# Scott McClellan: Bad Guy, or Innocent Shill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 19, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292 "2006-04-19T14:14:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/41 "2006-04-20T19:25:01Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Bugs Moran’s hitmen could make the same argument. Anybody could make the argument about any job, I just think this is a case where it’s particularly legit. Somebody else lied and obfuscated for the Bush administration before Scott McClellan did it, and someone else will do it soon when he’s gone. It doesn’t speak well for his conscience, perhaps, but I don’t think he perpetuated much harm himself. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/42 "2006-04-20T19:32:24Z")
I vote B :o d Shill. ---
**Author:** ![Rachm\_Qoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Rachm\_Qoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachm_Qoch)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/43 "2006-04-20T23:10:41Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > But that’s just the thing, he wasn’t by any means slick or well prepared. He would stammer and circle like the President himself. Now that isn’t evidence of him being unintelligent, but given the President’s own problems with speaking, I simply cannot fathom why they hired McClellan in the first place. He was the poor likeable schmuck; too in over his head for his own good. That’s what made him effective. Journalists had too much pity on him to attack him aggressivley. Can’t look too spiffy beating up on poor ol’ George Costanza. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/44 "2006-04-21T01:10:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Anybody could make the argument about any job, I just think this is a case where it’s particularly legit. Somebody else lied and obfuscated for the Bush administration before Scott McClellan did it, and someone else will do it soon when he’s gone. It doesn’t speak well for his conscience, perhaps, but I don’t think he perpetuated much harm himself. It seems to me that obfuscating for GW, Cheney _et al_ muddies the waters enough that the likes of GW-Cheney get reelected in the face of what I think was an atrocious first term performance in terms of the national good. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/45 "2006-04-21T01:22:35Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > It seems to me that obfuscating for GW, Cheney _et al_ muddies the waters enough that the likes of GW-Cheney get reelected in the face of what I think was an atrocious first term performance in terms of the national good. There are so many people who did more on that front (like Bush and Cheney themselves) that I don’t think McClellan’s fifteen months make him very guilty. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/46 "2006-04-21T01:52:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There are so many people who did more on that front (like Bush and Cheney themselves) that I don’t think McClellan’s fifteen months make him very guilty. Well sure. Bush and Cheney and Rove probably deserve being stripped of all assets and turned out to live on the street. McClellan should probably get off with forty lashes on the foreskin. 😉 That doesn’t make him an innocent victim of circumstances. With a resume like he would have, if continually dissembling and obfuscating had ever gotten to be too much for him he could have given it up and got a good job elsewhere. Of course he would have to give up the feeling of being at the very hub of world shaking events, but peace of mind also has some value. The continued bobbing and weaving and evading never seemed to bother him and it would seem it still doesn’t. He seemingly didn’t leave willingly but was pushed out. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/47 "2006-04-22T15:21:53Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > He seemingly didn’t leave willingly but was pushed out. Come now. That’s like saying that George Tenet left his job to ‘spend more time with his family.’ -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292/48 "2006-04-24T04:08:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Simpsons joke, adapted from Earl Warren being a Supreme Court Chief Justice and a stripper. Best not to worry about it. A nitpick: _The Simpsons_ got it wrong; the title is actually “Chief Justice of the United States.” See 28 U.S.C. 1. Not that I expect absolute accuracy from that show on anything law-related… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-bad-guy-or-innocent-shill/353292.md?page=2)