The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder

by Vincent Bugliosi

book data

180 ratings, 3.86 average rating, 83 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		31%
4		37%
3		19%
2		6%
1		4%

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published

May 26th 2008 by Vanguard Press

binding

Hardcover, 352 pages

url

http://www.prosecutionofbush.com/

isbn

159315481X (isbn13: 9781593154813)

description

The most explosive and controversial book of the year by famed prosecutor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Vincent Bugliosi.

Fames Charles Ma

...more

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06/06/08

Eric rated it:

bookshelves: current-events, politics, recent-reads, war

i am reading this book in short bursts. i have to put it down for a day or two after reading a portion, because i am afraid it will induce a rage-fueled coronary.

how fucking blind are we as a nation? when you sit back, in hindsight, and take in the narrative of the lead-up to the war in iraq, with all the facts in front of you, it is truly amazing the jumbo-sized okeydoke that was pulled on the american people.

the book so far is maddening, sickening, and engrossing. ...more

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05/29/08

Bob rated it:

Read in May, 2008

Here's another in a long line of Bush-bashing books. Like most of them, it will provide that special blend of revulsion and satisfaction to those who agree with the points it makes (as I do). And those on the other side will attack it as scurrilous or worse. Like so much public discourse, Bugliosi's book is preaching to the choir. The hopeful thing is that the ranks of this particular choir are growing.

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07/13/08

L rated it:

Read in July, 2008

This is an interesting book, but ultimately diappointing. It contains no real surprises, in terms of the lies and rush to war, but it's useful to have all of that documented in one place. Bugliosi's hatred for Bush is visceral and his arguments that Bush is amazingly lazy, with no love for his country or concern or her people are certainly persuasive. At the same time, though, in the midst of documenting Bush's lies & disrespect for us, lies that Congress fell for, Bugliosi also refers to the Am...more This is an interesting book, but ultimately diappointing. It contains no real surprises, in terms of the lies and rush to war, but it's useful to have all of that documented in one place. Bugliosi's hatred for Bush is visceral and his arguments that Bush is amazingly lazy, with no love for his country or concern or her people are certainly persuasive. At the same time, though, in the midst of documenting Bush's lies & disrespect for us, lies that Congress fell for, Bugliosi also refers to the American people in quite derogatory terms (e.g. sheep). Liberal journalists are also lambasted.

Essentially, the picture painted is one of Bush & his inner circle twisting facts and flat-out lying, the intelligence community going along with it, Congress being misled through no fault of their own, the libral media not doing their job, and the American people stupidly falling for all of this. I see some flaws in this.
I understand that Bugliosi is making the case that a few folks should be tried for conspiracty to commit murder (and all but Bush can be allowed to trade testimony for leniency, with no great loss to justice). In that sense, I suppose his narrow focus fits. The problem is that the larger system that allowed this to happen is left unquestioned. This is a variation on the "great man of history" approach, one that is inherently dissatisfying, because it doesn't look beyond that one "bad guy."

Part II, which deals with the possible prosecution of Bush (including a fairly lengthy fantasy scene in which Bugliosi gives us his view of some of the courtroom drama), deals with what the title promises. This is the heart of the book. Part III hashes over Bush's ineptitude in handling the war on Terrorism & Part IV is a sort of "what's wrong with America." Both of these latter sections continue to deride the American people. In fact, I got so tired of reading about how stupid the American people are, how only Bugliosi, alone in all of this vast country has the ability to see what was really going on, that I barely skimmed these; I couldn't stand to actually read any more of this rant. Truth be told, Bugliosi only has about 1/2 as much of a book as this appears to be.

Bottom line? I wanted to like this book, wanted to be able to rave about it. I did not like and cannot recommend it. Again, there is useful info pulled together in one spot and the sections on what a heel Bush is are interesting. But wait for the library to free up a copy and use your hard-earned money for coffee.
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07/03/08

fbuser564698740 rated it:

Read in July, 2008

Until reading this book, I didn't realize how bad a thing it was to be uninformed about politics. I imagine I'm like a lot of people when I say I hate politics and hearing about it. However, it is not stupidity or weakness that leads strong countries down the path of dictatorship - it is sometimes just plain old do-nothingism.

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07/12/08

Dan rated it:

bookshelves: iraq, presidents

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: all voters

Vincent Bugliosi sets out in this book to make the idea of a murder trial for George W. Bush believable to his readers.

The first hurdle is to take readers through a mental adjustment to the idea of the president of the United States being a murderer. He addresses that adjustment in thoughtful detail. It isn't easy to think of the American president in the same category as Chile's cruel former dictator, August Pinochet. Mr. Bugliosi works such comparisons carefully, step by step.
...more Vincent Bugliosi sets out in this book to make the idea of a murder trial for George W. Bush believable to his readers.

The first hurdle is to take readers through a mental adjustment to the idea of the president of the United States being a murderer. He addresses that adjustment in thoughtful detail. It isn't easy to think of the American president in the same category as Chile's cruel former dictator, August Pinochet. Mr. Bugliosi works such comparisons carefully, step by step.

The second hurdle is to present the legal basis for such a trial to readers whose entire legal education probably comes from television and movies. I believe he succeeds in that. He even recommends a specific approach for questioning the accused on the witness stand. He pledges to consult for any attorney general who files the charges. The legal case seems clear enough, to my non-legal mind.

The third challenge is to rally enthusiasm for taking action against the president after he leaves office. He presents example after example of the harm done by the Iraq invasion, and he argues that George Bush is personally indifferent to the pain that the war is inflicting on American soldiers and Iraqis alike.

After making the above three points in 168 pages, he then criticizes the president's handling of Al Qaeda. Finally, he argues that, in general, the citizens of this country let our government get away with too much greed and folly of many stripes. He challenges us to stand tall against abuse. He implores us to take our responsibilities as citizens more seriously.

I objected to the Iraq invasion before it happened. I agree with Rory Stewart that we are causing tremendous harm to Iraq by staying there. I agree that President Bush is, by far, the worst man ever to hold that office. I agree that Mr. Bugliosi's proposal is completely believable.

In my view this is a totally remarkable, stunningly courageous book.

This New York Times article summarizes the resistance Mr. Bugliosi encountered from the news media and publishing houses regarding this book.

Just for a sanity check, I scanned the most negative reviews posted to Amazon. The writers of these reviews were essentially booed off stage by other Amazon readers.
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06/22/08

Michael rated it:

Is it a rant? Yes, in places.
Is he correct? Yes, he is!

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06/12/08

Justin rated it:

Read in June, 2008

For obvious reasons, I was intrigued by the title of this book, but it's a bit of a letdown. I think Bugliosi needed a better editor as the book is about twice as long as it should be. The crux of the argument declared by the title - that it's possible to prosecute a president for lying to the American public - is laid out pretty early in the book. And once you've gone there, what more is there to say? But for whatever reason, the book goes on for another 100-150 pages during the cohesiveness of...more

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07/15/08

Rachel rated it:

Read in July, 2008

I used to think George Bush was a sociopath....after reading this book I am convinced he is a true psychopath. Vincent Bugliosi manages to make what could be a law textbook, a genuine page turner; laying out in detail the numerous ways Bush could be tried for murder with arguments hard to argue with.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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06/15/08

Carla Gabriel rated it:

Read in June, 2008

Excellent assessment of Bush's tenacious rush to go to war. Not much new information if you are a political junkie like me, but I promise you will be furious at the insight of this petty, demented man who is leader of the free world.

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09/25/08

Paul A. rated it:

Read in September, 2008

Well, I read as much as I needed to read, which wasn't much. I avoid preaching-to-the-choir books; that's for weak minds, like Ann Coulter fans, so certain of their own beliefs that they need to be told what their "thoughts" are. I had believed Bugliosi to be conservative-minded. A conservative arguing that Bush should be tried for murder would be something. Alas, I was mistaken. This book will convince only the convinced.

I already know GWB has more innocent blood on his ha...more Well, I read as much as I needed to read, which wasn't much. I avoid preaching-to-the-choir books; that's for weak minds, like Ann Coulter fans, so certain of their own beliefs that they need to be told what their "thoughts" are. I had believed Bugliosi to be conservative-minded. A conservative arguing that Bush should be tried for murder would be something. Alas, I was mistaken. This book will convince only the convinced.

I already know GWB has more innocent blood on his hands than Pilate and more innocent American blood on his hands than Osama. I already know the invented reasons for the Iraq invasion and the invasion itself amount to murder and rise to murder in the legal sense. The flaw in the argument is not the legal logic but its distance from the reality of politics. The Supreme Court, especially in this decades-long incarnation, would simply state that no politician would run for executive office knowing poor choices might lead to criminal negligence charges and purposefully-harmful choices to felony prosecution. Remember to remember that when we say this is a free country, it's really, really free for about two percent of the population, and the rest are free to be screwed by the two percent. The Supreme Court would skitter around the trickiest Constitutional point Bugliosi raises (presidents are liable to felony or other criminal charges once out of office) by stating that the ruling is not binding.

In short, the Supreme Court would rule that Bush might just as well be charged for murder in the case of Katrina, and well he should be. It could easily be argued that the economic rape of the American populace amounted to, at minimum, manslaughter. And it should be. A lot of things should be, and a lot of things shouldn't be. There shouldn't be serial murderers, but I see at least two in the appropriate evil-camouflaging color of the White House. One just found a prize in his cereal box. It's going to be a good day for that one, another bright, sunny day with big fluffy clouds and birdies in the sky and satellites gone up to Mars.

A better case: Bush, as Commander in Chief, should be charged with and found guilty of treason, then shot, along with his cohorts. I'm against the death penalty, but when it's worth a few laughs, well, every exception proves the rule.
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09/04/08

Josh rated it:

Wow... and people thought I hated the president.

This book, is well, it's something else all right. Since my first reading of To Kill a Mockingbird last month, I've been considering law school. Yes, yes, I know. But this book made me want to do it. The case is clearly laid out that according to legal precedent, George W. Bush is legally responsible for the violent deaths of over 4,000 Americans and that any prosecutor in the country would be within their jurisdiction to bring him up o...more

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07/14/08

Kevin rated it:

Read in October, 2008

recommends it for: anyone, especially blind W fans

60 pages in: WOW - better hang on for this one! Compelling stuff; do I think it well ever happen? I'm too cynical to believe that it would. Would I rejoice? Picture me with a bowl of popcorn glued to the idiot box tuned to CNN.

Just finished this last night. What an eye-opener! If Bugliosi wasn't a respected and successful prosecutor, I would be less apt to pay this any mind. I've never been a fan of G.W. (call me crazy, but I think that the leader of our country should, at the very l...more 60 pages in: WOW - better hang on for this one! Compelling stuff; do I think it well ever happen? I'm too cynical to believe that it would. Would I rejoice? Picture me with a bowl of popcorn glued to the idiot box tuned to CNN.

Just finished this last night. What an eye-opener! If Bugliosi wasn't a respected and successful prosecutor, I would be less apt to pay this any mind. I've never been a fan of G.W. (call me crazy, but I think that the leader of our country should, at the very least, be able to pronounce the word 'nuclear'), but this puts him and his cronies into a whole new category.
Some random thoughts..
- I loathe draft-dodger types who purport to be heros.
- Like Mother, like son, apparently.. the bit about her 'beautiful mind' just blows me away.
- It is incomprehensible to think we let Bush & company : alter the CIA reports to support their case for invading Iraq, keep the troops in Iraq after it was revealed that every reason given for going in was found to be a bold-faced lie. There were never any WMDs, nothing linking Iraq to 9-11 or Al Qaeda in any way, and yet we let this persist even after we know the reasons for going in were bogus! I just don't get it.. I feel like protesting in DC..anyone care to join me?
- How about this whole notion of 'not accepting defeat, we must have victory in Iraq'?.. what a load of bull puckey.. Could someone please define what victory in Iraq is? We've already taken out Hussein and sons and succeeded in killing 100K people - 4k plus of our own soldiers. Do I think it would dishonor all of our soldiers by pulling out? no, I don't, mainly because I don't think we should have gone in in the first place, and I don't think that losing any more to this occupation will prove a damned thing. We should have kept our focus on where the perpetrators of 9-11 were in the first place - Afghanistan.
- The last figure I heard on the total spent thus far in Iraq ALONE is $1,000,000,000,000.00... that's right, 12 zeros, folks.. one TRILLION dollars.. are you kidding me? How about taking care of our own first? There are plenty of Americans out there who could use a meal or some medicine.. but no, let's waste the money (and the lives of our sons and daughters) on Bush's sick little war.
- Awfully brave, isn't he, when sending soldiers over to fight the war on terror (who wouldn't, as president, do the very same thing after 9/11, and his ratings went up why?). When it was time to fight for their generation, where were Bush & Cheney?

Support the troops, not this administration's awful leadership!!
***READ THIS BOOK!!***

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05/29/08

Tim rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction, politics

Read in July, 2008

I'm not exactly sure what to say about this book. I know I liked it. I know it made me think about not only the current administration but the state of US politics. I don't know if this book should be called "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder." A more apt name for this book maybe "Vincent Bugliosi's disdain for George W. Bush and Some Other Ramblings About US Politics and US Citizens and Some Praise for Myself About My Impressive Past".
The book starts of...more I'm not exactly sure what to say about this book. I know I liked it. I know it made me think about not only the current administration but the state of US politics. I don't know if this book should be called "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder." A more apt name for this book maybe "Vincent Bugliosi's disdain for George W. Bush and Some Other Ramblings About US Politics and US Citizens and Some Praise for Myself About My Impressive Past".
The book starts off very clear but as he continues he drifts slightly because I think that his emotions may get the best of him. But based on the amount of reading he appears to do in terms of newspapers and federal documents not just for the book but in daily life, I understand why he can become so frustrated. After all, the subject of the war in Iraq is very emotional and it's difficult to separate yourself from these emotions.
I do think that most people should read this book, aside from some outbursts along the way, Bugliosi presents much of the information that has come about over the past several years relating to the "war on terror" in a concise form that illustrates discrepancies between action and statements from the various members of the current administration and what the global intelligence community was saying.
One last thing. "Treason" Speaking out against the government is not treason. Stating facts, connecting the dots, and expressing your opinion is not treason, it is freedom of speech. In fact, those that sit idle, while they may not match the textbook definition of treason, commit treason long before those that speak out against the things that they see wrong. I've seen a few reviews that state that this book is treason and Vincent Bugliosi belongs with Benedict Arnold. But by saying this, you're giving the current president and any future president, Democrat or Republican, a free pass from justice should they violate the constitution. Bugliosi is merely expressing his opinion that Bush violated the constitution and should be put on trial like any other person in this country that the state believes is guilty of some crime. The government exists for the people, by the people and when an egregious act is committed, such as declaring war on an essentially third world country, the people have every right to know the entire story, not just pieces of it. Asking for the truth and demanding justice when it is required is not treason, it is "the American way". When you take away the ability to question the government, essentially limiting freedom of speech, well a better man than I said this:

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
-George Washington(less)

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07/15/08

Tom rated it:

A fascinating and infuriating diatribe against the Bush administration and GWB in particular by a career prosecutor (Bugliosi tried and won the Manson murder trial among others). Its overwritten, needs an editor and gets tiring, but is a well organized review of how Bush and his cronies literally manufactured lies to get us into the Iraq war, and remain blissfully unaffected by the death and suffering that has resulted. He makes a reasonable case for the prospect that Bush could indeed be trie...more

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06/18/09

Shaun rated it:

As you can obviously tell, this book is by a lawyer (a really good one at that) who builds a case on why President George W. Bush should be prosecuted for murder by sending our troops to Iraq. What makes him different? After all, many presidents in the past have sent our troops to war, how come they don’t get prosecuted? Bugliosi’s case is that Bush purposely lied to get the American people involved in the war in Iraq. It’s a bold statement. Bugliosi uses Bush’s speech to Congress o...more

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08/09/08

Alex rated it:

Read in August, 2008

My only complaint is that Bugliosi made several arguments referencing the general downturn of the USA culture in a "these kids today" way...like how there was a rap song that won Best Song Oscar a few years ago. He goes on to say something to the effect of: come on people, rap isn't even music! Regardless of what you think of rap, or how dough faced you think Karl Rove looks, it doesn't add to the otherwise devastating case he makes against GWB.

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09/23/08

Mike Hughes rated it:

Although pretty much a rehash of things I already knew, Bugliosi lays out a pretty compelling and logical case for the prosecution of our current president. It details all of Bush's lies and ignoring of truth while taking us into Iraq, which, of course, has led to the death of thousands of people.

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12/11/08

Mary Frances rated it:

Read in November, 2008

Well, I gave Bugliosi another try after my unsatisfying expereince with his JFK assassination book. Like that book, this one suffered from several major flaws: 1) Bugliosi is so self-aggrandizing as to be almost unreadable 2) he argues from his theories rather than to his theories- in other words he fails to build a logical argument in many cases as he is so enamored of his opinion that he starts withe the assumption no other theory is vaible. While I give him credit for the effort, the book was...more

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