Scot McClellan Not Fooling Me

For the past couple of days it's been impossible to watch any television news program without seeing the face of Scott McClellan hawking his new book, What Happened, about the Bush administration. The liberal media seems to be appreciative of yet another insider bashing the establishment, while everyone on the right is vilifying him as the spawn of Satan.

Now, I admit I haven't read the book and I usually take umbrage with people who criticize things like video games, books, television shows and movies without actually having seen them. But I have watched several interviews, including the extended one with Keith Olbermann on his MSNBC Countdown program. At least I've had the opportunity to hear Scott McClellan talk at great length about his work in his own words.

I don't see this as a revealing expose of the liars in the Bush administration. I see it as someone who knows he did wrong and is scared shitless he's going to have to pay for his crimes. It's so transparent, I don't know why I haven't heard this critique elsewhere. The Washington Post even talks about the book as McClellan "looking back on the most painful time of his life." Poor Scotty! Read the article for yourself here.

The first thing the next president of this country MUST do is hold all of the criminals who have run this country for the last eight years accountable for their actions. Each and every one should be prosecuted for treason and the murder of over 4000 brave American soldiers. McClellan is smack dab in the middle of the group with Rumsfeld, Libby, Cheney, Bush, Rice, Rove and all the rest.

The book is his attempt to deflect the blame that is due him. "I didn't want to do it! They made me lie. I asked them if they were telling the truth!" Bull! He knew what was going on and for almost three years was just as much a part of crafting the deceptions that came out of the White House as anyone else in the administration. He knows they are going to have to pay for what they did. He's just hoping this "confession" and its protestations of innocence will get him off the hook.

I don't think a judge or jury will buy it. I hope they don't.

The timing of the book is also much more than a coincidence. If he had waited until the next president takes office - which is what he would have done if he cared about anyone but himself - then it wouldn't have the same impact. America is so eager to move on and put the evils of the past eight years behind us, that we're not going to want to spend a lot of time looking back other than to correct all the screws ups that have been heaped upon us. McClellan's book would be just another in the heap of criticisms of the Bush years and wouldn't get nearly the notice that's coming now. Everyone is going to write a book claiming he or she isn't responsible anyway - especially if McClellan's transparently deceptive ploy works.

Also, by coming out with the book now, when Bush-bashing is reaching its peak, he stands to make more money. His non-stop appearances on every accommodating media outlet is proof to me that profit, much more so than any false attempt to clear his conscience, is at the heart of this sham. McClellan is going to need the money. Not only is it unlikely he will ever get another job as long as he lives, but he's going to need to hire some outstanding lawyers just to keep himself out of jail.

I hope it all fails. I hope he ends up doing hard time with all of the traitors and murderers who have led this country into its sorry economic and political state. McClellan might be fooling all those talk show hosts who want to interview him, but he's not fooling me. McClellan was the leading liar to the American public for three miserable years and his wimpy claims of being deceived by everyone he worked with and for is just sad - and shameless. He deserves to be in a federal prison and I hope he gets to share a cell with his beloved boss.