Bill Press's New Book 'Train Wreck' Says Good-Bye and Good Riddance to Right-Wing Conservativism

[Demeter]

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/interviews/100


Some conservatives want to blame it all on George W. Bush, and they say, no, it's not our fault. He's the one who betrayed the conservative movement. That is just a cop-out, because George Bush could not have done anything that he did without the support of the conservatives who controlled the House and the Senate and the Supreme Court at the time. In fact, he wouldn't even have been President without them. ...I think they have ruined the economy. They've ruined the country. They've ruined our image around the world. And they've ruined the conservative brand name. I don't think they can or should ever be trusted with power again.


-- Bill Press, Author, Progressive Talk Radio Host, Political Commentator and Former Chair of the California Democratic Party

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In this interview with Bill we discuss his forthcoming book Train Wreck: The End of the Conservative Revolution (And Not a Moment Too Soon). It will be out in April, and we'll be offering it as a premium in the BuzzFlash Progressive Marketplace.

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BuzzFlash: -- Your new book is Train Wreck: The End of the Conservative Revolution (And Not a Moment Too Soon). To begin, maybe we can clarify some terminology. What's the difference between conservative and, let's say, the Bush-Cheney right wing?


Bill Press: Well, the Bush-Cheney right wing has repudiated everything the conservatives supposedly stand for. So they're not, I don't believe, true conservatives. And they didn't start the end of the conservative movement, but they certainly brought it to a screeching halt. What I try to do in the book is expose the hypocrisy of the conservatives, starting from Newt Gingrich on, who assumed power and then proceeded to screw everything up, and deliver just the opposite of what conservatives preached. If you're talking about limited government, if you're talking about a non-interventionist foreign policy, if you're talking about fiscal responsibility, if you're talking about honesty and integrity in politics, conservatives have brought just the opposite.

[Richardo]

1. "...starting with Newt Gingrich"

Precisely my time-line as well. He and everyone who followed his 'genius' screwed the pooch bigtime for the GOP.

"Newtie, you did a hell of a job." :D

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Earlier than that--it started with Reagan

or rather, with the crooks for whom he was the front man.

We didn't notice it as much because we were coasting on our previous prosperity.

[Richardo]

3. Gingrich was the thug, though - his playbook set the tone for the last 15 years

Never apologize, never concede a point, never allow the other side a victory, use code words, demonize your opponents, etc.

And it's all coming back to bite them in the ass.

[VeraAgnes]

4. I think he and Tom Delay...

I think they had the same daddy...they are so much alike!