Bowe Bergdahl: Platoon Mates’ Book Nixed By Publisher Over Obama Backlash Fears

Bowe Bergdahl’s former platoon mates grew tired of feeling their voices were being stifled and wrote a tell-all book about the man they call a deserter. The book was turned down by Simon and Schuster’s Atria Books on political grounds. A shocking email from the editor to Bergdahl’s former fellow soldiers cited fears that Republicans would benefit from the publication. The editor has now been fired.

Simon and Shuster-Atria Books Vice President for Publicity Paul Olsewski insists that Sarah Durand was not fired because of the Bowe Bergdahl book. “Sarah Durand was part of a planned editorial downsizing that took place on Monday. To say otherwise or connect is categorically wrong,” the Atria Books official claimed. If Olsewski’s statement is accurate, the firing of the editor who wrote the controversial email which immediately prompted severe backlash, is nothing more than coincidental.

The email about the Bergdahl book written by the soldier’s platoon mates was sent to Bettina Viviano. The veteran Hollywood movie producer is reportedly handling the film rights to the book. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Bowe Bergdahl spent nearly five years in Afghanistan as a Taliban captive. President Barack Obama exchanged five Taliban detainees for Bergdahl’s freedom.

Bergdahl’s platoon mates maintain that the then private did not simply wander away from the post and get captured. The men who risked their lives serving beside Bergdahl have repeatedly stated he intentionally abandoned his post, leaving his weapon behind, and went in search of the Taliban.

Simon and Schuster editor Sarah Durand’s email about the Bowe Bergdahl book read:

“I thought about this all weekend, and basically, I’m not sure we can publish this book without the Right using it to their ends.”

The Right referred to meant Republicans and perhaps the Tea Party.

During an interview with WND, Bettina Viviano had this to say about the Bergdahl book editor’s email:

“I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and I never thought any serious book editor would ever be so unprofessional. Here we have an important story for Americans to hear and it might not reach the public because of someone’s personal political feelings for Obama. It blew my mind. I looked at the email and said, ‘Are you kidding?’ What they had to say was breathtaking enough, and there’s so much new material that has been held back from the media to release in the book. On the phone, Sarah was saying, ‘Oh, that’s amazing,’ and, ‘Thank you so much for your service to our country,’ and, ‘It was an honor speaking with you,’ and I thought she was being very receptive.”

According to the Hollywood producer, Atria had not yet been shown a written and formal book proposal at the time of the email.

Sarah Durand’s email also said:

“But the Conservatives are all over Bergdahl and using it against Obama, and my concern is that this book will have to become a kind of Swift ‘Boat Veterans for Truth’ book — or at least it’s best published by an imprint who will handle that side delicately. I understand that these guys want the book to be about being on the ground looking for Bergdahl… but there’s that frustration, that resentment, etc, that the Right wants to see in a book. Do the 6 guys acknowledge that that element is inherently part of a book? I’m just not sure how to get around it.”

“We’ve taken the position with this project that it isn’t about politics. For all I know, the six soldiers telling their story about Bergdahl might be Democrats. The story they have to tell is huge, and it deserves to be in the public. For the film, it’s a story of ‘Lone Survivor’ meets ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ and it’s an action adventure story,” Viviano added.

Joel Gotler, a well-known literary agent, is attached to the Bowe Bergdahl book project.

What do you think about the editor turning down the Bergdahl book because the soldiers’ stories might reflect poorly on President Obama?

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