What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception
by Scott McClellan

What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception
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Book Summary Information

Author: Scott McClellan
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2008-05-28
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: PublicAffairs

Book Reviews of What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

Book Review: Losing the Way in the Permanent Campaign
Summary: 5 Stars

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. 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. 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. But McClellan does not play favorites. 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. This is a political analysis, told with candor even if with chagrin. You will learn about history, personalities and culture. It will not all be pretty, but it is not all totally ugly either.

Summary of What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

With unprecedented candor, one of George W. Bush's closest aides takes readers behind the scenes of the Bush presidency, and what exactly happened to take it off course.

Scott McClellan was one of a few Bush loyalists from Texas who became part of his inner circle of trusted advisers, and remained so during one of the most challenging and contentious periods of recent history. Drawn to Bush by his commitment to compassionate conservatism and strong bipartisan leadership, McClellan served the president for more than seven years, and witnessed day-to-day exactly how the presidency veered off course.

In this refreshingly clear-eyed book, written with no agenda other than to record his experiences and insights for the benefit of history, McClellan provides unique perspective on what happened and why it happened the way it did, including the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina, Washington's bitter partisanship, and two hotly-contested presidential campaigns. He gives readers a candid look into who George W. Bush is and what he believes, and into the personalities, strengths, and liabilities of his top aides. Finally, McClellan looks to the future, exploring the lessons this presidency offers the American people as we prepare to elect a new leader.

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