Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us - Hardcover

Carpenter, Amanda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062748009 ISBN 13: 9780062748003

Publisher: Broadside Books, 2018

Synopsis

A CNN contributor, former Ted Cruz staffer, and "Never Trump" adherent reveals a shocking truth: Donald Trump’s lies and fabrications don’t horrify America—they enthrall us—and explains how we can avoid falling for them.

"Can you believe what Donald Trump said?"

In Gaslighting America, Carpenter breaks down Trump’s formula, showing why it’s practically foolproof, playing his victims, the media, the Democrats, and the Republican fence-sitters perfectly. She traces how this tactic started with Nixon, gained traction with Bill Clinton, and exploded under Trump. If you think Trump is driving you crazy, it’s because he is. Now, in this urgent book, she explains how to withstand the fire.

Where some people see lies, Trump’s fierce followers see something different. A commitment to winning at all costs; there is nothing he could say that would erode their support at long as it’s in the name of taking down his political enemies.

His opponents on the left and right continue to act as if his fake narratives and conspiracy theories will bring him down, when in fact, they are the ruses that raised him up.

As a conservative former staffer to a competing presidential campaign, Amanda Carpenter witnessed her fellow Republicans fall in line behind Trump. As a political commentator, she was publicly smeared by one of his supporters on live television without a shred of evidence supporting the allegations. Slowly, she watched her entire party succumb to Trump and become defenders of his tactics, and Gaslighting America may be the only hope to bring them back to reality.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NEXT OUTBURST WILL BE THE ONE THAT FINALLY BRINGS HIM DOWN. IN FACT, THE EXACT OPPOSITE IS TRUE: HIS OUTRAGEOUS ANTICS AND WILD LIES ARE HIS BIGGEST STRENGTH.

This may drive you a little crazy. Amanda Carpenter says: That’s the point. Over the years, Trump has developed a winning formula that forces anyone who stands in his way into a discombobulated state of weakness and confusion.

In Gaslighting America, Carpenter breaks down Trump’s playbook, showing why it’s practically foolproof, manipulating all the major players—the Republicans, the Democrats, the media, and the victims of his method—perfectly. She traces how this tactic started with Nixon, gained traction with Bill Clinton, and exploded under Trump.

Carpenter explains that when Trump seizes control over the political narrative, he always follows the same steps. First, he stakes out political territory no one else would dare occupy, taking over the news cycle. Next, he denies responsibility while simultaneously advancing the story. His third step may be his most maddening: he creates suspense for his story by saying more information is coming soon. His fourth step is carefully selecting a detractor to attack, often finding the weakest opponent or someone who will be severely damaged by taking a roll in the mud with him. If he’s successful, and sometimes even when he’s not, he’ll proceed to the fifth step: declaring victory under any circumstance.

As a former communications staffer to Ted Cruz, Amanda Carpenter witnessed firsthand how her fellow Republicans fell in line behind Trump. As a political commentator, she was publicly smeared by one of his supporters on live television without a shred of evidence supporting the allegations. Slowly, she watched her entire party succumb to Trump and become defenders of his tactics. In this lively and thorough book, Carpenter skillfully gives Republicans and Democrats the information they need to counter President Trump’s most valuable weapon.

About the Author:

AMANDA CARPENTER is a CNN political commentator, writer, and former senior staffer to Senators Jim DeMint and Ted Cruz. She has written for the Washington Post, Townhall.com, Politico, the Washington Times, Refinery29, Cosmo.com, and Human Events.

About this edition

• Publisher: Broadside Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0062748009
• ISBN 13: 9780062748003
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288