Scott McClellan Is Not the Story -- It's Who He Gets Through To That Matters

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Christine Bowman

^{NY Magazine}

Scott McClellan has taken hits from both sides over the release of his new book, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception. Bush Administration insiders portray him as a Benedict Arnold and "not the Scottie we knew." From the other side, most Bush critics can't forgive or forget Scott McClellan's lies at the Press Room podium, even though he now is bringing those lies to everyone's attention. Too little, too late is the general opinion.

But the significance of Scott McClellan's book, especially coming out at this time in an election cycle, might have nothing to do with the political insiders and pundits who have been quick to comment on it and disparage the author. Scott McClellan himself is not the story.

What matters most could be that Scott McClellan's words are reaching beyond the political junkies into the hearts and minds of the rest of America.

If you listen to people on the street, or at the water cooler, or out with their friends, you might hear likely voters talking about Iraq in a new way. These are the folks who have never heard of a "Downing Street Memo." The acronym, "PNAC," means nothing to them. Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann are not part of their daily media diet. They don't watch political documentaries like "No End in Sight" and they can't trace the career paths of Douglas Feith or Richard Armitage.

But now, thanks to Scott McClellan's book tour, new folks recognize an overriding truth.

They now know and can say out loud that we went into Iraq based on a pack of lies. Bush's own guy at the podium has said as much, and nobody much is disputing it. The guy is all over television saying we didn't need to fight the Iraq war. He is also criticizing the "permanent political campaign" that the Bush Administration ran, and the destructive partisanship and secrecy it required. He says President Bush fools himself about stuff like his own history of drug use. He says the top guys in government, with the President's own help, leaked classified information that put a CIA operative at risk, just to protect their selling of the unnecessary war. The top guys denied doing that, and they used Scott to spread their lies.

These are the things being aired on entertainment shows, on late night talk shows and "The Today Show," and on call-in radio, just as the presidential election of 2008 moves into its final months. It's moved to the water cooler level, and no longer belongs just to the political junkies, pundits, and insiders. It's ready for prime time.

And this is not coming from a "political enemy" or the opposing campaign. It's from George W. Bush's own spokesperson. One of his long-time Texas buddies. Somebody who probably would know.

Scott McClellan was not "The Architect." He wasn't "The Hammer" or "Darth Vader," and he wasn't particularly powerful. Like the people who are hearing his "news" about "What Happened" for the first time, he's kind of a regular guy who ended up with a clear view of how the American government was being run. And he feels he was used.

That's resonating with other folks who seem inclined to agree with him. We were all had. Some longer than others, but we can all admit it now.

If Americans who aren't political junkies, pundits, or operatives hear that, and they agree with that in the Summer of a presidential election year, will they vote for McCain? Will they elect Republicans who have supported Bush's unnecessary war? Will they fall in line politically and refuse to listen and think about where we are and why?

This former Bush White House spokesperson also told Katie Couric and other mainstream news folks he was "intrigued by Sen. Obama's message."

If the White House press secretary can change his mind and dump the Republicans in 2008, who can't?

SPORTS AND POLITICS: EXCERPTS FROM SCOTT McCLELLAN'S WHAT HAPPENED (ESPN Magazine)

What happened, indeed? (Peoria Journal Star)

Why Scott McClellan Is Like Dilbert (US News)

McClellan/Today Show (NBC)

McClellan Talks Libby Leak on The Daily Show

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS