In Defense of Scott McClellan

Right now Scott McClellan has no friends, and that's a shame. His former friends on the Republican side are trying to bury him. The rest of us are still skeptical of him and what he did when he was still in the Bush White House. And the press is trying to be tough on him specifically because he called them out for not being tough enough when he was press secretary.

So, we have this ironic situation that in a time when McClellan is finally being honest, he has no defenders. I'm afraid this is going to lead the public to the false impression that the world is united in thinking he is a calculating opportunist who is trying to make a buck by turning on his friends. When, in fact, the reality is that the man finally grew a conscience.

Throughout the book and his interviews, McClellan talks about how he grew uneasy throughout his time with Bush and finally his conscience got the better of him. I believe him. Why?

Would it have been better if he dramatically stepped to the podium one day while he was still White House press secretary and said, "We have been doing an organized propaganda campaign to deceive the American people and I resign!"? Yes, that would have been better. But 99 out of a 100 times that's not the way the real world works. You get caught up in whatever subculture you're in and it's hard to untangle yourself.

Have you ever been in a situation where you wound up doing something you were uncomfortable with because of societal pressure and then later wondered -- what the hell was I doing? I don't know about you, but I certainly have.

Now, this was no little thing. This was a gigantic mistake that eventually costs thousands of lives. And yes, I would have loved if he admitted his mistakes and pointed out the lies of the Bush administration without the publicity surrounding a book. Yes, I wish he had the courage to recognize this earlier (as some like Richard Clarke and Paul O'Neill did -- but remember, they too were pilloried anyway).

But right now, the bottom line is that McClellan is clearly telling the truth. Everything he says matches with what has been reported and suspected before. It is an amazing insider look at the deception that went on in the Bush White House. Even his explanation of how Bush convinces himself of his own lies rings so true. His details on how Cheney and Rumsfeld ran the White House while Condoleezza Rice bowed her head matches every report we have from within the administration.

And remember, he didn't have to be this harsh to sell books. A couple of juicy details would have done the job. This was personal. Not as in a personal attack against Bush and the others in the administration. More like an attempt at personal redemption.

As McClellan says throughout the book, he liked Bush and looked up to him, so he wanted to believe what he was saying. And in the end, after so much evidence piled up -- with the final coup de grace being Bush's own admission that he personally authorized the CIA leak -- he couldn't do it anymore. Once outside of the Washington bubble, he began to reflect on all of the transgressions, his and those of his cohorts, and realized he had to write a truly honest account of what happened. That should be commended, no matter what came before.

One final note. People should not overlook what McClellan said about the press. That's the real lesson to take away from this book. While the Bush administration was complaining loudly about the liberal media, they were internally snickering about how much they had intimidated them. That lesson should never be forgotten. The way the Bush administration cowed the press should be an everlasting shame on the media. I wonder if instead of reacting angrily to this, whether the press corps will take away anything from this when they step out of their bubble and come to terms with their own conscience.

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Comments

[oafishcad]

Is Bush and Cheney's Impeachment back on the table? If not what's the point? More yes I was right self congratulations from our side, but no real substance. I want to see some cause and effect. Bush and Cheney in prison for the rest of their lives for example.

[Genisa]

I'm gald you wrote this. I hate it when people jump on the bandwagon to persecute someone. Reminds me of the verse, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

I'm not giving the guy a free pass, but look, he was caught up. Do you know what would have happened to him had he stood up and said anything... We see how this administration gets down. They're the real OGs (Original Gangsters). They would have shut his behind down with the quickness.

Truthfully, I'm more mad at Colin Powell than McClellan. McClellan is at least attempting to do the right thing and tell the truth, albeit a lil' late in the game. Powell ain't. And in my mind he was the key to selling the war and I'm sure he know what the heck was really going.

[DocWylie]

Thank you Cenk for your concice analysis.
It MUST be increasingly obvious even to the apparently large legion of logically challanged out there that the now predictable modus operandii of this criminal conspiracy is to attempt to smear all those previously loyal folks THAT GWB and Co. BROUGHT ON BOARD themselves (appointments) but were smart enough to figure out what was going on and got the hell out, as "disgruntled ex-employees."

Their strategy is really rather simple...(if you have children you've heard it before ) attach to them the label they are about to attach to you FIRST, or if not first at least LOUDER and more often.

Miss Rice, I believe the lady doth protesteth too much.

[Susanfrom29]

Not buying it. Sorry, too many good people examined their own beliefs and walked away from this administration long time ago. I have no sympathy for a man who comes out with a book when it is too late to do any good.

[darcy]

Susan, I totally agree with you. Being complicit in causing the death of thousands of people and destroying the economy of the U.S. and trampling the constitution - this can only be the act of a sociopath.

To Cenk: People do not "grow" a conscience; they either have one or they dont.

[DocWylie]

...people don't "grow" a conscience... rather cynical at best.

so they are born with one or not??

are consciences genetic???

maybe the LACK of conscience is due to congenital factors, or upbringing, I just don't think the jury is in on that one yet. So far the literature is inconclusive.


So believe whatever fairy tale you desire but I suspect there is a LOT more to these events than we are privy to, I prefer to keep an open mind till I have read the book and more facts come out, isn't that the progressive thing to do?

[DennyCrane]

I agree. I'm glad he came forward, even if it looks like he's doing it to sell his book. The point is that he's finally speaking the truth. Of course, the MSM will be sure to paint him as just a disguntled ex-employee looking to cash in. McClellan makes Bush look bad, but he makes the media look even worse and that's why they'll do everything they can to discredit him.

[OSUMercutio]

I agree. Also I would argue that publishing this in a book, instead of merely giving out a few interviews, allows this subject to get more attention. Every news show I watch, a quote passages from the book and discuss them. Whether this has any long-term effect or not remains to be seen, but at least we're talking about it again. As for him making money on the book, Bush basically destroyed his career - I assume he's had trouble finding work after his stint in the White House.

[hartkid]

I would be willing to forgive his lack of conscience when it most mattered if he would give all profits of the book to the families of disabled and killed veterans or the relief effort of displaced Iraqi citizens. Might even buy a copy. I won't hold my breath.

[TheKnownTruth]

I'll forgive him whether he does it or not. The bottomline is this guy will need every penny he gets to live. The Bush machine has marked him. Now more GOP jobs anywhere for him. It will take years for him to recover. What about the pending criminal battles he will no doubt be involved in. This is just the beginning of a long tough journey for this young man.

My prayers are with him since he has become the equivalent to a "snitch".

Think ...have a nice day ....

[ramblingjohnny]

Well my Amazon order already in and since their a one to three weeks of delay I say he is selling them like cupcake! And peoples who say he is doing it for money well why not this is America if you got a product sell it! The book is not that expensive at $15.37 anyway mturk is paying for it! lollll

[VegasDem]

He'll make a ton off of this book and I guarantee he'll either be appearing on television regularly as a political analyst, or have a television or radio show within three years.

There is no such thing as bad press for him in this situation.

Yes, it is too little too late, but he could have just kept his mouth shut, which would have been worse.

[gregjones]

AMERICA'S STARTING TO WAKE UP.....FINALLY !!!!!!!!!! And for those who don't know why the media would be pro-war, let's take nbc/msnbc for example. Both are owned by General Electric. G.E. also owns a company called Raytheon The following is from Raytheons website "Raytheon became the first company to develop a missile guidance system that could hit a flying target. The company's early experimental missiles, including the history-making Lark, contained a guidance system in which both the radar transmitter and receiver were carried in the nose of the missile itself. However, this type of guidance system, called an active seeker, had a limited homing range, and Raytheon later developed a semi-active seeker with the radar transmitter stationary at the missile firing point while the receiver, which picked up the signal bouncing off the target, was located on the missile". In other words Raytheon is one of the largest defense contractors in the world (makes bombs, tanks, missiles, etc.)and is making TONS of money through the Iraq invasion. G.E.'s stock has been going down in every category except the defense contracting division. THIS IS ALL ABOUT BIG MONEY. DON'T BE FOOLED ANY LONGER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The head of Raytheon belongs to the same religious group as Hillary. Hillary has NO INTENSION of stopping the Iraq War. She only says 'I will start pulling out troops in my first 60 days'. DON'T BE FOOLED ANYMORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[robiform]

Cenk is right, especially on the failures of the MSM during the first five years of this administration. It wasn't until the Katrina disaster, when it became obvious to everyone but the dittoheads that this crew of criminals shouldn't be running the local sanitation department, let alone the national government, that the MSM woke up and started doing critical pieces on BushCo. I watched the three network anchors yesterday during their promotion for the cancer program, and I wasn't surprised to hear Charlie Gibson defend the MSM's coverage of the Iraq failure. After all, he was one of the moderators of that awful Obama-Clinton debate in Pennsylvania! But, I've heard other members of the media defend the way they covered BushCo--sorry, but there's no defending the indefensible!

[ihavenobias]

Excellent article Cenk. You really nailed this, especially the last part about how the real issue here is the failure of the press. Sadly, I'm not optimistic about how they'll handle criticism of themselves, at least based on most of what I'm seen so far on cable news.

David Gregory is the perfect example of a very defensive media figure who refuses to acknowledge that he could and should have done a much better job questioning and reporting on this White House. His pride and ego will never allow him (or countless other members of the press like him) to reflect honestly on this critical issue.

[MxPt]

Yet another insightful comment. Thank you.

Four years ago, Ukrainian television journalists told their viewers on air that they would stop lying to them, and began wearing orange ribbons in support of the Orange Revolution. They assumed that they would be immediately fired, at least, and had reason to fear even worse consequences. America used to be "the land of the free and the home of the brave". What happened?

[HeevenSteven]

I think we need some laws about concerning the way this administration linked access by the press to favorable coverage of them. If it's not actually a crime, it ought to be.

[TRex86]

Yes, the cowardly MSM (along with a docile Congress) permitted the travesties of the Bush administration. Without Pacifica and later Air America (for all its flaws) there would have been no countervailing voices in the 4th estate. Nonetheless, it wasn't a difficult matter to see the lies that led to the illegal invasion of Iraq. It has not taken much to see how far we have gone down the road to an authoritarian fascist state. When journalism becomes a part of the celebrity cult with big money and perks--wholly owned by right wing corporate America--the rest is easy. No hard questions. No push back. A bunch of overpaid stengraphers with expensive hairdo's.
Our Congress is little better. With few exceptions there was no Wayne Morse or Ernest Gruening to stand up to the executive branch. On the way to Iraq I begged my Senators (Feinstein and Boxer) to take a principled stand. Lotsa luck. The obvious cure is to break up the corporate ownership of the broadcast media and require true public interest programming in prime time. Doing this in step with campaign finance reform would go a long way towards the restoration of real democracy. Failing to do so leaves us at risk. To get there we must have a majority of reform minded Democrats in the Congress--and a Democratic president.

[Colaholic]

About time someone on the left defended McClellan. He'll certainly get enough attacks from the right without the left doing their job for them. Interesting that the right is bringing out all of the same old attack cliches they've used in the past--out of the loop, only doing it for the money, must be a little crazy-although the traitor implication is a new one. But some in the media are starting to use this as a jumping off place for their own criticism of the MSM complicity in the Bush propaganda machine.

[westwind]

Out of all the odious, shameless White House spokespeople that have stood behind that podium and lied for this administration, Scott McLellan always looked the least comfortable doing it. Fleischer, Snow and Perino quite obviously sold whatever conscienses they may once have had, to their masters.

This does not excuse McLellan for his part in enabling the administration's crimes, but his uncomfortable demeanor showed that he was never able to lie to himself the way they all lied to the American people.

It may be way too late, but truth is always welcome, especially about an administration that is based at all levels on the grossest kinds of deception. McLellan could have produced a book that revealed a few salacious or interesting details to justify his advance while maintaining the Bush omerta, but he is to be commended for at last having the courage to tell the truth, especially when he knew, having witnessed it at first hand, the kind of retributions he would suffer.

We do indeed need more people like Scott Mclellan, especially in light of the fact that we have an opposition with no courage or sense of duty towards the constitution.