McClellan: Bush Missed Chance After Election 04
The Washington Post spends more time and attention to former Bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan(’s book). This time the WaPo looks at what McClellan has to say about the second term of Bush’s presidency. McClellan’s conclusion: Bush had the chance to infuse fresh blood in his administration, but neglected to do so… which would result in a disaster.
According to McClellan, Bush was obsessed with his legacy. He believed that his reelection validated all the policies of his first term, including the war in Iraq and certain controversial domestic policies.
So, instead of hiring new people, new advisers, new secretaries, etc., he decided to stick with the old ones. This even though quite some insiders felt that some people should have been replaced immediately.
“All in all, the shape and direction of the second term were clear,” McClellan concludes. “The administration did not infuse fresh blood and new thinking from outside sources. . . . Caught up inside the White House bubble, I publicly defended all of Bush’s decisions. It was my job. I didn’t fully appreciate their implications for the future of the administration, nor did I recognize the serious problems they would help to create during the next four years.”
Later the White House did decide to “infuse fresh blood” which resulted in John Bolton telling McClellan that he had to find another job.
Meanwhile, Hot Air reports that a former subordinate of McClellan says that his former boss lies about… well, just about everything.
Here’s my reasonable assessment of the situation / truth:
1. McClellan lies and exaggerates and distorts. All those who write biographies do (as they teach those who study cultural studies such as myself). He purposefully makes himself look better, and others worse.
2. Those who react so strongly aren’t innocent either. They too are exaggerating, distorting, spinning and lying.
3. The truth is somewhere in the middle, which leads to point four:
4. If nothing else, it’s quite entertaining.
