Over the Cliff: How Obama's Election Drove the American Right Insane

by David Neiwert

Over the Cliff examines the right wing’s eagerness, especially in the aftermath of President Obama’s election, to invent and propagate stories that are provably false. Noting that such stories are disseminated in large part by mainstream-media figures like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Lou Dobbs, the authors link that kookery to a wave of lethal violence and threatening behavior. They also explore the main drivers of this descent into nonsense, including a resurgence of extremist groups and the longtime Republican strategy of exploiting racial and cultural resentment. Finally, Over the Cliff details ways ordinary Americans can resist the madness.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2010

Reviews

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not very "witty" as the blurb says. More like walking through a nightmare. Especially knowing that since the book's publication in 2010, things have only gotten worse. Much worse.

When Obama was elected, I was feeling pretty optimistic. I knew that the conservative lawmakers tried to block everything he did. But I didn't know (till I read this book) that there was an organized effort from the right to shut down public forums by shouting down the speakers before they could even get started. Many brought weapons of war and insisted they were engaged with free speech and second amendment rights -- so what's the problem? The speaker often had to escape out the back door to safety.

Highly recommended, to learn what was happening in 2010 as a chilling prelude to current events.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who follow current events closely, there will be few surprises in Over the Cliff. The book reviews many of the events that have occurred in the two years since the inauguration of President Obama, placing them in the context of the history of conservative extremism in the United States. By documenting the scope and extent of the misinformation, fear tactics, and violent rhetoric employed by the Right—and the extent to which that radical right has become almost synonymous with the Republican Party—it does convey a real sense of urgency.

After describing “the conservative movement’s longtime embrace of the politics of resentment,” authors Amato and Neiwart advocate the need for ethical, progressive-minded citizens to be “called back to the fray, engaged anew, and empowered to take the nation down another road.”

Highly recommended for those deluded by the propaganda on hate-talk radio and Fox News, as well as those rightfully concerned about the actions of others who are.

[Archie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing surprising here but a pretty good summary of how the right-wing has worked tirelessly to de-legitimize Obama's presidency.

[T.J. Hoffpauir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I've read by David Neiwert (other was Alt-America) and both of them were seriously amazing and spot on. This book was written in 2010 and I couldn't believe how everything he has predicted in this book has came true, or worse. After the Capitol riots on the 6th earlier this month, people should revisit this book and at least give the 2 authors big props for being so correct it's scary.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was enraging. I forgot how terrible Fox News was and how racist Rush Limbaugh became after Obama was elected. I forgot how weird the Tea Party movement was. How paranoid Glenn Beck was. Over and over you would get Bill O'Reilly and Hannity fomenting utter paranoid hatred on the air and then when some crazy dude goes and shoots up a school after being inspired by him, they would wash their hands of any and all responsibility. They were just asking questions. Or whatever.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book if you enjoy current events.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good review of the conservative movement's descent into madness, and how we got here. When Obama was elected, conspiracy theories like birtherism took over the Republican party. Conspiracy theorist Glenn Beck became a rising star of conservatism, and the astroturf Tea Party took off. The book discusses these topics and more.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good summary of the reaction of the right wing to the election of Obama and the collapse of the economy. It is a good introduction to these issues that provides a lot of avenues for further readings. However, I give it a 4 out of 5 instead of 5 because it could go deeper in its analysis and connection of issues and movements.

I strongly recommend Neiwarts other recent book, the Eliminationists, which looks at how extreme right wing hate and conspiracy ideology gets mainstreamed.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had completely forgotten how new the Tea Party, and Glenn Beck for that matter, is to American politics. They're so ubiquitous now, it's hard to remember when they weren't here. This book is a very good chronicle of their rise, something I'll look forward to reading many years from now when I know how the current right wing populist movement fared. My main quibble is that there are no footnotes/endnotes. The book appears to be very well-sourced; the authors could have done a slightly better job documenting those sources.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

I was in the mood for a political book, and this fit the bill. What I found disappointing was that this merely rehashed the various media stories and so-called "journalism" from the likes of Glenn Beck, but really didn't delve into WHY the right freaked out over Obama's election.

This was published in 2010, and what I found heartening is that just four years later, Sarah Palin is no longer a political force and Glenn Beck no longer has a TV show. A nice reminder that what might seem threatening at one time often loses its fangs just a short time later.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Progressive, books like have a tendency to “preach to the choir.” However, this did not stop me from enjoying this book. At times the text seemed to ramble across many subject matters, however, I am glad to see books like this available as a counterweight to trash written by people such as Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and Ann Coulter.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slim (271 page) chronological history of the rise of lunatic fringe opposition to President Obama from 2008-2010. While its helpful as a history, it does nothing to answer the much bigger question of why people would gleefully take marching orders from such obviously unhinged charlatans as Glen Beck.

[Kathleen Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enlightening book on the effect the election of our first non-white President has manifested unprecedented outrage in certain sectors of America. Specific examples are particularly interesting.

[Wolfgang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short history of how America's conservatives lost their minds after Obama became president. Well written condensed account of all major wingnuttery. But all this is probably too fresh still, as it seemed quite redundant to read now while all this is still going on around us.

[Javier Santillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addictive reading, but depressing.

[Ladymidnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a non-American it was interesting to get some background on the far right that has been so scarily in the news recently.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

In comparison with American Taliban, I think this book is just a tad bit better. It doesn't have the hampering factor of the unnecessary metaphor, and it's just as terrifying.

[Leigh Kincaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy Book.. but fascinating.

[Harvey Chess]

The American Racist Right...

[Matt]

So far it's a whole lot of stuff I basically know already.

[Susan Arra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it very interesting and quite disturbing....the crazies on the far right must be stopped!!