# Former WHPS Scott McClellan accuses W Admin of misleading us into Iraq **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 28, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872 "2008-05-28T13:58:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/1 "2008-05-28T13:58:21Z")
[And a great deal besides.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052703679.html?hpid=topnews) No new revelations here, except for the name of the source, an Administration insider who was W’s man from back in the Texas days. > [@](#): > > McClellan includes the charges in a 341-page book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception,” that delivers a harsh look at the White House and the man he served for close to a decade. He describes Bush as demonstrating a “lack of inquisitiveness,” says the White House operated in “permanent campaign” mode, and admits to having been deceived by some in the president’s inner circle about the leak of a CIA operative’s name. > > The book, coming from a man who was a tight-lipped defender of administration aides and policy, is certain to give fuel to critics of the administration, and McClellan has harsh words for many of his past colleagues. He accuses former White House adviser Karl Rove of misleading him about his role in the CIA case. He describes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as being deft at deflecting blame, and he calls Vice President Cheney “the magic man” who steered policy behind the scenes while leaving no fingerprints. > > McClellan stops short of saying that Bush purposely lied about his reasons for invading Iraq, writing that he and his subordinates were not “employing out-and-out deception” to make their case for war in 2002. > > But in a chapter titled “Selling the War,” he alleges that the administration repeatedly shaded the truth and that Bush “managed the crisis in a way that almost guaranteed that the use of force would become the only feasible option.” _yawn_ Outrage fatigue. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/2 "2008-05-28T14:11:24Z")
Wow. Only an insider could possibly have figured any of that out. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/3 "2008-05-28T14:39:02Z")
He’s selling a book, too. Color me surprised. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/4 "2008-05-28T14:51:37Z")
I have long suspected as much. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/5 "2008-05-28T15:04:36Z")
Well, I’m shocked. Shocked! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/6 "2008-05-28T15:08:24Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. [cheap shot] Cocaine’ll do that to you [/cheap shot] ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/7 "2008-05-28T15:09:16Z")
Here I thought there was a storm coming by the rumbling I heard, but I guess it was actually 99% of the worlds population turning around and saying “Well, duh!” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/8 "2008-05-28T15:11:59Z")
The only good this might do is remind people what a douche Bush is while McCain is painted as Bush Jr during the election. And it’s kinda bad timing for that. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/9 "2008-05-28T15:13:49Z")
Well, I was reading the right wing blogs today, and it turns out that Scotty is a child molester and a drug addict. He rapes goats and pisses on war monuments. He often would pleasure himself behind the podium, and received 3 million dollars from Al Queda to publish his lies. He is clearly lying. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/10 "2008-05-28T16:23:14Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] [cheap shot] Cocaine’ll do that to you [/cheap shot] [/QUOTE] It’s a _hell_ of a drug. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/11 "2008-05-28T16:33:52Z")
WHPS? White House Piece of Shit? ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/12 "2008-05-28T16:37:44Z")
White House Press Secretary ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/13 "2008-05-28T16:44:31Z")
Too bad these folks never seem to grow principles about truth-telling until years after they’ve left the administration. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/14 "2008-05-28T16:55:36Z")
The Bush stuff isn’t news, though it’s nice to see more of it confirmed by someone so close to the source. But what’s despicable is how McClellan blames the media for not doing its job in being more diligent about challenging the administration and its assertions. “Hey guys! Remember when, during the times I wasn’t overtly lying to you, I was being endlessly evasive, parsing my language, and using straw men as cover so as to not have to answer the questions you were asking me all those years? Well, that was _your_ fault!” :rolleyes: Please note that I agree that the media did largely shirk its responsibility in keeping the administration more accountable. But for McClellan to be the one to take such a lofty, high-minded attitude about the role of the 4th estate–when he was chief purveyor of propaganda and spin for BushCo–is beneath contempt. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/15 "2008-05-28T17:07:23Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Too bad these folks never seem to grow principles about truth-telling until years after they’ve left the administration. [/QUOTE] Preach it. For once, I’d like to have someone call a press conference in the middle of the shit storm and say, “OK, now that I have your attention…here’s what’s really going on.” ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/16 "2008-05-28T17:14:12Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] [cheap shot] Cocaine’ll do that to you [/cheap shot] [/QUOTE] Actually, I can sort of understand that. I may have done cocaine once, but I don’t know for sure. I was at a party and was offered it numerous times and I recall turning it down repeatedly. But I was also drinking VERY heavily and can’t discount the possibility that I said yes once. I would like to believe that said no everytime, but I’ll probably never be 100% certain. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/17 "2008-05-28T17:23:20Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Too bad these folks never seem to grow principles about truth-telling until years after they’ve left the administration. [/QUOTE] That was my first thought too. I think the appearance of this book tells us more about Scott McClellan than it does about the Bush administration. I wish one of them would say, during their resignation speech, that the reason they’re resigning is that they can no longer act as the spokesperson for such a corrupt administration. The appearance of this book was as predictable as the rising sun anyway. The standard career path for so many business and political insiders nowdays seems to be a tell-all book, usually a self-serving piece of shit designed to make themselves look good, and then doing the rounds of the talk shows. I hope no-one buys his book, and that the publisher loses money on it. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/18 "2008-05-28T17:26:19Z")
My sarcastic post from above seems to be bearing fruit. Rove has called him “out of the loop” and others are saying that he was in over his head and not intelligent enough for the job. Let the slander commence. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/19 "2008-05-28T17:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] The appearance of this book was as predictable as the rising sun anyway. The standard career path for so many business and political insiders nowdays seems to be a tell-all book, usually a self-serving piece of shit designed to make themselves look good, and then doing the rounds of the talk shows. I hope no-one buys his book, and that the publisher loses money on it. [/QUOTE] Oh, yes, he’s a rat! And when a rat abandons a ship, what does that tell you about the ship? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872/20 "2008-05-28T18:04:20Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] My sarcastic post from above seems to be bearing fruit. Rove has called him “out of the loop” and others are saying that he was in over his head and not intelligent enough for the job. Let the slander commence. [/QUOTE] I heard Rove said “he sounds like a left wing blogger”. 😃 Odd how no one at the time thought he was “over his head and not intelligent enough for the job”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-whps-scott-mcclellan-accuses-w-admin-of-misleading-us-into-iraq/450872.md?page=2)