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The Big Lie: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics After 2020
From the White House Bureau Chief of Politico and the host of MSNBC's Way Too Early comes a probing and illuminating analysis of the current state of American politics, democracy, and elections.
Jonathan Lemire uncovers that “The Big Lie,” as it’s been termed, isn’t just about the 2020 election. It's become a political philosophy that has only further divided the two parties.
Donald Trump first tried it out in 2016, at an August rally in Ohio. He said that perhaps he wouldn’t accept the election results in his race against Hillary Clinton, that the election was “rigged.” He didn’t have to challenge the result that year, but the stage was set. When he lost in 2020, he started the lie back up again and to devastating an insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021.
In the more than five tumultuous, paradigm-shifting years of Donald Trump’s presidency and beyond, his near-constant lying has become a fixture of political life. It is inextricably linked with how his party behaves, how the Democrats respond to it, and how he remains relevant, even after a decisive loss in 2020. Jonathan Lemire brings his connections, profile, and dogged reportorial instincts to bear in his first book that explores how this phenomenon shapes our politics.
Written with sharp political insight and detailed with dozens of interviews, The Big Lie is the first book to examine this unprecedented and tenuous moment in our nation’s politics.
Jonathan Lemire uncovers that “The Big Lie,” as it’s been termed, isn’t just about the 2020 election. It's become a political philosophy that has only further divided the two parties.
Donald Trump first tried it out in 2016, at an August rally in Ohio. He said that perhaps he wouldn’t accept the election results in his race against Hillary Clinton, that the election was “rigged.” He didn’t have to challenge the result that year, but the stage was set. When he lost in 2020, he started the lie back up again and to devastating an insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021.
In the more than five tumultuous, paradigm-shifting years of Donald Trump’s presidency and beyond, his near-constant lying has become a fixture of political life. It is inextricably linked with how his party behaves, how the Democrats respond to it, and how he remains relevant, even after a decisive loss in 2020. Jonathan Lemire brings his connections, profile, and dogged reportorial instincts to bear in his first book that explores how this phenomenon shapes our politics.
Written with sharp political insight and detailed with dozens of interviews, The Big Lie is the first book to examine this unprecedented and tenuous moment in our nation’s politics.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published July 26, 2022
505 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Lemire
1 book26 followersJonathan Lemire is the White House Bureau Chief for Politico. He is also the host of “Way Too Early” on MSNBC and a political analyst for both that network and NBC News. His first book, “THE BIG LIE: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics after 2020," was published by Flatiron Books in July 2022 and became an instant New York Times bestseller.
Prior to joining Politico, he was a White House reporter for The Associated Press. For the AP, he covered two presidential administrations, first Donald Trump and now Joe Biden. He broke scores of news stories and wrote authoritative analysis pieces while covering the day-to-day workings of both presidencies, as well as the 2020 campaign, the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. He interviewed President Trump in the Oval Office, traveled with the presidents to the Middle East, Asia and Europe and received attention for his news conference questions to Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their July 2018 Helsinki summit.
In addition to his hosting duties, Lemire is a regular on "Morning Joe" as well as a frequent guest on MSNBC programs like "Deadline White House with Nicolle Wallace" and "The 11th Hour with Brian Williams" and he contributed to the network's coverage of the 2020 election and Biden's inauguration. He also covered Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, including the candidate’s June 2015 Trump Tower campaign kickoff and nearly 100 rallies in 2016. He previously covered New York City and State politics, including the 2013 mayoral election. Before joining the AP in 2013, he spent more than a decade at the New York Daily News, covering the 2012 presidential election, City Hall and the September 11th terrorist attacks. He grew up in Massachusetts, graduated from Columbia University and lives with his wife, the journalist Carrie Melago, and their two sons, all while caring entirely too much about the Boston Red Sox.
Prior to joining Politico, he was a White House reporter for The Associated Press. For the AP, he covered two presidential administrations, first Donald Trump and now Joe Biden. He broke scores of news stories and wrote authoritative analysis pieces while covering the day-to-day workings of both presidencies, as well as the 2020 campaign, the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. He interviewed President Trump in the Oval Office, traveled with the presidents to the Middle East, Asia and Europe and received attention for his news conference questions to Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their July 2018 Helsinki summit.
In addition to his hosting duties, Lemire is a regular on "Morning Joe" as well as a frequent guest on MSNBC programs like "Deadline White House with Nicolle Wallace" and "The 11th Hour with Brian Williams" and he contributed to the network's coverage of the 2020 election and Biden's inauguration. He also covered Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, including the candidate’s June 2015 Trump Tower campaign kickoff and nearly 100 rallies in 2016. He previously covered New York City and State politics, including the 2013 mayoral election. Before joining the AP in 2013, he spent more than a decade at the New York Daily News, covering the 2012 presidential election, City Hall and the September 11th terrorist attacks. He grew up in Massachusetts, graduated from Columbia University and lives with his wife, the journalist Carrie Melago, and their two sons, all while caring entirely too much about the Boston Red Sox.
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November 2, 2022
"He appeared to think that if he just said things over and over, he could will them into reality—and persuade his followers to believe them."
Unfortunately, he did. His followers ate up the lies, one after the other. It didn't matter how ridiculous they were, or that they often contradicted other lies, his followers took him at his word, never questioning a thing that came out of his mouth.
The entire rest of the world was lying and in on some conspiracy any time (which was often) the facts were different than his claims.
According to the Washington Post, "During the president’s four years in office, he uttered 30,573 false and misleading claims... That’s 7,643 a year, nearly 21 a day. And those are only the ones he told in public."
The lies began long before he ran for president. For instance, when a skyscraper was built in the area of Manhattan where trump Tower is that was higher than it, he changed the numbers of the floors, from 57 and 58 to 67 and 68, in order to pretend his tower was still the tallest.
Another absurdity was his claim that Princess Diana wanted to buy an apartment in the Tower. He also made comments about her body and how he'd go after her. She'd want to marry him and then he would be King of England (we all know the Donald isn't very bright so I'm not surprised he didn't realize that if Diana was not married to Charles, she would not be princess, nor ever a queen).
Many of his lies were dangerous. There were the lies about Covid (such as that 85% of people who wear masks get it and that it would miraculously disappear).
And there was the Big Lie, told over and over and over since he joined the race in 2016, which led to one of the darkest days in our nation's capital.
While he was running against Hillary Clinton, trump began claiming that if he were to lose, it would mean there was voter fraud. Over and over he made this claim, either because he believed he could not possibly lose or because he wanted his followers to believe he could not.
We all know what eventually happened when he did lose to Biden in 2020 (and he did lose) - he riled up a mob of his followers until they marched to the capital and stormed it.
I'm sure everyone knows what happened next and I won't rehash it. This book exposes the life of the Big Lie, from its inception to the perhaps inevitable consequences of it. The author does a great job laying it all out, though there wasn't anything new if you've been paying attention the last several years.
The author doesn't stop with the Insurrection but goes on to show how Republicans continue to believe this, or at least use it to carry out restrictive voting laws to dilute the voices of minorities, who overwhelmingly vote Democrat.
Without one shred of evidence, they claim voter fraud because their leader lost, while chipping away steadily at one of the fundamental rights of our democracy.
I really don't know why I do this to myself, keep reading these books that increase my anxiety. Those four years under him were bad enough without reliving it.... yet I keep finding myself reading these books, striving to understand how it all went so wrong.
I think it's imperative that those of us who care about democracy keep ourselves informed. It can so easily be lost. It's not fun to think about. It's not fun to read about. But it would be even less fun if our democracy were to crumble beneath us.
Unfortunately, It is "now part of the Republican Party’s core belief: the actions and lies that led to the insurrection, and the violence itself, were acceptable. The Big Lie was who they were."
Unfortunately, he did. His followers ate up the lies, one after the other. It didn't matter how ridiculous they were, or that they often contradicted other lies, his followers took him at his word, never questioning a thing that came out of his mouth.
The entire rest of the world was lying and in on some conspiracy any time (which was often) the facts were different than his claims.
According to the Washington Post, "During the president’s four years in office, he uttered 30,573 false and misleading claims... That’s 7,643 a year, nearly 21 a day. And those are only the ones he told in public."
The lies began long before he ran for president. For instance, when a skyscraper was built in the area of Manhattan where trump Tower is that was higher than it, he changed the numbers of the floors, from 57 and 58 to 67 and 68, in order to pretend his tower was still the tallest.
Another absurdity was his claim that Princess Diana wanted to buy an apartment in the Tower. He also made comments about her body and how he'd go after her. She'd want to marry him and then he would be King of England (we all know the Donald isn't very bright so I'm not surprised he didn't realize that if Diana was not married to Charles, she would not be princess, nor ever a queen).
Many of his lies were dangerous. There were the lies about Covid (such as that 85% of people who wear masks get it and that it would miraculously disappear).
And there was the Big Lie, told over and over and over since he joined the race in 2016, which led to one of the darkest days in our nation's capital.
While he was running against Hillary Clinton, trump began claiming that if he were to lose, it would mean there was voter fraud. Over and over he made this claim, either because he believed he could not possibly lose or because he wanted his followers to believe he could not.
We all know what eventually happened when he did lose to Biden in 2020 (and he did lose) - he riled up a mob of his followers until they marched to the capital and stormed it.
I'm sure everyone knows what happened next and I won't rehash it. This book exposes the life of the Big Lie, from its inception to the perhaps inevitable consequences of it. The author does a great job laying it all out, though there wasn't anything new if you've been paying attention the last several years.
The author doesn't stop with the Insurrection but goes on to show how Republicans continue to believe this, or at least use it to carry out restrictive voting laws to dilute the voices of minorities, who overwhelmingly vote Democrat.
Without one shred of evidence, they claim voter fraud because their leader lost, while chipping away steadily at one of the fundamental rights of our democracy.
I really don't know why I do this to myself, keep reading these books that increase my anxiety. Those four years under him were bad enough without reliving it.... yet I keep finding myself reading these books, striving to understand how it all went so wrong.
I think it's imperative that those of us who care about democracy keep ourselves informed. It can so easily be lost. It's not fun to think about. It's not fun to read about. But it would be even less fun if our democracy were to crumble beneath us.
Unfortunately, It is "now part of the Republican Party’s core belief: the actions and lies that led to the insurrection, and the violence itself, were acceptable. The Big Lie was who they were."
August 4, 2022
If you are an avid news watcher or reader, much in this book will not be a surprise. What this book does do really well is lay it all out in a clear, concise and linear manner. Starting on 2016 when then candidate Trump first started his big lie theory by saying if Clinton won, he won't accept it because the vote would surely be rigged.
His first big lie in the White House was about the crowd size at his inaugural address, insisting his was bigger than Obama's had been. It wasn't, but in a clear sign of of the toadying that would last throughout his Presidency and beyond, they doctored the photo. Major appeasement and the first step of a White House that would continue this practice at the expense of truth. And so alternate facts came to be and fed to the American people.
The checks and balances that were supposed to keep the events that followed, an assault on our government on January 6th, from happening utterly failed. It failed because the GOP, instead of standing up to and calling out his lies, instead used them for their own political purposes. Are still doing so despite the imminent threat to our democracy.
The audio was read by the author himself who did a wonderful job in both the narration and writing of this book.
ARC from Netgalley.
His first big lie in the White House was about the crowd size at his inaugural address, insisting his was bigger than Obama's had been. It wasn't, but in a clear sign of of the toadying that would last throughout his Presidency and beyond, they doctored the photo. Major appeasement and the first step of a White House that would continue this practice at the expense of truth. And so alternate facts came to be and fed to the American people.
The checks and balances that were supposed to keep the events that followed, an assault on our government on January 6th, from happening utterly failed. It failed because the GOP, instead of standing up to and calling out his lies, instead used them for their own political purposes. Are still doing so despite the imminent threat to our democracy.
The audio was read by the author himself who did a wonderful job in both the narration and writing of this book.
ARC from Netgalley.
May 14, 2023
"The Big Lie was now officially doctrine within the Republican Party."
Lemire has been a reporter for decades and has been a “senior” for The Associated Press on the “Washington Beat” for years. Even with the that atmosphere he found the elements of the January 6, 2021 insurrection profoundly disturbing. Not simply in the violent and tragic events of that day but in the subsequent response of America’s Republican Party:
"It could have been a moment of true repudiation, of Trump being forced from the political stage, of a nation rattled by the violence and the pandemic recommitting itself to the democratic values on which it was founded. It was not. Instead, Republicans seized upon Trump’s lies and used them as justification to undermine voting rights and election security across the nation. Nearly twenty GOP-controlled state legislatures used the aftermath of the 2020 election, preying upon the distrust fomented in voters by Trump’s falsehoods, to push forward long-desired efforts to tighten access to voting, installing roadblocks to the ballot that disproportionately impacted voters—minorities, the young, recent immigrants—who tend to vote Democratic."
Lemire takes that reader through the linear history that documents the lie of the title. Does it begin in 2016 when his says that if he loses, he will not accept the results because the “voting was rigged?” Not really. Lemire shows that when things are not going his way, the former television host and ex-president, always finds it is the fault of others. Every television award show that he didn’t win “was rigged.”
Given the title, I was surprised at some of the material included. Whether it was “necessary” may be debatable, but the section on how the Senate dealt/did not deal with ensuring voters’ rights was one of the most fascinating in the book. Though the previous effort during George W. Bush’s Administration was consistently bipartisan, McConnell’s Republican Senators were determined to oppose any renewal or expansion of those rights and the votes of Democrats Manchin and Sinema assured that nothing would pass.
We live, unfortunately, in “interesting times.” Even though published less than a year ago, it is to be expected that this book is already out of date. Earlier in May 2023 the former President was still repeating the lies documented in this book and promising to pardon “the good people” who were convicted of committing many crimes against citizens, public buildings, public officials and the democratic process on that January date.
4*
Lemire has been a reporter for decades and has been a “senior” for The Associated Press on the “Washington Beat” for years. Even with the that atmosphere he found the elements of the January 6, 2021 insurrection profoundly disturbing. Not simply in the violent and tragic events of that day but in the subsequent response of America’s Republican Party:
"It could have been a moment of true repudiation, of Trump being forced from the political stage, of a nation rattled by the violence and the pandemic recommitting itself to the democratic values on which it was founded. It was not. Instead, Republicans seized upon Trump’s lies and used them as justification to undermine voting rights and election security across the nation. Nearly twenty GOP-controlled state legislatures used the aftermath of the 2020 election, preying upon the distrust fomented in voters by Trump’s falsehoods, to push forward long-desired efforts to tighten access to voting, installing roadblocks to the ballot that disproportionately impacted voters—minorities, the young, recent immigrants—who tend to vote Democratic."
Lemire takes that reader through the linear history that documents the lie of the title. Does it begin in 2016 when his says that if he loses, he will not accept the results because the “voting was rigged?” Not really. Lemire shows that when things are not going his way, the former television host and ex-president, always finds it is the fault of others. Every television award show that he didn’t win “was rigged.”
Given the title, I was surprised at some of the material included. Whether it was “necessary” may be debatable, but the section on how the Senate dealt/did not deal with ensuring voters’ rights was one of the most fascinating in the book. Though the previous effort during George W. Bush’s Administration was consistently bipartisan, McConnell’s Republican Senators were determined to oppose any renewal or expansion of those rights and the votes of Democrats Manchin and Sinema assured that nothing would pass.
We live, unfortunately, in “interesting times.” Even though published less than a year ago, it is to be expected that this book is already out of date. Earlier in May 2023 the former President was still repeating the lies documented in this book and promising to pardon “the good people” who were convicted of committing many crimes against citizens, public buildings, public officials and the democratic process on that January date.
4*
August 22, 2022
Hey there, it's Jonathan Lemire, author of "The Big Lie." I wanted to write a quick note thanking you all for reading my book, it's been very rewarding to see it connect with so many people.
I chose to write this book because I felt it was a story that had to be told, one that is shaping our politics of today and will keep doing so in the years to come. The book traces the origin of Trump's false claims of election fraud, and how he hijacked the Republican Party and the conservative media to amplify them. It shows how he used the powers of the presidency to push the lies, which led to the unthinkable violence of January 6th. But the book doesn't stop there: it reveals how those same lies have challenged the Biden White House, have been used as cover to restrict access to the ballot in states across the country - and how they will dominate the elections of 2022 and 2024.
If you haven't yet read the book, I hope you'll give it a try. Thanks again.
I chose to write this book because I felt it was a story that had to be told, one that is shaping our politics of today and will keep doing so in the years to come. The book traces the origin of Trump's false claims of election fraud, and how he hijacked the Republican Party and the conservative media to amplify them. It shows how he used the powers of the presidency to push the lies, which led to the unthinkable violence of January 6th. But the book doesn't stop there: it reveals how those same lies have challenged the Biden White House, have been used as cover to restrict access to the ballot in states across the country - and how they will dominate the elections of 2022 and 2024.
If you haven't yet read the book, I hope you'll give it a try. Thanks again.
September 21, 2024
I have once again decided to embark on a mission to read a number of books on subjects that will be of great importance to the upcoming 2024 US Presidential Election. This was a great success as I prepared for 2020, with an outcome at the polls (and antics by both candidates up to Inauguration Day) that only a fiction writer might have come up with at the time! Many of these will focus on actors and events intricately involved in the US political system over the last few years, in hopes that I can understand them better and, perhaps, educate others with the power to cast a ballot. I am, as always, open to serious recommendations from anyone who has a book I might like to include in the process.
With the events of July 21, 2024, when Joe Biden chose not to seek re-election, the challenge has become harder to properly reflect the Democratic side. I will do the best I can to properly prepare and offer up books that can explore the Biden Administration, as well as whomever takes the helm into November.
This is Book #32 in my 2024 US Election Preparation Challenge.
While it is difficult to find new angles to explore the Trump/Biden/Harris narrative, I was eager to get my hands on Jonathan Lemire’s book. It explores the numerous issues around Trump’s’ Big Lie’ and how all-consuming it became over the last decade. Working through many of his leads as a political reporter who followed Trump from 2016 onwards, Lemire delves deeply into the narrative the GOP nominee created and how it went on to shape the conspiracy theories that would fuel the right for years thereafter. An educational read that left me intrigued about many of the conspiracies that shaped the American political scene in ways no one could have predicted.
In the opening pages of the book, Lemire explores the core of “The Big Lie”, a sentiment that an election in which Trump loses is sure to be rigged or stolen. The genesis of the idea came from a rally the GOP presumptive nominee held in Columbus, Ohio during the 2016 campaign. Trump planted the idea in the minds of many and used it to fuel an ongoing theory that morphed the longer it lingered. Trump used it to forecast a potential loss to Clinton that year, but it soon developed into a larger conspiracy for anything against the MAGA base.
That this conspiracy has only further divided the two parties is at the core of the argument, but not the sole detriment that America has seen. The divisive nature of the belief that there is no clear means of trusting the pillars of democracy helped Trump erode other beliefs and helped him hijack the GOP and its supporters. Anything he said was to become gospel, no matter how outlandish it tended to be. As Lemire explains throughout, Trump was able to vaguely claim something and it was seen as truth. Should anyone try to dispel it, they were quickly deemed part of the problem. Able to pull right-wing media into the fray, Trump now had a soapbox on which to push these lies as complete truth. Trump made this easier by labelling those who chose to report the opposite view as “fake news”.
The Big Lie moved forward and raged its ugly head incesssantly throughout the 2020 campaign, culminating in the election, where Trump was shown to lose. He kicked up the rhetoric about voter fraud, ballot tampering, and a fixed election, which only seemed to affect the votes for president (somehow other positions that ended up Republican on the same ballot were not based on fixed or illegal elections). As many readers surely know, the soap opera of Trump’s legal antics ended with all but one court ruling against him. This helped Trump bemoan The Big Lie once more and fuelled the insurrection on Capitol Hill that cold January 6, 2021, where democracy teetered on the edge. Thankfully, it was quelled and the Biden Administrstion was able to move forward with the inauguration on January 20th.
However, The Big Lie did not end there. Trump’s power over the GOP continued as he served as Marionette-in-Chief. Republicans could not do anything that might step on the toes of the ousted president. Trump spoke and every Republican appeared to fall in line. Those who did not were ejected from the party or forced to bite their tongue. Lemire posits that this cloud lingered over the new administration and created clashes with Congress, as the Democrats were left the wrestle against their opponents across the aisle, all because a Trump thumbs down was presented to them.
Lemire wonders how long The Big Lie would last, hoping that America could find its way out of this wet paper bag. President Biden sought to put the country back on its feet by pushing clear voter rights, but was met with icy stares and negative votes on the floor of both Houses by Republicans. The GOP was no longer a party, but a plaything for Trump to run like a political ghost who does not want to die. The Big Lie emerged in speeches, public sentiments, and one-liners during interviews. When politicians were called out, they would refuse to see the light, choosing to shove their heads in the sand like an ostrich. The Big Lie lingers, like a new pandemic.
With talks of Haitians eating pets in Ohio and refusal to accept a loss in 2020, Trump is back like a bad infection. His views are as skewed as ever and with new soldiers ready to fight blindly for ideas that cannot hold water. The Big Lie continues like a lipstick-wearing pig, leaving many to hope that American voters will see what needs to be done and put the country out of its misery. There is no hope that Trump will go quietly, something many have come to accept, but perhaps the voters will speak clearly and send him out to pasture.
Jonathan Lemire does really well with this piece, exploring views and sentiments many have expressed before. His journalistic investigations have revealed a great deal and help explain some of the outlandish sentiments the GOP have taken as truth. In chapters that are as interesting as they are educational, Lemire helps provide clarity for those who might not fully understand what has been happening in America over the last decade. America is once more at a crossroads, leaving the future in doubt. The ballot box is said to help guide the country, but we all know nothing is final until Congress certifies the results, come hell or high water. I am eager to see what happens and whether chaos will resume or if the country will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Kudos, Mr. Lemire, for an insightful piece.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
With the events of July 21, 2024, when Joe Biden chose not to seek re-election, the challenge has become harder to properly reflect the Democratic side. I will do the best I can to properly prepare and offer up books that can explore the Biden Administration, as well as whomever takes the helm into November.
This is Book #32 in my 2024 US Election Preparation Challenge.
While it is difficult to find new angles to explore the Trump/Biden/Harris narrative, I was eager to get my hands on Jonathan Lemire’s book. It explores the numerous issues around Trump’s’ Big Lie’ and how all-consuming it became over the last decade. Working through many of his leads as a political reporter who followed Trump from 2016 onwards, Lemire delves deeply into the narrative the GOP nominee created and how it went on to shape the conspiracy theories that would fuel the right for years thereafter. An educational read that left me intrigued about many of the conspiracies that shaped the American political scene in ways no one could have predicted.
In the opening pages of the book, Lemire explores the core of “The Big Lie”, a sentiment that an election in which Trump loses is sure to be rigged or stolen. The genesis of the idea came from a rally the GOP presumptive nominee held in Columbus, Ohio during the 2016 campaign. Trump planted the idea in the minds of many and used it to fuel an ongoing theory that morphed the longer it lingered. Trump used it to forecast a potential loss to Clinton that year, but it soon developed into a larger conspiracy for anything against the MAGA base.
That this conspiracy has only further divided the two parties is at the core of the argument, but not the sole detriment that America has seen. The divisive nature of the belief that there is no clear means of trusting the pillars of democracy helped Trump erode other beliefs and helped him hijack the GOP and its supporters. Anything he said was to become gospel, no matter how outlandish it tended to be. As Lemire explains throughout, Trump was able to vaguely claim something and it was seen as truth. Should anyone try to dispel it, they were quickly deemed part of the problem. Able to pull right-wing media into the fray, Trump now had a soapbox on which to push these lies as complete truth. Trump made this easier by labelling those who chose to report the opposite view as “fake news”.
The Big Lie moved forward and raged its ugly head incesssantly throughout the 2020 campaign, culminating in the election, where Trump was shown to lose. He kicked up the rhetoric about voter fraud, ballot tampering, and a fixed election, which only seemed to affect the votes for president (somehow other positions that ended up Republican on the same ballot were not based on fixed or illegal elections). As many readers surely know, the soap opera of Trump’s legal antics ended with all but one court ruling against him. This helped Trump bemoan The Big Lie once more and fuelled the insurrection on Capitol Hill that cold January 6, 2021, where democracy teetered on the edge. Thankfully, it was quelled and the Biden Administrstion was able to move forward with the inauguration on January 20th.
However, The Big Lie did not end there. Trump’s power over the GOP continued as he served as Marionette-in-Chief. Republicans could not do anything that might step on the toes of the ousted president. Trump spoke and every Republican appeared to fall in line. Those who did not were ejected from the party or forced to bite their tongue. Lemire posits that this cloud lingered over the new administration and created clashes with Congress, as the Democrats were left the wrestle against their opponents across the aisle, all because a Trump thumbs down was presented to them.
Lemire wonders how long The Big Lie would last, hoping that America could find its way out of this wet paper bag. President Biden sought to put the country back on its feet by pushing clear voter rights, but was met with icy stares and negative votes on the floor of both Houses by Republicans. The GOP was no longer a party, but a plaything for Trump to run like a political ghost who does not want to die. The Big Lie emerged in speeches, public sentiments, and one-liners during interviews. When politicians were called out, they would refuse to see the light, choosing to shove their heads in the sand like an ostrich. The Big Lie lingers, like a new pandemic.
With talks of Haitians eating pets in Ohio and refusal to accept a loss in 2020, Trump is back like a bad infection. His views are as skewed as ever and with new soldiers ready to fight blindly for ideas that cannot hold water. The Big Lie continues like a lipstick-wearing pig, leaving many to hope that American voters will see what needs to be done and put the country out of its misery. There is no hope that Trump will go quietly, something many have come to accept, but perhaps the voters will speak clearly and send him out to pasture.
Jonathan Lemire does really well with this piece, exploring views and sentiments many have expressed before. His journalistic investigations have revealed a great deal and help explain some of the outlandish sentiments the GOP have taken as truth. In chapters that are as interesting as they are educational, Lemire helps provide clarity for those who might not fully understand what has been happening in America over the last decade. America is once more at a crossroads, leaving the future in doubt. The ballot box is said to help guide the country, but we all know nothing is final until Congress certifies the results, come hell or high water. I am eager to see what happens and whether chaos will resume or if the country will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Kudos, Mr. Lemire, for an insightful piece.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 5, 2022
I almost didn't give this book a chance because with the way things are changing right now I thought even though it hasn't been published yet, it might already be irrelevant. I'm glad I forged ahead though. This was a good reflection on how the Trump presidency happened, how he was able to get away with all of his lies, and what happened on January 6th and beyond. It ends in the spring of 2022. The audiobook was well done. Advanced Listener Copy courtesy of Libro.fm.
August 27, 2022
This is really just a recap of events related to Trump's self-serving efforts to undermine American democracy. If you pay attention to the news, you will have heard/seen everything mentioned in this book. There is little in the way of original analysis or insights. I don't disagree with most of Mr. Lemire's commentary, but I didn't feel like he told me anything I didn't already know (and lament).
August 30, 2022
I’ve always been a total US history nerd and politics is a big part of history. I read Katy Tur’s book leading up to 45’s presidency and lived through four years of his dominating the news daily. I decided I’d finally put the whole thing to bed with Jonathan Lemire’s, The Big Lie (boy, was I wrong about it being the end). I thought I knew all about it but learned quite a few things from this well-written book about the whole on-going affair by a political commentator who followed the former president closely. Like Katy Tur, I see Jonathan’s sense of humor often and trust him to report the news fairly, so I knew the book would be interesting and have insights that I didn't know. I’m the one who’s biased - he’s a Red Sox fan, and we’re loyal people. I liked this book very much. It’s current and also reports on the former president’s plans for the future. I hope I always remember this period in time. It will definitely be in future US history books.
January 5, 2023
I appreciate that, unlike other journalist authors, he did not hold back newsworthy material to profit off his book, but as a result, there was not much surprising or new to a close news observer.
August 28, 2022
Another attempt in my obsessive desire to understand why such a large swathe of the population has allowed itself to be conned by a slimy, amoral, ignorant snake oil salesman. Lemire's take is essentially that way back in August of 2016 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center Trump started spouting lies and hasn't let up since and the lies have been repeated so relentlessly that people believe. He calls it "history's greatest assault on American democracy." There is no new information - it's all been out there for awhile, but the drumbeat of lies magnified by Fox News and other right wing news outlets has had a devastating effect on the country. How do you deprogram millions of people?
"...with one seemingly off-the-cuff remark uttered within the walls of the convention center that day, Donald Trump threatened the tradition of peacefully contested American elections and challenged the very essence of a fair democratic process."
" I'm afraid the election is going to be rigged, I have to be honest.,"
"It had begun. The seeds of the Big Lie had been planted. A celebrity candidate with little regard for the truth had publicly doubted the intrinsic fairness of America's most sacred democratic institution, taking the first step on a journey that would undermine the integrity of the presidency, fuel a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, imperil voting rights ahead of the 2022 and 2024 elections, and forever change both political parties."
"...with one seemingly off-the-cuff remark uttered within the walls of the convention center that day, Donald Trump threatened the tradition of peacefully contested American elections and challenged the very essence of a fair democratic process."
" I'm afraid the election is going to be rigged, I have to be honest.,"
"It had begun. The seeds of the Big Lie had been planted. A celebrity candidate with little regard for the truth had publicly doubted the intrinsic fairness of America's most sacred democratic institution, taking the first step on a journey that would undermine the integrity of the presidency, fuel a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, imperil voting rights ahead of the 2022 and 2024 elections, and forever change both political parties."
July 23, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book was fantastic! I'm deeply interested in politics and have closely watched our country descend into madness. It feels like people are living in two separate and distinct realities.
This book covered things I already knew, but there were several topics discussed that I hadn't been aware of. The author was humorous at times, especially when recounting some of the most ridiculous things trump said during his presidency. Although it was very serious subject matter, I found myself chuckling at the absurdity of the whole situation. This was well written and well researched. While it primarily focused on the big lie, trump's entire presidency is broken down to show how far back the big lie goes and how extensive Trump's lying was. Five stars. Great narration.
This book was fantastic! I'm deeply interested in politics and have closely watched our country descend into madness. It feels like people are living in two separate and distinct realities.
This book covered things I already knew, but there were several topics discussed that I hadn't been aware of. The author was humorous at times, especially when recounting some of the most ridiculous things trump said during his presidency. Although it was very serious subject matter, I found myself chuckling at the absurdity of the whole situation. This was well written and well researched. While it primarily focused on the big lie, trump's entire presidency is broken down to show how far back the big lie goes and how extensive Trump's lying was. Five stars. Great narration.
August 28, 2022
Meh. Really a recap of events during Trump’s presidency followed by the travails of the Biden administration. Basically if you’ve followed the news, you’ve heard it all. The overall conclusion that the republicans have gone down the rabbit hole of Trumps delusion is hardly revelatory.
August 9, 2022
Well documented account of a horrible American Reality.
Lemire has done a great job of connecting the dots of the attempt of Trump and his fellow plotters to launch a Fascist coup to hold onto power.
Having followed these machinations from Day One, I was familiar with most of the actors and their plans, but reading the details was still horrifying. I was hoping that his book would have delved a little deeper into the rationale behind the plot. I know it was basically rooted in Trump’s Narcissistic Sociopathy but there had to be a lot of powerful forces and an awful lot of money behind the desire to make it happen.
There is still more to learn about this story, but this was a good start. Thanks, Jonathan. Four Stars. ****
October 2, 2022
What can be said about the sad pathetic story of a prepubescent, amoral, con man mobilizing a massive propaganda arm, who energizes his entire life by lying and bullying...big time lying? And worse, what can be said about the millions of people who fall for these lies and succumb to this propaganda, sacrificing possibly the foundational democratic edifice by which their country is built and is renowned? It would be a joke or maybe a bad novel, if the person was not a former president, and the people were not us!
Lemire chronicles this story in a clear and straight forward manner. I witnessed most of it of course, as we all did, but seeing it written coherently and chronologically between two covers, is just as unnerving as watching it spin out live and streaming. Maybe more.
Lemire chronicles this story in a clear and straight forward manner. I witnessed most of it of course, as we all did, but seeing it written coherently and chronologically between two covers, is just as unnerving as watching it spin out live and streaming. Maybe more.
August 2, 2022
Anyone who has followed the news over the past 6 years will find the reporting in this book familiar. What makes this book worth reading is its clear, cogent narrative that shows “The Big Lie” to be not just the ranting of a sore loser who cannot accept defeat. The book shows how “The Big Lie” is fundamentally a consistent and pervasive political strategy within the Republican Party perpetuated with a firehose of falsehoods with one single aim: the acquisition of power for its own sake.
July 29, 2022
3 1/2 stars. Solid reportage of "the big lie" and its repercussions, which continue to reverberate. Liked the Lemire starts the book at the 2016 origin of the voter fraud lie, at a speech here in Columbus OH. Far too many seem to have forgotten (repressed?) that the Il Duce-wannabe started squawking about fraud from the beginning of his run against "wicked Hillary."
August 17, 2022
Lemire does a good job of summarizing how Trump's 'Big Lie' grew out of his thousands of little lies, starting even before he was aiming at the Presidency. He also shows how it continues to make trouble for us, although I did hope for more in explaining why so many people cling to the big lie. Perhaps it's another book, or more
August 15, 2022
Mostly a Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) screed. Failed specifically to address the 74 million people who voted for Trump, and even more specifically the impact of voter drop boxes on the election outcome.
July 31, 2022
Cliff notes of the time frame. Read other books if you want real background.
November 21, 2024
2.5 stars? It’s pretty apparent that the author is a TV news host and not an actual newspaper journalist. At times it was hard to discern what was the author’s opinion and what was fact due to the casual writing of the author, lack of footnotes, and lack of in text citations to the sources in the back of the book. It would have been a better book if it was written more objectively and clearly rather than appearing to be a casual narrative of 2016-2024.
September 5, 2022
Well written, but like most books on current events, it contains little I didn’t already know. The 24-hour news cycle makes even newspapers old news by the time one reads them.
Still, Trump’s Big Lie and the threat to democracy it’s causing needs to be well documented in permanent form, and this book accomplishes just that.
Still, Trump’s Big Lie and the threat to democracy it’s causing needs to be well documented in permanent form, and this book accomplishes just that.
July 4, 2023
This didn’t tell anything I didn’t already know, but it was a very concise, compulsively readable summary of the last six or seven years. The author does a good job of showing how the Big Lie has been a part of Trump’s narrative from the jump. I can see this being used in some kind of history class context…that is, if history classes are allowed to teach, you know, history. 🙃
October 27, 2022
Deeply researched, well-written. It may suffer in my rating because I’ve read so much about tfg and the chaos he created for our nation. I’m a bit fatigued and simultaneously hungry for all the details and backstory.
August 16, 2022
Presented without comment.
September 11, 2022
A clear precise overview on how Trump and company promoted the concept of fraudulent voting and that Biden stole the election. Very good.
July 28, 2022
Nothing new, nothing incendiary. Nothing that should have been disclosed to Congress or Justice. Just an excellent documentation of basically everything since 2015 up until almost now. I’ll have to pick up the paperback for any additions the author makes. I enjoy and respect Jonathan’s work. Just the Helsinki press conference made him a legend. He does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.
August 30, 2022
I was hoping for new information or a closer analysis of the media landscape with some actual data. This is mostly a factual description of what happened. It seems clear and true, but it wasn’t anything new.
August 7, 2022
I actually knew most of what Lemire wrote about because I am an avid political junkie due to the last very alarming man in office. I watch Morning Joe and evening news and read the AP and other worthy journalistic sites. Lemire presents a very well presented timeline of events from 2016 to 2022. I would highly recommend to people who seek real truth. And my question to people who believe the lie is this: what about 2016 (Hillary won the popular vote by far more votes and lost the electoral vote by about 78,000 in 3 states). And especially in 2000 where the decision was reached by the Supreme Court and declared Bush president by a minuscule number of votes from one county in Florida . There was no fraud in 2020- remember the Ninja counters In AZ ? And the 60 challenges in multiple states AND the Supreme Court? All ruled— no fraud. Bill Barr- no fraud. Ivanka- believed Barr ( watch the 1/6 committee hearings - they are both on record. ) Like what would it take? The guy is not only a liar, he’s a cheat and a criminal who caused death on 1/6 and beyond ( Capital officers committed suicide) . He’s a cult leader- like Jim Jones, Manson, etc who had the loudest microphone and power in the world.
So either people are ignorant of all these facts or choose not to believe them for their own ambitions or purposes. Hard to believe that people ACTUALLY believe in the big lie! It’s like a cult on full display!
So either people are ignorant of all these facts or choose not to believe them for their own ambitions or purposes. Hard to believe that people ACTUALLY believe in the big lie! It’s like a cult on full display!
December 24, 2024
I read this way back in January, so reconstructing a timely review won't be possible, but this was a terrifying eye-opener, especially in retrospect with the president-elect. I did take notes as I read this. What follows are quotes and passages from the book, in no particular order.
*************************
THE BIG LIE is of course the falsity that Trump really did win the 2020 election. Trump challenged the very essence of a fair democratic process.
The primary Big Lie was born on Nov. 4 when Trump lost the election. “This is a fraud on the American public. Frankly we did win this election.” What followed from election night was a 2-month assault on the vote, in which Trump and his allies exhausted every avenue to overturn the will of the people – a sustained effort aided by Republicans, and which led to an unthinkable attack on the nation’s capital.
The Big Lie was also born in 2016. Over the next 6 years, the man who gave it life used it to undermine the nation’s faith in its civic institutions and in the process of democracy itself. Via cable news, it had corrupted viewers and inspired dictators. It was faithfully repeated and used to justify an abuse of power in the government. And it lives on! It dominated the Trump white house and shaped Biden’s presidency.
In 2020, only 19% of Republicans then thought Biden was legitimately elected. Despite fueling one of the darknest days in American history, the same lie that caused January 6 was still alive and well in the Republican party.
Trump’s Presidency began with a lie. He’d transformed himself from laughing stock to president in 5 short years. He cared about status and power above all else. He was an obsessive cable t.v. watcher. His t.v. obsession played a role on his first day in office – he was infuriated that the crowd size was very small at the National Mall compared to Obama, packed shoulder to shoulder. Trump’s crowd was nowhere near that, and that was unacceptable to him along with the footage. Crowd size was a particular obsession with Trump. He was always comparing himself as the best.
The Big Lie has threatened to undermine America’s faith in every election going forward. The Big Lie is officially doctrine with the Republican party. The Republicans who oppose Trump were censured and kicked out, and they turned on 2 of their own who opposed what Trump did.
January 6 was a disgrace. American Citizens attacked their own government. They used terrorism to try to stop a specific piece of Democratic business they didn’t like. They beat and bloodied their own policies. They tried to hunt down the Speaker of the house. They set up a gallows and chanted about murdering the V.P. because they’d been fed falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth who was angry he’d lost an election. It was beyond a disgraceful dereliction of duty.
The January 6 riots at the most sacred space of American Democracy was being explained away as a form of legitimate political discourse. A fatal insurrection was being rationalized and justified.
The GOP refused to go against him. Trump’s hold over the Republicans was not just sustained but tightened.
##########
At the time of this writing, in 2022, Trump believed the 2024 election would be rigged. A celebrity candidate with little regard for the truth had publicly doubted the intrinsic fairness of America’s most sacred democratic institution – the first step on a journey that would undermine the integrity of the presidency, imperil voting rights, and forever change both political parties. For the first time he cast doubt on the 2020 election. He was the first candidate to NOT promise to abide by the results. With a smooth and amicable transition of power. Any losses in his life had been fixed.
#################
There is a long section about his failed covid policies, along with many other lies and conspiracies Trump created and supported, but the majority of the book is about the effects that The Big Lie had on America. And here we are again. I fear this time things will get much worse. I pray I am wrong.
*************************
THE BIG LIE is of course the falsity that Trump really did win the 2020 election. Trump challenged the very essence of a fair democratic process.
The primary Big Lie was born on Nov. 4 when Trump lost the election. “This is a fraud on the American public. Frankly we did win this election.” What followed from election night was a 2-month assault on the vote, in which Trump and his allies exhausted every avenue to overturn the will of the people – a sustained effort aided by Republicans, and which led to an unthinkable attack on the nation’s capital.
The Big Lie was also born in 2016. Over the next 6 years, the man who gave it life used it to undermine the nation’s faith in its civic institutions and in the process of democracy itself. Via cable news, it had corrupted viewers and inspired dictators. It was faithfully repeated and used to justify an abuse of power in the government. And it lives on! It dominated the Trump white house and shaped Biden’s presidency.
In 2020, only 19% of Republicans then thought Biden was legitimately elected. Despite fueling one of the darknest days in American history, the same lie that caused January 6 was still alive and well in the Republican party.
Trump’s Presidency began with a lie. He’d transformed himself from laughing stock to president in 5 short years. He cared about status and power above all else. He was an obsessive cable t.v. watcher. His t.v. obsession played a role on his first day in office – he was infuriated that the crowd size was very small at the National Mall compared to Obama, packed shoulder to shoulder. Trump’s crowd was nowhere near that, and that was unacceptable to him along with the footage. Crowd size was a particular obsession with Trump. He was always comparing himself as the best.
The Big Lie has threatened to undermine America’s faith in every election going forward. The Big Lie is officially doctrine with the Republican party. The Republicans who oppose Trump were censured and kicked out, and they turned on 2 of their own who opposed what Trump did.
January 6 was a disgrace. American Citizens attacked their own government. They used terrorism to try to stop a specific piece of Democratic business they didn’t like. They beat and bloodied their own policies. They tried to hunt down the Speaker of the house. They set up a gallows and chanted about murdering the V.P. because they’d been fed falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth who was angry he’d lost an election. It was beyond a disgraceful dereliction of duty.
The January 6 riots at the most sacred space of American Democracy was being explained away as a form of legitimate political discourse. A fatal insurrection was being rationalized and justified.
The GOP refused to go against him. Trump’s hold over the Republicans was not just sustained but tightened.
##########
At the time of this writing, in 2022, Trump believed the 2024 election would be rigged. A celebrity candidate with little regard for the truth had publicly doubted the intrinsic fairness of America’s most sacred democratic institution – the first step on a journey that would undermine the integrity of the presidency, imperil voting rights, and forever change both political parties. For the first time he cast doubt on the 2020 election. He was the first candidate to NOT promise to abide by the results. With a smooth and amicable transition of power. Any losses in his life had been fixed.
#################
There is a long section about his failed covid policies, along with many other lies and conspiracies Trump created and supported, but the majority of the book is about the effects that The Big Lie had on America. And here we are again. I fear this time things will get much worse. I pray I am wrong.
September 3, 2023
📚🗽NOVEL THOUGHTS🗽📚
As other reviewers have stated, if you followed any news over the past 7 years, much of this was reported on but having a bit of an insider's eye witness account (as a White House reporter), it was more fleshed out. The Republicans didn't take Trump seriously when he barged onto the political scene, thinking him a flash in the pan braggart. But once they saw the stronghold he had on a certain niche of the American people, they fell into his orbit and started drinking the Kool-Aid big time! And from a democracy standpoint, that is what is troubling. What they as politicians in their respective states stood for, believed in, stumped about, all fell by the wayside as all they wanted was to keep their jobs, prestige and probably incomes. What is so troubling is that no one stopped him from his lying constantly about anything as banal as what he ate for dinner or from phone calls he had once he was in the White House. What parent would allow their child to bully another child with hideous nicknames? What teacher would allow students to intimidate and tease another student just because no one told him "no?" What employer would agree to harassment of another worker to the point of their safety? Would a father allow some kid to chide his daughter or abuse her because he was the quarterback of the high school football team? NONE! And yet, the grownups in Washington, those who are sworn to uphold the tenents we hold dear in the Constitution, did nothing to stop this behavior. And in fact, seemed to twist it into a narrative they could whitewash and feel okay about. Lemire presents the years from 2016 to present day Washington with unpardoned matter of fact writing, sharing what he saw and experienced as a correspondent during those eventful times.
As other reviewers have stated, if you followed any news over the past 7 years, much of this was reported on but having a bit of an insider's eye witness account (as a White House reporter), it was more fleshed out. The Republicans didn't take Trump seriously when he barged onto the political scene, thinking him a flash in the pan braggart. But once they saw the stronghold he had on a certain niche of the American people, they fell into his orbit and started drinking the Kool-Aid big time! And from a democracy standpoint, that is what is troubling. What they as politicians in their respective states stood for, believed in, stumped about, all fell by the wayside as all they wanted was to keep their jobs, prestige and probably incomes. What is so troubling is that no one stopped him from his lying constantly about anything as banal as what he ate for dinner or from phone calls he had once he was in the White House. What parent would allow their child to bully another child with hideous nicknames? What teacher would allow students to intimidate and tease another student just because no one told him "no?" What employer would agree to harassment of another worker to the point of their safety? Would a father allow some kid to chide his daughter or abuse her because he was the quarterback of the high school football team? NONE! And yet, the grownups in Washington, those who are sworn to uphold the tenents we hold dear in the Constitution, did nothing to stop this behavior. And in fact, seemed to twist it into a narrative they could whitewash and feel okay about. Lemire presents the years from 2016 to present day Washington with unpardoned matter of fact writing, sharing what he saw and experienced as a correspondent during those eventful times.
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