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May 30, 2008 at 09:43:27

Headlined on 5/30/08:
How do you like having your intelligence insulted by Scott McClellan?

by Ed Martin     Page 1 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

 
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Scott McClellan's book, Oh Migosh, I Just Figured Out That George Bush and His Henchmen and Henchwoman Were Lying About a Whole Lot of Things, makes me so goddam mad I could bite a nail in two.  Where has Scotty been all this time?  Where is any mention that we've known what he's telling us before he knew it?  Where does he get the arrogance and ignorance to presume to preach to us about what we already knew?  It's insulting to the intelligence of those who read and write for OEN.

Some will say that they're so glad that Scotty, at last, has joined with us.  But, we should save our sympathy for those who were misled and deceived by Scotty and his ilk, and properly direct our ire at those who did the misleading and deceiving, like Scotty.  Scotty had access to more information than we did, and we figured out that Bush was lying and he didn't.  It was all right there to be seen, and he didn't see it.  We did.  He has no excuse.  I can forgive the misled, but not the misleader, the deceived, but not the deceiver. 

Take a look at some of the "revelations" Scotty has for us:

Bush is guilty of a "failure to be open and forthright on Iraq and of rushing to war with inadequate planning and preparation for its aftermath."

We knew that, even as Scotty was faithfully passing on Bush lies as gospel truth about Iraq, and everything else, for that matter.

Bush "and his advisers confused the propaganda campaign with the high level of candor and honesty so fundamentally needed to build and then sustain public support during a time of war."

Bush has never confused candor and honesty with anything, he doesn't know what it is.  Scotty distributing Bush's propaganda got him the public support to get and continue his war, didn't it?

"If anything, the national press corps was probably too deferential to the White House."

If the press corps was deferential, it was to Scotty, who was deferential to Bush in passing on Bush's lies.

"The collapse of the administration's rationales for war, which became apparent months after our invasion, should never have come as such a surprise"

The collapse of the administration's rationales for war became apparent while Bush was saying them, months before the invasion, and came as no surprise to us that he was lying about the whole thing.  We knew that all along.  We knew then that there was no evidence for anything Bush was saying.  There wasn't then and never has been any evidence to support Bush's lies.

"I had allowed myself to be deceived into unknowingly passing along a falsehood.  It would ultimately prove fatal to my ability to serve the president effectively."

That's a hell of an admission, that you were fooled by George Bush.  Scotty may have been so easily deceived, but we weren't, and it seems that Scotty was very effective in serving the president by passing on what we knew were Bush's lies.  Since we knew, why didn't he?  He was right there, watching, while the lies were being invented.

Now, for Scotty's ultimate bit of all-knowing, omniscient hubris:

"History appears poised to confirm what most Americans today have decided: that the decision to invade Iraq was a serious strategic blunder.  No one, including me, can know with absolute certainty how the war will be viewed decades from now when we can more fully understand its impact."

Had Scotty just looked around, he would have seen that history (those of us who were paying attention) had already confirmed that the decision to invade Iraq, even before Iraq was invaded, was a strategic blunder.  We can see these blunders coming a mile away.  And, we knew with absolute certainty that Bush's war was a strategic blunder before he blundered.  We won't have to wait decades to know that.  We knew it then and we know it now.

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Ed Martin is an unindicted curmudgeon. He is not a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal, deist, atheist, or a member of any -ism.

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Dr. John Moffett is an active research neuroscientist in the Washington, DC area, who has published over 45 scientific articles on the nervous and immune systems. Dr. Moffett is also the author and webmaster of the political opinion website www.Factinista.org, and is a Managing Editor at OpEdNews.com.
John R MoffettDr. John Moffett is an active research neuroscientist in the Washington, DC area, who has published over 45 scientific articles on the nervous and immune systems. Dr. Moffett is also the author and webmaster of the political opinion website www.Factinista.org, and is a Managing Editor at OpEdNews.com.

Look, McClellan knew he was lying...

...but it was his job. It was a position of power, and he was going to do the job they gave him.

I don't know about you, but I'm damned glad the weasel finally spilled his guts. Way too late to save all those lives, and just in time to make lots of money on a book. But the alternative was that he didn't come clean, now or ever. That alternative is even worse.

Perhaps, others will feel a similar need to extricate themselves from the BushCo. legacy, and that too will be better late than never.

One thing seems clear, if McClellan only gets loads of crap from the Left and Right for finally telling the truth, that will almost certainly quiet those who are thinking the time has come to tell the truth. Maybe the Left should give simple Scotty a little break here.

by John R Moffett (80 articles, 14 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 601 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 10:24:47 AM
 


Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."
John Sanchez Jr.Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Indeed,...

we may be able to identify denizens of this administration who have true religious convictions when they risk legal convictions to forestall a trip to hell.

by John Sanchez Jr. (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 1055 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 4:01:21 PM
 


Ed Martin is an unindicted curmudgeon. He is not a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal, deist, atheist, or a member of any -ism.
Ed MartinEd Martin is an unindicted curmudgeon. He is not a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal, deist, atheist, or a member of any -ism.

Mea culpa

Scotty may deserve credit for telling the truth, but he needs to throw in a few mea cuplas about the fact that we were telling him way back then the very things he's telling us now.  He has completely ignored that very salient fact.  I want revenge and I want credit for having been right.

Does the arsonist deserve credit for running out of the building and shouting, "Fire"?

by Ed Martin (116 articles, 0 quicklinks, 31 diaries, 133 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 11:29:19 AM
 


Charlie Levenson is a writer and activist in Portland, Oregon. In addition to serving as the Manager of Electronic Communications for a social/athletic club in Portland, he instructs in Digital Media at Portland State University, consults on communications strategy, and occasionally writes/directs videos.
Charlie LCharlie Levenson is a writer and activist in Portland, Oregon. In addition to serving as the Manager of Electronic Communications for a social/athletic club in Portland, he instructs in Digital Media at Portland State University, consults on communications strategy, and occasionally writes/directs videos.

Arsonist yelling fire?

Ed, I think you analogy is closest to the mark.

Scotty was a member of a conspiracy and is now "turning" (not really!) on his fellow conspirators, in this case for money, rather than for leniancy in sentencing, as we know that none of these criminals will ever have to pay any price (at least not in THIS lifetime) for their crimes against humanity.

Scotty is a scumbag, criminal, piece-of-crap, lying, treasonous, weasel.  Always has been.  Always will be.  His children will be the children of the same.  Their children the grandchildren of such. etc.  Deciding to "come clean" about what he is doesn't change what he is, and I don't really CARE how many more follow him.

And I promise you, unless he is granted immunity, you will hear at least 100 "I don't recalls" in any testimony he gives to Congress, unless they agree ahead of time (the new strategy) to not ask any questions that he's not willing to answer.

by Charlie L (2 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 638 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 12:45:08 PM
 


GW is a proud American from NY State, concerned about ethics issues, media manipulation and overconsumption. He has recently changed careers to become an inner city schoolteacher. A firm proponent of curbing overpopulation and international adoption, he hopes to adopt a third child and enjoys history, outsider art, obscure garage rock and vinyl records.
Gustav WynnGW is a proud American from NY State, concerned about ethics issues, media manipulation and overconsumption. He has recently changed careers to become an inner city schoolteacher. A firm proponent of curbing overpopulation and international adoption, he hopes to adopt a third child and enjoys history, outsider art, obscure garage rock and vinyl records.

Ratchet up the impeachment process...

McClellan is saying nothing we didn't already know, he just confirmed it as a voice from one of the actual players involved. George Tenet did something similar, writing his book to decry Bush's manipulations.

Like Tenet, McClellan deserves his lumps for not coming clean sooner - but then again he may not have been able to. Take whistleblolwer Sibel Edmonds for example. She did the right thing at the right time and was fired, gagged by the State Secrets Act and slimed by the media. Others never lived to tell their tales, such as the DC Madam whose suicide is strangely not being investigated.

McClellan is playing this right. The left and right can bash the messenger, but the right has to also address the charges. So far, they're bashing the messenger but not addressing the charges.

This is the value of McClellan's message. Bush now needs to deny he said these things or not.

by Gustav Wynn (51 articles, 34 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 238 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 1:22:19 PM
 


I have achieved nothing of consequence apart from raising children in a way that they would excel where I failed. And they are on good tracks.
ramsheyiI have achieved nothing of consequence apart from raising children in a way that they would excel where I failed. And they are on good tracks.

Smokescreen And Whitewash From Ministry Of Propaganda

 Are we fools, certainly, but not to the point that we would not realize that :

It is a cover up, a comic strip, an orchestrated entertainment parody by the propaganda machine for summer vacationers on the beach, when the time would be  be ripe to bomb Iran. Go to sleep sheeple while we bomb.

It is cover up to deviate attention from new 9/11 revelations that are coming up almost daily

It is a cover up designed to  make you forget that the candidates for the White House are nothing but hopeless goons and spineless jerks with absolutely no agenda to change anything for the better

It is a cover up to make you forget rising gas prices and dire economic conditions

It is a cover up to make you forget to see looming in the horizon the rise of fascism

It is cover up folks. If the guy was honset he would have risked and sacrificed  his filthy life to prevent useless massacres that followed his lies

The dirty fellow is an insider and part of the criminal cabal who has discovered the opportunity to get rich, again through more lies.

Wake up

by ramsheyi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 412 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 3:03:32 PM
 


Los Angeles
AntonioLos Angeles

FOR GODS SAKE

Im just at a loss to try to put my finger on the pulse of some people who seem never satisfied, no matter what. If Jesus came down off a cloud they would complain that he didnt have a seat belt. Scott McLelland lived in the belly of the beast and has now dealt a mortal blow to the Bush-Cheney mendacity. McCain will never recover from this. When your INNER CIRCLE turns against you, things are pretty bad. It's as if Lafayette, a nobleman, telling Louis XVI-'Im going to America to join a revolution to overthrow the monarchy". But Eddy Martin wouldnt be satisfied. He would say, "Yes, but are still a marquis". God knows what would get him to say that McClelland did the right thing. I guess if McLelland  put on a beret, picked up a rifle and joined the (imaginary) hordes of guerrillas hiding out in the caves of the Rocky Mountains, awaiting the signal to start the revolution, Martin's smugness and self righteousness would calm down a bit. The US (and the world) are going through some profound and historic changes. Some people try desperately to hang on the the past, the same exploitation, the same profit motives, the same racism and xenophobia used to perpetuate a rotten and played out system. Others are more interested in leaving all that behind, including sanctimonious finger pointing, and get on with the business of making the change as profound and lasting as possible. For the first time humanity has the possibility of overcoming hunger world wide, and the peoples of the earth are not "taking it" any more. Those who oppose Bush and Cheney belong to the past. Those who oppose McLelland belong to the past.

by Antonio (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 63 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 3:12:11 PM
 


Ed Martin is an unindicted curmudgeon. He is not a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal, deist, atheist, or a member of any -ism.
Ed MartinEd Martin is an unindicted curmudgeon. He is not a Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal, deist, atheist, or a member of any -ism.

Who?

Sorry, but I don't know this "McLelland" you are referring to.  The article was about someone else, entirely.

by Ed Martin (116 articles, 0 quicklinks, 31 diaries, 133 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 8:46:41 PM
 


Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

This is a con job.

Moralizing is absurd.  Why is anyone blaming a messenger?

Everytime I look at TV, my intelligence is insulted. 

 

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1094 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 8:09:32 PM
 


Laurence A.Toenjes is retired from the University of Houston ?s Department of Sociology where he was a researcher with The Sociology of Education Research Group. Toenjes received his doctorate in economics from Southern Illinois University.
Laurence A. ToenjesLaurence A.Toenjes is retired from the University of Houston ?s Department of Sociology where he was a researcher with The Sociology of Education Research Group. Toenjes received his doctorate in economics from Southern Illinois University.

McCain's role in the propaganda machine the real story

Okay.  A certain amount of indignation towards McClellan may be appropriate.  But like it or not, he has provided a degree of insider certification of the Bush administration's propaganda campaign in the run up to the Iraq War. This in turn helps authenticate  the more important story, namely that John McCain was an active participant in that propaganda campaign by virtue of his involvement in the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq beginning in the fall of 2002. McCain and Lieberman were members and honorary co-chairs of the CLI. The CLI was established at the behest of the Bush administration for the express purpose of softening up public opinion for the war. Thus, McCain not only voted for the war, he helped to sell it to the American people!  "Straight talk express" indeed! (google [McCain, "Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, Lieberman ] and see Peter Slevin article in the Washington Post, November 4, 2002)

by Laurence A. Toenjes (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 18 comments) on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 11:48:06 PM
 


Christian tired of republican lies and smear campaigns.
lucydavisChristian tired of republican lies and smear campaigns.

"So-called "Intelligence"

"Democratization" What a joke!!!

Doesn't ANYONE see the joke about all the fuss being made about McClellan's book???  Now, if he had come out and admitted that the BushCo. administration had planned the Iraq war back in the nineties, and that it had the sole purpose of taking over Iraq's OIL, THAT would be something for the Bushieites to get excited about.  But, no, it is just about the democratization (ha, ha) Bush had supposedly decided to impose on Iraq.  Have you forgotten?? Democratization was about the fourth reason BushCo. came up with, after all the other excuses didn't work out.  OIL, OIL, OIL!!  Remember what the first initials were "Operation Iraqi Liberation" or some-such name - then, when they realized what the the initials actually stood for, they quickly changed the name.  Too bad McClellan didn't bother to write the book about the true reason for the war. 

by lucydavis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 4:27:13 PM
 

 

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