Bloodthirsty Bitches and Pious Pimps of Power: The Rise and Risks of the New Conservative Hate Culture

by Gerry Spence

Ann Coulter. Laura Ingraham. Nancy Grace. Bill O'Reilly. Sean Hannity. Pat Robertson.Their faces and voices are the shrill shrieks and strident bellowings that drown out all debate and set every listener on edge, using God's and Jesus's names to justify oppression and ignorance, and spread falsehoods as if they were facts. They occupy the bully pulpit of the new American hate the television and radio programs watched and heard by millions of people that shape the opinions and set the agendas of churches, school boards, political action groups, and ultimately those we have elected to represent all of us.
Gerry Spence takes dead aim at the media demagogues who wield their power with such virulent effect. Using the full force of his own rhetorical skill―developed through decades as a legendary defense attorney―Spence exposes the people behind the words, and carves their arguments with the rough edge of his tongue. Anyone who has had it up to here will cheer to see these bullies met and conquered on their own turf.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Literature

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Gerry Spence is a trial lawyer in the United States. In 2008, he announced he would retire, at age 79, at the end of the Geoffrey Fieger trial in Detroit, MI. Spence did not lose a criminal case in the over 50 years he practiced law. He started his career as a prosecutor and later became a successful defense attorney for the insurance industry. Years later, Spence said he "saw the light" and became committed to representing people, instead of corporations, insurance companies, banks, or "big business."

Reviews

[M.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the title and cover, I thought this would be more entertaining. Not that I had problems focusing on the book though. By mid-way through the book, it started depressing me.

It starts out how I thought the whole book would go, by discussing the various pundits out there and why they do what they do and why people watch them. He tries to offer sympathy for them here and there.

The book then progresses to how the pundits are working for corporations and how corporations rule America and how it effects every America. This is where it starts to get depressing.

The author is a lawyer and he has a whole section devoted to how the corporations are turning the people against trail lawyers. I never realized this whole lawyer hating thing was anything more than a joke. There have been many times I thought it would be nice to know a lawyer and occasionally I worry about affording one if I should ever need one. He portrays the trail lawyers as warriors for the people and I think he makes a convincing argument of this. If I ever thought about lawyers really being 'evil' it was corporate lawyers. The book continues being rather depressing.

Then he compares Americans to slaves who are forced to work for various corporations. By being slaves that makes us angry and that makes us watch the hate spewing pundits because it's expressing our frustrations. To some degree, it does make sense.

After the slave comparisons he moves on to what may be the the most controversial part of the book as he compares what's going on in American to Nazi Germany. I've grown rather sick of people calling our leaders Hitler because for the most part, they have no idea what they're talking about. Now, in the author's defense this was published in 2006 before the real heavy Nazi talk got started and he doesn't call anyone Hitler. He does compare what the Nazi's did to what corporations are doing now and how we could end up no longer living in a democracy. So, now it's moved from depressing to a little scary. I try to take such things in stride because someone is always saying something to this effect. While many have proven wrong, at some point, I suppose someone has to be right about our civilization falling.

In the conclusion, he tries to offer some hope by explaining how we can turn this tide of hate and throw off the shackles of the corporation. I didn't find it very uplifting.

I would recommend this book, just because it gives you something to think about. Even if you end up disagreeing with him, I don't think it would hurt to ponder his points and give it serious thought. Especially when he wrote this three years ago and the level of anger seems to be escalating.

[Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Spence when I have heard him on television and radio, but I have to pan this book. He is no different than all the conservatives he speaks so poorly of. I get tired of it all. I guess there's just no middle ground in politics--either you are liberal or conservative and whichever you are, you abhor the other. I don't know why I thought this book would be any less vindictive and accusatory than others I have read. I should have judged it by its title (and cover).

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerry Spence is now 84 years of age. He wrote this six years ago. One can only wonder what his take is on events that have since transpired. It's a rant, but a passionate and well written one against Team Hate, the corporate King, and the takeover of democracy by the corporate King. There are also chapters on each of the prophets of hate. I stumbled across this book as I was weeding the library's collection. It's cataloged in the "wrong" place and as a result nobody sees it-part of the corporate King's conspiracy no doubt?! He also has a chapter on the villification of trial lawyers by the conservative right or the corporate masters, whichever you prefer. He even proposes a novel solution for bringing back government to the people. It's too bad Gerry wasn't elected to office. He did run ages ago back in WY, his home state. Looking forward to reading some more books by Gerry on the subject. OBTW Gerry started out as a conservative and a Republican. I looked forward to reading a diverting and perhaps entertaining rant but what I discovered was a sobering, enlightening, and well written critique of our democracy as we know it today.

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gerry Spence, bestselling author and legendary defense attorney, discusses his new book, Bloodthirsty Bitches and Pious Pimps of Power: The Rise and Risks of the New Conservative Hate Culture. "Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Nancy Grace, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Pat Robertson - their faces and voices are ubiquitous as they drown out all debate, using God's and Jesus's names to justify oppression and ignorance." Using the full force of his own rhetorical skills, Spence exposes the people behind the words and carves their arguments with the rough edge of his tongue.

We met Gerry Spence when he visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to him talk about Bloodthirsty Bitches and Pious Pimps of Power: The Rise and Risks of the New Conservative Hate Culture here:
http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=91

[Jon]

Spence does a good job analyzing hateful right-wing commentary and defending trial lawyers, but loses me with his proposed solutions to the American dilemma--for instance, he wants to choose House members randomly by computer, and those selected would have no choice but to serve. Sounds like involuntary servitude, i.e. slavery, which Spence elsewhere claims to oppose. But I never read books like this for the positive proposals, I just like reading about how everything's going to hell. If you share this twisted taste of mine you'll like this book, which will NOT become outdated on Jan. 20--as Jello Biafra once put it, "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now."

[Aspen Junge · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jon Stewart went on Fox News and begged them to stop what they were doing because they were hurting America, this is what he was talking about. These people sell anger and hatred, first because it gets ratings, and second because this demagaugery is an easy road to power. They get the public worked up about stuff, the public's perception of what is both important and true is damaged, and we get conservative idiots voted into office. Spence very deliberately compares conservative hate messaging with Nazi propaganda, pointing out the ways that both are similarly successful in guiding public dialogue and affecting policy.

[Lisa Germeau · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely found this book to be aggrevating and redundent . Gerry Spence writes about selling hate and yet he does just that with his vicious comments on those he considers " Blood Thirsty Bitches " and "Pious Pimps" he spends 1/2 of the book expressing how he feels and a good portion defending himself an attorney and all attorneys which I found unable to digest. Some interesting facts and for the most part absolutely disliked the book.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must apologize for the title, but it is very interesting reading. A famous trial lawyer, Gerry Spence presents his case against Team Hate. But refreshingly he also offers very practical solutions to the problems of political parties, campaigns, elections, etc., most notably LOVE & FORGIVENESS.

[Guillermo Galvan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spence lowered himself to their level. I preferred Chris Hedges’s American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spence is a legendary trial lawyer who fights for the less fortunate. He boiled over with frustration and decided to write this book. It will make you think. I share his frustration, but I do not agree with all of his suggested solutions.

[Lynn Vannucci]

"The warriors for the people are trial lawyers."

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perceptive. Prophetic. Damning.

[Jesterguru · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book an extra star because it's timely. Lays bare the right wing mediatocracy and the motives of the worst of the talking heads. And I use the term "heads" loosely.

[Lynn Vannucci]

"The warriors for the people are trial lawyers."

[Betsy]

I already knew that Ann Coulter was a crazy bitch, but Gerry Spence really opened my eyes about the culture of hate that is brewing in our nation-its definitely a page turner.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read. Please, before it is too late.