• The Smear

  • How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote
  • By: Sharyl Attkisson
  • Narrated by: Sharyl Attkisson
  • Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (949 ratings)

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The Smear  By  cover art

The Smear

By: Sharyl Attkisson
Narrated by: Sharyl Attkisson
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Publisher's summary

Ever wonder how politics turned into a take-no-prisoners blood sport? The New York Times best-selling author of Stonewalled pulls back the curtain on the shady world of opposition research and reveals the dirty tricks those in power use to influence your opinions.

Behind most major political stories in the modern era, there is an agenda - an effort by opposition researchers, spin doctors, and outside interests to destroy an idea or a person. The tactic they use is the Smear. Every day, Americans are influenced by the Smear without knowing it. Paid forces cleverly shape virtually every image you cross. Maybe you read that Donald Trump is a racist misogynist or saw someone on the news mocking the Bernie Sanders campaign. The trick of the Smear is that it is often based on some shred of truth, but these media-driven "hit pieces" are designed to obscure the truth. Success hinges on the Smear artist's ability to remain invisible, to make it seem as if their work is neither calculated nor scripted. It must appear to be precisely what it is not.

Veteran journalist Sharyl Attkisson has witnessed this practice firsthand. After years of being pitched hit jobs and puff pieces, she's an expert at detecting Smear campaigns. Now, the hard-hitting investigative reporter shares her inside knowledge, revealing how the Smear takes shape and who its perpetrators are - including Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal and, most influential of all, "right-wing assassin turned left-wing assassin" (National Review) political operative David Brock and his Media Matters for America empire.

Attkisson exposes the diabolical tactics of Smear artists and their outrageous access to the biggest names in political media - operatives who are corrupting the political process and discouraging widespread citizen involvement in our democracy.

©2017 Sharyl Attkisson (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

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Devestating Reporting on...Reporters and The Smear

Some of the dubious smears Ms Akkisson writes about actually deeply influenced my vote. You have no idea how hard it is for me to admit that. Its true for me and I know its true of some of my smartest friends.

Like a surgeon, Ms Akkisson sites facts peeling away the many layers of deceit and blatant disregard for ethics and standards in her industry. She systematicly exposes bias and collusion In the media with professional smear artists.

It is as gripping a read as it is a devestating expose' on the media. I loved every second of the book. Before you repeat any opinion you have on politics, listen to this book! I have no doubt The Smear will have a huge impact on the future of the media.

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The success of political smear!

First, I am delighted to see Sharyl Attkisson's The Smear has already been reviewed by one of the people I follow (Charles Atkinson). His is an excellent review which I have already given it my helpful vote.

Who is author Sharyl Atkission? My short answer is the best and most honest investigative journalist in the US in the last 100 years. She graduated from the University of Florida with a broadcast journalism degree. At age 56 she has worked first at four local TV stations 1982 and 1990 before moving onto the national stage with CNN in 1990. After 3 years at CNN she left for CBS News in 1993 and worked there until 2014 when she left "on good terms". Since then she has worked as an independent journalist using her website and a weekly radio program continuing to do what she does best. While at CBS she was an occasional substitute host of CBS evening news. The Smear is her second book. The first, titled Stonewalled, was released in late 2014. I did not write reviews in 2014, but I did write a review 2 years later.

As the title promises Atkisson has written a great book about the "art" of the political smear with an emphasis on the 2016 national election season (primaries and general election). It is fascinating! But it is appropriately unkind to the political operatives, the journalists, and the news organizations involved in The Smear. Sharyl Atkission has a talent for cutting through the BS and getting to the facts. Although this book takes on smear merchants of both major political parties, she is most critical of David Brock and of the journalists who have prostituted themselves by knowingly spreading the smear during the 2016 election cycle and since the election. She also gives recent historical perspective to the use of the term "fake news" which was started by Brock and picked up by a bevy of journalists before Donald Trump picked up the term and used it against them.

Atkisson narrates The Smear herself and does an excellent job.

The Smear has my highest possible recommendation. Everyone should listen to this book.

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  • MJ
  • 08-05-17

A cancer metastasizing...

...before our very eyes. All who value this republic must read, follow, discern news with great skepticism and variety.

Sharyl is a modern Paul Revere, warning citizens of a very real and present danger.

"A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy. A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.” Dr. McHenry in The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. Max Farrand, vol. 3, appendix A, p. 85 (1911, reprinted 1934)

Interestingly, Mike Wallace on CBS' 60 Minutes misquoted (now I wonder intentionally?) taking out the word "republic " and inserting "democracy."
[Dec 20, 1998]

God bless and protect you, Ms. Attkisson, you most certainly took great risks. You are admired and appreciated by this fan.

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OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!

Any additional comments?

This book makes me so happy! I thought I was going crazy before I read it. Then I started believing the smear merchants on the "other side" of the aisle. The Smear, by Sharyl Attkisson, puts my heart at ease. It has opened my heart by opening my eyes to the brainwashing that goes on for all of us, whether we consider ourselves to be on the right or the left and is THE obstacle to a free society, social harmony and mutual understanding.

In the audio book version, Sharyl does a great job reading. You can feel her integrity and concern for all involved parties in the way she reads. This truly is a rarefied work on the level of excellence that does not seem to seek condemnation but rather understanding.

A wise man once said that falsehood needs not be opposed, only exposed. The truth has a way of dissolving fallacy by its' own merit and power. It is my hope that this book launches a new era of civility in which the destructive effects of now obvious media smear campaigns are mitigated by enhanced sophistication, discernment, understanding and compassion. In order to choose the good we must first unmask and identify the not-so-good. This book does an excellent job of doing that.

Shame is cruel and abusive. Smearing is a form of oppression. By the very nature of a smear, the victim instantly becomes a minority in the smallest and most oppressed group in America - the victims of public shaming. The ends do not justify the means, because we live in a world of means.

My compassion and prayers go out to all those who have been smeared as well as the ones doing the smearing. I would NEVER want the karma of what they are doing.

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I trust this author!

I bought this book the first day it was available because I trust the author. I was not disappointed. It was so well done that at the end I found myself wanting to hear more of what she has to say. It is obvious how hard she works to get the complete facts and I treasure her objectivity. I look forward to more if her work.

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Fascinating and scary!

Anyone interested in politics needs to listen to this book. No matter your political persuasion, this author tells it like it is. I will forever filter what I hear on the news with what I learned from this book.

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fantastic

very well written and very well-read interesting story about the truth of what goes on in this country excellent

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Just as I suspected

If you could sum up The Smear in three words, what would they be?

Confirmed my Suspicions

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Smear?

David Brocks dominance and collusion of and with the fake news sites like CNN

What does Sharyl Attkisson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I trusted her words

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Money can buy reporters, editors and anchors to perpetuate whatever liberal narrative and smear you want to put forward,

Any additional comments?

I saw the Hillary campaign and friends try to make me doubt what I saw and heard during the campaign. Their antics and bubble blindness steered me to Trump and away from Hillary,
Excellent Book and hopefully We get a Part 2 Update highlighting CNN's and the rest of the Liberal Media fall from grace.

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Shocking, but not shocked...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I fear though that many will call her a "neocon" or the like as it's pretty damning more so to the "left".

What other book might you compare The Smear to and why?

None to date.

If you could give The Smear a new subtitle, what would it be?

Disconnect from the internet and ignore political "reporters".

Any additional comments?

I loved this book for making me feel like I'm not crazy. I'm also very saddened as I grew up in the 70's when it sure seemed like "news" was reported and not crafted.
It's incredibly sad to see the "legal" means used to destroy people and promote others.
As a 50-something, I fear for the world my children and grandchildren have inherited.
My only wish would be for the author/narrator to slow down a tad. She's very "up" and I had to drop the audible app down a notch.
Her research seems pretty much on the table, and I am shocked not to see some negative reviews here as at least 50% of the population is going to hate this book (for political reasons).
I'm politically (party) agnostic, and this was an amazing book. Take everything you read/hear with a grain of salt folks.

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This is a must listen to.

She clearly points out how the news is no longer a source of unbiased reporting. After you listen you understand mucj the media was in the tank for Clinton. You will get a better understanding of fake news..

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