Push-back against McClellan book begins

[maddezmom]

Push-back against McClellan book begins
News about the contents of former White House press secretary Scott McClellan's new book leaked only Tuesday night, but by Wednesday morning the counterattacks had begun in full force. It's not surprising to see that, of course: Republicans were bound to be unhappy with a book that roundly criticizes George W. Bush's administration, suggests the president had indeed once done cocaine, and says that there may have been collusion between two key figures in the Valerie Plame scandal.

The Drudge Report's headline on the Politico's article on the book this morning is "Scott the Snitch." An unnamed former White House senior advisor told NBC, "This book has left many of Scott’s closest friends puzzled and shocked ... He never expressed any reservations while serving. To do so in a highly publicized book is what makes people lose faith in those who work in Washington

Appearing on Fox News Tuesday night (video of the appearance is below), Karl Rove questioned one part of McClellan's book, an account of a 2005 meeting between Rove and Scooter Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Without direct knowledge of the content of the meeting, McClellan wrote that it may have been so that the two men could get their stories straight as they were becoming the focus of inquiries into the leak of Plame's identity:

I have no idea what they discussed, but it seemed suspicious for these two, whom I had never noticed spending any one-on-one time together, to go behind closed doors and visit privately ... I don't know what they discussed, but what would any knowledgeable person reasonably and logically conclude was the topic?

more:http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/05/28/mcclellan/index.html?source=rss&aim=/politics/war_room

[texastoast]

1. Public servants' actions should be transparent

for we folks who pay their salary.

Snitch, indeed.

[electropop]

2. Bush should be thrilled that it says "the president had indeed once done cocaine."

Most people have always assumed he must've done boatloads of it to be as brain-damaged as he is.

[maddezmom]

3. Bartlett rips McClellan, calls allegation 'total crap'

(CNN) — Former White House counselor Dan Bartlett lashed out at Scott McClellan in a telephone interview Wednesday, saying the allegations that the media was soft on the White House are "total crap," adding that advisers of President Bush are "bewildered and puzzled" by the allegations in McClellan's new book.

"It's almost like we're witnessing an out-of-body experience," Bartlett said of McClellan. "We're hearing from a completely different person we didn't have any insight into."

Bartlett added that intimates of the President feel McClellan has violated a trust. "Part of the role of being a trust adviser is to honor that trust," said Bartlett. "It's not your place now to go out" and criticize the President like this.

"What did he really believe when he was serving as press secretary?" Bartlett asked.


While he said McClellan himself has to "answer as to motive" for writing the book now, Bartlett said, "I do question his judgment."

more:http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/28/bartlett-rips-mcclellan-calls-allegation-total-crap/#more-7384

[maddezmom]

4. Loyal Bushies Smear McClellan: ‘Disgruntled,’ ‘Self-Serving,’ ‘Sounds Like A Left-Wing Blogger’»

Loyal Bushies Smear McClellan: ‘Disgruntled,’ ‘Self-Serving,’ ‘Sounds Like A Left-Wing Blogger’»
In an explosive new memoir, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan writes that the Bush administration engaged in a “political propaganda campaign” to sell the Iraq war and that it misled him on the Valerie Plame scandal. Today, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino slammed McClellan today as a “disgruntled” employee; former press secretary Ari Fleischer said he was “heartbroken.”

Other former White House officials started the smear campaign last night. Karl Rove, interviewed on Hannity and Colmes, asserted that McClellan sounded more like “a left-wing blogger” than himself. Former Homeland Security adviser Frances Townsend, interviewed on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, called McClellan “self-serving” and “disingenuous.”

Watch it:




McClellan is experiencing the same automatic smear response the White House deploys against former allies who dare to criticize the administration, including former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan or former head of faith-based initiatives John DiIulio. Some other lowlights:

more:http://thinkprogress.org/2008/05/28/rove-townsend-mcclellan/

[Shoelace]

6. pretty predictable reactions from Bushistas, what IS surprising

are some of the DU people who are pissed at McClellan for writing the book.:crazy: Last night, CNN's Anderson Cooper had a woman (former Bush person) who was plumb coming unglued, she was so ticked off at Scotty.

BTW, I took a look at your journal and will be back to read many of your other posts, all of which sound really interesting. Thanks Maddezmom!:hi:

[libodem]

5. I had to listen

to some RW radio to hear what was being said. In my five anguished minutes I heard Limpboy say the book is in retaliation for Puffy's having been 'fired'. He stated again, "He WAS fired". You're welcome, it was a sacrifice.

[Imagevision]

7. McClellan forced to testify over book contents, WH. will try to intervene.