1/21/2006
I found an article entitled “The Author Who Got A Big Boost From bin Laden,” by David Montgomery, in today’s Washington Post. In case you were not aware, the audio tape which was purportedly released by Osama bin Laden a few days back mentioned, during the dialogue that we here in the US should all read William Blum’s book “Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower.” Here is what happened, and Blum’s reaction:
By last night, “Rogue State” shot up from 205,763 to 26 on Amazon.com’s index of the most-ordered books…
Twenty-four hours after Osama bin Laden told the world that the American people should read the work of a little-known Washington historian, William Blum was still adjusting.
Blum, who at 72 is accustomed to laboring in relative left-wing obscurity, checked his emotions and pronounced himself shocked and, well, pleased.
“This is almost as good as being an Oprah book,” he said yesterday between telephone calls from the world media and bites of a bagel. “I’m glad.” Overnight, his 2000 work, “Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower,” had become an Osama book…
“I was not turned off by such an endorsement,” he informed a New York radio station. “I’m not repulsed, and I’m not going to pretend I am.”
Almost as good as being an Oprah book? Is this guy crazy?
No, he’s a leftist who believes, of course, that America is the cause of all the world’s ills. And his book, “Rogue State,” reflects that belief. And bin Laden’s endorsement of this book was underscored the fact that he and many of those who are just like Blum, share the same mindset regarding the United States.
Yet Blum is pleased with his Osama endorsement.
For a second time this week, I’m going to credit the Washington Post in general and Montgomery in particular for the way they have chosen to report this story. In no way did the Post give Blum a pass on his attitude regarding this bizarro book endorsement. In particular, I think Montgomery did a wonderful job a placing this story in its proper context:
You could almost hear the ticking of a stopwatch. These were Blum’s 15 American minutes, brought to him by a murderous zealot on the other side of the world who had named him to a kind of Terrorists Book-of-the-Month Club.
Beautifully put. I can’t think of a better way to frame this story.
With that said, I do have a GREAT idea. This is something that will give both Osama and left-wing radicals like Blum, who sincerely believe that America is the cause of 9/11, a boost!
Ready for this?
Well, as you know, because of pressure being put on al Qaeda by the international community and, especially, the loss of Iraq and Afghanistan as safe havens, they are very likely strapped for cash. So, I think Osama should use this new clout when it comes to selling radical left-wing America-bashing books.
Osama should begin offering his endorsement to various authors and publishers on the left in exchange for cash. Let say, oh, maybe a million dollars an endorsement?
A nice chunk of change for Osama, a guaranteed Top 50 book for lefties. All Osama has to do, really, is sign a deal with the publisher, then release a taped speech similar to the one he released this week via al Jazeera.
It can’t lose I’m telling ya! 
1 Comment
Great catch on the article. Indeed, disgusting. I can’t quite go with you on the conclusions, however, as that path leads to blindness.
Comment by Temple Stark — 1/23/2006 @ 11:46 am