LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.Best Political Blog Winner, 2007 Webby Awards, People's Voice and Jury.   On the Campaign Trail : Bill Boyarsky Reports on the Election
 
August 30, 2008
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Reports
 * NEW! * Yes He Can
The End of an Institution
A Moment in History

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Inside the Data Mine

Truthdig Bazaar
The China Reader: The Reform Era (Vintage)

The China Reader: The Reform Era (Vintage)

By Orville Schell and David Shambaugh
$17.00

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

McClellan Testifies, Sells More Books

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Jun 20, 2008
McClellan
defectiveyeti.com

Scott McClellan points out the deception and secrecy of the Bush administration ... five years too late.

The most recent stop in former White House press secretary Scott McClellan’s book tour was Capitol Hill, where he testified about his own participation in the Valerie Plame affair and the involvement of Bush and Cheney in attempting to cover up the treasonous tracks of 2007 felon of the year Scooter Libby.


The Guardian:

Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan today said that a former top aide to President Bush directed him to mislead the press about another administration official’s involvement in the leak of a spy’s name to the news media.

In testimony before the House judiciary committee, McClellan said that then-White House chief of staff Andrew Card told him to tell reporters that Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to vice-president Dick Cheney, played no part in the release of CIA officer Valerie Plame’s identity. He said Card told him that at the request of Bush and Cheney.

McClellan said he spoke on the telephone with Libby, who assured him “in unequivocal terms” that he hadn’t leaked Plame’s name to the press. McClellan said he then told reporters Libby hadn’t been involved.

Read more

Jump to Comments

Advertisement


Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By BobZ, June 22 at 7:35 pm #

Marcella,

Your comments about actually reading the book were supported by other reviewers who said it is not what you might think it is - just another tell all book. Problem is with so many on left and right is they don’t do their homework but just spout off ideology. You can tell from comments from those who actually read the book vs. those who read the cliff notes.

Report this

By Gregory J. Patton, June 22 at 2:09 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

No matter how dubious we are of his motives, no matter how much in doubt his conversion on “the road to Damascus”, no matter the attempts of republican traitors to smear and obfuscate his testimony, one thing sets this spectacle apart from the usual political dog & pony show; McClellan is one of, if not the only former or current Bush administration officials to agree to testify under oath, on the record. If Bush, Cheney or any other of these totalitarian, corporatist lap-dogs wish to impune said testimony, let them swear-in first. Remember the Clinton impeachment hypocrisy? “It’s not the sex, it’s the perjury in lying about it under oath”. Bush administration officials, even the president and vice president have refused to say anything under oath or to allow a transcipt. Well, let’s turn it around on them! You want to refute the charges in McClellan’s book? Just come-on down and swear-in before the house judiciary committee and we’ll read the transcipts. Governments that refuse to be open usually have something to hide. Instead of doing the republican’s dirty work for them by kicking “Simple Scotty” to death, use the situation to let republican administration hacks perjur themselves just once under oath. The lies are so numerous that if ANY of them testify under oath and on public record, the trap is sprung!

Report this

By dale Headley, June 22 at 1:47 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

It was pathetic to watch the Republican lawmakers like Steve King desperately try to paint Scott McClellan as a liar seeking only to enrich himself by writing a book that betrayed his boss.  But the American people are no longer buying this crap.  We all finally know what George Bush is despite McClellan’s gentlemanly avoidance of directly blaming his erstwhile friend.  And despite their best efforts, they couldn’t rattle this honorable man.

Report this

By rwmenser, June 22 at 11:48 am #

Aside from the obvious money-making ploy, I see McClellan as vying for a prominent spot in the Bush library.  Listening to a recent interview on NPR he did nothing but defend Bush while brushing blame off on unnammed (but directionalized) others.  By the way I was happy to catch the Democracy Now broadcast where Amy Goodman sliced this guy to ribbons.  Just another wartime profiteer.

Report this

By Marcella, June 22 at 8:13 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

If every one in this country took the time to actually read his book, then every one would know the truth.  The book is excellent and VERY revealing of how this Admin worked(s).  It’s hard to read without wanting to hit something.  It’s hard to read without wanting to make every person who voted twice for Bush read the book and write a book report about it.  I don’t know if we are allowed to use curse words here, but the truth about what went on and is going on in the administration is fucking infuriating.

Report this

By Paolo, June 21 at 6:16 pm #

Ohmagod! You mean, the Bush Administration actually lied us into war? Gosh, what a revelation! I never could have come to that conclusion without Scott McClellan’s testimony.

Report this

By don knutsen, June 21 at 5:40 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

For anyone who took the time to witness the republican’s questioning of McClellan, it quickly becomes obvious how uninterested the GOP has become in the truth..or should I say,in allowing the people access to the truth. They attempt to shame him because he has the audacity to tell the truth, something that apparently has no value anymore in the criminal organization that is the republican party. A party that sees its mandate as a shill for the corporate interests and nothing else. Hopefully there will be a real flushing next November. I still hold out a glimmer o hope that the people can begin to take back this country, despite the election fraud that no doubt continues to this day at the behest of the GOP. After all K. Rove is working for McCain’s re-election now, all the republican smear professionals and swift boaters are in-line to spread their lies, the media is still controlled by the same half dozen of less power players who have kept america in the dark these past 8 years. If we had a democratic leadership with any political courage we would’ve been watching impeachment proceedings by now. Every day this administration remains they do more damage to america, Thats the bottom line Pelosi and Hoyer refuse to acknowledge. Nothing should be more important then stopping these traitors in the white house from continuing. If they loved america more then there own political career they would’ve followed Kucinich’s lead long ago.

Report this

By Marshall, June 21 at 12:10 am #

I’m confused.  The Guardian piece says “Bush directed him to mislead the press about [Libby’s] involvement in the leak of a spy’s name to the news media.”

But Libby didn’t leak Plame’s name to the press - that was Richard Armitage.  So where was the misleading?

Report this

By Don Stivers, June 20 at 7:02 pm #

Nothing will come of this testimony.  I’ve gone past puking.  Now I have the dry heaves.

Report this

By BobZ, June 20 at 4:32 pm #

Historians will not treat Bush kindly - the more we find out about his administration, the more it seems like Nixon II, only worse. At least Nixon did not take us into a new war, although he did not end the Vietnam war as he promised. McClellan is the insider who knew just how bad some of our public servants were, especially our lovely VP Dick Cheney, who hands down is our worst VP ever. Bush though is the one we hold accountable and by every standard, he has failed miserably. Other insiders will eventually come forward as either there conscience and/or greed get the better of them. Colin Powell is a man of great integrity who got sandbagged by Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, and Bush. He owes nothing to them and should tell his side of the story. Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the other neocons will go to their graves stonewalling the country, but the truth will eventually come out how the actions taken by this White House were indeed criminal.

Report this

By walter, June 20 at 3:46 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

I agree with all those who want to see Mr. Chenney testify in the Plame case. What I really don’t see is how in this earth you’ll get anything even near the same place in the solar system that resembles in any way to the truth.

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!






Notify you when others comment on this article?


Are you a human?
Retype the word you see here.


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

Newsletter

Get Truthdig in your inbox

Privacy Policy

 
Click here to advertise with Truthdig
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.