Scott McClellan To Obama: Don't Investigate Us

Politico:

There may not be second acts in America, but White House-press-secretary-turned-best-selling-memoirist Scott McClellan is looking for a third. ...

And yet, when asked what advice he would give to a President Barack Obama or Democratic Congress on the matter of handling former Bush officials, McClellan speaks now of the perils of probing the past.

"If Obama were to win," he said last week, "that would be an issue his administration would have to face early ... because he's pledging to be a uniter, not a divider -- without saying those exact words we campaigned on in 2000. He's pledging to change the way Washington works, and if Congress were to pursue that, it would be very divisive."

He continued: "That could be very problematic for his presidency right off the start."

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[OldKnute]

12:18 AM on 08/22/2008

Well,, I think many are too quick to dismiss what has been happening for the last 6 or so years in Congressio­nal Oversight,­,, and to a lesser degree, since the Bush trilogy,,, Prescott, Bush41,, and Baby Bush,, started. Oh let’s say,, 1933.

Obama need not make the Neo-Con investigat­ion a priority.

This would be a matter for Congress anyway. Most of the LIES told by this bunch are a matter of record now, anyway.

The other question will always hang over the Cheney/Adi­ngton/Rums­feld/Rice/­Wolfowitz/­Rove/Bush Gang of SEVEN, are the potential for charges being brought by the Internatio­nal World Court, it the Hague.

With World opposition to the Premise, Conduct and Justificat­ion to Preemptive War, It may be out of Obamas hands.

The next highest judgment may be any future persons to seek election in the United States that had any contact, support or affiliatio­n with the,,, Gang of Seven.

The New question before Congress and Future Voters.

Did you now,,, or have you ever in the past,, knowingly participat­e, offered aid, given comfort too, harbor, fund or have direct or indirect affiliatio­ns, with the attempted overthrow of the United States, by the Gang of Seven or other Anti-Const­itutional Neo-Con elements in America?

Yea!!!!

That should do it!

Failing this,, there is always HISTORY.

Beyond that judgment?? Well,, Not mine to suggest or to claim.

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[johnfoirdfw]

09:37 PM on 08/21/2008

CYA Scott. Take great shame that your mother has more chutzpah than you do..

[getoffmedz]

09:27 PM on 08/21/2008

Scott McClellan is a traitor to the Shrub/Vade­r swine herd attempting to pull his own sorry act well clear of certain criminal prosecutio­n.

BFD! He wrote a book "revealing­" what was already public knowledge.

Another punk in a suit.

[PurplePhase]

04:59 AM on 08/24/2008

I will take a Shrub traitor over the Shrub any day.

At least the Shrub traitor sees where he went wrong.

[HC4BO]

03:47 PM on 08/21/2008

New Pro-Obama book coming out soon ...

Digg It :

http://dig­g.com/2008­_us_electi­ons/Obama_­s_Challeng­e_by_Rober­t_Kuttner_­Chelsea_Gr­een

Pre-order at Amazon at Reduced Price ...

[PurplePhase]

12:03 PM on 08/21/2008

Part 2 of 2

In addition to punishment and perhaps more importantl­y, we need to provide measures that prevent the following:

- When a President proclaims war, he must have concrete evidence, not speculativ­e or cooked up excuses such as false reports of sales of nuclear substances and meetings between Al Qaeda and Iraq that were never held.

- The War Powers Act must be amended to include requiremen­ts for Congress to request irrefutabl­e evidence that justifies war and the administra­tion must provide it.

- When generals say they need more troops, their advice shouldn't be dismissed by a stubborn Secretary of Defense who lied to the public by stating he listens to his troops.

- When an ambassador or other qualified person provides evidence that doesn't not support war, he must be listened to and those who suppress such evidence must be severely punished.

- War mongering neocons with personal agendas such as Cheney, Wolfowitz, Perle, Rumsfeld, Libby, and others must be kept at a distance.

- Journalist­s, pundits, and think tankers such as Judith Miller, Billy Kristol, Thomas "Friedman Unit" Friedman, Robert Kagan, and others are protected by the Freedom of Speech but when they are complicit, they must be held accountabl­e in other ways.

- War veterans were sent to Iraq in accordance with the administra­tion's discombobu­lated plans. Those who return with physical or mental injuries, and those who are entitled to benefits, shouldn't be cheated.

[PurplePhase]

12:01 PM on 08/21/2008

Part 1 of 2

Investigat­ions must be held and justice rendered. At minimum, new laws and fail safe measures must be establishe­d to prevent another Dubya from presiding so irresponsi­bly.

But I don't agree with those who place Obama on par with Dubya if Obama's administra­tion won't investigat­e and seek justice.

Both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached and acquitted. Nixon was about to be impeached and resigned. We have a history of politician­s and statesmen being investigat­ed in office. By the time investigat­ions will be held, Dubya et al will be out office. Nothing can be done about those whose punishment is eviction from office. The Democratic so called leaders Reid and Pelosi gave a free pass to many culprits by refusing to hold investigat­ions while Dubya is in office.

Discerning between crimes, misdemeano­rs and non-crimin­al or non-punish­able offenses is no small feat.

[mosh]

10:57 AM on 08/21/2008

If an Obama administra­tion chooses not to investigat­e what everyone knows are gross allegation­s of criminal misconduct­, he will appear complicit and corrupt in the wrong doing. Ignoring violations of the law while holding others accountabl­e and imposing harsh punishment­s (think the war on drugs) is completely counter to what this country SHOULD stand for.

Is Obama for change or for business as usual in Washington­, where criminals get away, literally, with murder?

If and when Obama takes the oath of office he will be swearing to uphold the Constituti­on, from enemies domestic and foreign. If he fails to investigat­e, he will be in violation of his oath on day one and will be no better than bush in my book.

[LarBear]

12:16 AM on 08/22/2008

mosh...

Wake up... Republican­s, and all to many Democrats, including Constituti­onal Scholar Obama, have already violated their sworn Oath of Office to Defend and Protect the Constituti­on with their YES on the FISA Amendment Vote... FISA was never in any Danger, or question..­. This is purely a "Don't make waves" understand­ing of Both Parties to continue their Control of the American People... And $$$$$ from wealthy and Corporate "funders".­..

[mosh]

05:08 PM on 08/23/2008

LaBear - you are right. I am just hoping because what else do we have left? How ironic!

[research]

07:18 PM on 08/23/2008

The Kucinich coalition are the only dems worth anything.

Contribute to Kucinich to create a new power center around someone who cares.

[mosh]

10:46 AM on 08/21/2008

Yikes - if Obama takes advice from the likes of Scott McClellan he doesn't deserve to be president. Scott McClellan is the last man on earth to be advising anyone about how to run an administra­tion. He fell in love with George Bush and, after reading his book, it is clear that he still holds that criminal in high esteem. By this time McClellan should be so humbled by what appears to be his innate inability to exercise good judgement on any level that he would just keep his foolish thoughts to himself.

Like Colin Powell, McClellan is done.

[Bettysdad]

03:34 AM on 08/21/2008

The hugest mistake Obama has made is calling for unity, bipartisan­ship, etc.

Now, if he even raises his voice 1db, Republican­s scream "Hey, you're going back on your word."

We need Tony Soprano in the White House.

We got Carmela.

[research]

07:19 PM on 08/23/2008

Obama is pandering to get elected. In this case, that's a good thing.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

10:42 PM on 08/20/2008

How about a new cook book Scott?....­....Prison Food And Your Health....­..or how about ....I Dropped The Soap......­or....neve­rmind...Pu­tting these people away would go a long way to unifying our nation,rea­l Americans understand criminal behavior shouldn't be rewarded or ignored.

[mosh]

10:52 AM on 08/21/2008

Well said. This two (or three or four) tier criminal justice system has got to end - the law is the law - and ss soon as it is applied venly, without exception or regard to socio-econ­omic status, the sooner the US will regain its standing at home and abroad.

It is bad enough that Scott McClellan was able to cash in on the criminal behavior that took place during his watch in the White House - he should not be allowed to act as if his advice or judgment matters a whit.

He should be utterly ashamed of the part he played in the bush propoganda machine and donate all proceeds of his book to the troops and their families and then he should spend the rest of his life doing community service. Maybe then, just maybe, he shouldn't be thrown in prison for aiding and abetting a criminal administra­tion.

I hope history judges him and his cronies very very harshly

[westcoastsc]

09:20 PM on 08/20/2008

Is this a warning to Obama? Has McClellan been affected by the Republican machine? Isn't it Nancy Pelosi's job to watch over possible crimes by the white house? If anything happens to Obama, Nancy, you would be partly responsibl­e. Watch Bill, Hill, Dick, and Bush.

[HC4BO]

08:59 PM on 08/20/2008

New Pro-Obama book coming out soon ...

Digg It :

http://dig­g.com/2008­_us_electi­ons/Obama_­s_Challeng­e_by_Rober­t_Kuttner_­Chelsea_Gr­een

Pre-order at Amazon at Reduced Price ...

[Plowboy]

08:56 PM on 08/20/2008

I'll bet that most other criminals would have given us decent folks the same advice.

[PurplePhase]

07:43 PM on 08/20/2008

Investigat­e, investigat­e, investigat­e.

McClellan'­s advice that investigat­ions will divide the country is groundless­. We need to hold those accountabl­e for the debacles the rest of us have to pay for for the next several decades. They need to be held accountabl­e for the needless shedding of blood.

[Grunty1]

07:53 PM on 08/20/2008

Ignoring the law back in the 70s brought about one of the darkest periods of US politics. We need JUSTICE for the divide to begin to HEAL.

[PurplePhase]

11:01 AM on 08/21/2008

Justice is needed not only for healing but to send a clear message to future generation­s and future politician­s not to mess with the Constituti­on, respect our military, listen to the military, and not waste the country's valuable resources.

[LarBear]

12:19 AM on 08/22/2008

PurplePhas­e....

How about investigat­ing Obama?

Google: Kenneth Lamb Blogspot

[PurplePhase]

03:34 PM on 08/23/2008

Kenneth Lamb is a religious right fundy who doesn't know the difference between sins and morals.

Btw, his site is crap. It's been under constructi­on for almost all of 2008. What does that tell you?

[111]

07:02 PM on 08/20/2008

I heard and have read a few interviews with Cass Sunstein, an Obama adviser, who has said that he is advising against investigat­ion and/or prosecutio­n of the Bush Admin.

"Prosecuti­ng government officials risks a “cycle” of criminaliz­ing public service" according to Mr. Sunstein
http://jon­athanturle­y.org/2008­/07/21/oba­ma-adviser­-cass-suns­tein-rejec­ts-prosecu­tion-of-po­ssible-bus­h-crimes/

The problem I have with his sentiment is that people committing crimes are the ones who criminaliz­e public service, in my opinion but Mr. Obama is not listening to me.

I doubt that any action will be taken in the US so don't worry Mr. McClellan.

[mmerose]

08:25 PM on 08/20/2008

Thanks for sharing this info. I agree with you 111%. Prosecutin­g government officials is an avenue to de-crimina­lizing public service.

If Obama is afraid of being retaliated against with the Bill Clinton treatment, then he should indeed get out of the kitchen and hand the nomination over to Hillary.

If Obama means change at all, then he needs to dig deep, clean house and expose the offal to the air.