WorldNetDaily's Literary Hype Man

WND columnist Jim Fletcher has never read a WND-published book he didn't absolutely love. But he won't tell his readers those books are from the same folks that publish his column.

By Terry Krepel
Posted 6/25/2014

Jim Fletcher

That's the situation Jim Fletcher is in. Part of his job as a WorldNetDaily columnist is to review books, including those published by WND. But his reviews of WND-published books -- which have been rapturous -- typically fail to disclose that they are published by the same organization that publishes his column.

In addition to this lack of disclosure, WND editor Joseph Farah has turned in a positive blurb for one of Fletcher's books and is selling said book at the WND store. Fletcher's own website highlights a blurb by Farah praising another book written by Fletcher.

Of the seven WND-published books Fletcher reviewed in 2014, all earned raves, and at no time did Fletcher disclose that they were published by WND.

It's not as if Fletcher is incapable of disclosure; a March 2010 column, for instance, slavered over an Aaron Klein Obama-bashing hack job -- Fletcher calls it a "definitive work" that "will be a key reason Obama will be a one-term, Jimmy Carter-esque president" -- but he acknowledged it was "released by WND Books."

These days, however, Fletcher keeps up the hype but can no longer be bothered with disclosure.

A Jan. 29 column plugs a WND-published anti-Obama book by a former Secret Service agent:

Just when you think the sewage that is Washington, D.C., has choked out every single person of principle in that town ... up pops a person of principle who is still very much with us and very much interested in making the world a better place.

Sometimes we call these people whistleblowers.

Dan Bongino is one such person, and one with the highest access to our nation’s leaders. A former member of the New York Police Department, Bongino found himself between administrations with the Secret Service just as Obama took office. He then left the Service in 2011 to run for the U.S. Senate. This astounding tale is recounted in his new book, “Life Inside the Bubble.”

Fletcher's Feb. 27 WND column is a review of the WND-published book "The Rabbi Who Found Messiah," by birther Carl Gallups. To the surprise of exactly no one, Fletcher loves it, calling it a "blockbuster book" and adding: "Gallups has an uncanny ability to mention a breathtaking array of topics, and his new book doesn’t disappoint. From discussions of Kaduri and Messianic fervor, to Ariel Sharon and Christian eschatology, Gallups provides the reader with plenty to think about."

In a March 27 column, Fletcher praised the WND-published book “Noah: The Real Story” by Larry Stone, proclaiming it to be "eminently accessible" and "one of the best overviews of the Noah story I’ve ever read." He concluded: "In a sea of books about the famous biblical shipbuilder, Larry Stone’s effort is sure to stay afloat for a long, long time."

Fletcher served up more praise in his April 1 review of the WND-published book "Blood Moons":

Into these passages stepped a quiet pastor, Mark Biltz. Now, almost to his startled surprise, his new book, “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs,” is shattering sales records as readers can’t get enough of the subject.

[...]

Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries, in Washington state, has lectured all over the world, and one of the more important facts about his story is that he is the first to uncover the blood moons impact. As with most popular subjects, there are other titles on this subject, but it would be hard to find another anywhere near as thorough and absorbing as “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs.”

Fletcher raved in a May 7 column about former congressman James Rogan's WND-published book:

James Rogan is nothing if not a skilled storyteller, and in the telling of his own story – a memorable memoir titled “Rough Edges” – the judge and former attorney and U.S. congressman hearkens back to a type of American that built this country and made it great. “Rough Edges” is a powerful tale of hardscrabble beginnings, a wobbly early adulthood and finally, a successful life making a difference in the lives of others.

Fletcher also raved about Rogan in an April 27 interview with the author, touting the "grit, determination and commitment to American values that propelled Rogan on to truly remarkable things, including serving as a leader in Congress during the infamous Clinton impeachment scandal."

Fletcher followed with a May 13 column singing the praises of WND's favorite race-baiter, Colin Flaherty, and his WND-published book:

Flaherty’s book is the kind all Americans need to read. For one thing, it might save your life. We must face facts, and the fact is, racial violence against whites is reaching lethal levels. If the mainstream media masks that fact, the rest of us through word of mouth can alert our friends and family to be on guard.

In “White Girl Bleed A Lot,” Flaherty pulls the ski mask off the face of racial violence, noting that “games” like “Beat Whitey Night,” or the better-known “Knockout Game,” are a scourge in more than 50 American cities. This violence has escalated sharply since 2010.

[...]

Flaherty, a very clever writer, also humorously coaches readers to counter the icy reception from liberal relatives: He encourages the book giver to shout out, “Read 17! 22!”

It’s an effective strategy. Overall, readers should simply shout the title of this important book to as many in their circles as they can.

Fletcher struck again in a May 24 column:

Frankly, there is widespread dread in this country. Nothing feels the same anymore. Much of this has to do with the current occupant of the White House.

Surveillance, disregard for traditional American values and now – reports that the First Lady is asking school kids to monitor their parents – all add up to a scary new reality in which the State controls all.

Is this America?

Cheryl Chumley wondered and her research led to a new book, “Police State USA: How Orwell’s Nightmare Is Becoming Our Reality.” It is a chilling account of how this country became a “de facto” police state. In other words, that’s already a reality, not merely possibility.

[...]

I found “Police State USA” to be hugely informative, even hopeful and buoyant as a call to action (dare I say, call to arms?) in protecting the precious freedoms that have made America ... yes, exceptional.

Even if our current leaders don’t believe it.

Fletcher has also lauded non-WND books published by WND writers. His Feb. 4 column praises a book by WND writer Jerome Corsi -- who is described as an "intrepid reporter extraordinaire," with no mention of the fact he's employed by WND -- pushing a cockamamie conspiracy theory that Hitler didn't kill himself but instead fled to Argentina:

Corsi’s work in this area is destined to be a classic in the field, and while this is not an exhaustive study of the subject (the book is an easy-to-read 138 pages), that is perhaps its greatest strength – a story this important is available to anyone.

Fletcher is really nothing more than a hype man -- doing what he can to pump up sales for his employer by enticing readers to part with their money. That, plus his consistent refusal to inform readers who's publishing the books he's hyping, is the opposite of responsible journalism.