Chiedilo a Mike! : consigli al nuovo presidente degli Stati Uniti

by Michael Moore

In his first book in five years, Michael Moore brings us the definitive guide to the 2008 election.

After a diastrous war, the failure to catch bin Laden, millions of families who have lost their homes, the Katrina debacle, soaring gas prices feeding record oil company profits, and the largest national debt caused by the biggest spending and borrowing administration in American history, the country has had it with conservatives, right-wingers and Republicans. A thrilling election season is now upon us. Obama vs. McCain. One candidate has promised a presidency different from any other, one that will take us forward to embrace the hope of the 21st century. The other candidate says he has no idea how to use a computer.

Welcome to MIKE'S ELECTION GUIDE -- Michael Moore's effort to make sense of the this fall's race for the White House and Congress. In it, Moore answers the nation's most pressing "Why is John McCain so angry?," "Do the Democrats Still Drink from a Sippy Cup and Sleep with the Light On?," Can I get into the Electoral College with only a 2.0 gpa?" and "How many Democrats does it take to lose the most winnable election in American history?"

It's a great year to be an American and a voter. Don't miss out on all the fun! And don't miss out on MIKE'S ELECTION GUIDE -- it's the indispensable book that belongs in every American's back pocket this season.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Humor, Journalism, Economics, Comedy, American History

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Michael Moore is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story, four of the top nine highest-grossing documentaries of all time.[3] In September 2008, he released his first free movie on the Internet, Slacker Uprising, documenting his personal crusade to encourage more Americans to vote in presidential elections.[4] He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth.
Moore is a self-described liberal who has criticized globalization, large corporations, assault weapon ownership, the Iraq War, U.S. President George W. Bush and the American health care system in his written and cinematic works.

Wikipedia

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

i can only take michael moore in small bites, but this little book is really entertaining. and horrifying. you will find out things about john mccain that might make you want to puke.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, entertaining read -- I read it in a couple hours. He has a lot of good ideas to increase the number of voters in the US, which has embarrassingly low voter participation numbers. I had a number of out-loud laughs, and a number of "ah-ha" moments because I learned something. I highlighted quite a bit of factual information, which is all documented, that provided the "ah-ha's" -- He also has a guide to a number of Congressional candidates and their positions. The information is not particularly pertinent except to those who live and vote in those districts, but overall he's making the point that merely changing the party in the White House won't be nearly as important as creating big changes in Congressional representation. So you can skip the last part of the book. That's why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars; if you're paying for the whole book but not needing to read all of it, I guess it's a money issue.

I read all his books. Sometimes he gets a bit carried away, but he's always funny and can back up his claims with verified sources of facts.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and informative as usual, I just don't get why he started backing Democrats now, even though they're worse than when he began dissing them. I have been bringing up "socialized police" and "socialized fire departments" anytime someone balks at the idea of free health care, so that's the best thing I took away from this. Also, did you know that every other fucking country has their elections on the weekend? One of Mike's "Ten Decrees for the First Ten Days in Office" if Obama wins, is to have a train of Bushco's rogue's gallery brought out of the White House in handcuffs, but that will never happen. Anyways, you probably know if you're the type of person who would read this or not. And if you are, I urge you to vote third party because, seriously, look at Obama's voting record, he's a sheep in wolf's clothing, just like Kerry and Gore before him. Republicans aren't the whole problem, the "left" being complicit with them is.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a sort of love/hate thing going with Michael Moore--I generally like his ideas but hate his delivery of them. Reading a book by him is the perfect compromise. He's a very smart man hiding behind being a goofball a-hole. There are lots of interesting things in this little paperback, and sources are sited for the doubting kind. There's even a section of quotes taken out of context so that the right wing talking heads don't have such a hard time digging stuff up on him. He figures they are about to have a VERY bad few years and he can afford to be generous to them. All in all, it is an informative, thought provoking, worthwhile read, with, of course, plenty of humor.

[lp · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mother insists on dropping me off at the airport approximately 84 hours before my plane takes off, so I had some time to kill and this was the only book worth picking up at the airport bookstore. I don't think I would have bought it otherwise. But I'm glad I did. It took me a few hours to read, was amusing and kind of thought provoking (ohhh so THAT'S why we have elections on TUESDAYS. WTF!!) I think it might get you fired up, which is good. So read.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to get up off the couch and go out and help make this election not turn into another 2000 (and 2004, for that matter) disaster. This book is funny, but I didn't find it as funny and ironic as his other books, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars. Mike has a lot of really great ideas to make our country and government a much better place, but it breaks my heart that it will never happen because of the close minded Republicans who don't believe in change (McCain, you aren't fooling us). My favorite part of Mike's book is chapter 5: One Last Job to Do When the Election is Over where Mike talks about what we the people should do about the Bush administration once they're out from under the protection of themselves (make them do a perp walk out of the West Wing), comparing what kind of consequences a normal person would recieve if they did the same thing as what our government did in the past 8 years. Read this book and motivate yourself to help your country.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book I won on GoodRead's First Reads :)

I've been a fan of Michael Moore ever since I rented one of his lesser-known films, The Big One, back in the late 90s. I saw him speak in Ann Arbor a few years later and wrote a newspaper column about it, where I extolled him as a regular guy with the tenacity and courage to speak out about what's gone wrong in this country, and share ideas on how we might fix it. Now I happen to be a resident in the same community where he lives, a community he's enriched with a successful film festival and the restored jewel of downtown, the State Theatre. I can't say enough about the man.

Unfortunately, I have less to say about this book. Much of it is a giant rant, and while I agree with many of his points, he goes to extremes, shouts, and throws a tantrum in some parts. Lately I just haven't cared for his delivery. If you can get past all the bashing, there are some very good ideas and lots of things to think about.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it, and work to create the dream as a reality! I think this is Michael Moore's best work...it's funny, but also good and mostly functional ideas for making the world a better place, via turning the USA into a humane power.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this, even though I was often filled with a sense of dread and worry. Just listen to the title of the second chapter: "How to Elect John McCain... or, How Many Democrats Does It Take to Lose the Most Winnable Presidential Election in American History?" Hopefully, that's not how things go, but Moore puts it out there. "Ask Mike!" is another chapter, where people ask such hard-hitting questions as "which presidential candidate do I want to have a beer with?" and "if I have to move north of the border after the next presidential election because McCain has won, what do I need to know about Canada and Canadians?", which is something I've always wanted to know. You'll also get proposals on how to fix our broken elections, what to do once the election is over, and a handy candidate guide for several senate and the house seats. And if you hate Michael Moore, he's provided you with a chapter of lines taken out of context for you to use when telling people how awful you think the book is. Generous!

The book was funny, informative, and thought-provoking. It will make you want to go out and talk to people, and not just about the election. I've been going on about Social Security, health care, and the evils of high fructose corn syrup. You learn about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance, why our election is on a Tuesday and why it SHOULD be on a Saturday or Sunday, why the American people actually pay MORE taxes than the French and get so much less for it, and how wells could help America's image. If you love the Daily Show or Corbert Report, this is like one long episode in print form. Yes!

Okay, so I highly recommend this book. Go buy it or check it out from you library! Go... now!

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

With the Bush presidency coming to an end and the Obama-McCain campaigns ready to kick into overdrive, American political satire is in no danger of dying out. Although two new releases -- Michael Moore's Mike's Election Guide 2008 and Nathaniel Whitten's The Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit -- have different aims, they share a trait not always seen in political humor. Both start off as straightforward lampoons. Both conclude, not necessarily successfully, with equally straightforward attempts to educate and advocate.[return][return]Mike's Election Guide 2008 is clearly the most partisan. Still, it will undoubtedly be the more popular and best selling, thanks in part to Moore's name recognition and print and documentary successes. Issued in trade paperback just weeks after Moore wrote the introduction and in time for the fall elections, the book slides gradually from Moore's responses to "man in the street" questions to the book's longest chapter -- a "handy candidate guide" to 42 Senate and House races he believes the Democrats can win. As such, the book is both humor as advocacy and outright advocacy. And therein may lie the problem.[return][return]Balance of review here.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't have bought this book on my own but won a free copy from GoodReads. It was interesting considering I was reading it right after the 2008 election. I am pretty liberal in my views so wasn't offended by any of it and actually agreed with him on SOME of the issues. But it IS Michael Moore and you know what you are getting into by reading a book by him, so there isn't really an excuse for getting irate at what he has to say. It is a very quick read (260 pages in a paperback edition) and I even skipped the last chapter because it was just a breakdown of the Congressional seats up for grabs in each state. I read what he had to say about my own state but didn't care about the other states because I didn't know who any of the candidates were. Given more time I would like to research some of his claims to see how truthful he was in some of his complaints and rants but probably won't invest that much effort. The book really is a moot point now since Obama has been elected and most of the people Moore was ranting about are no longer in control. It would have been better to have the book out much earlier than August 2008 for more of an impact.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this book as an early release.
Michael Moore is perhaps my political antithesis, but at a time when everyone is reevaluating their political views and agendas, it was interesting to read his take on this election, republicans, democrats, and the world in general.
A well written, funny book (although I don't agree with many of his opinions) that sheds some slanted light on why Republicans are where they are and why Democrats are taking over.
Regardless of one's political views it is nice to see all sides of a situation and make yourself an informed decision come time. I found this book to be worth my while because it did just that: a new look at the opposite side.
The election may be over, but the book isn't a waste of time. If you're a Republican, take it with a grain of salt and remember: HE DOESN'T KNOW EVERYTHING: it is just one man's opinion. If you're a Democrat: do the same!
You don't have to read the book, you might not like it, but I didn't mind it!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not an overly crazed Michael Moore fan or anything, but I do have a lot of respect for him. And it really does annoy me when the media and right-wing conservatives say he hates the USA and could care less about our country. His book was actually really well put together. He had a lot of great input and suggestions for how to change this country. Some were a little far fetched, but they are genuine ideas that I think really speak to a lot of Americans.

If you like Michael Moore, it's a quick and insightful read. If you don't like him, you probably won't get past the fact that he's "Michael Moore" to be able to read the book and appreciate his viewpoints.

I don't agree with everything he says, but I must say this is one of the more "tame" books/articles I've read from him. I enjoyed it.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read a lot of Mr Moore's stuff and enjoyed the movies I think I knew what to expect with this book and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Anyone eligible to vote in the US Elections (I'm a Brit so I can't) should read this book

I agree with a lot of Mike's views, however that for me isn't the point. The point is really that people should make an educated decision when voting not just follow what they or their parents have always done. For me it is also important that evryone eligible actually votes, if you don't then why do you have a right to complain if the wrong person gets in

Finally in my opinion I would hope that my neighbours across the big pond make the right decision in November.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael makes sense (and pokes fun) in this book about our political system and our political leaders and what needs or should be done to bring it under control. (Too bad none of it will ever come about. Politics disgusts me to the point that I wonder why any of us even vote anymore.) Included in the back of the book is a handy candidate guide which I found very informative. Michael is a straight democrat as am I so maybe that makes me more approving of this book, I just know I found it very enlightening and entertaining.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the excerpt for Rolling Stone about how the Dems could lose the easiest election to win, and had to see the rest of the book. He has a quirky sense of humor that isn't for everyone, and often people take him too seriously. But I agree with his suggestions to get rid of the electoral college, and voter registration, have only paper ballots, etc. When it is laid out so simply, what we do in reality seem so absurd, and that's were his sense of humor comes in. Quick afternoon read, and a few laughs....not exactly deep thoughts, but fun.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish every Republican would read this book before the election! But, more realistically, probably not one Republican has read it...

Some crazy stuff in the beginning, questions from "people", some of it was funny. Enlightening stuff...

The last part of the book is devoted to all the Republicans that are up for re-election and the Democrats that are running against them. Sounds like they should be defeated and the Dems can control Congress....

Whichever way you vote, it is important to get out and vote on Tuesday!

[Beth Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, enjoyable read. It was both funny and informative. Michael Moore is witty and had me laughing at several points in the book but he is also serious in pointing out the faults of our current administration. I already knew a lot of what he wrote about because I have a very politically active friend but I learned a few new things too. At one point election during theI ALMOST felt sorry for John McCain (he was a POW, after all) but after reading Mike's Election Guide any sympathy I had for the guy fell by the wayside.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, I was sent a free copy of Mike's Election Guide- unfortunately, it was sent after the presidential election took place. I am a Michael Moore fan, and this book certainly didn't change that. He is often ridiculously over the top, yet he makes very good points. I found this book to be entertaining and informative, but I really wish I could have had this copy before the election. That's really when it was intended to be read! Easy, quick, large font, and fun, read this one anyway if you've read all his other stuff.

[Sanna]

Another clever, yet short book by Moore, one of the most famous critics of the U.S. war effort and governmental mis-steps. His text is easily readable as always, and quite enjoyable if you're not a fan of the Bush administration or the Republican party.

Although the election's long gone now and despite Mike's tips on how to lose them -Obama won and I'm eagerly waiting for what Moore'll have his say on next!- this book still felt not out-of-date and I still recommend it to anyone interested in modern U.S. politics.

[Christine Mehring · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. Informative and well researched, with a fair amount of horrifying stuff everyone should know, but you wish you didn't. He makes an effort to lighten things up between the depressing parts, and there are some good laughs. The question and answer section is a masterpiece of sarcasm. Yeah, he gets a little silly now and then, and I don't agree that HBO should be provided free to all, but, hey, we aren't sheep! We don't have to ditto everything he says. ;)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It takes a certain sense of humor (and political leanings) to enjoy Michael Moore. Even still, he can sometimes be off-putting and a bit over the top. This one had a few chuckles, and surprisingly a few insights and ideas about health care, and other large issues such as America's "hidden" taxes that I could really appreciate. At only 3 audiodiscs, read by the author himself, it's worth a listen (or read).

[Armando · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started kind of boring by just Mike answering some random questions. in the second part it got interesting specially in the part that he got to compare different republicans and democrats that where running for the same position. I think there should be an unbiased book publisher and should do these for every election because reading this part of the book was funny, easy to follow and informative.

[Karschtl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book although the election is long over and the right candidate has won.

Some of the suggestions Moore makes (like moving election day to a weekend, get rid of the condition that you have to register beforehand in order to be allowed to vote etc.) are very good. Where I come from we don't have all these crazy rules and it works just fine. But I'm afraid it will take a long time until the US adjusts to modern times on this issue.

[MK Brunskill-Cowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can be divided into 3 parts - a hysterically funny question/answer, his proposals to fix our ridiculously complex campaigns and, finally, some important races to watch in the upcoming election. The question/answer is funny funny funny - and right on target. His proposals are reasoned and seem sound. A funny read for any Democrat or independent.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem with political books is that they're generally read by people who will already agree with what they have to say. For the most part, I agreed (though I picked a few points that were either extreme or unnecessarily wistful). Still doesn't mean the author is loud or abrasive.

Still, fast read, and you'll enjoy it if you generally vote liberal.

[Aisha Mahmoud · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was brilliant. It was like reading all my own opinions. I agree with everything he has to say. My only regret is that the presidential candidates aren't going to read it. We need change! We need the changes talked about in this book. It is so frustrating to see things, things that should be common sense, not being done!!!

[Jennifer]

Though we were too busy in the campaign trenches of Cleveland to actually read this book, we did draw inspiration from Mike's glowing round head and knowing smile, perched reassuringly on my desk through the election.

[Eileen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is so funny and so "right on"....as usual, Michael Moore nails it, and keeps you chuckling all the while he talks to the American grassroots community. Another enjoyable and educational read from Mr. Moore...a true patriot with a great sense of humor... ;-D

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friend gave this to me. Lots of good points, some waisted pages on being silly and/or sarcastic. But fun to read. Lots of great stuff about how to sharpen our election process and cut the fat out. refreshing take on vietnam that has been lost this election cycle. Quick read.