Worse than a fruitcake, but just as stale

Looking to buy your politically opposite relatives a doorstop this holiday season? How about a copy of "The Bush Survival Guide"? The folks trying desperately to market this thing -- I posted their first absurd press release just after the election -- have come back for sloppy seconds. Here's the lowest point:

For Republicans, the THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE is the perfect stocking stuffer for their Democrat friends and family. For Democrats, the book’s advice will get you through the holidays, restoring your sense of humor and your tolerance for family members who voted for Dubya.

Isn't that the most shameless and pathetic pitch to Republicans? It's like trying to sell meat to a bunch of vegans by saying their carnivorous friends will love it. In fact, even the press release's author knows this is foolish. Check out the language: In the sentence about Republicans, it says it's "the perfect stocking stuffer for their Democrat friends," while the sentence about Democrats addresses readers directly, saying "the book's advice will get you through the holidays." Oh yeah, that's not obvious.

Full press release, in all its glory, after the jump.

From: Fillon, Barbara
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 3:34 PM
Subject: A Blue Sate/Red State Holiday Season

CONTACT: Barbara Fillon, 212/572-4995, bfillon@randomhouse.com

YOUR BLUE STATE/RED STATE FAMILY IS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Now, more than ever, you need to read the new national bestseller:

THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE!

This is going to be a very tough holiday season for a lot of American families. Extended families will be mixing their Blue State members with their Red State members after one of the most bitterly fought, decisive elections in American history.

Now, like it or not, blue state children are traveling to see red state parents, red state children are driving off to see their blue state cousins, and so on. And then again, some people aren't going anywhere at all. Many people are refusing to see their parents this year because they don't want turkey dinner to degenerate into a political brawl. And still others have told their families that they're going to have a politics-free dinner―pass the turkey hold the politics. And still others are bracing themselves for what they expect to be the most difficult holiday in memory.

As author of the new book on Post-Election-Stress Disorder, journalist Gene Stone has been discussing this problem since the day after the election. As a result, THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE has been climbing the bestseller lists since it was published on November 9.

For Republicans, the THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE is the perfect stocking stuffer for their Democrat friends and family. For Democrats, the book’s advice will get you through the holidays, restoring your sense of humor and your tolerance for family members who voted for Dubya. So, for more tips on surviving the family this year, read THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE and visit THEBUSHSURVIVALBIBLE.COM.

To schedule an interview with Gene Stone, please contact:
Barbara Fillon
Assistant Director of Publicity
Random House
212/572-4995
bfillon@randomhouse.com

Posted by Jason Feifer at December 2, 2004 12:06 AM