Newscoma

I watched the livestream of Scotty McClellan’s hearing yesterday.

Tennessee was represented with my political boyfriend, Rep. Steve Cohen during yesterday’s soirée.

From the Commercial Appeal:

Cohen: “Do you believe that Vice President Cheney was most responsible for deterring President Bush from being the great president and uniter that you think he could have been?”

McClellan: “The president has to bear responsibility for his presidency veering off track like it did more than anyone else, but there are certainly some influences on him that I think were negative influences in that regard and I would include the vice president in that.”

And here’s more:

The former White House press secretary suggested that Bush could do much to redeem his credibility on the Plame matter and his reasons for going to war in Iraq if he would embrace “openness and candor and then constantly strive to build trust across the aisle.”

“This is a very secretive White House … There’s some things that they would prefer not to be talked about,” McClellan said.

And shifting to another topic, Sharon Cobb makes a good point here. As I was called this word this very week and a racial slur that accompanied it which made me feel very small by the absolute hate tied to it, it just seems to me that Sharon is right and MSM should report it.

I’m none to fond of it.

Frank Rich’s column today is about how the Scotty McClellan’s new memoir could impact John McCain. It’s a good read and I suggest it highly.

Here’s a snip:

So why the fuss? Mr. McClellan isn’t a sizzling TV personality, or, before now, a household name beyond the Beltway. His book secured no major prepublication media send-off on “60 Minutes” or a newsmagazine cover. But if the tale of how the White House ginned up the war is an old story, the big new news is how ferocious a hold this familiar tale still exerts on the public all these years later. We have not moved on.

Americans don’t like being lied to by their leaders, especially if there are casualties involved and especially if there’s no accountability. We view it as a crime story, and we won’t be satisfied until there’s a resolution.

That’s why the original sin of the war’s conception remains a political flash point, however much we tune out Iraq as it grinds on today. Even a figure as puny as Mr. McClellan can ignite it. The Democrats portray Mr. McCain as offering a third Bush term, but it’s a third term of the war that’s his bigger problem.

I can only imagine that McCain would want to take a stick to McClellan right now. Why? Because he’s not the news and the issues that have plagued Bush for years are. And those are things that McCain doesn’t want to have to answer to right now.

No. Many folks have not moved on.

I was with some folks that lean very right last night and anytime I bring up politics, they give me the stink-eye. But they WERE talking about McClellan without my subtle coaxing. Loyalty vs. What is real?

The hard part for many people is the realization and acceptance that there is no trust. They aren’t surprised by “politics as usual” but they do want folks to be upfront. We have gone to war over fuzzy communication from our nation’s leaders. Loyalty is one thing but the truth is the truth. Cynicism abounds regarding the stream of information given to us by our elected leaders. Elected leaders who aren’t having to budget gas increases and worrying about putting back things at the grocery store because the money isn’t there probably need to realize that people do not mind making sacrifices but they don’t want to be sold a line of horse waste either.

People don’t like to be lied to especially when life has gotten tougher on an individual plane. The average American citizen has to be accountable and responsible for their actions.

I believe that this country wants their leaders to be accountable too.

Progressive Nashville writes about the news book from Scotty McClellan where the former White House talking bobblehead writes about the deceptions of the Bush Administration.

The man who spoke for the Bush White House is coming clean in a new book and says the biggest failure of the administration is “a decision to turn away from candor and honesty when those qualities were most needed.”

I’m pleased in one way to see McClellan is speaking out candidly, but then on the other hand, our current president has eight months left in office. I guess McClellan could have come out on these topics after Jan. 2009 but on the other hand I wish he would have come out earlier. With so many people appearing to be shut down, I guess he did what he thought was best for him, I’m just wondering if it will be best for transparency in this country.

He is saying though which I think is important that the war was sold to the American people on a train of “propaganda.

Early morning observations …