A review by Christopher Michel in the Brooklyn Rail allows that the book is "readable and fun (sort of)" with "easily findable facts and opinions", but asserts that "if the book's goal is to convince liberals of the validity of the 'truth' according to Beck, it is a dismal failure. The title starts with an insult and the barbs continue inside . . ." According to Michel, Beck's "attempt to shut down contact between liberals and conservatives by encouraging his fans to demean anyone who disagrees with him is saddening and dangerous."[8] However, in the introduction of the book, Beck says, in a sort of disclaimer, that "The Idiot" could mean "a political activist with an agenda bigger than a brain" or "a well intentioned person who's just a little misinformed" and "sometimes the idiot is, well, me."[9]