NEW YORK – Big-box wholesaler Costco pulled Dinesh D’Souza’s new book, “America: Imagine a World Without Her,” just after the nationwide release of the companion movie, but Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti told WND the decision was not motivated by political considerations.
The book, heavily critical of Barack Obama, was officially released June 2. A corporate decision to return the books was issued July 1, just as it is about to debut on the New York Times bestseller list.
Galanti confirmed to WND the “pull order” was in effect and that D’Souza’s book is in the process of being removed from Costco stores this week, with the goal to have all copies of D’Souza’s book out of Costco stores nationwide and shipped back to the vendor no later than July 15.
He said the decision to pull D’Souza’s book was not political but was based solely on sales, arguing Costco’s national goal is to market books that show up on the New York Times bestseller list.
Galanti could not explain why Costco book buyer Pennie Clark Ianniciello decided to pull the book just as D’Souza’s movie was being released and the national marketing campaign on the book and movie switched into high gear.
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WND first reported Monday that the retail giant had issued the unusual pull order for a new book that is rising on the bestsellers lists. It is currently ranked No. 1 at Amazon.
The book, in this midterm election year, is a strong rebuttal of the progressive ideology behind President Obama’s policies, which have been supported by Costco co-founder and director Jim Sinegal, a major Democrat donor and a speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention that nominated the president. A Washington Post political reporter has noted Obama’s “romance” with the nation’s second-largest retailer.
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WND contacted by telephone and email Costco’s national book-buyer, Pennie Clark Ianniciello, at Costco’s headquarters, but received no response to WND’s questions regarding why D’Souza’s book was being pulled from the shelves just as the companion movie was opening in theaters.
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Meanwhile, according to the Hollywood Reporter, lawyers representing D’Souza’s film have demanded that Google correct problems that they say are hampering the ability of consumers to find out where “America” is playing. Google, which has strong Democratic Party ties, is “misdirecting many users who mistakenly believed the film was not playing in theaters,” the lawyers charge in a letter.
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Sinegal spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2012, which nominated President Obama for a second term. Sinegal, who retired as Costco CEO in January 2013, said Obama’s re-election would be better for businesses than a country led by Mitt Romney. American companies, he said, need “a president who takes the long view and makes the tough decisions,” said Sinegal.
“That’s why I am here tonight supporting President Obama, a president making an economy built to last,” he said.
In total, Costco has given $100,000 to Obama and another $100,000 to Priorities USA, the pro-Obama super PAC.
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Read more at
http://www.wnd.com/2014/07/costco-de...-dsouzas-book/
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