He was first a bagman in the tradition of the Bush organization. He was Ari’s bagman. Everyone in the media liked him because he was approachable, and the media adopt a methodology of using these good guys on the edge to pilfer information as they can, and gain access as they must.
Under a constant threat of cutting off access, Karen Hughes had converted a kennel of hunting dogs (the media) into a gaggle of lapdogs.
She gave them tidbits as she desired.
Of course it should be forensically surprising that after being converted from hunters to being spoon fed, the campaign and later the White House Press Corps got in line and waited for their next meal. Instead of competing for the next nugget of hidden truth or background, we became accustomed to a steady dribble press releases, talking points, and vanity pieces. Judith Miller and others that have not been publicly called on it, were given outlines of stories at ‘friendly’ orchestrated lunches, dinners and social events.
This was Texas “Good old boy 101” but somehow the WH Press corps was enjoying the feast and forgot their work ethic.
Propaganda.
Hence the accurate and correct depiction of Scott McClellan.
Of course the talking heads and pundits who seek to clear themselves of responsibility don’t give the lead up or back story that makes them culpable or complicit.
A Presidential campaign or even bigger, a Presidency is a cash cow for writers, politico’s and junkies. For those that can’t do anything else, it’s also a ticket to stardom in the land of self importance and aggrandizement.
This makes “wannabes” including authors who have profiteered from both sides – “some bodies”.
It gives them a chance for a paycheck while allowing them to speculate, guess, and even look inside someone’s trash or someone’s else’s bedroom windows. This is a dirty business and it takes people that have lowered expectations and sinister thoughts to do it. Accordingly, many think of them as bottom feeders.
But just like the proverbial buzzard, there are always parasitic species necessary to deconstruct a corpse.
In place of a professional relationship at the Bush White House in 2001, we have two groups of feeders within all segments – the insiders who feed morsels in order to control the pigeons, and the “feeders” who are scum sucking at every breath to find a morsel without surrendering their individualism. But the pigeons have been brought under control and will broadcast far and wide any tidbit that is wanted.
This is the mechanism – the Rove/Hughes/Bartlett White House operational structure.
Scott McClellan was a young man with individual dreams. He found George W. Bush to be open, congenial and supportive. And he was immediately loyal to him as an individual and a leader.
Even within the book, his loyalty remains.
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