Scott McClellan Grabs A Seat At The Former-Bush-Aide-Turned-Author Table

Long before the White House Press Corps became saddled with Dana "The Gift That Keeps On Giving" Perino, they got to receive their briefings from Scott "The Gift That Gave As Well As He Could Given The Relative Lack Of Confidence He Had In Just About Everything He Was Ever Asked To Say" McClellan. McClellan stepped down from the position in May of 2006, and has since penned a book that will finally allow him to do what he never could as press secretary: tell all.

Public Affairs, who will be publishing the book, has posted this excerpt, which gives one a helping of insight into how McClellan views his years of service:

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, Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the president himself.

McClellan's book is titled What Happened, after the question he muttered to himself every night before the clutches of fitful sleep claimed him, and is scheduled for an April 2008 release.

UPDATES:
The Politico notes that McClellan intimated in a March 2007 appearance on Larry King Live that the President "did not originally know about the involvement by his aides."

McClellan: "I spoke with those individuals, ... and those individuals assured me they were not involved in this. ... said what I believed to be true at the time. It was also what the president believed to be true at the time based on assurances that we were both given. Knowing what I know today, I would have never said that back then."

Comments

[aznurse]

What? He found out he's dying? Time to confess?

[bushmocker]

Klieg lights my ass,you thought you were star,you saw them as spotlights­.Scott,you­r job was press secretary,not criminal consort.This is only a slice of the crap you fed the American public.Your book contract payments should be funneled into the prison account you should open after being convicted.Everyone knew you were a weasel boy,even Bush and Cheney,they knew you were a schmuck and that you would do as you were told,and you did.

[Bernique]

I am adding my voice to the many, many who have responded to this news, and I want to say, thank you, Scott McClellan. You always seemed so decent, and "they", not, that I was relieved for you when you left.

And if this sinks Bush-Cheney, you will have my everlasting gratitude.

[doinaheckofajob]

Neocons, excons ad con artists.
What do they have in common?
The GOP as their home.

[Centaur]

Well, let's see what happens to "lil scotty". The "repukes" will go non-stop to discredit him, you know, the usual, i.e. "trying to cash in on a book deal" e.t.c. The Dems should move immediately to supoena him to testify under oath and once the truth has finally been told then impeachment proceedings should be the next step followed by charges of treason for all who were involved.

[Birdman]

Gee Scottie why not tell me something I did not already know. When you look at who has clearances who would normally know Plame was working at the CIA it only points to Bush and Cheney. I mean they would have the security clearances to know, no one else would know, but somehow Rove and Scooter found out or were told, since they worked in the whitehouse that means they were told by Bush or Cheney.

[bushmocker]

"If I knew then what I know now?" What does he mean "now"? Last week? Last month? Last year?The Year before?The no good son of BBBBB should have brought it up as soon as he knew,not wait to get paid like a lying little weasel.

[loki]

Wow, Im shocked McClellan would even say such a thing. What happened for him to loose drop his loyalty to Satan and his minion? Maybe they didnt come through with a certain promise, and he is getting back at them?? I mean, its not like Bush tells the truth about anything anyway.
My only question is now that he has come forward and told this, does anyone have the balls to do anything about it? Or is it going to be treated like all the other illegal things Bush and Co have done over his terms in power, nothing.
I dont know what they have on the rest of DC , but whatever it is, it enables them to do anything they want, illegal or not.

[LizDexic]

Can you say OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE???

What did Scotty tell Fitz (who now looks somewhat less noble than when he was pursuing I.Scooter.)?

Isn't *that* the question? That's when he was under oath.
(After Ron Zieg-LIAR, Nixon's press secretary, the bar was set pretty low...)

[TLV]

I know this is off-topic, but maybe it will bring a bit of cheer to the Democratic majority of this country and to this blog:
The Attorney General for the state of Ohio is just about to do an in-depth investigation into the 2004 election theft in Ohio!!!!

The representative from the Republican Party, John McClelland, who offered a comment on the issue acted just like the spoiled, guilty child grader you might expect him to act like. He said the allegations are "Crazy! Case closed!" My, my. That's not very mature is it?

Here's another asinine thing he did in regards to Al Franken. Liar, liar, liar. Silly me. I could have just typed Republican, Republican, Republican.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/27/ohio-franken-smear/

[RedRooster]

Action Alert!

Dear shoppers, you too, can make a difference this holiday season...

Whenever you visit a bookstore, simply pick up a copy of Republican-authored trash, and "re-shelve" it.

And remember, there are only a few short weeks remaining in the holiday shopping season to make these books "fly off the shelf".

[Colin742]

N I G H T M A R E : Fred Thomson wins nomination and chooses Jeb Bush as running mate. They are elected. Climbing the Capitol steps to be sworn in, Fred CROAKS. With Barbara Bush holding the bible, Bush 41 & 43 grinning, Bush 44 is sworn in. Please God Save the USA.

[whizkid]

ethnobotanist
I agree with dochollywood, some posters really need to get a grip...or it's the trolls trying to inflame the most reactive posters here again.

Either way, the book isn't out yet, you don't know the facts, and jumping the gun does not qualify what you write.
----------­----------­----------

But if Bob BS writes about how Hillary may have
some dish about Obama, without detail - FOX has a week of material.
This all deserves our remark.

[Bluedanube]

What a surprise! You mean Republican spokespeople are willing to lie for their Party? What came first the Party or the Country?

[ethnobotanist]

I agree with dochollywood, some posters really need to get a grip...or it's the trolls trying to inflame the most reactive posters here again.

Either way, the book isn't out yet, you don't know the facts, and jumping the gun does not qualify what you write.

Because of all that's happened, being vigilant for facts, and seeking only the truth regarding everyone - including those in the highest offices in the us., is most valuable now, as its supply is low.

While we seek to expose and correct what's wrong, we mustn't be hypocrits...think about what some people write on here - it's not always what we represent, or aspire to.

The trolls - usually embarrass themselves.