Scott McClellan: A Revolutionary View of My Former Colleague

By Jane Hampton Cook

Disagreement over foreign policy. Questions about his capabilities. Zingers to his integrity. His sensational story sends shockwaves. He also gets a hefty sum. Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan? No, Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War’s most famous traitor.

Let me make it clear, I do NOT think Scott McClellan, my former colleague in George W. Bush’s White House and governor’s office, has committed treason against his nation. Arnold and McClellan are on opposite ends of the betrayal scale, with Arnold ’s decision to abandon the patriots and join the British at ten and McClellan’s at two or less. McClellan has not sold national secrets to a foreign power, but, like Arnold, he is guilty of personal betrayal to the leader he served and his colleagues. His book, What Happened, has also injured the ability of future presidents to trust their staff.

The similarities between Arnold and McClellan, however, are striking. Gen. Benedict Arnold published an eye-popping pamphlet explaining his decision. Like McClellan, Arnold opposed a foreign policy decision. He believed it was wrong for the Continental Congress to accept France as an ally. He also claimed he was never wild about the Declaration of Independence, yet he served in the army for four years after its issuance. Did Arnold express his concerns? Who knows, but his fellow officers were certainly shocked at his passive aggressive behavior. Arnold could have quit. He didn’t have to go over to the other side.

McClellan’s press secretary predecessor, Ari Fleischer, said he was “heartbroken” over his former deputy and friend, calling him “Poor Scott.” Fleischer made an important point. White House senior staffers have a responsibility to give the president their opinion. Several key White House players said McClellan never discussed his Iraq concerns with them. He had the opportunity. As a courtesy, he should have waited until the president left office to publish his account. McClellan’s behavior appears passive aggressive.

The unstated and most likely reason for Arnold ’s betrayal were the arrows against his honor. I think the same is true for McClellan, whose integrity and skills were questioned by the press and others. Arnold had briefly served as Philadelphia ’s military governor. Questions about his integrity appeared in newspapers. The result was a trial putting George Washington in an awkward coordinating role. Washington had to be fair to both sides and gather information, which postponed the trial. A fed up Arnold told Washington he’d rather be executed than have his honor offended through delayed justice. By the time the trial took place, it was too late. Arnold had turn coated. Ironically, the trial went Arnold ’s way, resulting in a mere reprimand. Within weeks, Arnold’s treason was uncovered, but he slipped away before anyone could catch him.

I worked in the seven-member press office with McClellan when Bush was governor of Texas . I found him affable, hardworking, loyal, and easy going. I’m shocked, but more concerned about the implications for the presidency: Will future presidents withhold information from their senior staff and miss out on their advice as a result?

White House staffers must be responsible with their publications. My first book, Maggie Houston, was published in 2002 while I was working in the White House media affairs office as a webmaster (the book contract was in place in 2000). The day I brought my first copy with me to the office, I “ran into” President Bush in the hallway—a rare occurrence. I was so giddy, I broke some protocol by stopping the president to show it off. Because I was conscious of his trust in me—the web gal—I quickly explained my book was about Texas hero Sam Houston and his daughter Maggie. I wanted to be clear I hadn’t written a book about him.

I’m also concerned about the public’s perception of Bush politicos. I want people to know that not everyone who has served President Bush gets outrageous sums of money just for writing a book. There are many of us who have returned to private life to work hard for our families doing something we love. Since leaving the White House, I have published two books, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Revolutionary War and The Faith of America ’s First Ladies. Book number four on Iraq is due out next spring. I want people to buy my books because I’m a good writer and a fantastic storyteller, not a flame thrower. I hope people will be encouraged by the lives of ordinary folks, such as Ben Franklin and John Adams, who gave up their quiet lives to live loudly for liberty for you and me. Whether the subject is betrayal or a blessing, I want to write about those human emotions and conflicts that transcend generations. But I hope the result is inspiration, not capitulation to fifteen seconds of fame.