Former press secretary Scott McClellan turns against President Bush

On accepting Scott McClellan's resignation as his press secretary two years ago, President Bush predicted that he and the outgoing aide some day would be "rocking in chairs in Texas and talking about the good old days."

But maybe their days in the White House together weren't so happy after all.

Next week will bring the publication of McClellan's 341-page tome, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception." It is described by Politico's Mike Allen as "surprisingly scathing."

He quotes McClellan as saying....

...Bush "veered terribly off course," was guilty of a "failure to be open and forthright on Iraq" and relied on "propaganda" to sell the war.

The ample serving of harsh criticism from McClellan comes as a surprise to many.

Although White House reporters sometimes felt he was uncomfortable in his press secretary role, McClellan was considered one of Bush's Lone Star loyalists hired by former communications director Karen Hughes for the Texas governor's office and the 1999-2000 campaign.

McClellan was rarely used as an on-camera campaign spokesman and served as assistant in the shadow of former press secretary Ari Fleischer. At the time Bush naming him the official press secretary surprised many of his colleagues, who felt he was in over his head at times.

Maybe McClellan was embittered by the likelihood that he was bamboozled by Bush's top strategist Karl Rove and Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was the vice president's chief of staff, about the disclosure of the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame. (Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice last year in the case.) 

McClellan pointed to a confidential meeting Rove and Libby held "at a moment when I was being battered by the press for publicly vouching for the two by claiming they were not involved in leaking Plame's identity."

Only later, McClellan said, did he realize he had been "deceived into unknowingly passing along a falsehood" about their involvement.

While McClellan writes that "I still like and and admire President Bush," he doesn't do his old boss many favors in the book. On the war in Iraq, he is particularly stinging. McClellan calls the decision to invade Iraq "a serious strategic blunder."

"No one, including me, can know with absolute certainty how the war will be viewed decades from now when we can more fully understand its impact. What I do know is that war should only be waged when necessary, and the Iraq war was not necessary."

--Stuart Silverstein

Photo Credit: MSNBC

Comments

[Steven Getreer]

Thank God for Scott McClellan stepping up and doing the right thing. We all know that the Bush Administration has been and continues to be based upon lies, deceit and propoganda. It's good to hear that coming from a Bush insider.

[Grouchy]

What did the voters expect when they voted these lame brains from Texas into the highest office in the land? The bunch of them are all so proud of their Texas roots, that gave us Enron, executing people on an assembly line basis. O, yes and then their was Alberto who I doubt was even qualifyed to be a family court judge. Then their is the fiasco of taking 430 children from their parents, and putting them in foster care. And the list goes on. What did we expect from a tap dancing, who me worry President who got elected twice to the highest office in the land. The American public deserves just what it got for voting these crooks and war criminals into office. How low can this country go before it wakes up. Stay tuned.

[Caroline Vawter]

McClellan always had that deer-in-the-headlights look at press briefings. I do think he was in over his head, and not surprised he left. But then, the same President who appointed him also wanted Harriet to be a Supreme Court Justice.

[Peter Dimitriou]

Does this mean we can commence with War Crimes Tibunals, impechment and imprisonment for this whole sorry bunch? The sooner the better in my book.

PS: Stick that in your hat Max Boot and the rest of you neo fascist clowns proclaiming the joys of "pre-emptive war just as long as you don't have to fight in it"
you make me sick!!!

[An Australian]

At least some of the ex-Bushies are trying to save a little honour by telling the truth at last. It will do them little good as they vanish into the dustbin of history, but it helps the rest of us by confirming our worst fears about the Bush administration, surely one of the worst ever.

[linn]

His mama got him the job. From the looks of it the man can't make it on his own.
I remember his painful stuttering press conferences ,glad he quit. He sucked.

[Daudi]

The knives are out...et tu Brutus??

Bush's syncophants are finally jumping the sinking ship. Thanks for helping the ship sink in the first place, Scott. At least you have your book deal while the rest of us get to drown in war, searing debt and a mismanaged environment and economy.

[Peter Dimitriou]

impeach bush now!!!!!

[GW]

He's still complicit.

[Trevor Jones]

McClellan needs not worry. The decision to invade Iraq will be viewed as the grossest moral transgression of our times. To wage unnecessary war, that's ...a CAPITAL SIN.

[Mike Murphy]

Let me guess, could Scott possibly have a book to pimp?
Why wasn't this paragon of virtue (now) so forthcoming when he was spokesman. Just like in a courtroom scene .When you said this ,were you lying ,now you say that. Just what is the real truth.Were you lying to the nation then or are you lying to us now to promote your book?

[Susan E Zeitler]

Regarding Scott McClellan's book: Why now? More and more we are hearing top people telling about the "mistakes that were made," and how inept this president has been. We don't need to be told now, we, the people, are suffering because of his faulty decisions. Why hasn't anyone stopped him - why hasn't he, and his administration, been called to account? What is going to be done about it? Bush lied to us. He has caused the needless death of American and Iraqi citizens. He has trampled on our constitution. What can we do? Too many books, too late - it won't undo the damage that has been done.
"We were only following orders," has been used already. It didn't work then, it won't work now.
Let's hope that the upcoming administration understands and supports the Constitution, listens to the people, is transparent in providing information so that we can be an "informed citizenry." Otherwise, our democracy is in grave danger.

[Steve]

McClellan knew he was lying - we ALL did. This guy could've blown the roof off the Bush admins. rush to war, but he was addicted to the power & prestige of his job. Of course, with a buck to be made, he now comes clean. How many more of these Bush loyalists will be coming forth with their "book deals"? These people are the real traitors.

[Mitchell in New York]

With statements about victory and never surrendering, McCain (I almost said Bush, and there is the problem, isn't it) appears to be fighting any war but Iraq, but which one: WWII, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam, etc.? I fear that the rest of his foreign policy will be nearly as out of touch as his understanding of Iraq. Our responsibility here is to not forget how we were bullied into Iraq and to keep reminding our leaders that we haven't forgotten.

"Iraq: It Was Never the Right Choice (and we told you so) http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[rob robertson, m.d.]

who could possibly want another 4 or 8 years of the bush administration's incompetence and ruinous policies? please read mcclellan's book, or at least excerpts. if you want more of the same , vote for mccain. if you don't, please vote for obama. it's that simple.

[KYJurisDoctor]

Yes, Bush "veered TERRIBLY OFF course" -- Scott McClellan's own words --, and the country is NOW paying the TERRIBLE prize for it. SHAMEFUL.

[rob robertson,m.d.]

who could possibly want another 4 or 8 years of the bush administrations incompetence and ruinous policies ? please read scott mcclellan's book, or at least excerpts. if you want more of the same, vote mccain. if you're fed up, vote obama. it's that simple.

[yodomar]

January of 2009 cannot come too soon.

[Native Angeleno]

What a joke. According to excerpts from the book, McClellan actually tries to absolve Bush by claiming that the president was mislead by relying on faulty intelligence to sell the war. The truth of the matter is that Bush knew full well it was a pack of lies, and his administration refuses to take any responsibility for this calculated "blunder" that has resulted in what can be considered mass murder of both Iraqi and U.S. lives.

The propaganda continues.

[David Haley]

McClellan is in a simply terrible position. He must have known that, in the job of press secretary, his role was to spin and lie. I mean, that IS the job. Now McClellan is trying to rehabilitate his public persona by "telling the truth". Judging from his sweaty upper lip and stuttering at all of those "press conferences", there is very little doubt that McClellan knew at the time that he was lying through his teeth. (McClellan was never the cool, calm, brazen liar an Air Fleischer.) The irony is that those who were telling Scotty what to say knew that they were lying to him. We knew that he was lying us. Now Scotty would have us believe that he was the only person in the chain who did not know that he was lying through his teeth to the American people. The options are not flattering. Either he was Bush's lying stooge or he was one of the dumbest Presidential press secretaries in modern history.

The strongest statement that any of Bush's henchmen could have made was to have simply resigned in protest at the incompetence, skull-duggery, unconstitutionality, and lies at the appropriate moment. This is as true for Scott McClellan as it was for Colin Powell. To their historically recorded disgrace, none chose to do so.

[A Rothman]

So? I suspected this after no WMD's were found. I think everybody knows this by now.

[Victor]

McClellan had the chance to resign at the time and chose not to do so. He gave up his integrity long ago and only now, when he has a chance to publicize his book and make money, does he seem to find his integrity again. Disgusting, isn't it?

[Honest Joe]

Good for Scott. I am sure his book will be relatively true to the facts. He always was an uncomfortable mouthpiece for Bush. This is meant as a compliment to Scott - he never was a very good liar, and clearly did not enjoy it. Bush, Cheney, Rove and crew are not only consummate liars, they seem to actually enjoy being convincing when they know they are lying. Bush creases his face with sincerity, Cheney gets all patronizing, and Rove goes all wide-eyed.

[Jack]

Scott hit it the nail right on the head. "The Iraq war was not necessary". It was ordered up by men and women who had no strategic and national security vision. They let their innate bigotry (terrorists were Muslims,Iraqis are Muslims therefore lets invade them because they are led by a bad guy with WMD). That they were never a threat to us or our strategic interests was irrelevant. Poor Scott had to continually say they were a threat and now he is trying to make amends.......(1 trillion dollars, over 100,000 dead and millions uprooted) later.

[bkaufmann]

Half a million people are dead because of these lies. Now, McCain says he will never surrender in Iraq. Surrender to what? The truth?

[keith]

just trying to sell a book, make some money.

[IonaTrailer]

The Bushies have lied, cheated and stolen the life's blood of this country from the beginning. They threw the election, with the help of the Republican appointed Neo-Cons in the Supreme Court. (Clarence Thomas, for instance - this guy is the male 'Harriet'). And because Americans are so pitifully uneducated, they didn't understand that it was UNCONSTITUTIONAL for the court to interject itself into the electoral process. THEN - they sat around while the Republicans INVADED a sovereign country. (It was all Saudis that drove into the Twin Towers, but we didn't attack Saudi Arabia.) But we sure diss-ed the French for pointing out the illegality of our actions. Then we sat around in front of the boob-tube every night eating snacks while this administration has plundered our economy. And why? Because THEY are making money doing it. Americans are so poorly educated and fat and full of television bullsh*t you could sell them anything. It's pathetic.

[John Doe]

I would rather know about the Bush administration's miss deeds than not to know. They ran a PsychOps on the American public. Just to get the Military Industrial Complex our tax payer dollars. And please notice how much the price of gas has gone up during the Bush administration. Bush's Big Oil buddies are getting filth rich at the little guys expense. This NOT the government I want.

[DT]

The Whitehouse is puzzled??? McClellan at least had the integrity to come forth and admit what most Americans already knew about Bush & his GOP. I'm not surprised at all to hear about this Bush, Cheney , Rove & GOP corruption that has screwed over this nation for the last 7 years. Also...it will come as no surprise that the White Houses only response to the book will be to take cheap shots that accuse McClellan of being disgruntled or disingenuous. Since they have no moral compass or integrity to stand on...and since the record of Republican corruption and treachery against the USA these last 7 years speaks for itself...they really do not have a leg to stand on in their defense against the content in McClellan's book. If Dana Perino and others loyal only to the Bush Crime Family and the Republican Party had any sense, they would simply keep their mouths shut and quit accusing McClellan of being a disgruntled person. The more you complain about McClellan’s book, the more obvious you make your own sins against the USA.

[RB]

The American Way......Lie, cheat, and steal, while in power, and then write a book, and sell the movie rights!
All the while selling your country to the highest bidder...i.e.....oil barons, war profiteers, etc.
Our government should be held accountable for what they have done...but no, we are a bunch of cattle being let to the butcher. America has lost it's back bone and you, me, our kids, everyone will suffer for being idiots! I guess we get what we paid for........ Wait until all the RATS jump ship, and write their crap, and blame it on everyone else, while they knew and supported the sham. I don't need to buy the book, we all knew they were covering it all up, and this jerk Scott knew it, and now wants his share. They should all be arrested and charged with treason. Whats wrong with America and what will you do to change it? I'm guessing nothing! Get off your arse and do something!!! Have a nice day. RB

[BLUE247]

This is Bush's legacy: 9/11, Katrina, The Iraq War, high gas prices, an economy on the verge of collapse, hundreds of thousands dead from any combination of the above. Kind of pales in comparison to Bill Clinton being impeached for getting a hummer in the Oval Office.

[Elaine]

They should post a warning ..."Reading this book may be hazardous to your health". I know it will certainly make me sick.

[Janine Lee]

Thanks, Scott McClellan - but why didn't you write just after you left the White House? Maybe you could have saved a few soldiers' lives -- not to mention Iraqi civilians.

In addition to your book, I highly recommend "The Bush Tragedy" by Jacob Weisberg. He makes a strong case for
W's lifelong Oedipal conflict with his wiser, more moderate father. Weisberg also couches his analysis as analogous
to Shakespeare's Henry IV, in which the same father-son dynamic plays out.

[Peter Dimitriou]

To all who Bash McClellan for his book, here is one by Vincent Bugliosi of Helter Skelter fame, go ahead and bash him I dare you. Impeach Bush now and all his War Criminal friends and shut down that lame propaganda organ of the Extreme Right called Fox news before they do any more damage. 6 years go I was ridiclued to the point of physical threats by the extreme Right Wing of the Republican party, but I'm still here to laugh in all your faces, I was right then and and I am right now get used to it. Save Democracy Impeach him now and prevent Bush from absconding to Paraguay, where his family has
a safe haven already set up and which has no extradition treaty with the United States. stop him now!!! slap the cuffs on this War Criminal!!!! Ground Air force One do not let him get away. If America let's him escape
We will all regret it.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/159315481X/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

[ernest vogt]

Fatuous, complacent, ill-educated america elected probably its worst president. Sad commentary on american life and values.

[Charles Rogers]

I read all the angry at Bush/Cheney opinions. Nothing there that I have not believed from the get-go. I hope, at least, it causes American voters to elect a democrat president, solid fillibuster-proof democrat house and senate in November to drastically change the direction of America. Any politican that voted for the Iraqi war should be defeated, dem or repub. We need leaders, not sheep to represent us.

[silly people]

How would anything coming out of the White House, McCain campaign, or Obama campaign NOT be political propaganda? Scott McClellan and John Q. Public are expecting to hear someone say "let me tell you why I shouldn't be President"? Its politics, of course there is propaganda.Equating taxes with stealing is propaganda. Saying taxes help create economic fairness is propaganda. we live in silly times.

with that in mind, let the conspiracy theory nut jobs post away....i'll even get you started - THAT EVIL BUSH STARTED THE IRAQ WAR TO RAISE OIL PRICES AND MAKE MONEY FOR HIS FAMILY.
...or if you prefer the version from the 3 years ago THE WAR WAS SO AMERICA CAN CONTROL THE OIL IN IRAQ.

[jim jaffe]

proof again that no one loves you when you're down. what's intriguing is that the Administration was successful for so long in maintaining a common front and discouraging leaks. now there sees to be a determination to balance that with these endless tales outa school as everyone explains (a) that's true things went terribly wrong, but (b) it wasn't their fault. talk about a falling out...

[lordflashheart]

For those of you that feel that McClellan's book doesn't reveal very much, you might want to check out the parts that have been overlooked:

http://www.236.com/blog/w/jay_dyckman/revelations_in_scott_mcclellan_6781.php

[Ara]

So... this seems to be the new trend in Washington: Bush administration official leaves office, waits a year, then publishes a kiss-and-tell book.

Is it because they were not brave enough to do the right thing when it could have made a difference? Is it because they were threatened with reprisals if they went public while still employed by the Administration? Is it because they figured they could keep their job and bank on the publicity later?

Either way, something is very broken in our governmental system...

[Dr. Chuck]

In his new book, former Bush spokesperson, Scott McClellan, asserts that the Iraq war was a mistake. He goes on to state that wars should only be waged as a necessity, and, in his opinion, the Iraq war was not a war of necessity. Further, he claims that the American press was complicit in the process by not asking President Bush the very tough questions one would expect from a free press, when there are plans being made for a war.

I can remember making a similar statement to Philadelphia Inquirer columnist, Trudy Rubin, who responded that the press had done enough and that they had asked tough questions. Of course I disagreed, but this further demonstrates how the liberal press is unable to hold itself accountable for being on the wrong side of an issue.

My guess is that now, given McClellan's strong condemnation of the media, and its role in the Iraq war, we will have a serious discussion about how all media, liberal and conservative, did not do its sacred duty of holding the most powerful person in the United States of America accountable for his dumb choices and costly actions.

Maybe now that Mr. McClellan has stated that the American press was complicit in Bush's decision to go to war, Trudy Rubin will listen. After all, he looks like the kind of person who can make such a claim.

I'm looking forward to reading McClellan's book What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

[ST by LAX]

McClellan should be ashamed of himself. Yes all the members of the Bush administration should be gone down the line to be made accountable. No one in the Bush administration should rightfully receive money for book deals that detail the crimes committed against the United States. Personally, I voted for the other guy, twice. The current Bush administration is the last remaining legacy of Ronald Reagan. Even from the grave the Gipper is still screwing us over.

[BJ]

This book is just a confirmation of what most everyone already knew. That "weapons of mass destruction" was not the real reason for this war.

The real reason is... simply, OIL. Irag has the largest supply of oil in the middle east. Read the book, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" (EHM), by John Perkins. It's all there!

BUT, the real issue here is... the PRESS AND MEDIA. They are certifiably "p****d that the Bush administration was able to USE them to advance their goals and played them like a fiddle.

So NOW, the same P&M are trying to get back, by being able to dictate the nomination process, and GETTING OBAMA nominated. Thinking that he can win the election.

What they were not able to foresee is, the toll this race was going to take on the candidates themselves, AND the role the supporters of each candidate would take!

Now, it appears that the candidate that CAN win over McCain, Hillary, will not win the nomination! Instead, the P&M chose OBAMA, who will LOSE to McCain in November. Poetic justice? Irony? Sad sad sad.

[Dr. Banks]

McClellan's mother was not supported in her desire to run for governor of Texas and this is his family's payback. His comments about the content of many meetings where he was not in attendance is troubling. How did he know what was said by Rove to Libby in private meetings? Was he spying on them? Is there proof of the dialogue of these coversations.
A shame. When Pres. Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, John Kerry and all the other democrats told us of their certainty that Saddam had Weapons of Mass Destruction, I believed them. After all, these public servants had long histories of truthtelling. But it turned out they lied. Democrats lied and people died.

[Grapost]

Nixon and Staff = Watergate Crooks & And Convicted

Ford = Pardoned Nixon = The Fix Was In - Crook

Reagan & Staff = Treason - Sold Arms To The Enemy - Iran Contra - Staff Charged And Ready For Trial

Bush Sr. = The Fix Was In Again: Pardon All charged in Iran-Contra To Avoid Convictions

Bush Jr. - The Fix was In again: Stole 2 Elections - Started Illegal War - Added Signing Statements To Laws.- Politicized all branches of government - Encroached on Constitutional Rights - Enacted vast coverup of lies on Iraq War and attacks on it's critics. And On And On. Continued Criminal acts and policys.

Want more of the same? Vote Republican. Vote McCAIN!

[OD]

The White House and its friends are now saying that as Press Secretary, McClellan wasn't privy to all the important meetings, and that as Press Secretary he really didn't know what was going on.

So my question is, why then should any of us listen to Dana Perino? Why should we believe anything we ever heard from Tony Snow? According to the White House, these people's words are simply meaningless, because they're in no position to know what's really going on.

Why does Dana Perino even bother speaking, then? Why does the White House have a Press Secretary to explain policy to the media, and thus to the American people, when the Press Secretary apparently isn't told what the real policy is?

[saint peter II]

the idea that someone owes a public employee a level of loyalty above that which is owed to the public is so far off the charts that only the likes of a James carville would salute it. the giving out of public jobs carries with it an obligation to do ones best - period. this conception that a public official who gives out public funded jobs has some kind of moral lock on those who accept public employment is the underlying principal of the very worst kind of personal politics and the public poorly at the best of times. it is a profound misunderstanding of the relationship of all public employees to the public where the interests of the public always subsume the interests of those who hand out the public jobs and money. the Clinton's via gov Richardson and now the white house via McClelln have put the cart before the horse to advance their personal interests rather than those of the public, no news there as politicians have long had a hard time differentiating between what's theirs and what's the public's. when someone such as caravel calls Richardson a Judas for supporting obama one can only wonder about his relationship with the Clinton's for certainly they were in a position for along time to dispense favors to caraville in the expectation of loyalty, but again we have public employees dispensing the "proceeds" of their office to secure better treatment, that's just plain crooked and the whole loyalty tp0public employed people being of a higher order that the loyalty owed to the public is a crock, fill with what you want.
www.saintpeterii.com

[dan]

I think Scott has provided ample proof about what was going on in the White House in time of Crisis. Like many others believe, the war in Iraq is baseless, a waste of resources and a Bush personal vendetta for a failed mission led by his father. The US military could have been better used in Afghanistan where the true and eminent danger is. Bush assassinated Saddam, but still can't find Bin Laden. The multi hundred billion dollars war could have helped the true fight against terror, may be some US homeowners, and definitely and great US economy.

[Clyde]

What is this about: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The almightly dollar, of course.

Now, McClellan, do something honorable for a change: donate the profits from your damn book to charity.

[Ken Adams]

This is great stuff. Too bad not more people are interested in how much of a liar the president is, and how he's deceived the country. Al Gore spoke about this in depth in his book, The Assault on Reason. Many have reported on the dishonesty of Bush, now an insider is confirming what many have known for years.

[Stephanie Winnard]

Kucinich introduced a 35 part resolution to impeach Bush yesterday. Thank you Dennis Kucinich!