Glenn Beck: Doing the honorable thing

Audio Available:

May 28, 2008 - 13:00 ET

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan spills the beans about the Bush administration... and you can read all about it in his new book which retails for just $27.95!

GLENN: From Radio City in Midtown Manhattan, third most listened to show in all of America. You know what kills me is this Scott McClellan story. Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary, sucked. Just the worst. He was fired, let go and -- hey, Scott, you did a fantastic job. Could we go to Tony Snow in here, please? Can we get anybody that can -- so Scott McClellan leaves. Now he's come out with a new book. Oh, he's come out with a new book. So we can totally trust him now because now he's just making money.

He writes that President Bush veered terribly off course, was not open and forthright on Iraq and took a permanent campaign approach to governing at the expense of candor and competence. Really? I find that amazing because this is the guy who spoke for the President. He said President Bush manipulated sources of public opinion and downplayed the major reasons for going to war.

What do you mean that the President did that? You did that. You did -- if he is doing it, you're doing it with him. You know, I have a ton of respect for anybody who quits their job. Anybody who says, you know what, no, I can't do this, and you walk away from your job because your values dictate that. I don't really put a lot of stock in anybody who says anything about, can you imagine? Think of this. That the President was misleading, that this was a propaganda war. You know, it's one thing to say no war for oil. I contend that when the oil wars actually begin, you are not going to hear that phrase anymore. Those bumper stickers are going to be like, what, are you crazy? There will be wars for oil. This one was and wasn't. It was about changing the face of the Middle East. It was about changing and planting democracy in there so you could stabilize the region. Whether or not that will work will be debated for the next 50, 60, 100 years. Now, maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. So is it war for oil? Well, yeah, if it's democratized, if it's a culture that we somewhat recognize.

You know, if they're not, if it's a culture where they are not cutting off the hands of people with cartoon swords, then you know what? Probably good for oil prices. Maybe it's just me. I don't want to go to war for oil. I wouldn't have gone to war for oil. You would have had to make that case to me. But I don't think I would have gone to war for oil, yet.

Now here's the interesting thing. If I'm working for the President -- just ask yourself this question. If I'm working for the President of the United States and the President of the United States I know is lying to the American people and because of his lies American soldiers are going to die, innocent people in Iraq are going to die, do you continue to speak for the President and then wait for your book to come out? He was -- Scott McClellan was there for two years after the war started.

Stu, would you do that?

STU: No, of course not.

GLENN: Dan, do you do that?

DAN: No, no way.

GLENN: No way. No way. Could you even sleep at night if you did that? There's no way I could sleep at night. I have a responsibility. If I'm in the White House, I mean, honestly I used to tear up just looking at the White House, just going there and thinking about our amazing history. Just standing on the other side of the wrought iron gates and looking at it, it should be an awesome experience. To actually work there? It is the people's house, not the President. It is the people's. And you are put in charge of that house. You are there to protect the people while you are there. And if you think the President of the United States is lying and he is putting people in harm's way, I'm sorry. Mr. President, I'm sorry. I don't care how good you think your reasons are. You've got to come clean. If those reasons are that good, come clean with the American people. If that's really what you believe, then make the case to the American people, but I can't sleep at night lying to the American people for you.

Scott McClellan, I know he is being touted by MSNBC today, of course the extreme left, touted by MSNBC as, oh, this guy, he's a hero. Remember he was a scumbag when he was in the administration but now that he's out and he tells the story that they like, he's some sort of great guy. He suddenly has credibility. The guy has destroyed his credibility. You know when the guy would have been a great guy? You know when the guy would have had tons of credibility? The first day he thought, my gosh, the President is lying to the American people. I'd give -- I'd even give him a month to mill it over: You know, wait a minute, what do I do? Can I? Do I do this? Is this right? Do I -- how is it -- I mean, is it -- maybe I'll give him a month. But not two years. I'm sorry. He was there for three years. Yeah. He started as press secretary after the war started. He started -- he worked there for three years. Now, don't get me wrong. It's only three years. It took Obama 20 to figure out who his pastor was. But this guy, I'm sorry, a dirtbag. Dirtbag. You know what? See if we can get Scott McClellan on the TV show.

STU: Well, you calling him a dirtbag is probably going to help.

GLENN: I'd rather do it to his face. Rather do it to his face. Explain this to me, Scott. Explain it to me. If you really felt this way, why did you wait for the book deal? If you really felt this way, why didn't you quit? Maybe he has a good answer. I'm not going to buy his book and read it. Now, if he gets on the TV show and I believe his answer: Glenn, I couldn't bylaws of blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, it still doesn't explain why you waited for the book deal. Oh, I'm so sick of these people, so sick of these people.