Book 'Em

Scott McClellan's book, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception, continues to make waves. The White House's reaction has, of course, been when of shock and surprise. They appear stunned that anyone would level such scurrilous against the greatest President in U.S. history.

Thing is, however, that McClellan really hasn't said anything that hasn't already been said by others. So for the White House to say that these accusations of deception and incompetence are unexpected is indicative of, well, profound deception and incompetence.

Gee, what a surprise.

What McClellan has done, however, is taken all the things other disillusioned former members of the Bush administration have already said and put them into one book. And as an ex-White House press secretary, he is also the highest ranking to say these things. As such, he gives those previous comments new credibility.

So why did he take so long to say these things? For his part, McClellan says that he didn't initially set out to write such a negative book. But, he says, "Over time, as you leave the White House and leave the bubble, you're able to take off your partisan hat and take a clear-eyed look at things." He said that was when he began to become "increasingly dismayed and disillusioned."

Welcome to the club, Scott.