Fake news alternative facts post truthterms all too familiar to anyone in U.S. political culture and concepts at the core of Dana L. Clouds new bookampampnbspReality Bitesampampnbspwhichampampnbspexplores truth claims in contemporary political rhetoric in the face of widespread skepticism regarding the utility ethics and viability of an empirical standard for political truths. Cloud observes how appeals to truth often assumemistakenlythat it is a matter of simple representation of facts. However since neither factchecking nor truthiness can respond meaningfully to this problem she argues for aampampnbsprhetorical realismthe idea that communicators can bring knowledge from particular perspectives and experiences into the domain of common sense. ampampnbsp ampampnbsp Through a series of case studiesincluding the PolitiFact factchecking project the Planned Parenthood selling baby parts scandal the Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden cases Neil DeGrasse TysonsampampnbspCosmos the rhetoric of Thomas Paine and the American Revolution and the Black Lives Matter movementCloud advocates for the usefulness ofampampnbspnarrative myth embodiment affectampampnbspandampampnbspspectacleampampnbspin creating accountability in contemporary U.S. political rhetoric. If dominant reality bitesin being oppressive and exploitativeit is time Cloud argues for those in the realitybased community to bite back.