What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

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What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

by Scott McClellan

3.07 · rating details · 802 ratings · 270 reviews

In the bestselling book that provoked a media sensation, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan takes readers behind the scenes of the presidency of George W. Bush. Scott McClellan was one of a few Bush loyalists from Texas who became part of his inner circle of trusted advisers, and remained so during one of the most challenging and contentious periods of rece...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published May 12th 2009 by PublicAffairs (first published January 1st 2008)

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Jul 01, 2008

Xysea rated it

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Recommends it for: political junkies, poli sci students, the average taxpayer

Shelves: non-fiction, political

Okay, let's be honest. This entire book is a rationale. Well, not just one rationale, but several: For why McClellan didn't do anything despite knowing (or at the very least suspecting corruption and dishonesty) as well as why McClellan won't disavow the GOP.

All in all, though, his rationales are plausible, and that's what makes the book work. In the Bush Administration, it's easy to envision Cheney and Rove, for example, viewing McClellan as a nobody, a mouthpiece, and therefore...moreOkay, let's be honest. This entire book is a rationale. Well, not just one rationale, but several: For why McClellan didn't do anything despite knowing (or at the very least suspecting corruption and dishonesty) as well as why McClellan won't disavow the GOP.

All in all, though, his rationales are plausible, and that's what makes the book work. In the Bush Administration, it's easy to envision Cheney and Rove, for example, viewing McClellan as a nobody, a mouthpiece, and therefore it wouldn't matter if they lied to him about revealing the identity/cover of a covert CIA operative; to them, it was just business, not personal. Only their 'business' made him a liar and Scooter Libby a perjurer.

It's hard for me to read this stuff, looking around at the newspapers at the problems with the economy and the war this Administration has wrought, knowing McClellan for all his belated honesty and analysis is likely doing just fine financially - not only from his cushy job as White House spokesperson, but also from his book deal. But another part of me sees that he was, like many Americans, duped by this Administration. Should he have seen the signs? The answer is: Possibly. Maybe even probably, but many of us didn't either. (Personally, I wasn't ever in support of the Bush Administration, but many fine, upstanding, intelligent and intellectual friends of mine were...)

Still, it makes for compelling reading and the book maintains a decent pace; it slows a bit just past the halfway mark, but I didn't half wonder if that's because we already know the story, we already know how it ends. And by the mid of the book, he's done revealing his 'insider' knowledge and reverts to speculation. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of speculation. Between the punditry, and the news media, and the weekend political shows, I've had my fill of what people "think"; what I want to know is what are they doing to *do* about it. Scott offers few answers here, but it was heartening, if empty, to see he was willing to testify before the Senate - even if he essentially said, well, nothing.

This book isn't Earth-shattering, but it did give me a lot of insight into how the mind of George W. Bush works; there was a time where I thought that might be of little value. But as it seems the man is unlikely to be impeached, and will leave office fairly unscathed except in reputation, I think differently now. I want to know what he thinks and how he thinks, so that in judging future candidates if I see a similar pattern I can avoid it like the plague and spare this country unnecessary grief and suffering.(less)

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Jan 19, 2009

Jacob rated it

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Title: Same Old Partisan Crap

I found reading McClellan's partisan memoir to be a total waste of time. I also feel the author lacks credibility and this book offers the same old partisan view we have been fed all along. This book has been targeted towards and panders to the left-leaning partisan audience. McClellan makes a ton of allegations against the Bush Administration but doesn't provide any backing/proof. The book reads like a conspiracy theory.
Although the media response ...moreTitle: Same Old Partisan Crap

I found reading McClellan's partisan memoir to be a total waste of time. I also feel the author lacks credibility and this book offers the same old partisan view we have been fed all along. This book has been targeted towards and panders to the left-leaning partisan audience. McClellan makes a ton of allegations against the Bush Administration but doesn't provide any backing/proof. The book reads like a conspiracy theory.
Although the media response dwelled on McClellan's criticism of Bush's road to war, the CIA leak case is the heart of this book. Throughout the book McClellan virtually ignores Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's role in leaking Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA employee to Robert Novak. That fits the partisan Democratic version of the Plame affair.
McClellan doesn't present the reader with a single page dedicated to substantial, credible evidence. In all honesty, a monkey with a pen in his hand could have done a better job at logical reasoning.
McClellan's only legitimate censure seems to be his unjust treatment during the Valerie Plame investigation. McClellan conceded in interviews that even when he was an important cog in the "propaganda machine," he never witnessed anything that seemed at the time to be deceitful or untrue. If McClellan had a problem then he should have resigned rather than being kicked out and more importantly he should have spoken up when he had the podium.
In claiming he was misled about the Plame affair, McClellan mentions Richard Armitage only twice. Armitage being the leaker undermines the Democratic theory, now accepted by McClellan that Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and political adviser Karl Rove aimed to delegitimize Ambassador Wilson (Democratic partisan) as a war critic.
On page 173, McClellan first mentions Robert Novak's Plame leak, but he does not identify Armitage as the leaker until page 306 of the 323-page book -- then only in passing. Armitage, anti-war and anti-Cheney, cannot fit the conspiracy theory that McClellan now buys into. When Armitage after two years publicly admitted he was Novak's source, the life went out of Wilson's campaign. In "What Happened," McClellan dwells on Rove's alleged deceptions as if the real leaker were still unknown.
McClellan at the White House podium never knew the facts about the CIA leak, and his memoir reads as though he has tried to maintain his ignorance. He omits Armitage's slipping Mrs. Wilson's identity to The Washington Post's Bob Woodward weeks before he talked to Novak. He does not mention that Armitage turned himself in to the Justice Department even before Patrick Fitzgerald was named as special prosecutor.
McClellan completely ignores that Fitzgerald's long, expensive investigation found no violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, if only because Plame was not covered. Nevertheless, McClellan calls the leak "wrong and harmful to national security" -- ignoring questions of whether Plame really was engaged in undercover operations and whether her cover long ago had been blown.
I borrowed this book from a friend to read and I'm glad that my 2 cents didn't go into this turncoat's pocket and I pray that yours don't either. (less)

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Jun 12, 2008

Mattie rated it

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McClellan's memoir of "what happened" in the Bush administration really gets 3.5 stars, but since that's not an option, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt (or of the star).

Anyway - the thing about the book is not any "revelations" about what actually happened. Anyone who's been paying even a modicum of attention the past 8 years knows what happened. What McClellen does is provide an interesting perspective on how it came to happen. Admittedly, his basic theory...moreMcClellan's memoir of "what happened" in the Bush administration really gets 3.5 stars, but since that's not an option, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt (or of the star).

Anyway - the thing about the book is not any "revelations" about what actually happened. Anyone who's been paying even a modicum of attention the past 8 years knows what happened. What McClellen does is provide an interesting perspective on how it came to happen. Admittedly, his basic theory - that the conduct of public policy as part of the "permanent campaign" rather than as part of "governance" - isn't new with him. But he give appropriate props to Norm Ornstein & Thomas Mann as the authors and his experience is a stark example of the theory in action.

McClellan comes across as a decent guy who wants to believe the best in most people. Yet he manages to take and place enough blame to avoid coming off as self-serving or an apologist for the Bush administration. Even though he has every right to be livid with Rove and Libby over the Plame affair, he still clearly tries hard to be temperate in his comments towards them.

Again, although there's not much "new", I think a few of his observations from his experiences are really well taken. First, is that the White House really does create a bubble out of which its hard to see. Second, if you have a president without a penchant for self analysis or introspection, its all the more important for those who work for him (or her) to be willing to fight,not feed, that tendancy. Third, the tactics and mindset that make for a good campaign make for pretty lousy governance. These onservations/tendencies excuse nothing, but do help explain how public policy often goes awry, even when the people in charge are well intentioned and genuinely want to do the right thing.

I think his book also points out how easy it is for a few not-so well intentioned people to manipulate the tendencies noted above for their own purposes. I don't think that McClellan was actively trying to emphasize that point, but I can't help but think he knew he was making it. As well he should have.

What got the book the benefit of the doubt for the half-star is the fact that he ends the book with some suggestions for improving the system to help the president and White House staff avoid the worst excesses of the tendencies noted above. After all he saw, that he's still optimistic enough to offer suggestions and hold out hope that all is not lost is charming. As a native New Yorker and a Washington attorney, cynicism is both my birthright and my professional obligation. Even so, I cling to what's left of my idealism and find it heartening to know that I'm not the only one. Even more heartening is to find that one of the other people clinging to his is a Repubilcan. Maybe there's hope yet... (less)

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Jul 13, 2008

Rachel rated it

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It seriously takes a crappy book for me to not finish a book (I like to finish a book no matter how difficult it is to get through.) Now, the preface in this book is fantastic. It got me all rowled up. (Is that the right word: rowled?) I thought this book would be very interesting, and I guess a little part of it was. I wanted to get the scoop from a true insider. Someone who really was in the thick of it all. The problem with this book is when he blabs on and on about idealistic politics, his f...more

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Aug 05, 2008

Maria rated it

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Forget how smug he was at press briefings. Forget how he was a puppet and mouthpiece for all the bad decisions of the Bush administration. For me, these are givens, like saying a croissant tastes nice or summer is pleasant.

McClellan doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know - not really - in spirit if not in detail.

But what really annoys me about this book is that an editor somewhere let it go out in such bad condition? I get the man's not a writer, but jeez. You'd ...more

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Sep 24, 2008

Samantha rated it

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I had heard so much about this book, but it was taking its time making it up to the top of my stack. I found it fascinating to walk through the recent events from Scott McClellan's eyes. To find out what he said he knew when he said he knew it. To hear what he believes about each of the participants in the events. It was interesting to me to see how he views President Bush now compared to how he viewed him before going to Washington with him. His comments on Dr. Condi Rice were really enlighteni...more

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Jul 07, 2008

Ray rated it

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There are plenty of books out there critical of Bush and his adminstration [ e.g., books like Chandrasekaran's "Imperial Life in the Emerald City", or Corn's & Isikoffs "Hubris", Hersh's "Chain of Command", Rick's "Fiasco", Unger's "House of Bush, House of Saud", Woodward" "Bush at War", "Plan of Attack", or "State of Denial", Suskind's "The Price of Loyalty", etc.] It's not really true, but one might...moreThere are plenty of books out there critical of Bush and his adminstration [ e.g., books like Chandrasekaran's "Imperial Life in the Emerald City", or Corn's & Isikoffs "Hubris", Hersh's "Chain of Command", Rick's "Fiasco", Unger's "House of Bush, House of Saud", Woodward" "Bush at War", "Plan of Attack", or "State of Denial", Suskind's "The Price of Loyalty", etc.] It's not really true, but one might dismiss them as being written by liberal Democrats or political outsiders. Harder to dismiss are those written by ex members of the Bush team, like former EPA Administrators Christine Todd Whitman's book "It's My Party", former terrorism advisor Richard Clark's book, former CIA head George Tenant's book, etc.]. Here's another ex-Bush insider who is saying the same thing - Bush didn't do a very good job overall. I believe it was the same Scott McClellan who dismissed some of these earlier books as "sour grapes", or just someone trying to make a buck once outside the administration, it's amusing that the same is being said of him and his book.
But repeated enough times by many former insiders, you have to start believing the common theme. McClellan's book actually is the kindest of Bush of them all in my opinion. He doesn't seem to be condemning Bush as much as the way politics is played, especially in Washington. McClellan seems to give Bush the benefit of the doubt in many areas, and still believes he's a decent caring man. Instead, he blames the policical atmosphere in general, and the likes of Rove, Cheney, and other key advisors for the problems in the current administration. My impression, by the time I finished the book, was there really wasn't much new here, and McClellan's main gripe was personal, e.g., he was misled by Rove, Libby, and others about who leaked inside information about a CIA agent to the press for political reasons, and ended up being caught himself in an inadvertent lie to the press. My feeling is that he simply wanted to get his side of the story out there, clear his name, and not specifically to bash Bush any more than has already been done.
(less)

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Aug 22, 2008

Scott rated it

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For some reason I am fascinated by reading first-hand accounts of what happened behind the scenes in recent U.S. Presidential administrations. I am particularly fascinated with reading about the George W. Bush administration and how they have become so out of touch with reality. McClellan's account was fascinating to me. As someone who thinks George W. Bush beats out only Andrew Johnson in a contest to be a good president, it was interesting to learn from a true insider how decisions were made a...more

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Jun 08, 2008

Caroline rated it

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Recommends it for: Politicos (My People)

So exciting! I normally read the conservatives at the library, so my consumer dollars won't fund their destruction of my country - that should tell you which side I'm coming from. This one, I BOUGHT! I make this offer to any Bushie who wants to roll over and tell the truth - I will buy your book! (David Kuo, I will grandfather you in)

Mr. McClellan started off kinda rocky; he gives us a background story about difficulties he experienced as head of his fraternity... and cites these as...more

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Jun 12, 2008

Tom rated it

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Recommends it for: nobody

I am NO fan of Bush, and was mildly interested to see what McClellan has to say (even though I distrust presidential turncoats) about possibly the worst president in history.

This is a terribly written book with disjointed rhythm. I've read better written stuff on bathroom walls. Considering that McClellan was not thought of well by the press corps or the public like Ari Fleischer was, he seems to think he did a wonderful job. Plus, for a book that is supposed to be an insider's view...more

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Aug 18, 2008

Lisa rated it

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Recommends it for: absolutely NO ONE!

Shelves: non-fiction

This was a hard one to put into the non-fiction category.

To summarize:
Pure drivel or more accurately pure partisan drivel that lays the responsibility of the Bush administration's lies and deceptions at the feet of the press.

The most honest paragraph in the entire book, “President Bush has always been an instinctive leader more than an intellectual leader. He is not one to delve deeply into all the possible policy options-including sitting around engaging in exte...more

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Feb 07, 2009

Dan rated it

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When I heard that the former White House press secretary had written a "tell all" book on his years with the Bush administration, I was interested in much the same way that rush hour drivers are interested in an accident on the other side of the freeway. I knew that McClellan had been press secretary through some of the most harrowing days of the Bush administration and felt a bit sorry for him because I believed that he had been lied to on numerous occasions by the President himself a...moreWhen I heard that the former White House press secretary had written a "tell all" book on his years with the Bush administration, I was interested in much the same way that rush hour drivers are interested in an accident on the other side of the freeway. I knew that McClellan had been press secretary through some of the most harrowing days of the Bush administration and felt a bit sorry for him because I believed that he had been lied to on numerous occasions by the President himself as well as the inner circle of the administration. I didn't expect the book to be enlightening but I found myself wanting to read about the carnage.

It was no surprise that this book was ruthlessly attacked by those within and close to the Bush administration. The book was mostly characterised as an angry response by a bitter former employee. At first, this actually made some sense to me. But then I thought about the interviews that McClellan had given around the time he resigned from his post. At that time, he seemed like a loyal Bushie who had simply reached burnout. So why would he change his tune a year or so later?

The reasoning became more apparent when I read the preface to "What Happened." According to the author, it wasn't until he began the process of reflection that the writing of a memoir requires that he began to formulate the views he chose to include in the book. This felt honest to me so, I decided to plunge in and see what he had to say.

The crux of this book, which I think is being left out of much of the discussion surrounding it, is the concept of the "permanent campaign" and it's negative effects on our government, society and citizens. McClellan recounts his political career prior to the White House and his years in the Bush administration from the perspective that we have gone horribly wrong in our approach to government. By treating every issue as if it were a campaign and making governing decisions entirely based on the way they will play to a particular political base, we have lost sight of the true function of government.

Although his writing isn't always as eloquent as I'd like it to be, I think Scott McClellan makes some very important points in this book. There are a lot of voices shouting for the end of bipartisanship and the removal of money from politics but, McClellan speaks to these issues with a unique inside viewpoint that gives his message and it's ability to add to the dialogue an added resonance. The fact that McClellan is, for the most part, a political conservative, helps to enforce his point that the "permanent campaign" reaches far beyond ideas of liberal or conservative, republican or democrat. It is, to steal a phrase from the Nixon era, a cancer on the heart of our political system.(less)

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Jan 06, 2009

Sharon rated it

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Scott McClellen, George W. Bush's former press secretary, is the first of the Bush inner circle to "go public" with a look into this most secretive of administrations. McClellen, a fellow Texan, went with Bush to the White House as an assistant press secretary and moved up to press secretary right before the Valerie Plame outing.

McClellen puts the blame for what happened in the Bush administration on the "constant campaign culture." By this he means that rather ...more

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Nov 26, 2008

Dj rated it

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Shelves: politics, biography

I finished reading Scott McClellan’s memoir: What Happened: Inside the Bush White and Washington’s Culture of Deception. This is my first political memoir of a recent event. Normally, I’d pick up a book written many years after the fact, letting distance provide some context. But, I just had to have this book as McClellan worked the media and blog circuit. As you may know, he was a loyal Bush supporter and fellow Texan who served as White House Press Secretary from July 2003 until April 2006.
...moreI finished reading Scott McClellan’s memoir: What Happened: Inside the Bush White and Washington’s Culture of Deception. This is my first political memoir of a recent event. Normally, I’d pick up a book written many years after the fact, letting distance provide some context. But, I just had to have this book as McClellan worked the media and blog circuit. As you may know, he was a loyal Bush supporter and fellow Texan who served as White House Press Secretary from July 2003 until April 2006.

The memoir focuses primarily on the selling and secrecy around the Iraq War and the outing of a CIA agent as payback for challenging the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) claim for the war. It touches ever so briefly on the political effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Bush presidency.

There are a few tidbits that McClellan confirms. Bush decided to go to war with Iraq by November 2001 (p. 127). However, McClellan says that the war was right, but that it was marketed wrong, emphasizing WMD instead of spreading freedom. This revisionism is expected from loyal Bush folks, but it seems weird coming from a person who is persona non grata these days in Republican circles. He said Bush’s primary failing was not admitting that WMD’s weren’t the real reason for Iraq War. With respect to Katrina, he blames state and local officials, and Karl Rove, for any failings in the government’s reaction to one of its worst natural disasters. Also, Karl Rove is definitely fingered as someone who exposed Valerie Plame’s CIA cover, in an attempt to discredit her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson.

The main points I took away from this book are:

* McClellan portrays himself as a do-gooder who can do no wrong. He’s smitten with the President and never stabs him in the back, or front, during his tenure or in this book.
* It’s never McClellan’s fault. It’s always someone else’s fault. He is always doing the best he can. For anything bad that happened, he says that he was deceived, lied to, kept in the dark, or manipulated by dark foes (pp. 124, 138, 146, 153, 155, 163, 259, 297).
* Republicans are portrayed as being misunderstood, while Democrats are often wrong from the get-go. He blames the “system” constantly, but never blames individuals for making the system into what it is today. My personal thoughts are that the partisanship of the Republican leaders of the House during the 1990s led to the extreme partisanship we see in the White House today.
* McClellan says that while Bush won in 2004, the narrowness of the win “supplied no real mandate” (p. 252). Bush and Cheney would never say this, claiming they had a mandate to do whatever they wanted, especially after November 2004.
* His blame summation: Rove was bad. Libby was bad. Cheney was secretive. Bush was misled. Scott McClellan was lied to (p. 306).

McClellan also appears to have some serious masculinity hang-ups. He constantly uses parenthetical asides to assert that he truly is a manly-man. Talking to his mom, discussing stuff with his wife and being beaten up by his older brothers are addressed with unnecessary machismo (pp. 103, 112, 26). Additionally, when offering up his thinly-sketched fix for partisanship, he says that “for the rest of this chapter, I’ll refer to the hypothetical leaders of tomorrow simply as ‘he,’ to avoid the awkwardness of saying ‘he or she’ repeatedly. No disrespect is intended to any current or future national leaders of the female gender” (p. 314) What the heck is that? He then spends the next 9 1/3 pages saying he over and over again. Why not alternate? Why choose he over she? I’m sorry, it’s much more awkward to erase the contributions (past, current or future) of women in the leadership ranks of our government.

Clocking in at 323 pages, this book went on way to long. It could have been cut down to 100-150 pages and still gotten across its points. Was it a good read? Not necessarily. It certainly didn’t fit the bill as something that would alienate Republicans and rally Democrats.(less)

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Aug 12, 2011

Garrett rated it

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Shelves: presidents, biography-memoir

I read this in tandem with Bush's Decision Points. For a book of dissent, McClellan's account agrees in many ways with Bush's. When the former press secretary published it, he was viewed as a Judas and a traitor. He defends his decision to write by whining about how national politics were too political and that politicians are stuck in "permanent campaign" mode and fail to make wise decisions as a result. Both of these complaints are justified, but they seem overly naive. The bottom li...more

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Jul 28, 2011

Albert rated it

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This is a very important read for those who will vote this Fall. Certainly not the first book criticizing the Iraq War, but this is the first from someone in Bush's personal inner circle. The book is NOT a traitorous expose of Bush, but is actually a non-partisan wake-up call regarding Washington's culture of "permanent campaign" and "total war" between parties (of which both parties are guilty) -- where scoring your agenda is more important than actually governing the countr...moreThis is a very important read for those who will vote this Fall. Certainly not the first book criticizing the Iraq War, but this is the first from someone in Bush's personal inner circle. The book is NOT a traitorous expose of Bush, but is actually a non-partisan wake-up call regarding Washington's culture of "permanent campaign" and "total war" between parties (of which both parties are guilty) -- where scoring your agenda is more important than actually governing the country. Its most egregious effect is the successful selling of an unnecessary war to the American people: there was more energy put into pushing Bush's (naive) agenda for the Middle East than into improving or questioning the agenda. This, combined with Bush's idiosyncratic personality, led to the momentum to war. McClellan reveals experiences not seen from outside the "bubble" of the White House, of these the one that intrigued me the most are the signs that Bush deeply regrets starting the war -- and yet felt unable to own up to his mistake because of the hostile atmosphere in Washington and because of his own personality. Fox News demagogues try to portray McClellan as a kind of Judas, but this is not true: he continues to respect and care for Bush, and places blame mainly on the present dysfunctional culture in Washington -- something the reader now hopes the next president will address aggressively. How this may be accomplished is addressed by the author: After digressing to the tragic mismanagement of the Katrina aftermath, he ends up with some specific suggestions for how to solve the problem of the permanent campaign, including the appointment of a "deputy chief of staff for governance" -- a kind of internal "check" of how administration agendas and policies are put forward. I'm not sure it will really work, as this person would have to police everyone around him/her. In any case, the book is overall a very important peek into the inner workings of an administration that has gone wrong, a fairly objective and sensitive portrayal of "what happened".(less)

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Apr 11, 2011

Joshua rated it

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This was an interesting view into the White House. It gave me a better picture of what happens on a day to day basis. Unfortunately, the book didn't reveal any information that we didn't already know. His primary assertion was how the continual stream of dishonest propaganda flowing out of the White House (he calls it the "permanent campaign") harmed the Bush administration's image and standing, created numerous failed policies and decisions, and led to the hyper-partisan atmosphere in...more

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Jul 13, 2009

Ryan rated it

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Shelves: politics

Oh, Scotty boy.

The book he wrote was ABOUT interesting things, and that's why it's got three stars. I also appreciated his general handling of Iraq - it made me think about the whole long-term implications of the region slightly differently. The writing style was mediocre. He tries to be a somewhat dispassionate narrator, but ends up just being mostly boring. I listened to it on audiobook, and Scott himself narrated it. His vocal style is very George W. Bush-esque, and that got a...moreOh, Scotty boy.

The book he wrote was ABOUT interesting things, and that's why it's got three stars. I also appreciated his general handling of Iraq - it made me think about the whole long-term implications of the region slightly differently. The writing style was mediocre. He tries to be a somewhat dispassionate narrator, but ends up just being mostly boring. I listened to it on audiobook, and Scott himself narrated it. His vocal style is very George W. Bush-esque, and that got a little grating.

But I think the main issue I had was the content. Scott tries to paint Bush as this bipartisan, honest Texas governor who got to the White House pledging to root out the political way DC runs, and was taken down by his advisers, some personality quirks, and the 'permanent campaign' of the Bush White House, Congress, and the press, who likes to 'pick on people.'

First - I'll trust Molly Ivans' interpretation of Governor Dubya over your wool-covered eyes, Scott. Bush was a horrible governor, who didn't have to do much, and what he did do, he made worse. Trying to whitewash him as this great leader is a convenient trope that allows you to set yourself up as a betrayed non-prodigal son later in the book. There's a reason more people voted for (then) boring old Al Gore than your amazing boss - he was awful then, and he was awful as President.

Second - DC takes many queues from how the White House is run. And how the people who work there interact with the press and the national constituency. You were part of that, and while you take some responsibility, there was nothing keeping you from speaking up at the meetings you say you felt you had to remain silent at, or going to the press back then.

Also - the national press's major fault is trying to find conflict in issues where there might not actually be conflict, because they want interesting stories. They weren't just trying to 'pick on' you - your actions, and the actions of the White House you took flak for, were actually that bad. It wasn't unfair bullying. There was just so much the WH had to answer for, and the press was treated with such disdain, that I'm sure it started to feel one sided. Most of the time I would wonder why they weren't hitting you more often.

But you get three stars because it was an interesting peek partially behind the curtain of the west wing and because it was novel to get your perspectives on White House machinations in a somewhat honest fashion. Most Bush aides never seem to tire of repeating their same old talking points, and while you were guilty of this as press secretary, you at least seem to try to come to terms with the Bush years with something approaching honestly and self-reflection. (less)

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Jul 03, 2009

John rated it

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This is a good view from inside the White House bubble, from the experience of the White House Press Secretary, who actually was a career politico with roots in Texas. Initially impressed by his entry into the inner circles, he eventually becomes disillusioned.

I think liberals should give McClellan credit for stepping out of the party line. McClellan does clearly admit that the Bush administration misled us into the Iraq war ("What I do know is that war should only be waged when...more

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Jun 14, 2009

Sueij rated it

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I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I heard about it on the Diane Rehm show, then found it on the "new" shelf in the library. I expected just a "here's what happened around me" kind of book, but it was much more than that.

Mostly I was surprised that McClellan really had a point; namely, that what's wrong in Washington is the culture of permanent campaigning. He argues that elected officials used to use campaign tactics to get elected, then got on with t...more

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Feb 02, 2011

Jason rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those who are still wondering the hell happened and where we are headed.

Not at all a bad read for for folks who consider themselves approaching issues from both sides of the isle. I had frequently wondered how someone could stand in front of the press everyday and have to either defend or substantiate the message that is being delievered by the current administration. Especially, the false and misleading message that had led this country into what I believed was a false war.

Overall, it comes off as if McClellan is the little brother who got caught doing ...more

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Dec 27, 2008

Johnsergeant rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, audiblecom, politics-current-affairs

Narrated by Scott McClellan
Unabridged: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary
Scott McClellan belonged to President Bush's select inner circle of trusted advisers during one of the most challenging, contentious periods of recent history. Over a period of more than seven years, he witnessed, day-to-day, exactly how the presidency veered off course, not only by its decision to topple Saddam Hussein, but by an embrace of confrontational politics in the face of an increasingly ...more

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Oct 12, 2011

Clinton rated it

· review of another edition

What Happened is a memoir into the highly secretive and deceptive Bush Administration? The actual details of the secretive and deceptive nature of the Bush White House seem perfunctory because most of McClellan's accounts and examples were already made public by the media; however, there were some shocking examples of secrets and deception revealed, but nothing significant to where Scott would be branded as a whistle-blower. McClellan's criticism of Bush's policies, particularly the Iraq War alo...more

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Mar 16, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, presidential-studies

A good follow-up read to Bush's memoirs. McClellan tries earnestly to save himself from ridicule and rationalize his part in the mess that was this administration. There is little revelation in this book, and for the simple fact that he was lied to throughout his time with the Bush administration, he is not all-too-credible. What I gained from this book is not how decieving Bush was, but how blind he was to the people working around him, who were essentially breeding a constant campaign for powe...more

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May 14, 2009

Serryl rated it

· review of another edition

This book pretty much covers the entire period that Scott McClellan worked with President Bush, starting during the lead up to his run for the republican nomination. As far as the major historical events he discusses, I'd say the big three are the Iraq War, hurricane Katrina, and the leak of Valerie Plame's identity and ensuing investigation. He presents these events from the point of view of someone not only within the administration, but who also largely supported the administration at the tim...more

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Jun 09, 2008

Laura rated it

· review of another edition

Did I like it because it completely vindicated all that we thought we knew already about Bush and Co., with the added deliciousness of having been written by a Bush insider? Yes, to a large extent. Nothing like seeing the bad guys getting called out by one of their own. In the end, I found McClellan to be a pretty sympathetic character, and his explanation of how he went from devout apologist to reluctant Cassandra, believable. Better late than not at all.

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Apr 01, 2009

Marty rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, memoir

This is the second Bush book that I've read in the last couple of months. Since I am NOT A FAN of the Bushes, why am I spending my precious reading time on them?

I'm ... not sure. I think part of it is that I was so upset about everything relating to government for the past 8 years that I pretty much just blocked everything out. I didn't watch or read the news and just felt apathetic. Now, though, I feel like there is some hope, and that it's not as aggravating to look back on e...more

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Mar 16, 2009

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

I actually enjoyed this book, it is probably one of the most honest looks inside the Bush White House that we'll see from a staffer for quite a while.

McClellan speaks honestly about the President, he was a true Bush Texas Loyalist who ultimately served President Bush for 9 years and has a lot of respect for his former boss - and a bit of criticism too.

It's very obvious as you read the book though that he has an axe to grind with Karl Rove. Rove's attempts to cover up his ...more

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Nov 25, 2008

Brandon rated it

· review of another edition

It was okay, but I certainly wouldn't have dwelt on the things McClellan did as though they were the defining moments of the Bush Presidency. For example, how many of us think the intentional leaking of Valerie Plame's identity was one of the defining issues? Most of us probably completely wiped this episode of history from our memories ... but here McClellan drones on and on ... he trusted key members of the Bush Administration and took them at their word, telling the media they didn't leak V...more

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Jan 04, 2009

Jenn rated it

· review of another edition

McClellan, Bush's former press secretary, is trying to do two things in this book: he's trying to say, bad stuff happened but I wasn't really a part of it and aren't you proud of me for speaking up? and he's trying to show that he's a serious political thinker by talking about his theory of the growing "culture of deception" in D.C. The problem with both of these goals is they're not new or even interesting, really. The few tiny bits of insider knowledge that McCellan does manage to ...more

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About Scott McClellan

Scott McClellan is a former White House Press Secretary (2003-2006) for President George W. Bush.

On April 19, 2006, McClellan announced that he would be leaving the Administration; he remained in the position until replacement Tony Snow was announced on April 26, 2006.

McClellan unexpectedly and harshly criticizes the Bush administration in his 2008 memoir What Happened. He ...more

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