Why Scott McClellan Is Like Dilbert

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When the Emperor Shoots the Messenger

When the Emperor has no clothes and he shoots his messengers, any messenger with the fraction of the brain-power of a flea keeps his/her thoughts to him/herself--if you value your head. If you've seen generals falling on their sword after speaking truth to power, continuing to deliver truth will only add your body to the list of the dead or missing. In the original story the child speaks and the truth cannot be denied. In this case of course in this case, although the child has spoken that the "Emperor has no clothes." Sycophants still cannot believe the sight they see--therefore, the child must be blind! After all who is next on the list to be shot.

Victor @ May 29, 2008 06:50:37 AM

You get what you deserve

Don't understand all of the handwringing about Bush and his propaganda. It was obvious that Bush was gonna jump into Iraq no matter what. It was even more obvious what a mess it was just a few months in.

What did Americans do? They re-elected the guy. Now everyone's crying like Hillary that they were misled. Balderdash! The facts were there in plain sight, if you just paid attention.

You get the government that you deserve.

So McClellan wanted to keep his job and didn't have the balls to resign. So what? CBS, NBC and ABC didn't have the guts to bust Bush on Iraq for the same reason: they wanted to keep their gig, or "access," as Katie Couric puts it. ("So, Condi, just how hard is it to get a date?" That's what passed for interviews at CBS.)

Tim of CA @ May 29, 2008 02:41:25 AM

The Devil Made Him Do It

Scott's a passive-aggressive classic. Happy camper, company man as long as he's part of the "in" crowd. Even if it was sub-conscious he knew what he was doing. Someone (probably a publisher) talked him into shoveling the dirt. (We were supposed to believe him then - AND we're supposed to believe him now? ) How do you atone for lying to the world? Call the kettle black. Greed always wins out.

People have been leaking - or outright telling - the dirt on the Bush administration for years. Think about the list of them! Did any of the networks or papers ever do responsible in-depth investigations? Or even ask tough questions? No. Why? As Katie Couric said this morning, (paraphrase) when we said something the Administration didn't like they threatened to cut us out of the information loop. (Gee, did they have a whip too?)

Where was the press when Newsweek published about a 5 page story back in early 2003 showing sattelite and ground pictures of canvas-sided 18 wheelers trucking what they suggested were Bio-Terrorism weapons or WsOMD out of Iraq! (to Iran) And how could Colin Powell stand in front of the UN with almost the same sattelite pictures and say Iraq "had" WsOMD? Where were the questions then?

The American people aren't as dumb as the press thinks and someday with the power of the internet we'll start wagging the dog.

Bobbie Baker of CA @ May 29, 2008 00:58:21 AM

Dilbert? Perfect.

Like the writer says, this is not about GWB or politics. It's about Dilbert's integrity. Don't trust your employer? Doing something every day about which you have serious moral qualms? Leave. Now. Life is too short to live a lie.

If, on the other hand, you leave only because you were forced to, get even. Write a tell-all book full of nothing new. ("Katrina response was a disaster." Wow! Really?) Leak the salacious bits. Build interest. Sell lots of books in the first days after release, before people discover how worthless the book is. Make lots of money. Be a hero to the Bush haters. That's the spirit. That's the American way.

One other thing. You'll have to live with yourself. Disloyal. Dishonest. Greedy. Have a nice life.

Sam C of CA @ May 28, 2008 23:51:49 PM

== Orifice ==

With Scott McClellan proving that he speaks out of both sides of his mouth, I have to wonder what orifice he used to communicate this book and will use on his book tour.

N Waff of DC @ May 28, 2008 22:47:12 PM

Gay4Bush

Liz you are a lez

Bill Clinton of NY @ May 28, 2008 22:05:12 PM

Re: Nice Try Liz

In response to Dr Shef Rogers's comments:

This shouldn't be confused with political commentary. My interest is in how McClellan's story relates to the workplace. My focus in this story is on McClellan--not his former employer, although you raise an interesting point about the competence of an organization (or administration) that cannot claim or command the loyalty of its former executives.

Liz Wolgemuth of @ May 28, 2008 21:41:18 PM

Nice Try, Liz!

This must rank (and I do mean rank) as the most far-fetched, lame attempt yet to defend the indefensible, i.e. the Bush Administration. McClellan is Dilbert? What is this, a "which comic strip are you?" quiz? Face the fact that your beloved Republicans no longer even command the loyalty of their paid liars. And face your own share of responsibility for the disasters they've brought down on our nation.

Dr Shef Rogers of GA @ May 28, 2008 20:21:39 PM

bombshells

There some other jaw-dropping quotations from the book that have yet to be reported!:

* "George W. Bush wouldn't have gotten to where he is if he hadn't had a famous father."

* "George W. was never a top-notch soldier."

* "Dana Perino? Not the sharpest knife in the drawer."

* "The well-being of the average American is not at the top of Dick Cheney's list of concerns."

* "It's quite possible that George W. Bush will not ultimately rank as one of the our top thirty presidents."

* "Despite what some people have said, President Bush did not want black people to die in New Orleans. However, he did hope they would not relocate to any areas of Texas that he likes to frequent."

More of the article here: http://www.236.com/news/2008/05/28/mcclellan_shocker_more_revelat_6791.php

eliana of CA @ May 28, 2008 19:11:08 PM

Face Value, Substance, Truth

You sorry SOB's that are still arguing against a truth put out by yet another in this observation into the disaster which has been the last 8 years are sad human beings, let alone rejects in Democratic society. Go ahead and defend Bush and yourselves to the end of the Earth and ask yourselves: for what? For pitiful pride and whole hearted ignorance--yes this is flame, tell me if the scorching light of truth hurts. Shut up and accept it.

RRon of CA @ May 28, 2008 18:27:59 PM

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You're taking a break from your job-hunting and job-hopping ways and have decided to stay put in your current position. Liz Wolgemuth’s careers blog will show you how to make the very best of your job, each day.

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