Bush and McClellen: With Friends Like These....
When President Bush was popular and his remaining time in office long, congressional Republicans were quick to jump to his defense. Now, with his approval ratings in the tank and his remaining term measured in months, they are hugging to their seats.
When former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's book came out, their was silence from the president's putative Republican allies. OK, so Congress is in recess. But when Bush was popular, GOP lawmakers would rush to TV studios and send out mass e-mails to defend the president, even if they were on remote Pacific islands.
Democrats, of course, are ready to pounce. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he has instructed his staff to begin discussions with McClellan to determine whether the committee should hold a hearing on revelations in the book about attempts to cover-up the Valerie Plame leak.
Finally, a Republican piped up. Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the panel's top Republican, said: “While I’m sure Mr. McClellan's publishers would want nothing more than some free publicity from Judiciary Committee Democrats, we have more important things to do on this committee than investigate the unfounded allegations of a disgruntled former employee. This is a book about personal opinions, not facts. And it's no surprise that the liberal publisher has chosen to promote outrageous statements as part of a political smear campaign to grab headlines and sell books. It should not take a congressional hearing to determine that Mr. McClellan's statements are not credible.”
No mention of what's his name? Bush?
--Richard Simon
