McClellan’s Book
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has joined the long list of ex-public officials who have written tell-all books. And his raises the usual question: Why not tell all when you’re in a position of public trust, being paid by American citizens and your honesty could actually have an impact on events?
According to news accounts of the book, McClellan says President Bush and the administration relied on “propaganda” to sell the war in Iraq. And who would know better than the person who served as the daily mouthpiece for the administration?
And what exactly is it that press secretaries in this town push anyway? Unvarnished truth?
There’s no question who’s paying a government press secretary. And there shouldn’t be any question about whom a government press secretary — or any public official — is working for.
But there seems to be some confusion about where loyalties lie. Is McClellan betraying Bush now? Or did he betray the American people when he was in their employ?
I’ve dealt with many, many government press secretaries. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a time when I thought one was lying outright. There are some press secretaries that I don’t think would be capable of that.
I am, though, convinced that I’m only told of a fraction of the things that might be useful for me and Oklahoma citizens to know about.
Maybe those will all come out in a book one day.
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Chris,
Really a great take on the book. Hope all is well.
Gerald
PS: I”m not writing a book