McClellan apologizes to Richard Clarke for smearing him as press secretary.
By on May 30th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
McClellan apologizes to Richard Clarke for smearing him as press secretary.
Scott McClellan is currently the subject of a White House smear campaign because of his new book. But as press secretary, McClellan helped smear Richard Clarke after Clarke revealed that the White House “ignored terrorism for months” and sought to tie 9/11 to Iraq immediately. According to Clarke, McClellan apologized to him last night, stating, “I should have known how personal it would get when they went after me, well, I mean, after what I said about you.” On MSNBC today, Clarke said the apology was “genuine.” Watch it:
UpdateMcClellan confirmed he apologized to Clarke in a Washington Post online chat:
Richard Clarke is someone I criticized from the podium. I actually saw him last night in New York and expressed my regret for the way I handled that situation.
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The frothing at the mouth right-wing critics of Scott McClellan sound a lot like, well, Scott McClellan:
“I think it appears to be more about trying to justify personal views and opinions than it does about looking at the results that we are achieving on behalf of the American people.”
McClellan, asked if former Treasury secretary Paul O’Neill’s book contained falsehoods, January 12, 2004
“Well, why, all of a sudden, if he had all these grave concerns, did he not raise these sooner? This is one-and-a-half years after he left the administration. And now, all of a sudden, he’s raising these grave concerns that he claims he had.”
McClellan, on the book by former counter-terrorism tsar Richard Clarke, March 22, 2004.
For more details, see:
May 30th, 2008 at 8:58 pm“A Look Back at Scott McClellan’s Greatest Hits.”
I don’t feel all that sorry for Scott — I mean, he made his bed. However, it is interesting that now that the shoe is on the other foot (is there a limit on the number of cliches I may use?), he appears to be doing what a decent person would do.
I’m wondering how many of the people actively working the smear machine against Scott right now will someday find themselves on the receiving end.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:07 pm“Well, why, all of a sudden, if he had all these grave concerns, did he not raise these sooner? This is one-and-a-half years after he left the administration. And now, all of a sudden, he’s raising these grave concerns that he claims he had.”
McClellan, on the book by former counter-terrorism tsar Richard Clarke, March 22, 2004.
If the jack boot fits, McClellan…
May 30th, 2008 at 9:22 pmIs it true that Faux, instead of talking about McClellan’s book yesterday, they went on and on and on about Obama’s church… again?
May 30th, 2008 at 9:29 pmI just saw a clip on Chris Matthews of McClellan chatting with the press in his front yard. The Bushies are right, he was like a different man. His eyes weren’t shifting, he was comfortable, he was smiling, and the “deer in the headlights” look was gone.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:16 pmI, along with everyone else, wondered what motivated McClellan to turn against his compatriots but I’m willing to give him the benefit doubt. I expect that now he knows what it’s like to be declared an enemy by the right-wing-noise-machine, his apology is indeed sincere.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
May 30th, 2008 at 10:30 pmEven though I’m glad to see that McClellan has vindicated some of the claims which liberals and progressives have been making for years, I don’t have a great deal of respect or sympathy for him. The flak that he’s been getting from his former associates just proves that it doesn’t pay to associate with people like that — what they do to someone else, they will almost certainly do to you. This is just one of the reasons why people have for centuries been saying things like “payback’s a b***h”, “what goes around will come around”, and “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — that’s because they’re true.
especially since there are moments when I’m actually inclined to suspect that at least some of this may be laying the groundwork for a massive mea culpa from the media in the event that Obama should win the election in November. That way, they can then lay into Obama for all they’re worth and justify it by claiming this proves that they’ve seen the error of their ways.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:44 pmI don’t think America needs to read Scotty’s book to find out Karl Rove is an unprincipled hack and pathological liar. The “1000-year Reich” lasted about 13 years–Rove’s “permanent Republican majority” made it about 5 and a half years.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:47 pmKarma does tend to be a beeyotch!
May 30th, 2008 at 10:50 pmI like Scotty even more today, than yesterday. Can you feel it? He’s coming clean.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:53 pm~FT~ This is going to be like having a serious case of the trots, it just keeps coming out, and coming out, and well, you get the picture….
May 30th, 2008 at 10:59 pmYeah, I feel good about our new “relationship” with Scott. He looks like he feels a lot better now, he has a nice glow.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:04 pmUh, Hyuh! once you get all that evil shit that’s been bottled up inside you into the porcelain god, you just feel all cleaned out, spiritually, as it were, my friends.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:13 pmHe’s having a David Brock moment.
Such contrition deserves the benefit of the doubt as far as personal motivations go. McClellan now refuses to identify himself as republican, or conservative, preferring the title “centrist.”
May 30th, 2008 at 11:16 pmForTruth Says:
… He looks like he feels a lot better now, he has a nice glow.
i’ve noticed that too… he does look better, healthier…
last night john dean made a comment to keith about not having to carry burdens, and looking forward to a good life…
May 30th, 2008 at 11:24 pmI like Scotty even more today, than yesterday. Can you feel it? He’s coming clean.
I have no idea what it is like to have a weight come off your shoulders, but I get the sense that Scotty has!
May 30th, 2008 at 11:39 pmWe didn’t want to like Scotty but the wingnuts have kind of forced us to by turning him into a martyr. And basically it doesn’t matter so much why he did the right thing but that he did it when so many haven’t and continue to be complicit.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:44 pmThe right wing sucked Scotty McClellan’s li’l pee-pee for YEARS.
Now they’re tryna say it didn’t taste good.
Here’s the money shot, right-wingers.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:15 amI agree, Shayne.
Whatever happens, this is a fascinating human drama that Scotty is undergoing. Just fascinating.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:43 amThis coward simply doesn’t want to be held to account when the next administration is sworn in. He’s hoping we’ll look the other way because “he came clean”. The best way to apologize is to not do that which necessitates an apology.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:03 amWho knows why Scotty is coming clean… now. One has to wonder how he could remain quiet while many were losing their lives. A truly good man would have stepped forward years ago. And why now? Fear as the crap is coming down the pike in record amounts?
May 31st, 2008 at 1:05 amThe same thugs involved in Iran contra, some in Vietnam all have their hands dirty in this mess too. For once can we have a hearing/trial where the guilty are not pardoned and left free to do this again?
I like this guy more and more every day.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:16 amhad enough Says:
Is it true that Faux, instead of talking about McClellan’s book yesterday, they went on and on and on about Obama’s church… again?
it certainly wouldn’t surprise me, they have this Pfleger tape:
May 31st, 2008 at 1:34 amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H11×6bMu4Y
In the past there have been government officials who have failed to resign and later explained they thought they could do more from within the government than as an outsider. I don’t know if McClellan has expressed this sentiment yet, but I won’t be surprised if he does.
I wonder if he considers himself an independent now.
May 31st, 2008 at 2:30 am“Genuine” is the apparently the right word for the former bushie. This is prehaps the most genuine individual to creep out from under their tortuous spin. We need to listen to his every word before the highly paid machine trys to take him down.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:18 amGood on ya, Scott. Your braver than your ex-commander in chief. And certainly more truthful.
Never too late. The timing, though late, will be ripe during this coming election cycle. And if the Hague must be our court room rather than our Halls of Congress, we will need to get by January 20 first.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:31 amBush’s only out is dropping bombs in Iran.
OMG will this debacle ever end? Who smeared sho and so forth and so on. We all know Dictator Bush cant handle the truth. Someone give him a bottle!
JT
May 31st, 2008 at 8:33 amIs your ISP watching you?
Swannie, I don’t think the Hague will take down a sitting president, but after their term is up, they are sitting ducks…
May 31st, 2008 at 9:11 amrogers Says:
….if he does he’ll still be a hypocrit.
Perhaps…but will he be CORRECT? How come NONE of McClellan’s critics are addressing the ACCURACY of his assertions???
May 31st, 2008 at 9:32 amAre his recollections accurate, or not. That is the question. All the blathering over his motives, character, all smokescreen. Remember, we used smoke in Nam to mark our targets.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:44 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
I don’t feel all that sorry for Scott — I mean, he made his bed. However, it is interesting that now that the shoe is on the other foot (is there a limit on the number of cliches I may use?)
Typically I don’t stop reading a post until the invocation of the 4th cliche :)~
May 31st, 2008 at 10:23 amBluestocking Says:
especially since there are moments when I’m actually inclined to suspect that at least some of this may be laying the groundwork for a massive mea culpa from the media in the event that Obama should win the election in November. That way, they can then lay into Obama for all they’re worth and justify it by claiming this proves that they’ve seen the error of their ways.
I doubt Scotty is in on that bigger picture, but I’ve been convinced for a long time that the media would have this epiphany, on way or the other, if a Democrat was elected in ‘08.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:33 amRogers,
I think the Bush Administration THOUGHT there were WMDs in Iraq. They probably Knew the Nuclear Weapons part was BS, but I Don’t think they would have let Powell make a fool of himself before the UN if they thought they would come up with NOTHING.
McClellan has stated that he gave Bush the benefit of the doubt.
BUT…the weapons inspectors were checking out the sites suggested by Rumsfeld and Bush, and they were not finding anything.
I think Bush pulled the Inspectors out of Iraq BEFORE they found NOTHING.
I Repeat…what About the ACCURACY of McClellan’s recollections. Do you or anyone else have evidence that his recollections are False?? Until you do, you can call him Names, but you can’t discount his Credibility.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:34 amHey, be nice to Scottie, now that he’s seen the light. We need all the people we can get to vote for the Democratic candidate and defeat McCain in November.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:41 amThe Right Wingers nest has been stirred. The Cro-Magnon, Fascist, Neo-Con, Corporatist supporters are running like cockroaches. . Read post #35 for a good example.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2023793/posts
May 31st, 2008 at 10:43 amOh, I meant post #35 on FreeRepublic, not at TP.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:45 amApparently, rogers doesn’t understand the concept of “making amands” or “redemption”. Color me surprised.
Sure, Scotty was a coward for regurgitating BushCo sh!t for as long as he did, and his efforts now aren’t costing him a lot — some harsh words aimed in his direction from former friends, a glance over his shoulder when he’s walking down the street, a moment’s hesitation when he goes to start his car, while the criminal regime he abetted is winding down and struggling to avoid irrerelevance.
But it’s arguable that Scotty did this for financial reasons. After all, with the book-propping loyalty of the right wing, another sycophantic valentine to Bush would probably have sold pretty solidly among the True Believers. A tell-all like this will get plenty of attention, but will it sell more to Bush critics?
As I’ve said before, I think the reason Scotty was such a bad press secretary was that he is human, and was aware of the crap he was asked to sell and was uncomfortable with it. Then, when it came out that Rove and Libby had lied to him and made him look like a fool, that sealed the deal and made this conversion inevitable.
Makes sense to me.
But rogers’ lame assertion that a press secretary would have known the truth about WMD that only Cheney, Bush and Rumsfeld would have known? Ridiculous. Scotty was a salesman, that’s all. He did what he was told, said what he was told to say. He didn’t make any policy decisions, and I wouldn’t expect him to have the strong principles necessary to resign in protest when he discovered he was lied to. Bush doesn’t hire people with strong principles if those principles might conflict with the Bush agenda. And the only principle that doesn’t conflict with Bush’s agenda is loyalty.
That’s why James Comey was an outsider, and it was only by a stroke of luck that Ashcroft appointed Patrick Fitzgerald, another Republican, but one with strong principles, to investigate the Plame outing.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:46 amSince there’s no Saturday morning Thinkfast, from McClatchey (via Raw Story):
Former Bush donors now giving to ObamaBy Greg Gordon | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — Beverly Fanning is among the campaign donors who’ll be joining President Bush at a gala at Washington’s Ford’s Theater Sunday night, but she says that won’t dissuade her from her current passion: volunteering for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
She isn’t the only convert. A McClatchy computer analysis, incomplete due to the difficulty matching data from various campaign finance reports, found that hundreds of people who gave at least $200 to Bush’s 2004 campaign have donated to Obama.
Among them are Julie Nixon Eisenhower, the granddaughter of the late GOP president Dwight Eisenhower; Connie Ballmer, the wife of Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer; Ritchie Scaife, the estranged wife of conservative tycoon Richard Mellon Scaife and boxing promoter Don King.
Many of the donors are likely “moderate Republicans or independents who are dissatisfied with the direction of the country now and are looking for change,” said Anthony Corrado, a government professor at Colby College in Maine who specializes in campaign finance.
“There is a large block of Republicans, particularly economic conservatives, who just feel that the Republican Party in Washington completely let them down” by failing to control spending and address other problems, Corrado said. “The Republicans have really given these donors no reason to give.”
“Let them down by failing to control spending and address other problems.”
But I’ll bet they loved those tax cuts! So the Country-Clubbers are cutting their losses and giving money to Barack; troubling, in that they see Hillary a total, unmitigated disaster, as president. Perhaps I haven’t been looking at this in the right way. If she’s got the priviledged so unnerved, perhaps she represents the better candidate. I will now watch more closely how Barack treats these folk, in his rhetoric, and policy proposals.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:46 amFor anyone interested, C-Span is currently broadcasting the democratic rules committee meeting, to decide the electoral fates of Michigan and Florida.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:59 amSorry — “amends”
May 31st, 2008 at 11:34 amrogers Says:
do-nothing hypocrit…so he himself attacked the nay-sayers as press secratery, now he’s trying to play the victim for speaking out, and more than a year after resighning?.
Even clarke testified in several instances against his former allies…you know, the guy scott critisized when on the job?.
I bet he won’t even have “repented” enough to go as far as clarke, but if he does he’ll still be a hypocrit.
And MURDERER George W. Bush will STILL be a TRAITOR to the USA
who will meet his MASTER Satan and TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD and burning…
And YOU will be there with the TREASONOUS Bushes, BURNING for ETERNITY. Which you DESERVE.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA`
May 31st, 2008 at 12:01 pmI realize studies have shown that the conservatives are “happier” than Liberals. Due the conservative person living in a world of denial and ignorance, sure I’d be happier too.
However, this is a cause for this Liberal to become happy over. :)
May 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pmNeither of which leaves him with any credibility.
Maybe, but he still has TONS more credibility than MURDERER Bush the COXUCKER punk TRAITOR to the USA, about to BURN for ETERNITY.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
May 31st, 2008 at 12:03 pmWexler’s now on, saying in essence that Florida’s democrats are responsible for the situation, since they had an opportunity to fix the problem, and didn’t take it. He says Obama supports a fifty per cent delegate count for Florida.
Lots of boos.
For party unity, Florida should accept half a loaf; a compromise.
No one’s talking about the precedent that would be set, should they decide to seat all of Florida’s delegates.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:07 pmOne of Clinton’s supporters on the committee is asking if he’d accept a full seating.
He’s dodging.
Lots more boos.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pmThis is getting good folks…
C-Span, now…
May 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pmMcClellan resigned 13 days after Bush confirmed he was the one that authorized the leak of information thru Skippy.
I don’t like or dislike Scotty. Too many people on both sides bring their emotions into this and reason goes out the window.
Timing doesn’t matter. The content is what matters. After the book has been digested by all that want to read it to support their side we’ll have the real arguments based on the evidence. The far right wants this to be emotional over loyalties. They have yet to discuss content.
Typical.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:13 pmbarfly
Beverly Fanning is among the campaign donors who’ll be joining President Bush at a gala at Washington’s Ford’s Theater Sunday night…
Bush is going to FORD’S THEATER??
May 31st, 2008 at 12:18 pmWexler is saying Obama will concede 19 delegates, and that’s good enough.
An uncommitted super delegate asks: would you accept a reslating of Florida’s delegates?
Yes, says Wexler.
A Clinton delegate on the committee asks why only half?
Wexler says that members on the committee were the ones who made the problem.
Very raucous.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:20 pmWatch C-Span now, if you want to see democracy in action.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:21 pmWell Rogers, I’m glad you got your crystal ball up and running.
Sen. Nelson made a very persuasive case that Florida Republicans are responsible for moving the primary date up…and that it would be unfair to penalize the 1.7 million Florida voters who cast primary ballots. State Sen. Joyner was equally persuasive.
I’m not sure that all of Florida’s delegates will not be seated, but feel free to not watch.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:41 pmLooking at Rpgers’ petty arguments and wrong spelling of words leads me to believe he is either a 14-16 year-old or a lifelong republican with a low IQ.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:57 pmSaint Augustine Says:
Looking at Rpgers’ petty arguments and wrong spelling of words leads me to believe he is either a 14-16 year-old or a lifelong republican with a low IQ.
Yo, Santo Agostino, it’s ROGER_ROGER (rogers!), n’cest pa?
May 31st, 2008 at 1:24 pmScott’s interview with Olbermann seemed very sincere, and contrite, however, watching bush from the Governor years, Scott had to see the dirty, conniving, lying methods used then. So, why the comment from Scott, about thinking bush would bring “moral change to the White House.” Uhhuh, yeah, right. Maybe the death of over 4000 soldiers weighing on your shoulders is getting heavy. How do you look in the mirror each morning, knowing what you participated in bringing about. It is BS about the fever of 9/11. Afganistan but no reason for Iraq. And lets not forget, the majority of hijackers came from SAUDI, not Afganistan.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:37 pmRogers points are so lame one cannot help but wonder the mental age of someone like him.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:41 pmWhere is the outrage in Congress and the push for impeachment for invading a country, countless lies and the deaths of our military for bush and cheney ? Where is the outrage of the American public for this administration ? Why are there no demonstrations against this horrible President and V.P. ? This man and his cohort need to be out of the office NOW !
May 31st, 2008 at 1:43 pmAnd do you believe in the rule of law?, if they just give them all they’re delegates, it will have been pointless to strip them in the first place.
Yes, I DO. But YOU don’t support the American Justice System, YOU, being another TREASONOUS Dod PSYOPS, and a TRAITOR like Bush.
Which is WHY the little silver-spoon MURDERER Bush the COXUCKER punk TRAITOR WILL be brought to American Justice.
And if he successfully ESCAPES to Paraguay, there will be MUCH CELEBRATION WORLDWIDE when this MURDERER up and DROPS DEAD.
Rule of GOD!!
Repent, “rogers”, or YOU will suffer the same ETERNITY as MURDERER Bush and TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD & BURNING!
BWAHAHAHAHA!
May 31st, 2008 at 1:49 pmrogers Says:
Yo Arn Gunnutes , typing in bold, capitals and exclemations, and laughing like some hyper-ventilating moron does nothing to help your comment…and I’m not even getting into the actual text of your mindless rant.
Please dare to comment again when you’ve come off whatever your smoking.
Yeah, DUH DUH, Nazi azslicker of MURDERER Bush the COXUCKER punk TRAITOR to the USA!!
Better REPENT for your support of this MURDERER and the GENOCIDE he has caused, or YOU, too, will BURN for ETERNITY
with the TREASONOUS Bush Crime Family and TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD and BURNING!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
May 31st, 2008 at 2:08 pmrogers Says:
Ok, I guess your not even going to try…I’m not even trying to disagree with you, but your foaming-from-the-mouth comment isn’t helping anyone.
god I feel sorry for you, have you always been this way?.err, don’t answer…
Yup, I’ve ALWAYS been a REAL American, and not a Nazi azslicker of MURDERERS like Bush the COXUCKER punk TRAITOR to the USA.
Who will soon be BURNING for ETERNITY along with TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, already DEAD and BURNING. And Nazis like YOU.
BURN baby, BURN!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
May 31st, 2008 at 2:58 pmbut your foaming-from-the-mouth comment isn’t helping anyone.
But it SCARES YOU to KNOW that YOU will be BURNING FOR ETERNITY, along with the TREASONOUS Bush Crime Family, and
TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD and BURNING for his GENOCIDE.
It WILL be YOUR fate for SUPPORTING these TREASONOUS cowardly MURDERER WAR CRIMINALS>
And it SHOULD scare you. Better REPENT, before God and Jesus ask YOU for WHAT REASON you supported MURDER of your FELLOW HUMANS.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:01 pmYo buddy, I’m leaving now…enjoy the echo…
Me, too. I’m going to play music with RICH LIBERALS who know that Bush is a TRAITOR to the USA.
YOU can go jack off to his TREASON now.
Enjoy….
May 31st, 2008 at 3:37 pmEarlier Friday, McClellan said he would be willing to comply with a possible congressional subpoena to discuss the administration’s handling of prewar intelligence, telling CNN’s Wolf Blitzer he’d be “glad” to share his views if asked to testify.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:54 pmScotty, yer doin a heck of a job.
May 31st, 2008 at 6:07 pmI must apologize to Scott McClellan I used the money for his book to see Mr. Big and Sex in the City. Scott’s shocking news was reported by Jason Leopold over a year ago so why spend the money to read what’s already been reported. Now I hope Scott’s next book isn’t about the Seal vs Seal Karl Rove case as that two was already reported by Leopold. Yes Karl Rove was indicted by the Grand Jury and the White House with then Attorney General Al Gonzales had the court Seal the case. I just wish someone would come up with real news. Powell has a book coming out with half truths I guess people will run and buy that too. Powell isn’t going to tell about how he knew about the fake Iraq information from day one and openly lied to the United Nations and the American People.
June 1st, 2008 at 12:06 amI am ambivalent. Of course it is sweeeeet to see McClellan diss the former colleagues he had once exhorted us all to credit and believe (!). But you know he did take the dough, didn’t he? I think it is singularly disingenuous for him to come out with a book now, in an election year, claiming everybody lied to him, waaah, waah, and he therefore is isn’t responsible for passing those lies onto the public in his briefings.
Come on! Plenty of people knew the yellowcake/WMD stuff was b.s., including Republicans like Scott Ritter and Joe Wilson. McClellan was a powerful accessory in helping to smear these people to further the Bush war effort.
CIA and other government figures were coming forward all over the place to discredit or deflate the administration’s claims. When he was drawing a paycheck from the White House, Scott urged us all to ignore those people.
That said, I am happy that the revelations in his book have thrown the corporate media on the defensive for their despicably pro-war coverage in the year or so leading up to an actual invasion. Maybe please God, these revelations will immunize the public from being hoodwinked AGAIN into supporting yet another disastrous war against Iran.
June 1st, 2008 at 10:50 am