There is nothing in Scott McClellan's book that has not been well documented by others. Points made by those who noted Bush's incompetence, his lack of openness, his proclivity to secrecy, his prostitution of the Constitution to justify to torture and lies have been well-documented. But, when the source of this information is one of those who came from Bush's history in Texas, a person with clear political history, it is noteworthy.
There is one major point that McClellan makes that is worthy of emphasis. He attacks the persistent need to promote those issues designed to make yourself and your party stronger in the coming election. The need to keep campaigning while governing results in an inability to be honest and transparent, to promote policies through deception rather than full discussion of the issues at stake, and neglect of the center in order to satisfy the base of the party's political support.
It is unclear whether his goal of focusing mainly on the needs of citizens rather than the desires of the party is realistic. Even in a parliamentary system, it is essential to get the support of your constituents or there is a vote of no confidence. What is true is that the Bush administration went further down the road than prior administrations to the point that the problem is highlighted. While I have hopes that the Obama administration will be transparent (they have initiatives to have all meetings open to the public and the possible use of internet for him to get public feedback prior to signing legislation), I am aware that politics is inherently designed to satisfy some more than others. It is hoped that the "some" is large enough to constitute a majority.
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