Huffington Magazine Issue 12-13 | Page 69

RANT OR RAVE “I could’ve written a book with no reporting that would have been utter bullshit and would have sold a million copies,” he says.   Before Grunwald’s book hit shelves Aug. 14, the author heard from his publisher, Simon & Schuster, that the best promotion in today’s marketplace is an on-air plaudit. He had never met MSNBC host Chris Hayes prior to appearing on his show Aug. 19, so the glowing introduction he received was a pleasant surprise. The book is “fantastic” and “an absolute must-read,” Hayes told viewers. “All of you watching, right now, go to Amazon, go to Powell’s [a bookstore and website based in Oregon], go to [website] IndieBound, order it,” Hayes said. Grunwald tells Huffington he’d be happy to go on Fox News—but that’s unlikely. While Grunwald’s book is no love letter to Obama, the Time reporter thoroughly investigates the impact of the stimulus package and argues that the much-maligned legislation produced meaningful change in clean energy, education reform, taxes, transportation and health care, while also helping to save the free-falling U.S. economy. But even without a rave from conservative Hannity, which would be unlikely anyhow, the recommend ][ۈ