Noted CBS political journalist Major Garrett partners with elections expert David Becker to combat “the big lie”

Posted on | by Marissa DeCuir

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Coming this fall is a revelatory account of the 2020 election — the most secure, verifiable, and transparent in American history — how it has been relentlessly attacked, and the heroes brave enough to defend our democracy against these assaults.

“The Big Truth” (Sept. 20, Diversion Books) illuminates this crowning achievement in America’s quest for a robust democracy in the face of slander by sore losers and opportunists. Filled with interviews of the guardians of democracy — election workers, January 6th Committee members Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) and Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and more — it is an overpowering counterattack against the Big Lie. The book takes a sober look at the stakes, which could not be higher. It peaks around the corner at what could happen next if those pushing The Big Lie get their way, and succeed in sewing chaos, serving a death blow to American democracy as we know it.

CBS Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett and national elections expert David Becker, the Executive Director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, reveal why Big Lie “fraud” allegations evaporate under scrutiny. The authors report what actually happened in 2020, while calling out each Trumpian misdirection designed to con and beguile Americans into chasing phantom allegations of election crimes.

The 2020 election was not what Trumpist deniers claim. Our political parties knew the rules and procedures. We had record turnout and few election snarls. The result: an accurate count, a 7 million vote margin of victory, 306 electoral votes for Joe Biden, and Republican gains in congressional and state races. But then-President Trump stoked paranoia — never looking for evidence, contesting results even before anyone cast a ballot, and seeking to bend our system until it almost broke with a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The Big Lie — the true corruption of American democracy — has shaken our confidence in stable self-government. On the heels of voter-fraud claims, the Capitol siege, and damaging voting laws, the next midterm and presidential election will test our democracy more severely than at any time since the Civil War. How we react may well determine if we are led into another war against ourselves. “The Big Truth” debunks the 2020 election conspiracy myth once and for all, while celebrating those who held up our democracy under arguably the most intense scrutiny in American electoral history.

“A thoughtful consideration of how and why to protect the vote—and, with it, American democracy.” – Kirkus Reviews

The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of “The Big Lie”
Major Garrett and David Becker | Sept. 20, 2022 | Diversion Books
Nonfiction | Current Events | Politics
Hardcover | ISBN 978-1635767841 | $29.99

About the Authors

MAJOR GARRETT is the Chief Washington Correspondent for CBS News and the CBSN radio host of The Takeout and The Debrief. For over 30 years, his award-winning reporting and writing has tackled the nation’s pressing issues. Garrett is the author of four books, “Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride,” “The Enduring Revolution,” “The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics,” and “Common Cents” with former Rep. Tim Penny (D-Minnesota). He lives in Washington, D.C. Find out more about him at: https://www.cbsnews.com/team/major-garrett/

Follow Major Garrett on Twitter @MajorCBS

DAVID BECKER is the executive director and founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research, and serves as CBS News’ election law expert. He has worked in elections for a quarter-century, previously serving as a trial attorney in the Voting Section of the United States Department of Justice, and as Director of the Elections Program at The Pew Charitable Trusts. He received both his undergraduate and law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He, his wife, and his teenage son live in suburban Maryland with their two dogs, Kramer and Elaine. Find out more about him at: https://electioninnovation.org/who-we-are/our-team/david-becker/

Follow David Becker on Twitter @beckerdavidj

For more information about “The Big Truth,” visit https://thebigtruthbook.com/

In an interview, Major Garrett and David Becker can discuss:

  • Debunking election conspiracy myths and focusing on the “big truths” of the 2020 election
  • How lies motivated by short-term political gains are damaging and can lead to the dissolution of America
  • The “guardians of democracy” working to combat mistruths, especially around elections
  • What everyday citizens and influencers can do to help counter “the big lie” and save democracy
  • How “the big lie” can impact and change history, even when there are ample facts to counter false information
  • Understanding the importance of the upcoming midterm and presidential elections – likely to be the greatest test of democracy since the Civil War
  • The likelihood of secession movements and what a modern civil war could look like
  • How American democracy works, why it works and why it is worth protecting
  • Changing the narrative around the 2020 election to acknowledge its successes, despite politicians’ claims
  • Understanding how the Supreme Court’s recent actions impact elections, especially as their decisions relate to voting laws and equity
  • The important role of election workers and professionals
  • Modern election security and transparency, and countering the lies that deem elections as fraudulent and untrustworthy
  • Understanding the stresses on American democracy
  • How to spot and call out political misdirections

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