He rightly criticizes the media's complicity in cheap journalism, which I feel was based more on nationalism and gaining favor with the White House and ratings, Bush's self-delusional qualities, which I feel are criminal when one takes into account the millions, if not billions, of lives ruined by his actions, and the rest of the administration's criminality on everything from the trumped up charges to lead the nation to war in Iraq, to the Valery Plame affair, to the wake of Hurricaine Katrina.
(I'm sure deep or someone better at collecting info will provide a better summary with the appropriate link).
I just wanted to say, even if he didn't speak out at the time and didn't do what he could to stop this president from being elected in 2004 by exposing him, I'm so proud of him for having the courage to face up to what he did that was wrong and expose these vile people for what they've done.
I am disgusted of course by former administration officials like scum Ari Fleisher, who left the admin to make a ton of cash because he had connections with the current administration, and current scum like Dana Perino, for criticizing McLellan. However, I'm extremely disappointed by those outside the administration and on the moderate or supposed "left" wing of the political spectrum who call his speaking out "disloyal" and inappropriate.
I saw David Gergen say that McLellan was wrong to not save his comments until after the administration was out of office, and then contradict himself by saying that a press secretary had a duty to the nation to speak his mind. Firstly, I doubt any press secretary has honestly been anything other than an expression of an administration's official stance on policies; there's little room for honest discussion because such a person would be fired immediately; a press secretary is there to say what the president and other officials are too busy to say. If press secretaries are as free to express themselves as Gergen and Fleisher indicate, then I want both Fleisher and Perino in front of an international criminal tribunal along with the rest of the administration for their complicity in ruining the world for perceived short-term interest.
Secondly -- and most importantly -- how does it serve the public good for a former official to only speak out as a matter of historical record removed from having any political impact on the current administration? Public servants have a duty to the public good before the officials they serve, otherwise such public servants are no better than any other case of enemy states who refused to combat the tide that threatens humanity. I suppose, then, Khrushchev would have been inappropriately disloyal for criticizing Stalin, as would have been Yakovlev for criticizing Lenin and Gorbachev for allowing him to do so. Any respective government official of Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany who opposed Stalin and Hitler, and died for it would have deserved it -- let alone anyone official in Iran that might oppose the heavy repression of civil liberties or the treatment of the Kurds, or former Treasury Secy O'Neil and Richard Clarke who both criticized Bush when they left office.
Yet those are the very people who are essential to prevent injustice. If they cannot delegitimize or question the regime and it is only left to the poor left in the wake of Katrina or the protester who has little sway, then we are giving up on the very essence of democracy. What Gergen and even an Obama supporter I saw 2 days ago on CNN are conceding to is fascism because, according to their logic and sense of justice, the president IS the nation.
I'm just glad Scott McLellan knows better. Well done, buddy.
(I'm sure deep or someone better at collecting info will provide a better summary with the appropriate link).
I just wanted to say, even if he didn't speak out at the time and didn't do what he could to stop this president from being elected in 2004 by exposing him, I'm so proud of him for having the courage to face up to what he did that was wrong and expose these vile people for what they've done.
I am disgusted of course by former administration officials like scum Ari Fleisher, who left the admin to make a ton of cash because he had connections with the current administration, and current scum like Dana Perino, for criticizing McLellan. However, I'm extremely disappointed by those outside the administration and on the moderate or supposed "left" wing of the political spectrum who call his speaking out "disloyal" and inappropriate.
I saw David Gergen say that McLellan was wrong to not save his comments until after the administration was out of office, and then contradict himself by saying that a press secretary had a duty to the nation to speak his mind. Firstly, I doubt any press secretary has honestly been anything other than an expression of an administration's official stance on policies; there's little room for honest discussion because such a person would be fired immediately; a press secretary is there to say what the president and other officials are too busy to say. If press secretaries are as free to express themselves as Gergen and Fleisher indicate, then I want both Fleisher and Perino in front of an international criminal tribunal along with the rest of the administration for their complicity in ruining the world for perceived short-term interest.
Secondly -- and most importantly -- how does it serve the public good for a former official to only speak out as a matter of historical record removed from having any political impact on the current administration? Public servants have a duty to the public good before the officials they serve, otherwise such public servants are no better than any other case of enemy states who refused to combat the tide that threatens humanity. I suppose, then, Khrushchev would have been inappropriately disloyal for criticizing Stalin, as would have been Yakovlev for criticizing Lenin and Gorbachev for allowing him to do so. Any respective government official of Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany who opposed Stalin and Hitler, and died for it would have deserved it -- let alone anyone official in Iran that might oppose the heavy repression of civil liberties or the treatment of the Kurds, or former Treasury Secy O'Neil and Richard Clarke who both criticized Bush when they left office.
Yet those are the very people who are essential to prevent injustice. If they cannot delegitimize or question the regime and it is only left to the poor left in the wake of Katrina or the protester who has little sway, then we are giving up on the very essence of democracy. What Gergen and even an Obama supporter I saw 2 days ago on CNN are conceding to is fascism because, according to their logic and sense of justice, the president IS the nation.
I'm just glad Scott McLellan knows better. Well done, buddy.
