Former GWB Press Sec. Scott McClellan Book: Admin. Controversies (merged x 3--M.E.T.)

[Midnight Judges]

There have been favorable books too. The only book that I can think of that fits the category you mention is the Richard Clark book, and he had an ax to grind. I haven't read this book, but I read the George Tenet book. I imagine this book will be similar. It will point out some flaws and throw out a few juicy bits to sell books, but it will also concentrate heavily on the positives of the President. A lot of folks read these books and only read through the index to get to the damaging parts of the book. They couldn't care less what 98% of the book says.

Anyway, if you can think of a lot of other books... let me know. That's the only one that I can think of now.

Bob Woodward's book was pretty damning.

General Trainor's book illustrates the multitude of mistakes in planning the Iraq war

Hans Blix's book shows how the Bush admin took a dump on the UN resolutions and lied about their authority, and lied about the successful UN weapons inspections in 2002-2003.

Tommy Franks' book was incredibly positive about the wars but avoids any substantive discussion about Bush's leadership/wartime skills.

These are just the ones I read. After 2005, I got sick of reading about our sad excuse for a POTUS-it was too depressing.

[Burgold]

Yeah, the Clark and Tennet books are probably the first to come to mind, but there's also this one and probably others floating around...

The Price of Loyalty

The George W. Bush White House, as described by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, is a world out of kilter. Policy decisions are determined not by careful weighing of an issue's complexities; rather, they're dictated by a cabal of ideologues and political advisors operating outside the view of...

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Fox News was talking about it last night with carl rove. I think that you'll find, not just with this book, but most tell all books are one persons venom towards their previous situation. Look at Rosie, Diane and the view. Whereas some of the stuff very may well be true some of the things he sights are grossly exagerated or downright false. Take it with a grain of salt:2cents:

Yea, I saw a clip from Karl Rove saying that McClellen sounded like a "left-wing liberal blogger."

Not that that means he's wrong, but you know, if someone says something true about the past, you should always just call him names. :doh:

[Smoot Point Really]

Bob Woodward's book was pretty damning.

General Trainor's book illustrates the multitude of mistakes in planning the Iraq war

Hans Blix's book shows how the Bush admin took a dump on the UN resolutions and lied about their authority, and lied about the successful UN weapons inspections in 2002-2003.

Tommy Franks' book was incredibly positive about the wars but avoids any substantive discussion about Bush's leadership/wartime skills.

These are just the ones I read. After 2005, I got sick of reading about our sad excuse for a POTUS-it was too depressing.

None of these people are in the Administration. Burgold's comment was:

I can't remember so many highly ranked people damning an Administration DURING that Administration.

You may as well also mention Michael Moore and Kitty Kelley... BTW, LtGen Trainor (not General Trainor) hasn't served in the military since Ronald Reagan.

[Smoot Point Really]

Yeah, the Clark and Tennet books are probably the first to come to mind, but there's also this one and probably others floating around...

The Price of Loyalty

The George W. Bush White House, as described by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, is a world out of kilter. Policy decisions are determined not by careful weighing of an issue's complexities; rather, they're dictated by a cabal of ideologues and political advisors operating outside the view of...

I read Tenet... It was actually very positive about the President, but there is one account in there that disturbed me that I've spoken about in other threads and that was the lack of urgency to find WMDs in Iraq.

I hadn't thought about the O'Neill book...

Anyway, still... Two or three books isn't that big of a deal. Clinton had a few, especially toward the end of his presidency (Mostly about his character issues). It sounds to me like McLellan has more of a beef with Rove and Liddy than he does with Bush.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

It sounds to me like McLellan has more of a beef with Rove and Liddy than he does with Bush.

It sounds like he is portraying Bush as too dumb to have realized what was going on around him, and as too stubborn to think he could have made a poor decision.

So, while he paints some of Bush's advisors as liars, it doesn't exactly look good for Bush.

(Of course, since the book isn't out and I haven't read it, who knows what he truthfully says yet...)

[Burgold]

and another, I think there are more, but even if it were just these, that's a lot DURING imo...

In explosive book, former Bush official claims faith-based push was political

By Robert Marus

Published October 12, 2006

http://www.abpnews.com/1431.article

WASHINGTON (ABP)—A new book by a former White House faith official is causing shockwaves—even before its release—with reportedly explosive allegations that President Bush’s aides have been duping religious conservatives for political gain.

MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” program first reported the allegations Oct. 11. They are found, according to the show, in Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction, a new tell-all memoir by former White House official David Kuo, scheduled for release Oct. 16.

[dockeryfan]

Whoops double

[dockeryfan]

The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby. There was one problem.

It was not true.

I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove' date=' Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the president himself.[/quote']

[Tulane Skins Fan]

MSNBC.com:

In another section, McClellan describes Bush as able to convince himself of his own spin and relates a phone call he overheard Bush having during the 2000 campaign, in which he said he could not remember whether he had used cocaine. "I remember thinking to myself, 'How can that be?' " he writes.

That's sorta freaky

[#98QBKiller]

MSNBC.com:

In another section, McClellan describes Bush as able to convince himself of his own spin and relates a phone call he overheard Bush having during the 2000 campaign, in which he said he could not remember whether he had used cocaine. "I remember thinking to myself, 'How can that be?' " he writes.

That's sorta freaky

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he suffered from some sort of mental illness while in office.

[Smoot Point Really]

and another, I think there are more, but even if it were just these, that's a lot DURING imo...

Burgold, you consider David Kuo to be "highly ranked?" Special assistant? Office of "Faith-based" and Community Initiatives?

Tenet is the only "Highly Ranked" person we've mentioned. McClellan is the mouth-piece of the President, he is told what to say... That's it. It's not like Dick Morris who was essentially Bill Clinton's version of Karl Rove. This is on the same level as George Stephanopolous (who also wrote his own book that highlighted the good and bad of Clinton).

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Burgold, you consider David Kuo to be "highly ranked?" Special assistant? Office of "Faith-based" and Community Initiatives?

Tenet is the only "Highly Ranked" person we've mentioned. McClellan is the mouth-piece of the President, he is told what to say... That's it. It's not like Dick Morris who was essentially Bill Clinton's version of Karl Rove. This is on the same level as George Stephanopolous (who also wrote his own book that highlighted the good and bad of Clinton).

Honestly, I agree with you that we haven't seen this before from a high ranked Bush aide... but I disagree IF you are insinuating that somehow that makes it less relevant.

The fact that the white house press secretary has come out and said this is extremely damning whether anyone else with that type of position has ever said it before.

[Burgold]

Burgold, you consider David Kuo to be "highly ranked?" Special assistant? Office of "Faith-based" and Community Initiatives?

Tenet is the only "Highly Ranked" person we've mentioned. McClellan is the mouth-piece of the President, he is told what to say... That's it. It's not like Dick Morris who was essentially Bill Clinton's version of Karl Rove. This is on the same level as George Stephanopolous (who also wrote his own book that highlighted the good and bad of Clinton).

I don't know... I think Secretary of the Treasury is pretty highly ranked. Clark was pretty highly ranked (even though he wasn't in the purest sence Bush's guy)

Greenspan also had really, really harsh things to say about Bush. I don't remember if it was in a book or just a series of interviews though.

[@DCGoldPants]

I agree that the evidence adding up is all there. Those who can't see that are just lying to themselves.

But, what is the difference now? Its almost halfway through the final year of this President's term. We get it, he's blown Carter out of the water in terms of being a bad President and leader.

Its not like the next President is going to have the Justice Dept go after Bush. Its not like that would fix all the damage done. I'm numb to most of it now.

If McCain can prove he isn't going to continue failed policy. Then I wouldn't be upset to see him as the next Prez.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

If McCain can prove he isn't going to continue failed policy. Then I wouldn't be upset to see him as the next Prez.

Isn't he actively promoting the same policies though? Or is there a distinction somewhere that I haven't seen?

[@DCGoldPants]

Isn't he actively promoting the same policies though? Or is there a distinction somewhere that I haven't seen?

His problem is that he goes back and forth on it.

McCain 2000 and McCain 2008 appear to be different people. So, I don't know. That's why I said "prove".

[Tulane Skins Fan]

His problem is that he goes back and forth on it.

McCain 2000 and McCain 2008 appear to be different people. So, I don't know. That's why I said "prove".

I agree with that... I was leaning towards McCain in 2000 if he had gotten the nomination. He's a different person now though. To me, he's proven that he desires to promote the same policies W has.

[@DCGoldPants]

Neither party is getting my vote this year. I hate them both right now.

Plus, in Maryland. You know the Dem will win. So, I am going third party. Just haven't decided "Which".

Back to this topic.

Scotty M. showed up too late to the party for me. I don't care what he has to say. Nothing we didn't already know.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

And WH reaction:

From NBC's Les Kretman

White House press secretary Dana Perino released this statement on Scott McClellan's critical book on the Bush White House:

"Scott, we now know, is disgruntled about his experience at the White House. For those of us who fully supported him, before, during and after he was press secretary, we are puzzled. It is sad -- this is not the Scott we knew."

More from Perino: "The book, as reported by the press, has been described to the president. I do not expect a comment from him on it -- he has more pressing matters than to spend time commenting on books by former staffers."

[jbooma]

I remember when the press caught Scott prepping some military folks in Iraq with answers and then lying about it. So, I'm not big on believing him anymore.

In my mind.

1. Either he's so dumb, he didn't realize something was up.

or

2. He knew it was wrong, and still didn't quit in protest.

Either way, his word doesn't mean much to me.

bingo he wants to make money and write a book so he has to have something in there for it to sell

[Tulane Skins Fan]

bingo he wants to make money and write a book so he has to have something in there for it to sell

can't you say that about every person who's ever written a book? I don't think it addresses the question of whether or not he's being truthful though.

[jbooma]

can't you say that about every person who's ever written a book? I don't think it addresses the question of whether or not he's being truthful though.

The thing is would his book change anyones opinion about this administration?? My guess is no, now if Dick or Powell wrote a book with even more detail about what happened that would be interesting. This is his chance at his 15 minutes of fame and it looks it is not going to last.

[@DCGoldPants]

I read the statement from the current P.S..

She says they are sad about it, and its not the Scott they knew. But, they don't deny it. You'd think they would have.

[JimmyConway]

Clearly, there were failure at all levels, but on the national level cronyism and lack of available support and logistical confusion was a big deal.

It was extremely disturbing yet not much has changed since then.