July 9, 2008
Guest: Clifford Schecter,
Author of "The Real McCain"
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Part One (29 min. 17 sec.) | Part Two (29 min. 30 sec.)
(Note: The program is joined in progress.)
Barry talks with political columnist, commentator, and consultant Cliff Schecter about his new book, revealing John McCain as a temperamental "political chameleon" -- anything but a "straight-shooting maverick" -- who will do or say anything to get elected president, including flip-flopping on such fundamental issues as the war in Iraq, torture, the evangelical right, abortion, gays, and even his signature issue of campaign finance reform.
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"The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him and Why Independents Shouldn't"
By Clifford Schecter
Cliff Schecter's hard-hitting profile explores the gap between the public record of Senator John McCain and his media image. Drawing on a range of sources and adding his unique perspective and humor, Schecter guides the reader though McCain's long history of expedient flip-flops on the Iraq war, the Christian right, campaign finance reform, torture, abortion, gay rights, and other issues. Far from a straight-talking maverick, McCain emerges as a temperamental political chameleon who will do or say anything to become president of the United States.
About the Author
Cliff Schecter is a political commentator and consultant who lives with his wife Anne, son Dougie, and two cats Toby and Penelope in Columbus, Ohio. On May 1, 2008, his first book "The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust McCain -- And Why Independents Shouldn't," was released by PoliPoint Press, and reached as high as #2 among political books and #15 among non-fiction titles on Amazon.com. It is already in its second printing domestically and has been optioned to a publishing house in France, where a French language version will be released in June.
Schecter is a Senior Fellow at Working America, the community-based affiliate of the AFL-CIO, and is presently working on his dissertation to complete a Ph.D in American History from American University.
From 2005-2006, Schecter periodically wrote a syndicated column for Knight Ridder News Service on political and international affairs and was a political columnist for United Press International (UPI) from 2002-2004. Currently, he is a Contributor to The Huffington Post and UK Guardian and writer and editor of Cliff Schecter's Campaign Silo, a breaking news campaign site located at high-traffic blog Firedoglake. Schecter's work has been featured in numerous publications including Reuters, the San Francisco Chronicle, Philadelphia Daily News, Washington Monthly, Miami Herald, American Prospect, and The Fordham Urban Law School Journal (His article for the Fordham Law Journal was excerpted in an award-winning textbook, "Understanding American Politics," and published as a booklet). His ideas have been quoted in numerous publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Roll Call, and the Dallas Morning News.
Schecter served as a political analyst for The Sinclair Broadcast Group during the 2004 election, with his commentary reaching one-quarter of television viewers in almost 40 media markets across the United States (He debated Armstrong Williams from a progressive perspective). Schecter has also been a regular contributor to political chat shows on CNN, PBS, FoxNews, MSNBC, CNBC, NPR, Air America, and The Canadian Broadcast Channel. His on-air debates have become top-ranked videos at YouTube, reaching over a million additional viewers online.
Schecter is a former PR, policy, and writing consultant for Fenton Communications, the Washington Department of Parks and Recreation, and The Lawmedia Group. He has also conducted lectures on American Politics for foreign diplomats, politicians, and journalists for the State Department Bureau of International Information Programs. Through this association, Schecter has given talks to embassies and consulates in a variety of nations, including South Africa, Romania, Australia, and Malta. Schecter has also given talks at a variety of other organizations, including Columbia University, American University, The Cornell University Alumni Society, and The National Organizing Institute.
Schecter was a Graduate Honors Fellow at American University while taking courses for his PhD, where he received the highest honor of "Distinction" in U.S. History Post-Civil War. He completed his undergraduate work the University of Pennsylvania -- cum laude -- with a B.A. in American History and a minor in Legal Studies from the Wharton School of Business. Schecter later completed an M.A. in International Affairs as a Dean's Fellow at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, concentrating in journalism and public relations. Schecter is a member of Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society.