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

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.

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.

Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 1 A Made-forWashington Scandal......Page 18 2 A Small Part Of Something Grand......Page 28 3 Growing Up In Politics......Page 38 4 Governor Bush Runs For President......Page 56 5 The Permanent Campaign......Page 78 6 The Early Days......Page 104 7 September 11 And The Partisan Ceasefire......Page 116 8 Selling The War......Page 136 9 Becoming White House Press Secretary......Page 166 10 Deniability......Page 182 11 Betting The Presidency......Page 216 12 Brush Fire......Page 238 13 Triumph And Illusion......Page 258 14 Revelation And Humiliation......Page 280 15 Out Of Touch......Page 296 16 After The Trial......Page 318 17 Changing The Culture Of Deception......Page 336 Acknowledgments......Page 350 Index......Page 352 The former White House press secretary examines how and why the Bush administration went awry, providing a look at George W. Bush and his top aides in terms of such crises as Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq war, and Washington's political infighting.