“Faking The News brilliantly and simply explains how Trump weaponizes language, diverting attention from issues to stir emotions like anger and resentment. These ten chapters will enable you to understand what makes his rhetoric, simplistic as it is, so effective in rousing supporters.”
“As a student of Rhetoric, and a candidate for political office, I have heard and seen many attempts to analyze how Donald Trump was able to convince so many people of things that were either fundamentally untrue or functionally impossible. This book digs deeper and gets it right. The Trump phenomenon is not merely about a person, but a political environment, nurtured over many years and exploited by savvy operatives able to fuel the rhetoric of personal grievance. It also aptly addresses the deep-seated racism and misogyny rampant in the Trump campaign and its enablers. Once we get past the sordid inner workings of the White House, the lessons to be learned are really about persuasion and the ability to manipulate large numbers of voters. Kudos for a valuable contribution to our comprehension of ourselves.”
“In these essays, rhetoric scholars use a variety of perspectives to analyze and evaluate Trumpian discourse. Such efforts are important because Trump has redefined the character and purpose of presidential rhetoric. These essays draw on the expertise of scholar/critics who analyze the ways the president has exploited argument and language in order to attack and denigrate the views of those who disagree with him or who threaten his positions and policies. […] If Trump’s presidency has been disturbing and his techniques have been annoying, these essays will clarify how Trump has attracted and retained a significant body of supporters and denigrated the view of citizens and politicians who do not share his vision of the nation and the world.”