Scott McClelland: Spinning out of control.

Back in October of 2005 I posted this cartoon (B.C.*) about Scott McClelland. It is apropos today just as it was in October. The only difference between the original posting and now is, I am offering more than just cartoon visual to garner your attention. This time around I am providing everyone with the words of the White House Press Secretary (complete w/links) for consideration. I have included both the question and the answer taken from Monday the 10th, and Thursday the 13th, White House Press Briefings for context. (Emphasis is mine.)

From Monday:

Q Okay, one other question on Secretary Rumsfeld, when you were talking before. This is now the second or third retired general to come out in recent weeks and say that he should step down. Does the President still have confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld? And if so, why, given all of these top military officials saying that he mishandled the war?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President thinks Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a great job, having overseen two fronts in the global war on terrorism. We have liberated 25 million people in Afghanistan and 25 million people in Iraq. The Secretary has also been leading a transformation of the military, to make sure that we're better prepared to meet the threats of the 21st century. And the President has great appreciation of the outstanding job he's doing.

From Thursday:

Q Those are General Pace's views. Does the President share those views, and does he have full faith and confidence in him?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President believes Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a very fine job during a challenging period in our nation's history. The Secretary has led the Department of Defense during two wars -- wars that resulted in the liberation of 25 million people in Afghanistan and 25 million people in Iraq. The Secretary is also overseeing the transformation of the military, so that we are better prepared to confront the threats that we face in the 21st century. We are a nation at war and we are a nation that is going through a military transformation. Those are issues that tend to generate debate and disagreement, and we recognize that.

Oops! I wonder if Scotty was being deliberate? After all, Rumsfeld has taken a beating from former Generals who have been critical of his management of the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. Is it possible that Scotty was trying to uplift Rumsfeld and glamorize his accomplishments in the eyes of the MSM? I must admit, leading the Department of Defense "during two wars" sounds a helluva lot more impressive than "overseeing two fronts in the war on terror."

This is more than just a question of semantics. Might the latter language be an example of what is sometimes known as a Freudian slip? Did Scotty tip Bush's hat on attacking Iran? Iraq, is afterall part of the "war for of terror." Bush already admitted that the invasion and occupation of Iraq would fall upon the shoulders of his successor. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility, or perhaps the operative word here is probability, that the next president will have to extricate the nation from both of George Bush's wars of choice.

Oh sure, I'm critical and cynical when it comes to this administration. Aren't you?


*Before Color