McClellan whacks Bush, White House

[RunInRed 16,438]

Exclusive: McClellan whacks Bush, White House

By MIKE ALLEN | 5/27/08 6:18 PM EST

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan writes in a surprisingly scathing memoir to be published next week that President Bush “veered terribly off course,” was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.

Among the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):

—McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.

—He says the White House press corps went too easy on the administration.

—He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”

—The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them – and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him the full facts.

—McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff – “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

A few reporters were offered advance copies of the book, with the restriction that their stories not appear until Sunday, the day before the publication date. Politico declined, and purchased “What Happened” at a Washington bookstore.

The eagerly awaited book, while recounting many fond memories of Bush and describing him as “authentic” and “sincere,” is harsher than reporters and White House officials had expected.

McClellan was one of the president’s earliest and most loyal political aides, and most of his friends had expected him to take a few swipes at his former colleague in order to sell books but also to paint a largely affectionate portrait.

Instead, McClellan’s tone is often harsh. He writes, for example, that after Hurricane Katrina, the White House “spent most of the first week in a state of denial,” and blames Rove for suggesting the photo of the president comfortably observing the disaster during an Air Force One flyover. McClellan says he and counselor to the president Dan Bartlett had opposed the idea, and thought it had been scrapped.

But he writes that he later was told that “Karl was convinced we needed to do it – and the president agreed.”

“One of the worst disasters in our nation’s history became one of the biggest disasters in Bush’s presidency. Katrina and the botched federal response to it would largely come to define Bush’s second term,” he writes. “And the perception of this catastrophe was made worse by previous decisions President Bush had made, including, first and foremost, the failure to be open and forthright on Iraq and rushing to war with inadequate planning and preparation for its aftermath.”

McClellan, who turned 40 in February, was press secretary from July 2003 to April 2006. An Austin native from a political family, he began working as a gubernatorial spokesman for then-Governor Bush in early 1999, was traveling press secretary for the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and was chief deputy to Press Secretary Ari Fleischer at the beginning of Bush’s first term.

“I still like and admire President Bush,” McClellan writes. “But he and his advisers confused the propaganda campaign with the high level of candor and honesty so fundamentally needed to build and then sustain public support during a time of war. … n this regard, he was terribly ill-served by his top advisers, especially those involved directly in national security.”

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

[Auburn85 432]

8 more months rir.

8...more...months

[TexasTiger 12,965]

Check out the source:

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan writes in a surprisingly scathing memoir to be published next week that President Bush “veered terribly off course,” was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.

Among the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):

• McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.

• He says the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war.

• He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”

• The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them — and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him all the facts.

• McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff — “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

A few reporters were offered advance copies of the book, with the restriction that their stories not appear until Sunday, the day before the official publication date. Politico declined and purchased “What Happened” at a Washington bookstore.

The eagerly awaited book, while recounting many fond memories of Bush and describing him as “authentic” and “sincere,” is harsher than reporters and White House officials had expected.

McClellan was one of the president’s earliest and most loyal political aides, and most of his friends had expected him to take a few swipes at his former colleague in order to sell books but also to paint a largely affectionate portrait.

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

Short version-- McClellan: "I worked for a bunch of liars."

[Justin5 20]

Check out the source:

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan writes in a surprisingly scathing memoir to be published next week that President Bush “veered terribly off course,” was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.

Among the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):

• McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.

• He says the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war.

• He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”

• The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them — and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him all the facts.

• McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff — “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

A few reporters were offered advance copies of the book, with the restriction that their stories not appear until Sunday, the day before the official publication date. Politico declined and purchased “What Happened” at a Washington bookstore.

The eagerly awaited book, while recounting many fond memories of Bush and describing him as “authentic” and “sincere,” is harsher than reporters and White House officials had expected.

McClellan was one of the president’s earliest and most loyal political aides, and most of his friends had expected him to take a few swipes at his former colleague in order to sell books but also to paint a largely affectionate portrait.

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

Short version-- McClellan: "I worked for a bunch of liars."

Oh come on TexasTiger, everyone knows this is just more proof of the liberal media bias.

[RunInRed 16,438]

When you're BS is called out by your own Press Secretary....enough said.

[arnaldoabru 11]

Check out the source:

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan writes in a surprisingly scathing memoir to be published next week that President Bush “veered terribly off course,” was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.

Among the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):

• McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.

• He says the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war.

• He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”

• The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them — and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him all the facts.

• McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff — “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

A few reporters were offered advance copies of the book, with the restriction that their stories not appear until Sunday, the day before the official publication date. Politico declined and purchased “What Happened” at a Washington bookstore.

The eagerly awaited book, while recounting many fond memories of Bush and describing him as “authentic” and “sincere,” is harsher than reporters and White House officials had expected.

McClellan was one of the president’s earliest and most loyal political aides, and most of his friends had expected him to take a few swipes at his former colleague in order to sell books but also to paint a largely affectionate portrait.

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

Short version-- McClellan: "I worked for a bunch of liars."

Oh come on TexasTiger, everyone knows this is just more proof of the liberal media bias.

When one of your own says, who do you believe- the Bush administration or the "liberal media"- you'd better believe the "liberal media"

[TitanTiger 20,499]

There will be the normal attempts to discredit and undermine McClellan on this, but I don't think any of it sticks. The guy was a loyal Bush aide from back in the Texas days. He's not a disgruntled guy with an axe to grind. He's not some rabid left-winger or one of the "hate Bush" crowd. He's just reinforcing what I've felt for about a year and a half now.

Aside from a couple of SCOTUS justices and some tax cuts that really helped my family personally, this presidency has been a train wreck.

The other thing he does point out that I agree with is that I think Bush himself is a decent guy and is basically sincere. But I think he has surrounded himself with terrible people in the advisory capacity and some are not just bad, but have some sinister or less than honorable motivations. His trust of these people has ruined a promising presidency.

Simply put, what we got over the last 8 years is not what I voted for.

[RunInRed 16,438]

There will be the normal attempts to discredit and undermine McClellan on this, but I don't think any of it sticks. The guy was a loyal Bush aide from back in the Texas days. He's not a disgruntled guy with an axe to grind. He's not some rabid left-winger or one of the "hate Bush" crowd. He's just reinforcing what I've felt for about a year and a half now.

Aside from a couple of SCOTUS justices and some tax cuts that really helped my family personally, this presidency has been a train wreck.

The other thing he does point out that I agree with is that I think Bush himself is a decent guy and is basically sincere. But I think he has surrounded himself with terrible people in the advisory capacity and some are not just bad, but have some sinister or less than honorable motivations. His trust of these people has ruined a promising presidency.

Simply put, what we got over the last 8 years is not what I voted for.

This is exactly why you get so much respect on this board Titan. There aren't many who are able to take the blinders off (sometimes myself included) and admit things for what they are.

I agree that Bush appears to be a decent guy but this country needs more than decency. We need bold leadership and we certainly have not recieved that from him. Bush's stubborness and loyalty is what got him in the most trouble.

All in all, I'm almost more upset with the opportunities missed than the mistakes made. He has certainly left the next administration with a whole host of big problems to tackle - let's just hope the country makes the right choice this go round.

[autigeremt 6,654]

I say the guy is telling what he knows. I can't discount or discredit the story, as I agree in principle with some of his gripes.

I'll say this, and anyone can candy coat all they want, but you can find similar situations in EVERY presidency that has come along. Some more telling than others, but this is normal stuff. The impact of the event may dictate the severity, but the end result is the fact that EVEN OBAMA can be hamstrung with a story like this if he were to be president. They are all a bunch of hit and run experts. You just have to decide which ones are the lesser of two evils.

[tiger88 934]

Saw ari flesher today on fox. He said this was extremely surprising in that mclellan never voiced any of these groundbreaking views to anyone while he was there. There were avenues for him to do so and several other staff members would use these avenues to express their disagreements or problems with how certain things were being handled.

Mclellan said nothing. I'm not saying his views aren't genuine and I'm not saying they are not exaggerated or constructed to some extent to sell books. I will say that his handling of the issue the way he has seems to indicate that he has some character issues himself to say the least.

[bojack34 2]

There will be the normal attempts to discredit and undermine McClellan on this, but I don't think any of it sticks. The guy was a loyal Bush aide from back in the Texas days. He's not a disgruntled guy with an axe to grind. He's not some rabid left-winger or one of the "hate Bush" crowd. He's just reinforcing what I've felt for about a year and a half now.

Aside from a couple of SCOTUS justices and some tax cuts that really helped my family personally, this presidency has been a train wreck.

The other thing he does point out that I agree with is that I think Bush himself is a decent guy and is basically sincere. But I think he has surrounded himself with terrible people in the advisory capacity and some are not just bad, but have some sinister or less than honorable motivations. His trust of these people has ruined a promising presidency.

Simply put, what we got over the last 8 years is not what I voted for.

I couldn't agree more. I voted for Bush both times and for the most part I regret it but probably not for the same reasons as others. I still feel like going into Iraq was the right thing to do, I just think he handled it pretty horribly. I have also been disappointed with his stance on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION as well as the deficit. The sad thing is I don't feel like we have much better candidates to choose from this time either. I think I will write in Ted Nugent. FWIW, I have heard from a very reliable source that Ted Nugent may end up being the new spokesman for the NRA.

[AU alum 2]

Sorry, folks. But I think that McClellan said what he did TO SELL BOOKS. There might have been a teeny, tiny ring of truth in there, that was expanded to make it financially rewarding to him. But, overall, he wrote what he did to make his book sell. Period.

[Justin5 20]

Sorry, folks. But I think that McClellan said what he did TO SELL BOOKS. There might have been a teeny, tiny ring of truth in there,

With some of the stuff mentioned, a teeny tiny ring of truth would be a HUGE deal. Thats why this is big deal.

[Tiger Al 0]

I'm sure it's a nice book, but, I doubt it does anything more than confirm for the umpteenth time what 72% of us have known for years.

But, again, I'm sure it's a nice book.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Sorry, folks. But I think that McClellan said what he did TO SELL BOOKS. There might have been a teeny, tiny ring of truth in there, that was expanded to make it financially rewarding to him. But, overall, he wrote what he did to make his book sell. Period.

I think he's an honest guy that just couldn't take his role in how things went down anymore. I think he's mad that he was lied to and thus, in effect, lied to the press and the American people. He's a devout Christian and the deception and spin ate at him.

Sorry, I'm done. I don't drink the kool-aid anymore. I'm not toting the water for these guys. I'm under no obligation to hold up the GOP or Bush flag. My bull**** meter has been pegged into the red for a while now. McClellan apparently feels the same way. Good for him.

[arnaldoabru 11]

There will be the normal attempts to discredit and undermine McClellan on this, but I don't think any of it sticks. The guy was a loyal Bush aide from back in the Texas days. He's not a disgruntled guy with an axe to grind. He's not some rabid left-winger or one of the "hate Bush" crowd. He's just reinforcing what I've felt for about a year and a half now.

Aside from a couple of SCOTUS justices and some tax cuts that really helped my family personally, this presidency has been a train wreck.

The other thing he does point out that I agree with is that I think Bush himself is a decent guy and is basically sincere. But I think he has surrounded himself with terrible people in the advisory capacity and some are not just bad, but have some sinister or less than honorable motivations. His trust of these people has ruined a promising presidency.

Simply put, what we got over the last 8 years is not what I voted for.

You left out , not very smart to begin with.