLING THE BIG LIE which is part guide, part battle plan and a little bit of therapy, Pfeiffer helps breakdown how and why we got here, and gives us the tools to fight back against disinformation, talk to people we disagree with and help create an environment where progressive media can thrive. A vital read going into our upcoming elections."—Alyssa Mastromonaco, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of Crooked Media’s Hysteria podcast

“Democracy will not survive if truth continues to be a casualty of propaganda and disinformation. Battling the Big Lie is an enlightening, at times enraging, and always entertaining guide through the recent history of our politics and media, drawing on Dan Pfeiffer’s unparalleled experience. Read this book if you want to understand what is happening in American politics, why it is happening, and what you can do about it.”—Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor and author of After the Fall

"This is the book that progressives and Americans generally need to better understand the rise and resilience of Donald Trump and the Trump Republican Party. It’s not about him, as much as Trump wants everything to be about him, but about the right-wing media ecosystem of disinformation that’s sustained Trumpism. Dan Pfeiffer understands that and narrates it here as only a longtime practitioner of political communications can, and he delivers some yucks along with the hard and often depressing truths."—Jackie Calmes, Los Angeles Times columnist and author of Dissent

Good Analysis, but . . .

I don't know what happened here. I watch Dan on Pod Save the World on a regular basis. I know he's passionate about the subject, but I heard none of it in this narration. The story is compelling, of course, but I got a little bored listening to this book. I hope the next time, he presents with the exciitment, frustration, anger, outrage and humor he shows in his orher work. I'd like him to tell us thhis crazy stuff and draw us into it.

Performance not always easy

I love Dan and listen yo him on Crooked Media. The first quarter of the book, he didn't seem comfortable with his reading. It didn't sound like him and was rushed. Later on he seemed like the voice and person I knew from podcasts.

Great info, insufferable voice

So difficult to concentrate on the brilliant content with the random speed changes, tone adjustments, slurred speech and random clips that so clearly had to be re-recorded. Skip the audible version and buy the hard copy, if possible.

Must Read to Understand Where We Are

This book peels the onion back on the things that are happening with social media, traditional media and what can be learned and changed.

Dan Pfiefer is thorough and full of good info. His experience in politics and exposure to media add to his credibility.

This could be used to analyze/study 2016’s political landscape and the harmful effects of social media & how News just keeps trying to make money and appear non-biased..

Great Content, Middling Performance

I was highly motivated to listen to this work as an avid listener of the Author's podcast.

The book was substantative, if a bit repetitive at times. My real gripe is with the performance, which I came in with high expectations for. the read was without much emphasis and felt like jokes were told flat

Get the print edition.

Stop hiring authors to read their own books. Dan Pfeiffer is not good at it.

Very Informative

The reader reads really fast 🙂 but content was outstanding with lots over interesting concepts & courses of action. Did not like constant references to “old people “.

Great Author on a very relevant topic.

So full disclosure, I am a big fan of Crooked Media and have campaigned for Democrats for the past decade. This book explains why people like me feel that it is so important to get in the game. We can lose our country and our way of life to brain washed, fascist zombies, OR we can help inform our fellow citizens of the dangers of propaganda machines like Fox News, and their lies for profit clones. Plus Crooked Media and DF are just as fun as they are thoughtful.

Dan Gets it....

Dan is wasting his time as a talking head on a Podcast, although I look forward to hearing him each week. He should be the chief strategist for the Democratic Party. This book is an excellent analysis of how to really do battle with republicans. And he takes trump apart piece by piece, which is always fun.

I just finished Will Smith's book.

I just finished Will Smith's book. He had me swept to tears at the passing of his father. He had me pumping my fist when he talked about Grand Master Caz's Yvette and rapped a verse. I beamed like a proud poppa when Whip My Hair went on tour and still have a feeling from when JL talked him into meeting Muhamed Ali.

Dan Pfeiffer's book sounded like Pod Save America, Only Dans. it sounded like Dan was reading me his book, which he was.

I hung on every word and loved the topic and as a huge Crooked fan, I appreciated Dan's voice in my ear guiding his research.

I finished in one setting.

He's no Will Smith, though, just saying. 😁

Next time rap Grand Master Caz, Dan!