McClellan's Book

[toasty]

I trust you've heard about Fmr. Press Secretary Scott McClellan's assertions in his book, "What Happened" that Bush basically put propaganda ahead of anything else in the run-up to the Iraq war, and otherwise lambasted the President:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10649.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052703679_pf.html

The White House response has been what you'd expect, but I thought the response of Dan Bartlett was particularly telling:

Bartlett added that intimates of the President feel McClellan has violated his trust. "Part of the role of being a trusted adviser is to honor that trust," said Bartlett. "It's not your place now to go out" and criticize the President like this.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/28/bartlett-rips-mcclellan-calls-allegation-total-crap/

the way I read that, Bartlett would appear to be more upset about the fact that McClellan came out and said anything than the substance of the allegations themselves (although admittedly, that could be because of the way the story is written, because I haven't seen all of his comments). Criticizing McClellan for failing to "honor that trust" suggests that McClellan is a snitch, rather than a liar. Is McClellan the Fredo Corleone of the administration?

[88Mariner]

Re: McClellan's Book

the reactions i've been seeing is that of being totally blindsided by this.

"this is not the scott we knew" is very telling. to call him disgruntled, which was intended to be a stab at him, is no other way to describe a person who has had to propogate the fairy tales of this administration.

Is McClellan the Fredo Corleone of the administration? Perhaps.

Do you find it amazing, as do I, at how quickly a man of such proximity to the president for such a long time (almost as long as Rove), is quickly treated as an enemy? Bush wasn't kidding about "you're either with us or against us".


edit:
Also, I love how Bartlett says this book is 'total crap'. Which is what one would think you would say to describe the last seven years of this administration.

Interstingly, all the responses from the administration have actually been non-responses.

[88Mariner]

Re: McClellan's Book

just saw this on thinkprogress.org on how the Bush admin treats 'traitors'

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill

WROTE: Bush planned in invade Iraq before 9/11 and was like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people” during Cabinet meetings.
SMEAR: “We didn’t listen to [O’Neill’s] wacky ideas when he was in the White House, why should we start listening to him now?” — A senior official who informed Bush of O’Neill’s comments, 1/12/04

Former Campaign Chief Strategist Matthew Dowd

SAID: Bush has “become more, in my view, secluded and bubbled in”; that “our leaders have to understand what they [the American public] want. They’re saying, ‘Get out of Iraq.’”
SMEAR: “He’s going through a lot of personal turmoil but also he has a son who is soon to be deployed to Iraq. That could only impact a parents’ mind as they think through these issues.” — Dan Bartlett, 4/1/07

Former Counter-Terrorism Chief Richard Clarke

WROTE: Bush “ignored terrorism for months”; sought to tie 9/11 to Iraq immediately.
SMEAR: “He wanted to be the deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department after it was created. … He did not get that position, someone else was appointed to it. … His best friend is Rand Beers, who is the principal advisor to the Kerry campaign.” — Scott McClellan, while serving as press secretary, 3/22/04

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

^^ no irony on who's delivering the smear there, eh?

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

Do you find it amazing, as do I, at how quickly a man of such proximity to the president for such a long time (almost as long as Rove), is quickly treated as an enemy? Bush wasn't kidding about "you're either with us or against us".

I do find it amazing, I do not find it surprising.

When I think about the Bush administration, the first words that come to mind are "spin" and "propaganda." It spends so much time spinning and trying to control the message, governing seems to be well down the list of priorities. As an outsider looking in, I think McClellan was spot on in his observation that Bush has adopted a "perpetual campaign" mindset. There's a book called "All the President's Spin" that came out during the last campaign cycle that you might find interesting -- quick read, too.

[superdave]

Re: McClellan's Book

I had a feeling a book like this was coming after seeing McClellan on Bill Maher Realtime earlier in the year. McClellan laughed way too hard when Maher called Bush President shit for brains.

Douglas Feith, Donald Rumsfeld and Karl Rove have all quit the Bush administration fairly recently, but none of them have blasted the Bush administration. I'm assuming those guys didn't want to be branded traitors.

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

Douglas Feith, Donald Rumsfeld and Karl Rove have all quit the Bush administration fairly recently, but none of them have blasted the Bush administration. I'm assuming those guys didn't want to be branded traitors.

That, or they were so involved in what McClellan is talking about themselves that they either don't think that anything was done improperly, or don't want to implicate themselves.

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

I think this kinda underscores the folly of appointing people based upon loyalty rather than merit. You can run a closed, secretive administration and put people in power based upon their loyalty to you and willingness to tow the party line without question, or you can run an open administration and appoint people based on their ability to do the job. We've seen what happens with option number 1, now I'm ready to see what happens with option number 2.

[Garrick]

Re: McClellan's Book

from my perspective all this book does is create more friction in a place that needs less. i'm sorry, but mclellan is a dumbass if he is 100% accurate or 100% inaccurate. they kicked you out. boohoo. get over it. all you've caused is MORE bickering in a nation already extremely divided. the sooner capitol hill starts cooperating with each other, the better. right now all the citizens are given is one big stalemate with problems getting bigger and bigger and a lowsy $600 rebate check. i am so tired of EVERYONE in our government. they need to go to daycare. all of them.

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

^^tough to argue with that.

[Huggie Smiles]

Re: McClellan's Book

I'm not surprised to hear anything that McClellans is claiming. (only from news media Ihavent read it).

But it feels to me like he is someone who really knew at the time that he was spouting bushit - but didnt have the balls to walk out and keep his dignity/credibility - and is now trying to wash his hands of his guilt - by making all these declarations and now trying to appear like he is a good guy by stating what "really" happened.

But agree with Garrick too.

[Jenks]

Re: McClellan's Book

I'd put a lot more stock in McClellan's he if went to congress with his information rather than trying to sell a book.

[Garrick]

Re: McClellan's Book

but he wouldn't make much money that way.......

[toasty]

Re: McClellan's Book

I'd put a lot more stock in McClellan's he if went to congress with his information rather than trying to sell a book.

You might get your wish:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/obama-backing-1.html

[thesightless]

Re: McClellan's Book

yup. the two term limits should be for all elected officials that handle more than one jurisdiction. i.e.

allow ppl like mike bloomberg to stay on as mayor, and your locality.

but there is ZERO FUCKING REASON that a kennedy/kerry/bush, should have office for decades. two term limits so we can have fresh voices and prevent our "representatives" from getting in bed with causes for too long. would anyone honestly fight for big medicine profits, insurance profits, oil profits etc if they were prevented from making money off them?

also, all gov't representattives should be forced to operate thier finances in blind trusts like the pres and VP. that way they dont have a clue what they are doing for themselves.