[Darla_G]

Ex-White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan Rips Bush, White House in New Book
source
Wednesday, May 28, 2008


Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan slams President Bush on domestic and foreign issues, such as Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, in his upcoming memoir saying Bush was not "open and forthright on Iraq" and was slow in his response to Katrina.

Politico.com reported late Tuesday McClellan's harsh words include allegations 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 that Bush relied on "propaganda" to sell the war in Iraq.
AP photo Scott McClellan


The former secretary alleges in his book "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception," that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the vice president’s then chief of staff, and Karl Rove, the president’s then senior adviser, "had at best misled" him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity, the Web site reported.
Rove, now a FOX News contributor, denied allegations he and Libby kept information from McClellan about Plame, adding what was reported on Politico doesn't sound like the McClellan he has known for years.
Instead, Rove told FOX News' 'Hannity & Colmes' it sounded more like "a liberal blogger."

Click to watch Karl Rove's response on 'Hannity & Colmes'
In reference to Hurricane Katrina, McClellan writes that the Bush White House "spent most of the first week in a state of denial."
"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, according to the Web site. "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."
Considered a Bush loyalist, McClellan, who first served as gubernatorial spokesman for then-Texas Gov. Bush in early 1990, resigned from his White House post in April 2006.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, who is traveling with the president, told FOX News Tuesday she didn't plan to immediately respond to the allegations.
"So I'll just let it go tonight. I haven't seen the full book," Perino told FOX News.
Rather than wait out an embargo to review the book, Politico says their copy was purchased at a Washington bookstore.
The 40-year-old's 341-page memoir is scheduled for release next week

[Darla_G]

Not the first time something like this has happened. Obviously he didn't get paid enough for his loyalty during his tenure in the administration.

Tell us something we didn't know.

Interesting point - I looked at 5 different news outlets of this story. This one obviously took the most pro-Bush stance. Other sources:
Former press secretary Scott McClellan turns against President Bush : Top of the Ticket : Los Angeles Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/wa...lellan.html?hp
Ex-Bush spokesman: President used 'propaganda' to push war - CNN.com
Ex-spokesman McClellan blasts Bush administration in book - USATODAY.com




What is your take on this story?

[Kathy]

Well...I'm not a Bush fan, I have to be honest and I think McCain will just be an extension of the last 8 years of disaster. But, several of Bush's former insiders have turned on him. I just think he's too narrow minded for the position. You place intelligent people in positions of authority because you're supposed to listen to them. Bush has had a problem with that and I think it's going to haunt him for a very long time.

[Darla_G]

Kathy, i tend to agree with you. Unfortunately the first administration was loaded with them (with the exception of Colin Powell), Bush was not capable of running the show.

[StereoXGirl]

This is nothing new, I'm sure we've all heard it before. Just a new person spouting the same old stuff. *shrugs*

[Darla_G]

Originally Posted by StereoXGirl

This is nothing new, I'm sure we've all heard it before. Just a new person spouting the same old stuff. *shrugs*

Yes but what is of extreme significance is that this is the person that was the president's mouthpiece for 3 years. He sat in all these meetings where policy was discussed and was the one who articulated these policies to the American public. So it is very different than a critic from outside the president's inner circle.

The White House may be trying to spin it as a disgruntled employee who is trying to cash in, but the allegations are somewhat disheartening to Republicans (like moi). The concern is that it is an albatross around McCain's neck with regard to the Iraq war.