McClellan Hearings May Be Required, Say Congressmen

***UPDATE***

Think Progress reported this afternoon that White House spokesperson Dana Perino told reporters Friday during a press conference that the White House could possibly stop McClellan from testifying before Congress:

QUESTION: Could the White House block him from testifying, if he wanted to testify? Or how does that work?

PERINO: Conceivably?

QUESTION: Yes.

PERINO: Hypothetically, which I'm not supposed to answer a hypothetical, yes, I think so. The law would allow for that. But by saying that, I'm not suggesting that that's what would happen or not happen.

McClellan himself told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday that he'd be "glad" to testify about the Bush White House. That and he doesn't see himself apologizing to George Bush any time soon:

"I don't need to ask for any forgiveness from him because my comments are sincere and honest ... it was tough getting to the conclusions I drew, but they were absolutely the truth from my perspective."

The Politico says House Judiciary Chair John Conyers is considering a hearing on the McClellan book to determine the real facts surrounding the Valerie Plame scandal.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said today that he plans to begin discussions with former White House press secretary Scott McClellan regarding his participation in a congressional hearing.

"I find Mr. McClellan's revelations about attempts to cover-up the Valerie Plame leak extremely troubling. Particularly disturbing is McClellan's assertion that he was specifically directed by Andy Card to 'vouch' for Scooter Libby after the investigation had begun, which, if true, could amount to obstruction of justice beyond that for which Mr. Libby has already been convicted," said Conyers.

---
Florida Congressman Robert Wexler wants Scott McClellan to testify before Congress on the events in his book.

Former Bush spokesman Scott McClellan should testify under oath on Capitol Hill about his explosive new book in which he sharply criticizes his old boss, a Democratic congressman said Friday.

Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Florida, said McClellan, who served as the president's press secretary before leaving the White House in 2006, would be able to provide valuable insight into a number of issues that the House Judiciary Committee is investigating.

Comments

[lacitepq]

PERINO: Hypothetically, which I'm not supposed to answer a hypothetical, yes, I think so. The law would allow for that. But by saying that, I'm not suggesting that that's what would happen or not happen.

Anybody have a clue what she said? Sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo if you ask me. Can't they find someone better than that for Press Secretary?

[Raymondf]

Oreilly gave him a fair shake last night, I will have to admit with his training he wasn't intemidated by Bill, he held his own.

[Raymondf]

Go ahead waste your tax dollars, you can't touch mine.

[GrouchoMarxist]

Poor, sad little Scott
He's opened a can of worms
Bring on the hearings

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Should have known better
Hindsight, too little too late
So many have died

[GrouchoMarxist]

So sad but so true
He should have gabbed earlier
Now, he has no choice

[AmbivalentGuy]

Too far the truth
so harsh so cruel CYA
depth contrition lacks

[GrouchoMarxist]

LOL! Well played.

[Raymondf]

No hearings. McCain will stop them January 20th 2009.

[veracity]

McClellan's book and TV interviews merely remind of just how insane the American 'news' media has become over the past 8 years. There are 1,000 questions the press/media _should_ be able to ask of the current president, but appallingly, pathetically, ridiculously refuse to do so.

For example, "Mr. President, how do you justify tax-cuts for billinaires in time of war, while your administration, and your Dept. of Defense, force combat troops to go back to tours of duty in Iraq that many thousands of them do not want to be forced to repeat. Why are billionaires entitled to tax cuts, while those who volunteered for 2, 3, and 4 year enlistments, are subject to the back-door 'stop-loss' draft?"

#1a. Do you really believe that tax cuts for billionaires will grow the economy?
#2. Do you still believe that your energy policy, of ENCOURAGING GLUTTONOUS CONSUMPTION, is good for America?
#3. Do you really believe that all the DEBT your adminstration has accrued to American taxpayers is a good thing?
#4. Do you think it was a good thing for Vice President Cheney to have sold Saddam Hussein's Iraq oil-field equipment - when he was Chairman and CEO of Halliburton corpo - at a time when US Air Force and Navy aircraft were bombing Iraqi positions, enforcing the No-Fly-Zones, during the late 1990s?
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/iraq1/oilforfood/2001/0627chen.htm

[Raymondf]

Looks like another street person for D.C.

[AmbivalentGuy]

Favorite interview with McClellen?
Mine is Terry Gross' on Fresh Air (NPR)
here's a link
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91061991

Some talking points
1) Bush seemed to choose to be isolated from public opinion and opposing viewpoints.
For instance after Scowcroft advised against war, he was seen less.
2) He doesn't listen to opposing viewpoints or read opinion pieces -
since he already knows what they will say.
3) On newspapers - he skims the papers, ad sometimes reads a article.
4) Hagee could always get some one on the phone at the WH.

Terri really presses him.

Disclosure - I have a crush on Terry Gross.

Local FOX (Chicago) talking about Clinton and Tues- "and she might finally concede",
said in a falling sigh, sort of a "just go away" subtext.
(I'm not bashing, pointing out a local FOX push).

RIP Bo Diddley, inventor of rock and roll.

[Raymondf]

Not according to McAulliff

[AmbivalentGuy]

Thanks anyway,
but when I express my opinion, it is my opinion.
You should try it sometimes.

[PatrickforO]

I'll tell you "What Happened?" The chickens are coming home to roost.

[Vinca]

T o, PatrickforO: Indeed the chickens are coming to roost, BUT ARE BUSH AND INVINCIBLE?

[obamanation31]

I'll be reading this book.

[deminmo]

Bush always opposed anyone testifying because it would
compromise "national security". If what Scott says is fact,
hasn't Bush already done that? So, how could Scott be protected
so that he can present, under oath, what is in his book?

[jbeach]

The difference is, other former White House personnel like Karl Rove, et al don't *want* to testify. They're using the "national security" as an excuse to avoid it.

There is actually nothing preventing McClellan from testifying under oath, he would have full protection and Bush actually can't prevent him from saying anything he wants to, as long as it doesn't actually reveal something that's actually classified - which is not anything McClellan would know as press flack anyway.

Ditto for Karl Rove - if "national security" really was at stake, Rove could still testify - just behind closed doors but under oath, and then blacked out as need be in a transcript. Or, with agreed-upon lines of questioning ahead of time, that don't go near actual national security issues. Or any of a hundred other ways, as well.

[deminmo]

Dana Perino alluded to Bush using Executive Privilage
to prevent Scott from testifying under oath. That was what
I meant in the previous post. How would he, Scott, prevent
that move from the White House? Doesn't Bush decide
what is "classified"?

[ObamaEdwards]

The still-puffed-up White House admin will not be able to stop him. Bush and his minions are still strutting around pretending the laws they broke and then changed to accommodate themselves will stay in the background. They won't. This country needs to PURGE Bush-Chene­y-Rove-Rum­sfeld-Rice­. We have to prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that we can address evil in our midst, and punish people who subvert the Constitution and our government and our laws to do whatever they want.

[darcy]

Well said, ObamaEdwards!

[JennyJay]

Let's all say it together - - - - -IMPEACHMENT BUSH/CHENY.

[whitey7]

Hasn't his 15 minutes run out yet? Next victim please.

[JeffersonState]

Puzzling...

Not the Scott we onece knew

[paul1190]

dana perino makes me sick. dont say anything about dear king george. how does she think that makes the white house look? trying to stop scott mcclellean from talking to congress. hey dana,whats to hide????????

[badinko]

dont be so hard on perino....remember that McClellan probably made you even sicker when he had her job.

they are just messengers: they do not make policy decision and have little influence over those do. Her job is to tote the administrations message, regardless of whether it is ridiculous.

forget about annoying press secretaries and continuously attack the message.....she may one day write her own tell all book about the administration's hypocripsy.

In the meantime, you can not expect her to do more than what her job description states and you should not hate her for it either.

[JeanPaulSatire]

It took 34 years, but John Dean finally has someone who can truly understand what he went through.

[The Hedonistic Pleasureseeker]

Oh, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Just what we need: Another person stating for the record that the sky is, indeed, BLUE.

One day the Huffpo censors will let this through: There is solid evidence that this 24/7 media circus surrounding the Mclellan book is a cover story for WORSE revelations about this Administration, such as the proof of Halliburton TREASON sitting in Congressman Waxman's office. Hello, MEDIA? Grow some cojones and cover the story already

This is damage control, nothing more. In the face of horrific revelations the NeoCons have decided to finally admit to what every thinking person already knows. Whoopie doo.

[badinko]

right on, way to keep the eye on the prize but the sade truth is there have been distractions all along to prevent the media from talking about: secret energy policy, enron and MCI worldcomm, underfunding of "No child left behind" (or "leave em all behind" as it should be called), the untrue 9/11 investigation, all the contradictorty evidence in the run-up-to-war, the Valerie Plame fiasco, the firing of US attorney, the appointment of cronies to cabinet positions, the botched Katrina response, the pentagon's inability to track hundreds of billion's of dollars, Blackwater mercenaries, Halliburton bribes and payouts, the "prescription drug benefit" (to pharmaceuticals), to any of the other numerous scandals.

Sadly, I blame Congress for letter this happen, not Bush. Bush is a criminal and always has been. You cannot expect an incompetent crook to act any different. All those weenies in Congress should have discovered some spines and stopped it then. Save for a rare few, the whole Congress should be tossed out, especially most of the democrats.

[theyak]

And how would the 'spineless weenies' have done a damn thing when the GOP majority blocked any investigation or hearings? You sound like you're trying to rewrite history nad hide the fact that it was a completely GOP controlled government that did not allow, but MADE this happen.

[Durango]

There are no "secret scandals" waiting to appear.

The Bush Administration corruption has been done in plain sight. Almost out in the open. They have been so certain of their controls of power they haven't bothered to hide anything.

Which is not to say there won't be startling revelations to come.

But we all know (or should know) the basic outlines of their criminal activities.

Everyone, except the media that is.