Posted on 05/30/2008 9:02:52 AM PDT by rob777
Has there ever been as much chatter among the pundits about someone as light weight, un-talented, inconsequential (and utterly predictable) as Scott McClellan? I mean, who was he again? Oh yeah, that boring, un-engaged pasty little white dude who mumbled through the daily press briefings after Ari Fleisher and before Tony Snow. I remember him now. I used to wonder how in the world it was that the President found someone so totally unimpressive to help fight his media battles.
Then I remembered: McClellan was a more appropriate as Press Secretary for the New Tone President than either his predecessor or successors. After all, the New Tone (which is short for uni-lateral surrender to your political enemies) logically leads to Presidential front man who is totally ineffective. Allow me to present exhibit A: Scott McClellan.
And now the verdict is in. McClellan and the New Tone can both be declared unequivical disasters. In a 50-50 country, it takes some real doing to have a 26% approval rating. That's sort of like 38 over par on a putt-putt course. It is unimaginably bad and McClellan was part of the team that crafted it.
So bad, in fact, that the Prez actually had to let him "pursue other opportunities." (In the real world, we call that "firing." In Washington, it means writing a vindictive tell all book). For one of the Texas gang to screw up so badly that they had to be jettisoned says something...since this is a President who would ride Texas loyalty straight to the bottom of the political abyss. For some reason he valued that loyalty over his Presidency...and oh by the way the country. Still, McClellan was so ill suited that he was canned anyway.
And now Bush and his inner circle are "shocked" that Scottie would do this to them. And they were shocked that Ted Kennedy did not like them after they let him write the education bill. Shocked that their new tone never did work in charming the likes of Pelosi and Reid and Daschle and Durbin and Schumer, not to mention Matthews and Rather and Williams and Gibson.
They are all shocked because one thing has been consistent about this President: his "misoverstimation" of his own charm and its effect on those around him -- political allies and enemies alike. This misoverstimation is the psychosis behind the New Tone, the Kennedy Education Bill, looking into the soul of Vladimir Putin, the whole misguided concept of "compassionate conservatism"....and the belief that elevating little worms like McClellan to heights far beyond what their talents merit will be repaid with kindness.
I actually did like the President at one time, but started finding him hard to stomach when the New Tone appeared. I was insulted (horrified, actually) that Bush didn't understand that conservatism is compassion and that "compassionate conservatism" is actually liberalism. I never liked Kennedy's education bill or thought he would like us for it. I never trusted Putin as someone we can "do business with."
And I never thought McClellan was worth a damn. I am not surprised that he's now cashing in on his former position with this post defacto "harrmph" of indignation. Afterall, in the real world, folks who are elevated beyond their capabilities do one thing predictablly when they start to slip in stature; they sell whoever and whatever down the river to maintain their status, because they surely cannot do it on their own talent. McClellan may no longer be welcome in the Oval Office, but he's a star in Keith Olbermann's green room.
Consider: this presidency reached a point in 2001 and 2002 where the President was winning battles because his opponents "mis underestimated" him. Now it is crashing and burning at the finish because he is mis-overestimating himself. And an argument can be made that he's taking the party and the country down with him. Frankly, that Texas charm is wearin a bit thin.
The problem is that Bush is intensely loyal to his enemies and his most incompetent buddies. But he won’t lift a finger to help the subordinates who truly do good work under him for our country, like Ramos and Compean, or the Haditha marines, or General Peter Pace, or Scooter Libby. He leaves them to twist in the wind.
Too tell the truth, I originally thought that “compassionate conservatism” was a buzzword, a political campaign gimmick to help him get elected. It was disappointing to learn that he really meant it, in a very dim and deluded sort of way.
Solve the public education crisis in our country by spending billions and adding an extra layer of federal bureaucracy to the mix? Oh, sure. Solve the security crisis by adding layer upon layer of federal bureaucracy on top of broken agencies like the FBI and the CIA, doubling the pay of the airport inspectors and giving them lifetime tenure, and then putting an open border man at the top? Oh, sure.
I’d rather blame McClellan for McClellan. Seems more appropriate.
I’ve never understood why all admins don’t have anyone but total loyalists on board. McClellan had a Dem background. His mother changed from Dem to Rep to Indy. He was raised during her Dem period.
To the victor remains the spoils. Geesh. Clean house when ya win.
Sadly, there are plenty of such whinging pantywaists even on this forum.
Uh, please enlighten us Johnny. Maybe the Republicans didn't go too far to the left enough?
Could it be because of this knee jerk urge in the Conservative media to hysterically whine at Bush on every issue rather then ever take the Left on on anything?
Could it be because you're arguably the most myopic poster on the Internet? Ironically, you accuse us of whining when it is you who are the biggest whiner there is.
Totally agree with the point.
Even Democrats were praising Reagan and quietly respected him. That's because Reagan didn't take any s--t. Perhaps Bush should have done the same. If he would have promoted a clear, conservative agenda, he'd be just as respected.
All the same loser Dinons we hear these days, Buchanan, Vingue et al spent Reagan 2nd term hysterically whining about him.
The only people who whined about Reagan were uber-RINOs such as Warren Rudman and of course the Democrats. You really don't get it do you.
They got over it and gave the drunken maniac another chance on amnesty.
I’m from Texas and I blame his mother, the oft married Carole Keeton McClellan Rylander Strayhorn, for his parting of the ways with Bush. She ran as an independent against Bush’s successor and had a snit when Bush endorsed Perry.
How about you run for office, or any Freepers?
Come on now.....your country needs you!
Pretty tough to win any political battles when 30% of your team does nothing but shoot their own side in the back.
How about the Always Whining Choir surprise us ONE time and actually attack the Left on anything. Odd how they NEVER ever manage to find anything to complain about when it comes to the Democrats.
Unlike Bush for six years, Reagan had a Rat Congress. Reagan also had to rebuild the military, which was more deteriorated than when Bush took over from Clinton. And the Soviet threat was far more dangerous than the Islamofascists.
he gave a real amnesty to illegals
After he received assurances that it would be the last time, and that the borders were going to be secured thereafter.
He does hit the nail on the head. I can’t help but think that Bush is getting what he deserves.
The point of the article and subsequent comments of the thread should be that Bush has failed miserably in articulating conservatism. He had a Republican majority and did virtually nothing with it. Key Republicans defected and became RINOs, and Bush supported RINOs over conservative Republicans.
Like I said Johnny, you don't get it, you're nothing more than a partisan hack who repeat RNC talking points and falsehoods and attack the very people who is trying to save both the GOP and conservatism itself.
Do we blame Lincoln for his McClellan troubles, too?
The Bushes are chumps. George H.W. Bush gave Ted Kennedy his eponymous award for "public service" a mere 4 days after Kennedy called his son--the President-- a "liar" on the Senate floor. I'm sorry, a "gentleman" doesn't ignore the vicious insult and give the award anyway. A chump does. A real man cancels the award, and gives it to someone worthy.
Cool email to Scotty from Bob Dole:
“There are miserable creatures like you in every administration who don’t have the guts to speak up or quit if there are disagreements with the boss or colleagues,” Dole wrote in a message sent yesterday morning. “No, your type soaks up the benefits of power, revels in the limelight for years, then quits, and spurred on by greed, cashes in with a scathing critique.”
Michael Marshall, Dole’s spokesman and colleague at the Alston Bird law firm, confirms the message came from the former senator and presidential candidate. “Yes, it is authentic,” Marshall wrote in an email.
“In my nearly 36 years of public service I’ve known of a few like you,” Dole writes, recounting his years representing Kansas in the House and Senate. “No doubt you will ‘clean up’ as the liberal anti-Bush press will promote your belated concerns with wild enthusiasm. When the money starts rolling in you should donate it to a worthy cause, something like, ‘Biting The Hand That Fed Me.’ Another thought is to weasel your way back into the White House if a Democrat is elected. That would provide a good set up for a second book deal in a few years”
Dole assures McClellan that he won’t read the book — “because if all these awful things were happening, and perhaps some may have been, you should have spoken up publicly like a man, or quit your cushy, high profile job”
“That would have taken integrity and courage but then you would have had credibility and your complaints could have been aired objectively,” Dole concludes. “You’re a hot ticket now but don’t you, deep down, feel like a total ingrate?”
He signs the email simply: “BOB DOLE”
(even Dole can fight back better than us, lol)
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