BOOKS

By Bernie Nguyen, Daily Arts Writer

The political debates of this presidential election have been
dignified, polite and civil in every way possible. Time limits,
restrictions on answers and audience — all the rules and
regulations of the debates have shown to the world that American
politicians can be cordial and focused, concentrating on
issues.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t last outside the debate rooms.
Today’s political scene is a seething mass of furious faces,
loud-mouthed personalities whose fame lies in their ability to aim
literary darts at the opposing side. The number and popularity of
political books on the market has risen drastically. Ann Coulter,
Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage serve as mouthpieces for the
red-faced right, while Michael Moore and Al Franken take up the
banner for the left. Outside of their literary circles, these
authors have done everything but literally sling mud at each other:
they criticize, shout and carp about how the opposition is either
stupid or arrogant, hillbilly or snob, liar or deceiver. The
division between conservative and liberal has grown, a phenomenon
easily observed by the most casual voter who tunes into FOX
News.

Everyone writes a book these days — politicians have
finally found a way to make an honest buck. All they have to do is
slap their picture on a biography and it sells. Hillary
Clinton’s “Living History,” Bill Clinton’s
“My Life” and former New York City mayor Rudolph
Giuliani’s “Leadership” are all perfect examples.
Though this may be construed as a positive sign of growing
awareness in the electorate, it is more likely a manifestation of
the human desire to be confirmed correct.

Valdis Krebs, an analyst Organization Network, orgnet.com, has
found that the purchasing patterns of political books adhere to a
strict division. Conservatives buy conservative books; liberals buy
liberal books. Very few books bridge the gap, purchased by
disciples of both sides. From the fanatical to the casual, books
are being bought by people who use the prose to confirm and
reinforce their existing beliefs. The buying pattern is just as
polarized as the nation is, according to Krebs’ study for
orgnet.com. Those swing voters that each side is desperately trying
to win over aren’t buying as much as those who are already
red-hot over their candidates.

Strangely, the increase of political virulence in the printed
word has coincided with an increase in voter apathy. Over the last
few decades, the turnout for American voters has dwindled
drastically. The 2000 election saw a turnout of less than 60
percent of the U.S. electorate. Some have argued that party loyalty
is dying out. An unusual conclusion can be drawn from this
information: fewer people vote, and most of them are already
entrenched in a political camp.

Perhaps the reason that moderates aren’t flocking to the
booksellers to buy the latest Ann Coulter is because of the nature
of many of these books. Instead of cool logic and factual analysis,
these books are hodge-podges of bitter accusations, fierce
defensive arguments and unrestrained finger-pointing. Just look at
some of the titles: “Treason,” “Stupid White
Men,” “Shut Up and Sing” and “Lies and the
Lying Liars Who Tell Them.” With such negativity shrieking
from all around, it is little wonder that the main buyers of these
books are those who are already convinced that they are right.
Swing voters are assailed from all sides by opinions that resound
with anger and choruses of “We’re right! They’re
wrong!” This arrogance of conviction has served two purposes:
to reinforce the beliefs of those who already shout their own
viewpoints and to drive away people who are attempting to learn
about politics.

Besides the existing electorate, the large number of first-time
voters has resulted in a pitched battle over their votes. The
incredible amount of interest in the youth vote has resulted in a
campaign in which P. Diddy tells young people to Vote or Die, and
the daughters of both John Kerry and President Bush make
appearances at the MTV Video Music Awards to encourage people to
vote. This has resulted in basic pop politics, with rap stars,
actors and athletes tell kids to go to the polls. They are geared
toward young people, with witty, sometimes crude humor on late
night television and glossy book pages. Historically, however,
shows that the turnout for young voters has been low and their
affiliation fickle.