McClellan: Take The Bush Administration’s Claims On Iran ‘Very Seriously And Be Skeptical’
McClellan: Take The Bush Administration’s Claims On Iran ‘Very Seriously And Be Skeptical’
In his explosive new book criticizing the Bush administration’s Iraq “propaganda” campaign and its handling of Hurricane Katrina and the CIA leak investigation, former press secretary Scott McClellan also disparages what he calls the “permanent campaign” culture within the administration that seeks to manipulate “sources of public opinion to the president’s advantage.”
During an interview on MSNBC yesterday, when asked if the Bush administration is using the same tactics with regards to Iran, McClellan said, “I don’t know,” but cautioned that the White House is still operating in “permanent campaign mode”:
OLBERMANN: Scott, are they doing that now about Iran?
MCCLELLAN: I certainly hope that that is not the case. But we don’t know; I don’t know. I should say it that way. But they are still in this permanent campaign mode. They haven’t backed away from that. … I think that you would need to take [the administration's] comments [on Iran] very seriously and be skeptical.
Watch it:
Bush administration officials have been ratcheting up harsh rhetoric on Iran signifying that, like McClellan said, they are still in “campaign mode.” In fact, the Jerusalem Post recently reported that Bush will attack Iran before the end of his term. But while White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters that the article “is not worth the paper its printed on,” others like Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) agreed with the Post’s report.
But it seems Bush is taking his own rhetoric seriously because just two weeks ago, he claimed that holding talks with countries like Iran would be akin to appeasing Adolf Hitler. Indeed, as McClellan wrote in his book, Bush “convinces himself to believe what suits his needs at the moment.”
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Scottie; you are telling US?
We were skeptical about the claims about Iraq in the run-up to THAT war.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:42 pmThe rhetoric regarding Iran has escalated dramatically the last few months in The Jerusalem Post and Haaretz. Both papers display the threat as imminent and unreversible.
With Bush and Olmert sharing lame duck and extremely unpopular status, what do they have to lose? The corrupt boys can launch one last round of missiles for the sheer joy of it. That and it makes their supporters lots of money.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:46 pmLies, damned lies, and insanity–from the wigged out right!
May 30th, 2008 at 12:46 pmAlso: Water Is Wet.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:46 pmHe’s not really telling us. He’s telling those who would otherwise swallow this second helping of catapulted propaganda with a smile.
Only problem is, those people won’t listen to him, as they’re too busy calling him a traitor.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:47 pmRalph – you nailed it. Spot on.
~A
May 30th, 2008 at 12:50 pmIndeed, as McClellan wrote in his book, Bush “convinces himself to believe what suits his needs at the moment.”
And this is the mentally incompetent individual the trolls constantly excuse-make for .
A mental furball who doesn’t have the capacity or capability to reason or the ability for well-reasoned , rationale thought ; and those he surrounds himself with are just as intellectually absent.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:54 pmIranians just spoke to the World when they elected a new Speaker.
The problem isn’t Iranians.
The problem is religion.
Christianity & Islam have been going for each other’s throats for 1,500 years. Real people are sick & fed up with it. When you get religious politicians involved, rhetoric becomes threats. Threats lead to actions, actions lead to war.
Our Founding Fathers got it right the first time. Leave religion out of politics…then, leave Republicans out of politics.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:54 pmWhat if they gave a war and nobody came? I watch the news over 8 hours per day and I haven’t gotten the idea that they are preparing for war with Iran. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t, it just means they haven’t been making a very good argument. The voters need to wake up and realize that John McCain like Bush isn’t a very bright guy and will get us into a third war while we aren’t winning the other two. It that watch “middle class white” voters really want? If it is then they are going to get exactly what they deserve for electing McCain. This country will go into a depression if John McCain is elected President. Remember all of you who read my prediction, that I said it first. I’m not predicting this because I’m a democrat, I’m saying it because McCain is clueless when it comes to military affairs and especially on the economy. Being a former Navy Captain does not make on a “Military expert” contrary to popular belief. There are plenty of “dud” officers out there in all of our services right now and the troops who serve with them know it. Not every military commander or officer knows what he’s doing or makes the right decisions. If that were true they’d all be generals, but not all of them reach that level. I’ve seen some of the dumbest people on the planet become generals including General Tommy Franks who was my commanding officer in Germany many years ago. He had a reputation amoung the troops as a “fuc k up”. I predicted that he would screw up the war when it started and I was right. I told my wife he was a screw up who kissed butt to get promoted and he didn’t know what he was doing and shouldn’t be leading our troops into battle.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:56 pmralph the wonder llama Says:Only problem is, those people won’t listen to him, as they’re too busy calling him a traitor.
And if by a miracle they elect McSame and we have a draft these same “patriots” will have some ailment,or “better things to do”.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:58 pmMcClellan: Take The Bush Administration’s Claims On Iran ‘Very Seriously And Be Skeptical’
And , take heed , America ; John McStupid , with his sidekick Joe Lieberman , a top notch Zionist , is no different and is chomping at the bit to start a conflict with Iran………
May 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pmScott, Scottie…..enough already.
The book is done.
Hara kiri time.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pmBush “convinces himself to believe what suits his needs at the moment.”
This type of thought process is religion in a nutshell. The believers start with the conclusion, then sift through reality to find a subset of facts that support the position. And if there just aren’t any, create some facts, because the conclusion is unquestionably right.
I don’t know whether religion and this approach to logic are both manifestations of the same flaw, or if religion is causal and the result is the top down approach. I do know that it leads to very fcked up results.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
Only problem is, those people won’t listen to him…
They are too busy looking for the pod in Scotty’s basement.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:04 pmWe know that Bush is a liar, a criminal, a thug, a very evil sociopath, but unfortunately far too many Americans are deaf, dumb and blind to what goes on in this country to give a damn. They know more about American Idol than they do about how this criminal administration. Hell, they can probably name all the characters in that show than they can their own representatives.
And then there’s those supreme idiots, the Bush worshipers, now that is a stupid bunch of dolts.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pmZimzone Says:
Our Founding Fathers got it right the first time. Leave religion out of politics…then, leave Republicans out of politics.
Back then, they were called “Federalists”.
I wonder what ever happened to the Federalists?
May 30th, 2008 at 1:07 pmshoeless,
Grate point. Maybe it’s time to resurrect that Party.
America needs a 3rd Party to offset D’s & R’s. I would support a Party that stresses fundamental freedoms & rights over ‘flavor of the year’ politicians.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:11 pmAren’t most very skeptical and fearing Congress does not have or will not take the power to prevent such an event?
May 30th, 2008 at 1:16 pmI will never understand why Pelosi took impeachment off the table allowing this mad man and thug administration to carry on with their evil doing.
Indeed, as McClellan wrote in his book, Bush “convinces himself to believe what suits his needs at the moment.”
And it’s a lot easier to get others to believe what you really and truly believe to be true.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:20 pmHow can you take the Bush administration’s claims on Iran “very seriously” and “be skeptical” simultaneously? They’re demonstrably untrue. Either you admit that fact or you don’t.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:21 pmWhy the hell should Scotty care if he was a traitor to the herd of fossils and the buggy-eyed blonde on Faux and Frauds? The herd should retire to farting dust around ye ole house, and Barbie should spend more time with Ken.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:22 pmYou are exactly right had enough. Your comment at #20 is dead on.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:22 pmWhat’s stopping Herr Boosh from bombing Iran today? Is our fearless “war President” getting cold feet? Could it be possible that after bombing Iran, the price of a gallon of gasoline in the Good Old USofA will rise to sixteen (16) dollars per gallon and then the Republicans will impeach him? Americans have put up with a lot of crap from Bush, but needlessly causing the price of gasoline to climb into double-digits would be the last straw for millions of hard-pressed folks…
May 30th, 2008 at 1:30 pmZimzone Says:
shoeless,
Grate point. Maybe it’s time to resurrect that Party.
America needs a 3rd Party to offset D’s & R’s. I would support a Party that stresses fundamental freedoms & rights over ‘flavor of the year’ politicians.
Then you wouldn’t want the Federalists to come back. They went to the scrapheap of history because they passed a law which made it illegal to criticize the President, who was John Adams at the time. Adams used the Sedition law to close down many newspapers and had their editors imprisoned, including the grandson of Benjamin Franklin.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:32 pmHas there ever been a time in history when We the People sit biting our nail worrying about which country our leader is going to bomb next – knowing other countries have been attacked for corporate and personal gain? We the People pay the salary to those thugs who are screwing US – robbing our treasury, shrinking the middle class.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pmWere these thugs able to manipulate Congress and the public because of 9/11 to this degree allowing this lopsided criminal power to go on for this long?
had enough Says:
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Has there ever been a time in history when We the People sit biting our nail worrying about which country our leader is going to bomb next – knowing other countries have been attacked for corporate and personal gain? We the People pay the salary to those thugs who are screwing US – robbing our treasury, shrinking the middle class.
Were these thugs able to manipulate Congress and the public because of 9/11 to this degree allowing this lopsided criminal power to go on for this long?
Worse yet 911 was an inside job.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:46 pmShoeless has it right, gang — the Federalists shouldn’t be confused with progressives or libertarians or anyone else that enjoys true constitutional freedoms. And don’t forget — the Federalist Society is one of the largest reich wingnut circle jerk clubs out there right now, with plenty of members from the republic party (including at least 3 of the ultra-rightist Supreme Court justices…).
May 30th, 2008 at 1:47 pmRowan Berkeley Says:
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How can you take the Bush administration’s claims on Iran “very seriously” and “be skeptical” simultaneously? They’re demonstrably untrue. Either you admit that fact or you don’t.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Take the idea that they’re determined to attack Iran very seriously , but just as with Iraq , be skeptical of their rationale …………
May 30th, 2008 at 1:47 pmLOL, ANYTHING out of Bushes mouth needs to be taken with MUCH skepticism. I mean after all, fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me. But the bottom line at this point in the game he doesn’t care what the American Sheeple think.
JJ
May 30th, 2008 at 1:51 pmOnline Privacy Matters
The Dogfather Says:
And don’t forget — the Federalist Society is one of the largest reich wingnut circle jerk clubs out there right now, with plenty of members from the republic party (including at least 3 of the ultra-rightist Supreme Court justices…).
Isn’t it amazing that the Federalist Society continues to exist in almost total secrecy, weilding power from the shadows, two hundred years after their disgraced party ceased to exist?
May 30th, 2008 at 1:59 pmI just love how the major smears against McClellan basically break down to calling McClellan a traitor. Are these people so rabid about their party that they can’t see that by simply stating McClellan is no longer “loyal” to Bush, it does nothing to actually attack the veracity of what he is saying?
May 30th, 2008 at 2:01 pmDuring an interview on MSNBC yesterday, when asked if the Bush administration is using the same tactics with regards to Iran, McClellan said, “I don’t know,” but cautioned that the White House is still operating in “permanent campaign mode”
The amazing part of this is how this is actually “news.” Essentially every objection to Bush’s Iraq war have been proven true, so you’d think that would be enough to convince people to stop listening to him and his ilk, but amazingly, McClellan’s allegations are being treated as new information.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
May 30th, 2008 at 2:03 pmI am not quite sure what sort of bombshell this book is.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:03 pm1. The Facts are already out. Have been for YEARS! Nobody gives a rat’s behind because we’re all too busy watching Desperate Housewives and swilling Bud Light. Is this book going to change that?
2. The majority of the minority [sic] who still like Bush are people who trust our government because of all the good things it has (seemed to have) done for them over their lifetime, and I don’t think the emotional or intellectual capacity is there to change that mindset. There are actually very few truly evil people in that bunch. Not saying there are none…
3. Religion may be akin to the self-deception practised by Messrs Bush et al, but please do not confuse religion with Faith. Faith saves, and religion SHOULD bring us together, but like all man-made structures, it often fails in a pinch.
4. Scott scott scott scott scott…NOW what are we going to do with you. The trouble with being a liar in the first place (and please don’t feign ignorance over your role in all this) is when you finally get around to telling the truth (even if the telling is only to sell your book), people still look at you as a liar. Kharmically, you are SO screwed. What a jerk.
When will the hearing begin?
May 30th, 2008 at 2:05 pmVietnam was an illegal war, was over looked and we have the same players pulling the same horrific behavior today.
Once again ( let’s not forget the Downing Street Memo years ago)we see the truth in print, for all to see.
What else needs to happen for the hearing to begin????
Crimes will continue, including harm to Obama, unless we start to clean house and put the criminals away.
MCMetal Says:
Take the idea that they’re determined to attack Iran very seriously , but just as with Iraq, be skeptical of their rationale …………
MCMetal, you are falling for Scott’s silver tongue – Scott expressed himself in a deliberately ambiguous way, knowing that people like you would choose to interpret him in an unjustifiably leftish way, because it is human nature to interpolate an optimistic reading into any ambiguity that you see – but now I make you look at your own interpretation, you can also see that Scott wouldn’t lift a finger to defend the distinction you are making, can’t you? This is what makes people like him so effective – they’re psychologists!
May 30th, 2008 at 2:13 pmZimzone Says:
The problem is religion.
Christianity & Islam have been going for each other’s throats for 1,500 years. Real people are sick & fed up with it. When you get religious politicians involved, rhetoric becomes threats. Threats lead to actions, actions lead to war.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
_______
No, it’s really not. The problem between the U.S. and Iran has almost entirely nothing to do with religion.
It’s about money, oil, power, and shipping routes. Religion is, at best, a bit player in a sub-plot of the U.S.-Iran saga.
When the CIA overthrew President Mossadegh in 1953 to keep Iran fron nationalizing its oil industry, it wasn’t about religion. When the Shah of Iran brutally suppressed dissidents for decades, it wasn’t about religion. When the Reagan Administration sold Iran arms through Israel, it wasn’t about religion. When the Reagan Administration armed Saddam Hussein to fight against Iran, it wasn’t about religion. When Iran aided the U.S. in the fight against our mutual enemy, the Taliban, it wasn’t about religion.
Iran is a country sitting on a crapload of oil with a weak economy and a klepto-pseudotheocratic ruling class. The United States is a country in need ot a crapload of oil, also with a weak economy and a klepto/pseudotheocratic ruling class.
The upcoming war with Iran is about controlling world oil supplies – both Iran’s and shipping traffic via the Strait of Hormuz – and retaining Saudi dominance of OPEC and the Gulf. Religion is just something the ruling classes of both countries use as a tool to control their own people and justify sending them into battle.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:20 pmPrytania Says:
I find it very amusing that when Scott was the spokeperson for Bush, he was constantly called a liar and incompetent by you on the left. Now he’s tryng to make a buck, and all of you fall for whatever he says. Even more amusing is the fact that you would believe anything he has to say, considering your attitude toward him previously. It proves that your standards are as low as the people you hate. If you were consistent(which most of you never are) you would not give the credit you are today. Remember, all republiscums are “liars!”.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
It’s not that we believe “anything he has to say.” It’s that what he’s telling us in his book confirms what we already knew, or at least suspected all along.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:26 pmPrytania Says:
Remember, all republiscums are “liars!”.
Not all. However, you defefinately belong in that catagory.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pmPrytania Says:
A liar is always a liar and can’t be trusted.
That’s why no one trusts you.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:38 pmRowan Berkeley Says:
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MCMetal Says:
Take the idea that they’re determined to attack Iran very seriously , but just as with Iraq, be skeptical of their rationale …………
MCMetal, you are falling for Scott’s silver tongue – Scott expressed himself in a deliberately ambiguous way, knowing that people like you would choose to interpret him in an unjustifiably leftish way, because it is human nature to interpolate an optimistic reading into any ambiguity that you see – but now I make you look at your own interpretation, you can also see that Scott wouldn’t lift a finger to defend the distinction you are making, can’t you? This is what makes people like him so effective – they’re psychologists!
May 30th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
You couldn’t be any more incorrect
I already knew who and what the Chimpy administration is , was , and always will be , long before Scotty Boy simply reaffirmed my assessments.
I also did not need , nor will ever need McLellan’s “backing” , for anything ; I simply need point out that I was against Chimpy’s ascension to the presidency which was done in an illogical and illegal fashion , and my opposition from Day 1 of when talk of invading Iraq started emerging. Who now appears monumentally correct there ?
Plus , how “effective” is a former employee of the worst administration in US history , who gets points finally for telling the truth , but will never be exonerated by someone like myself for waiting this goddamn long ?
May 30th, 2008 at 2:39 pmPrytania Says:
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A liar is always a liar and can’t be trusted.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
And yet , you still blindly and stupidly support Chimpy , and attempt to disparage Doc’s intelligence ; the irony is entirely too great ……….
May 30th, 2008 at 2:43 pmLots of good, pithy responses to Prytania’s predictable Chimpy apology, but none better or pithier than MCM’s, in my opinion.
Well done.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pmPrytania Says:
The Marxisism that is expressed in here every day is what I do not support. That means you!
May 30th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
_______
What “Marxisism” do you see being expressed here? Since when is expecting the government to not lie to the people a “Marxisist” ideal?
May 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pmGood grief, what a bunch of children on this board. Did I miss the sign saying “Kindergartners only past this point”? What about the issue at hand – which I suppose is still Scottie Mac’s book?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:03 pmLet’s try something different – all who think Scott’s book is sufficient atonement for his prior actions signify by saying “Aye.” All who think he’s in it simply to make a buck, say “$$$,” and all who think he is low scum of a traitor say “Nay,” and all who have other opinions say, “I still have the ability to think clearly even after staring at my PC or Mac monitor for 14 hours straight.”
;o)
Porzitsku of Nashville Says:
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Good grief, what a bunch of children on this board. Did I miss the sign saying “Kindergartners only past this point”? What about the issue at hand – which I suppose is still Scottie Mac’s book?
Let’s try something different – all who think Scott’s book is sufficient atonement for his prior actions signify by saying “Aye.” All who think he’s in it simply to make a buck, say “$$$,” and all who think he is low scum of a traitor say “Nay,” and all who have other opinions say, “I still have the ability to think clearly even after staring at my PC or Mac monitor for 14 hours straight.”
;o)
May 30th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
How about E : None of the above ?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:08 pmPrytania Says:
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Ralph, where have I made apology for anything the president has done? Because I call out Scotty and remind you of your opinion of him before making these allegations? Someone has to remind most of you what you originally thought of him since you have clearly forgotten. Since there are no standards here, I enjoy reminding you of that fact. If Scotty couldn’t be trusted before, why now. Because he is telling you what you want to hear now? You will blindly take anything he says because of your hatred for Bush. That fact makes most of you seem weak minded. A lack of charcter I see in most people who use hate. Enjoy the rest of your day.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
If you’re truly not a Chimpy apologist , why are you calling out Scotty and not the retarded simian occupying the Oval Office ?
Was it Scotty McClellan’s policies that have proved to be mind-bogglingly moronic and criminal ?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:11 pmMCMetal Says:
You couldn’t be any more incorrect
– well, when I said “you,” I didn’t mean YOU – I was speaking in a McCainiac way, i.e. figuratively.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:18 pmRowan Berkeley Says:
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MCMetal Says:
You couldn’t be any more incorrect
– well, when I said “you,” I didn’t mean YOU – I was speaking in a McCainiac way, i.e. figuratively.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Is this your way of telling me you’re old and senile ?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:21 pmJebus, Prytania, that’s pretty friggin’ lame – even for you.
What on earth makes you think that we’re all buying unreservedly into what Scotty’s selling…?
We aren’t.
If you had actually read the comments – rather than jumping in with your oh-so-very-predictable meme – you’d get that none of us are “blindly tak[ing] anything he says because of [y]our hatred for Bush.”
That’s just one more overused and retarded reichwing talking point, along with the other even more overused, retarded and ugly intimation that we don’t love our country because we disagree with Chimpy.
Lame. Lame. Lame. Tell ya what, moron, why don’t you use your computer for something useful – like playing Solitaire..?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:34 pmPrytania Says:
Only you could equate calling me a liar for loving my country.
George W. Bush is not your country.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:36 pmMCMetal Says:
Is this your way of telling me you’re old and senile ?
– only sometimes.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:48 pmJudging by the past 8 years, I take everything that comes out of this criminal administration as a LIE!
May 30th, 2008 at 4:47 pmWho is Chimpy?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:00 pmIsn’t rough when you have to ask kindergartners to answer questions for you?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:12 pmCome on. Bush is taking out Hitlers like there’s no tomorrow. First there’s the Bin Laden Hitler, then there was the Saddam Hitler, now there’s the Ahmadinejad Hitler. Shit, I feel safe every day W talks the talk.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:22 am