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The author tends to write in a stream of consciousness style, at the expense of clarity and focus. I am interested in knowing what happened, but I don't think this book is the one to provide answers. After getting through only 100 pages of this book, I am giving up on it. The text jumps seemingly randomly from person to person, with clumsy segues, and without use of section or chapter breaks. The author needs to hire a better editor next time, one who will ask: "What is this book supposed to be about." After 100 pages, I find myself puzzled by the extensive details on the author's childhood and early days campaigning for his mother. A family history seems irrelevant here, given that the book was supposed to be an account of the Bush White House, not Scott McClellan's autobiography. The author fails to stick to one topic for any significant period of time (except, of course, for the long-winded discussion of the "permanent campaign", where the author managed to make the same point over and over again for several pages), and as a result, the book reads like a collection of anectdotes without endings. Maybe this book has a point, and I gave up on it too quickly, but if you're looking for an interesting read from a focused author, look elsewhere.
You will learn about history, personalities and culture. He writes coherently and objectively as he tells the tale from the point of view of how and when things became known, and how his perspective and realizations gradually grew.This book does not have the feel of a partisan ploy or a disillusioned reactionary tone.
Scott tells the inside story of his growing disillusionment with the Bush administration and its culture of secrecy and deception.The author develops an analysis of what he calls the "permanent campaign," a mentality in which the concept of promotion, spin and garnering support even in office shifts focus from the needs of the people and the good of the nation as a whole. Scott McClellan was a top strategist for Governor George Bush and followed him to the White House, becoming his press secretary at a later point.
But McClellan does not play favorites. Self-protection became a major value for the Bush administration especially in the second term when, despite a reelection, Bush's support fell to a record low for a US president and scandal after scandal came to public view.McClellan tells his story, and even as he reveals the negative dynamics that infused the administration, the reader senses his continuing admiration for George W Bush.
McClellan, however, honestly evaluates where things went wrong, and how the president was personally involved in losing focus and allowing the political process to become a focus of media manipulation and personal glory and justification.This is an enlightening story, told from an insider's point of view. This is a political analysis, told with candor even if with chagrin.
It will not all be pretty, but it is not all totally ugly either.
He had a vision, perhaps even a noble one, but it was a very fuzzy visionthat he kept unrealistically simple. I strongly believe that George Bush has done tremendous damage to our countrywith his ill advised approach to Iraq. The book gives us an interesting perspective from inside the White House, but comes up somewhat short, becauseScott was not a true insider. He comes across like the "emperer without his clothes", with surroundingcast, that was afraid to defy him. The efforts of the Bush administration in attempting to win overpublic opinion for invading Iraq is presented quite clearly, and the probable intent to exposing Valerie Plamemake Karl Rove look pretty guilty. Without blatantly bashing George Bush, McClellan, offers insights, showing the depth of Bush's hatred of Suddamand his single minded obcession to correct his father's "mistake" of cutting off Desert Storm, rather than taking Suddam down then.Bush comes off as a decent, but arrogant guy. I would like to have gotten more detail on the extent of Bush and Cheney's role inpressuring the CIA to support the WMD evidence and why Colin Powell allowed himself to be manipulated for so long.Unfortunately McClelllan didn't know exactly. "What Happened"
Excellent account of one man's perspective on the inner workings of the Bush administration. Seems quite balanced.
I bought this book off a "Get These Books Out of Here" rack at my local library for $1.00. or paints himself as a naive dupe.
All of them are perfect students, great sports stars and supremely principled human beings. First, I have to thank Scott McClellan for writing this book at a sixth-grade level; I don't think I would have understood it had he actually used language and syntax geared for adults.Everyone in Scott's family is a hero.
He was president of student council during deseg in Texas and had--I am sooo impressed--a Hispanic girlfriend in 6th grade)., he was all too willing to engage in unprincipled, deceptive practices and then either blames a "permanent culture" that he couldn't undo (try the fraternity thing again, Scott). Wow.
What a burden it must be.Yet, despite these heroic beginnings (Scott almost single-handedly changed the entire UT fraternity system. Personal responsibility, anyone.This book was so self-indulgent, the ooze came off in my hands.
I fear I paid too much.
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