Scott McClellan, former Bush's press secretary, continues causing trouble for his old boss' party.

McClellan did not endorse Obama formally. Not yet. But McClellan sure sounded like when he praised Obama and predicted that Obama will win in a landslide.

McClellan thinks Obama will win precisely because he opposes the confrontational culture in Washington which Mr Bush has fostered during his eight years in power.

On June 20, 2008, former White House Press secretary Scott McClellan testified under oath before the Congressional Judiciary Committee regarding disclosures made in his book, What Happened, about the outing of Valerie Plame and the administration officials involved. Committee Republicans derided McClellan’s appearance by calling it, "The book of the month club."

According to the New York Times, the committee’s ranking Republican, Lamar Smith said, after grilling McClellan, "Scott McClellan alone will have to wrestle with whether it was worth selling out the president and his friends for a few pieces of silver."

Mr. Smith does protest too much! In general, McClellan’s book is generous to the White House staff and the president. He paints a rosy picture of the current White House compared to what most Americans believe. For the most part this is not a gang of criminal conspirators; it is rather the gang that can’t shoot straight (Pun intended).

Paul O'Neill's interview with 60 minutes regarding his input into the book The Price of Loyalty by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ron Suskind.

This was in 2002, before the Iraq War. Before the selling of war, before the lies of WMDs, aluminum tubes and and yellow cake from Niger. Before oil companies were swooping down on Iraq to gobble up production sharing agreements. We didn't listen.

Listen now.

Below the fold please find my raw from-the-front-row LiveBlogged notes fresh from hearing former White House press secretary Scott Mclellan speaking today at the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill a Commonwealth Club event in San Francisco.

My first impression: nothing earthshaking, but helpful to get a little more perspective from an escapee from the belly of the beast, as it were.

I grew up in Democratic family. I was taught at an early age the importance of public service, the importance of speaking up. Doing what's right to make a difference. [...] It's about problem-solving, compromising to get things done.

I believe the American people deserve better than what we are getting from some of the people in Washington

Should government be a process of constant campaigning to manipulate public opinion...or rational debate, compromise...

we need to move beyond the poisonous atmosphere in DC

What would you ask Scott McClellan?

Never mind those pundits and anchors who never seem to get it.  Don't settle for the lousy filter of the MSM. Ask him yourself.

And you have that opportunity, today, at 1:00 PST.

On Friday, Scott McClellan learned the hard way that the Bush White House is a lot like the Soprano family.  As HBO's legendary Jersey mobster Tony Soprano once put it, "Once you're into this family, there's no getting out."  Judging by McClellan's treatment at the hands of George W. Bush's foot soldiers on the House Judiciary Committee, today's Republican Party shares the Soprano family values.

A man writes a book. About a culture of deception. And those enshrined in that culture wonder how that man, Scott McClellan, could go from . . .

“. . . a loyal and trusted staff member to an embittered person who makes biting accusations.”

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) asked Scott McClellan today whether he could not have "taken some of this with you to the grave and done this country a favor?"  If I were McClellan's insurance carrier, I would assess that he is a better risk now that this testimony is on the record under oath. You, too, can do your country a favor, and help Steve King achieve the retirement of his dreams--building a border fence as a volunteer citizen to keep the brown people out.  

Happy first day of summer! I love summer; you won't hear me complain too much about heat because I despise winter and being cold.

And, the chosen color choice for the Friends of Olbermann shirts is [insert drum roll here]...purple and white in honor of those infamous purple ties that are such the hot topic when they're worn! Thanks to everyone who voted. Tonight's poll will decide which number will be assigned to the jersey we will make for and send to Keith. Whether or not he wears it is entirely up to him! ;) So, don't forget to vote.

And, now, here we go with tonight's Countdown diary!

CSPAN 2's  got it: Live stream

Here's the write up:

   House Committee
   CIA Leak Investigation
   Judiciary

   Washington, District of Columbia (United States)
   Conyers, John Jr. U.S. Representative, D-MI  
   McClellan, Scott Press Secretary (2003-2006), White House  
   Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan testified about reported efforts to cover up the role of the White House in the leaking of the informtion that Valerie Plame Wilson was a Central Intelligence Agency covert operative.

In it, Wexler calls again for Impeachment and Inherent Contempt.

Here is the link at C-Span 3 I'll be adding more text shortly, extending from Omen's, which is found here: FISA Liveblogging I

House Committee
CIA Leak Investigation
Judiciary

Washington, District of Columbia (United States)
Conyers, John Jr. U.S. Representative, D-MI  
McClellan, Scott Press Secretary (2003-2006), White House  
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan testified about reported efforts to cover up the role of the White House in the leaking of the informtion that Valerie Plame Wilson was a Central Intelligence Agency covert operative.

Rules:

1. No pics: pie, pootie or otherwise. That includes videos.

2. We ask for volunteers to do transcripts for those who can't hear all of the yummy oversightness. We'll have a thread for the transcripts.

3. Between 200-250 comments we'll get a new diary going. IOW: I'll need volunteers.

Scott McClellan is not attacking the Bush Administration, he's defending it.

He's being careful not to provide any new evidence (though he may slip up during this testimony); there are no footnotes (references) in his book.

(Continued ..)

As has been well-documented by Joe Wilson, Kossacks and other individuals/journalists since before the Iraq War began, The Bush Administration made a false case for war, and they made a significant portion of that case through Scott McClellan's mouth on TV and to the Press as Press Secretary. So it burns me the fuck up to read this from his testimony today:

He also suggested that Bush could do much to redeem his own credibility and that of politicians in general if he would embrace "openness and candor and then constantly strive to build trust across the aisle."

Spare me, Scotty. Where is KarateExplosions to document this bullshit? No one had better even mention John Dean's name in even the slightest comparison with this pathetic worm. Sure I'd rather hear him criticize the President and WH rather than make dishonest arguments for them, but it doesn't make any fucking difference now, especially since he's unwilling to actually point the finger at any of them for breaking the law. Thanks for letting me vent, have a great weekend.

also on C-span 3

http://www.cspan.org

click on the watch link under Scottie's pic.

This more of a head's up than a diary, unless some of you want to live blog it.

Now, I need three hundred words to get this published and posted before the hearing begins.

Did I mention he is testifying to the Iraq/CIA leaks. John Conyers is about to speak.

Today's the day Scott McClellan (hopefully) squeals. Or C-Span puts it:

House Committee
CIA Leak Investigation
Judiciary
Washington, District of Columbia (United States)

Conyers, John Jr. U.S. Representative, D-MI  
McClellan, Scott Press Secretary (2003-2006), White House  

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan testified about reported efforts to cover up the role of the White House in the leaking of the informtion that Valerie Plame Wilson was a Central Intelligence Agency covert operative.

Get your popcorn ready...

There is no consensus in the punditry circles of how today's testimony in front of Rep. John Conyer's Judiciary committee is going to go.

According to The Hill, Dems excited, GOP wary of McClellan's testimony

House Democrats are eagerly preparing for Friday’s testimony by former White House press secretary Scott McClellan, but Republicans seem unsure of how to handle the president’s unlikely critic.

But over at Time there is a more cynical tone, today will probably turn out to be simply summertime Congressional theatrics, Will McClellan's Testimony Hurt Bush?

Nothing says summer in the nation's capital like tell-all testimony in front of a bunch of members of Congress with time on their hands and the fall election on their minds.

In the hopeful premise that some intern reads dKos, does anybody have an Bush-shattering question they wish asked of Scott McClellan?

Thanks to the revelation here that Jeff Gannon is now blogging at the esteemed National Press Club, and is now a quite active member there, I had ace reporter Joe Strupp at E&P interview him yesterday and also find out how this came to pass. As some of you may know, E&P was the first "mainstream" site to closely follow the Gannon/Guckert story years ago and credit SusanG and DailyKos along the way.

I will link to our full story in a few minutes when it is posted but here is a preview.  

Among other things we learn that Jeff has no full-time position at a news outlet, but as he explains,  "for a single person, blogging can be profitable."   Since he serves on a committe that invites "newsmakers" to speak at the club, one wonders if it was Gannon who invited Rev. Wright to appear there.