The Truth About Hillary

Infobox_Book
name = The Truth About Hillary


author = Edward Klein
cover_artist =
publisher = Sentinel HC
release_date = June 21, 2005
media_type = Hardcover
pages = 336
size_weight =
isbn = ISBN 1-59523-006-8

"The Truth About Hillary: What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go to Become President" is a political biography about Hillary Clinton, the Democratic senator from New York, written by Edward Klein, the former editor of "The New York Times Magazine".

The 336-page book (ISBN 1-59523-006-8) was released by Sentinel HC, a conservative imprint of Penguin Group (USA), on June 21, 2005.

Controversy

Before release

The book was considered controversial due to the way it discusses various issues concerning Hillary Clinton's behavior, personality, sexuality [ [http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/otherfamouslesbians/a/HillaryClinton.htm Is Hillary Clinton a Lesbian? ] ] , the nature of her marriage to Bill Clinton, and her intentions for the future.

The author's sources were questioned by the media immediately after the release of the book. According to the Associated Press, an examination of the book conducted by Media Matters for America concluded that "Klein's Attack Book is Poorly Researched, Poorly Written, Poorly-Sourced" ref|MMA ("see Inaccuracies"). The progressive media watchdog organization goes on to state that the author "recycles long-debunked claims about the Clintons" and "relies on anonymous sources for much that isn't recycled—more than 70 footnotes refer to unnamed sources", and that the book has a "reliance on 'convenient rather than complete evidence.'"

Prior to the release of the book, internet personality Matt Drudge claimed that "the revelations in [the book] should sink Hillary's candidacy for 2008". However another commentator, Joe Conason, wrote that "citizens hoping to discover anything new about the famous junior Senator from New York shouldn’t waste their time or money on his unoriginal and unreliable rant" ref|nyo.

Hillary Clinton's press secretary stated that "This is a book full of blatant and vicious fabrications contrived by someone who writes trash for cash".

Criticism from conservatives

As would be expected, people sympathetic to Hillary Clinton condemned the claims contained in the book, as did various liberal commentators and journalists. More surprising, however, were the large number of conservative publications and journalists who also criticized the book.

To that end, Kathryn Jean Lopez of the proudly conservative political journal "National Review" asked Klein, "Why on earth would you put such a terrible story in your book...that looks to be flimsily sourced at that?" regarding his suggestion that Chelsea Clinton was conceived in an act of marital rape. Columnist John Podhoretz of The New York Post stated that the book is "one of the most sordid volumes I've ever waded through"ref|nyp. According to Alicia Colon of the New York Sun, "Mr. Klein’s title led me to believe that his book would be pointing out these little hypocrisies, but instead he grovels below the belt — delving into the Clintons’ sex life, which is none of our business. "ref|nys.

With the critical response to the book being so overwhelmingly negative, some commentators on the right have speculated that the book was intentionally written as a political device to indirectly boost support for a possible 2008 presidential run by Hillary Clinton. Proponents of this theory include former Ronald Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan and talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Noonan, who also wrote a book critical of Hillary Clinton, states on the editorial page of "The Wall Street Journal" that Klein "assumes the market is conservative and conservatives are stupid. They're not, actually. They want solid sourcing and new information that is true", concluding that this book only serves to "inoculate [Hillary Clinton] against future and legitimate criticism and revelations".ref|wsj

Some commentators on the left feel that the nearly unanimous condemnation of "The Truth About Hillary" by the right may also be a well-coordinated political maneuver. Indeed, Keelin McDonel states in the left-leaning political journal "The New Republic" that "conservatives are launching a preemptive strike on what Klein identifies as one of Clinton's central mantras: 'victimhood can be a political plus.'"ref|tnr

New allegations made in the book

ummary

The stated purpose of the author in writing the book was to expose what he believes to be the "true nature" of Hillary Clinton. Klein suggests that the pattern of deceit and manipulation uncovered by his research supports his theory of the contrast between Clinton's public and private life. The overall thrust of the book is that Clinton is and has been interested solely in her political success ever since she was a college student; Klein suggests that Clinton lacked marital affection for Bill beyond using her marriage to him as a means of rising through American politics.

Although most of the allegations published in the book have been made before, the book also includes claims about Clinton from identified and anonymous sources that had not been made prior to the publication. Some of these claims deal with her husband's relationships with other women, and her own relationship with her husband, and also her own personality, integrity, sexuality, infidelity, self-image, and personal hygiene.

References

# Foser, Jamison. "The truth about "The Truth About Hillary": Edward Klein's attack book is poorly researched, poorly written, poorly sourced", Media Matters for America, June 23, 2005, http://mediamatters.org/items/200506230001,
# Conason, Joe, "The New York Observer", June 20, 2005, p. 5, http://www.nyobserver.com/pages/conason.asp.
# Podhoretz, John, "Smear For Profit—New Hillary 'Bio' is Just Trash", "New York Post", June 22, 2005. pg. 31
# Colon, Alicia, "Clinton Book May Help, Not Harm, Her" "The New York Sun", June 24, 2005
# Noonan, Peggy. "Eine Kleine Biographie." "The Wall Street Journal", June 23, 2005
# McDonell, Keelin, "Defense Mechanism", "The New Republic", July 4 2005, Issue 4,720 vol. 233,
# Klein, Edward. "The Truth About Hillary: What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go to Become President." New York: Sentinel, 2005.
# Ibid.
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External links

* [http://www.penguinputnam.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,0_1595230068,00.html The Penguin Group entry]
* [http://www.nationalreview.com/blyth/blyth.asp Myrna Blyth review] , June 22 2005
* [http://mediamatters.org/items/200506240007 "Klein nailed on falsehoods in Al Franken Show grilling" (With audio interview with Klein on the lies in his book "The Truth About Hillary")] Media Matters for America
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/book-hits-hillary-with-sex-slur/2005/06/22/1119321792742.html "Sydney Morning Herald" review] June 22 2005