# If I ghostwrote Bush or Cheney's memoirs, would you think less of me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785 "2008-12-18T19:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/1 "2008-12-18T19:01:25Z")
I have no prospects on the horizon to do either, mind you. In fact, let’s make it about someone other than me. Ghost Writer X, a progressive atheist who worked on the Obama campaign, is given the opportunity to make beaucoups of money penning an apologia & hagiography for the last eight years, on behalf of either the Sith Lord or his apprentice. Would doing so make you lose all respect for that person? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/2 "2008-12-18T19:42:02Z")
No, not particularly. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/3 "2008-12-18T19:50:06Z")
Hell, yes. I’d like to think that your soul would go for far, far more than the going rate for a ghost writer of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/4 "2008-12-18T20:06:42Z")
He’s a pro writer. He writes what he’s paid to write. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/5 "2008-12-18T20:12:28Z")
I think less of anyone who associates with Bush and friends. Both of their morality, and of their judgement; remember Colin Powell ? ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/6 "2008-12-18T20:27:25Z")
No way. Get the paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/7 "2008-12-18T20:34:25Z")
You know it would make the baby Jesus cry. I’ve been waiting all this week to use that one.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/8 "2008-12-18T21:45:27Z")
Yes, but ya gotta make a living. Like prostitutes. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/9 "2008-12-18T22:02:47Z")
Makes me think of an old _Bloom County_ strip: OPUS: Excuse me, I never shot Warren Beatty in the buttocks. MILO: Must be a typo. Do you get this degree of latitude? I say go for it! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/10 "2008-12-18T22:28:18Z")
It depends. Do you simply blather whatever BS they want? Or do you slip in coded messages giving the _real_ story, and then publish the key to the code on a website _after_ the book hits the stands? Cause if its the latter, I’m gonna declare you to be my personal Jebus. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/11 "2008-12-18T23:39:50Z")
Are you sticking to the facts, even if they’re selectively chosen? Are you avoiding lies, slander, and misrepresentations? Are you making Bush (or whomever) look better than he deserves _without_ making anyone else look worse than they deserve? If so, then go right ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/12 "2008-12-19T00:22:45Z")
Hmmm. You’re an established and published author and you’re now going to stoop to shilling revisionist ghost memoirs for Bush or Cheney to put food on the table? _“Yes, Virginia, there really is a Depression.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/13 "2008-12-19T00:25:41Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Hmmm. You’re an established and published author and you’re now going to stoop to shilling revisionist ghost memoirs for Bush or Cheney to put food on the table? > _“Yes, Virginia, there really is a Depression.”_ We’re talking about someone who makes his or her living GHOSTwriting, of which there are more than a few. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/14 "2008-12-19T01:03:05Z")
Spielberg already wrote the memoirs ages ago, surely you’re familiar with a little show called “Pinky and the Brain”… “Gee Dick, what do we wanna do tonight?” "The same thing we do _every_ night, Bushie, **TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!** ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/15 "2008-12-19T01:26:43Z")
If you _ghostwrote_ the memoirs, _how would I ever know_? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/16 "2008-12-19T01:32:16Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > If you _ghostwrote_ the memoirs, _how would I ever know_? The book would be in rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/17 "2008-12-19T01:35:08Z")
:smack: ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/18 "2008-12-19T04:17:20Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > The book would be in rhyme. Or there might be frequent references to boiling water being poured on a poet. (You mean ‘Skald the Rhymer’ isn’t a command?) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/19 "2008-12-19T15:56:35Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > If you _ghostwrote_ the memoirs, _how would I ever know_? That’s why I said to make it about hypothetical Ghostwriter X (whose little brother Speed is an up & coming copywriter) whom you happen to hang out with from time to time; let’s say you happened to see notes for the manuscript on his computer screen one day. Or Ghostwriter X could be getting an “as told to” credit. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785/20 "2008-12-19T15:58:09Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > Or there might be frequent references to boiling water being poured on a poet. (You mean ‘Skald the Rhymer’ isn’t a command?) [It’s very odd that you can be so entirely wrong and yet rock in your answer.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skald) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-ghostwrote-bush-or-cheneys-memoirs-would-you-think-less-of-me/477785.md?page=2)