The Bush Administration is crazy for mounting so vigorous a defense to the McClellan book, talking about what an ungrateful sleaze he is and asking how he could possibly do this to W. All this publicity is just helping book sales and leaving the average person with the impression that a top Bush official wrote a tell all book saying that Bush was a phony on the war in Iraq.
But the fact is that McClellan’s book doesn’t have anything in it. It is not really derogatory and makes no important new revelations. It says Bush was negligent on Katrina. So that’s news? That he used “propaganda” to convince us to invade Iraq – well, what was the Gettysburg address but propaganda to encourage us in wartime. That’s what a president is supposed to do. And it says that Karl Rove and Libby conspired to conform their testimony in the Valerie Plane affair. Who cares? This is a scandal that shouldn’t ever have happened. The special prosecutor revealed that no crime was committed when her name was leaked because the guy who leaked it didn’t know she was handling covert material. And the guy who was convicted — Libby — wasn’t the guy who leaked it. So what difference does it make.
But by highlighting the book and attacking it so vigorously, the Bush people are giving it credibility. Before you engage in damage control, be sure there is damage to control.
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Dick: I didn’t read McClellan’s book yet but your analysis is on target. Of course, the average American is probably not going to read it, and therefore going to accept McClellan’s credibility based on the media hype and the Bush defense and comments. Probalility was McClellan’s marketing strategy in the first place. The more the media promotes McClellan, the more the “cash register” rings…….and nothing is more credible for McClellan than “money.” I’m sure after the primaries are over, that Hillary might be next in line.
Dick: I see that Congressman Conyer doesn’t share the same view. Conyer wants McClellan to testify and they (judiciary committee) is considering additional perjury and obstruction charges against Scooter above and beyond the indictements that he was orginally found guilty on. I wonder whether McClellan should have titled his book “Hornet’s Nest” instead of “What Happened?” I would not be counting my financial returns……if I were McClellan……but rather finding a good attorney.