Al Fraken used to be an SNL writer and actor. So you can imagine how he would open his book:

God chose me to write this book.．．．．．．The reason I know God chose me is because God spoke to me personally.

．．．．．．“Look, God, I'm flattered, but I think you got the wrong guy. The kind of book you're talking about would require months of research.”

And God said, “LET THERE BE GOOGLE. AND LET THERE BE LEXISNEXIS.(a tool for media search)”

“Very funny, God. I use Google all the time.”

“YES, I KNOW,” God said. “FOR HOT ASIAN TEENS.”

But of course, Al Franken actually gave the credit of internet to Al Gore. He clarified that Gore never said "I invented internet". Instead, he merely brought up the fact that he championed the funding of the military project that connects some computers together, which as all of us know, was the start of internet. Some conservative media wrote that Gore said he invented internet, and was widely quoted by mainstream media without careful fact check.

Well, honestly I find it hard to blame the mainstream media. I will most likely read an article titled "Did Gore invent internet?", but perhaps not "Gore said he helped funding the project that led to internet".

And that's the topic of the first chapter of this book. Al Fraken compared how the mainstream media treated Gore and Bush in 2000 election. He found that they were more hostile to Gore, by running more negative news of Gore. He listed some detailed data, and concluded that the so-called "liberal media bias" doesn't exist.

I have no idea whether Franken's data is true, or reliable. I didn't follow the 2000 election at all. Though I trust Franken and his team in this case, I still don't think this can disapprove the "liberal media bias".

First, his proof is too simple. Just imagine how many reports were there in the 2000 election. And if you know some basics of statistics, you know you can compile data for virtually any conclusion you want from there: Gore is a racist, Bush is anti-Christ, FOX is the most neutral in media, Clinton actually died two years before and that's why he didn't campaign for Gore or Hillary......

Second, that only showed media's bias against Gore and Bush, not liberal and conservative. For the latter, you need much more samples. What if Gore happened to have more negative news at that time? We don't know if the liberal media bias really exists, but I can assure you that the "negative media bias" must exist! Furthermore, I think it's not surprising to find Bush more likable than Gore, even for a liberal.

Third, and most importantly, my definition of "media bias" is that its reports' viewpoint deviates considerably from the average people, no matter whether it's caused intentionally or not. From this definition, I think the media does have an inherent liberal bias. This is because the media industry requires its workers to be highly educated, widely knowleged, and rational thinking. Of no doubt most of them are trying their best to be objective, ethical, and professional, but as a matter of fact, we know the percentage of liberal in this group of people is way higher than the average people.

Franken's book then continued to find the factual errors in conservatives' speeches, shows, or books. He boasts a team of 14 Harvard students, whose research made his book almost no factual errors, except jokes, which means if you find some factual error in the book, you've probably missed a wonderful joke.

So the book is not as good as I expected. Franken attacked Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney......Well, pretty everyone in FOX except Allan Colmes, and everyone in the Bush Administration except Collin Powell. The facts were of course new to me, but no new conclusions. I already knew all of them are either liars, or retards.

Furthermore, Franken is apparently very biased himself. He sounded like Bill Clinton is a saint, tried to discredit people just because of some factual mistakes, and was obsessed with telling the stories of personal confrontations he had had with conservatives, including Barbara Bush.

But it's definitely a very funny book. I laughed on subway, on bus, on the street, when listening to it. And Al Franken's presentation is great. His voice sounded just like that of Lious Black in the Jon Stewart show, and he surely has a good tone of sarcasm. I point this out because I am listening to Sean Hannity's "Let Freedom Ring" now. I fell asleep on subway, on bus, and almost on the street while listening to it.