R. Emmett Tyrrell
Author of Boy Clinton: The Political Biography
About the Author
Works by R. Emmett Tyrrell
Associated Works
Booknotes: America's Finest Authors on Reading, Writing, and the Power of Ideas (1997) — Contributor — 429 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Tyrrell, Robert Emmett, Jr.
- Other names
- Tyrrell, Bob
- Birthdate
- 1943-12-14
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Education
- Indiana University
- Occupations
- editor
columnist - Organizations
- The American Spectator
Creators Syndicate
Members
Reviews
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 16
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 472
- Popularity
- #52,190
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 2
- ISBNs
- 31
- Favorited
- 1
Three things stand out about Bob Tyrrell's writing, and "The Clinton Crack-Up" is evidence of all three. First is the thorough research he does. The distinctiveness of his prose hangs on a solid structure of documentation and cataloging. The second is precisely that prose. It's idiosyncratic ... flamboyant, even ... and can take some getting used to. But personally, I think it's wonderful to read something that was written for educated adults. The obvious, even clichéd, comparison is to Mencken, but it's clichéd because it's appropriate. If Mencken were alive today, I don't think he would mind.
And the third thing that stands out about Tyrrell's writing is that he is funny. He recognizes that fundamentally, the Clintons "have always been amusing" (p. 19). While so many "Clinton-haters" seethe in anger or call down the curses of the Lord upon Pudge and Ruffles, "insensate to the full comic dimensions of the Clintons' burlesque" (p. 43), Tyrrell laughs. It's one thing to be hated or feared. It's something very different to be thought ridiculous -- which is why Tyrrell seems to occupy a place of unique vilification among the Clintonistas.
One of the important things Tyrrell did in "Madame Hillary" was reveal the Clinton's standard four-point plan for responding to criticism: (1) Vigorously deny it; (2) Launch ad hominem attacks on the critic; (3) Act personally victimized by the criticism ("Why do they hate me?"); and (4) Say the critic is obsessing over "old news."
Reaction to "The Clinton Crack-Up" proves yet again the accuracy of his assessment -- particularly the inevitable "old news" charge. But not only is the news Tyrrell is reporting particularly current, much of it has also been largely unreported. With the other half of this tag-team match now making her own bid for power, the information in this book is not only an important reminder of the facts about Mr. President Clinton, they are also an important harbinger of what we'll get should we burden ourselves with a Mrs. President Clinton.
We won't be able to say we haven't been warned.… (more)