Poynter Online - Did Scott McClellan Violate PR Ethics Code?

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WashingtonPost.com

The Washington Post reports today that a publishing industry insider describes Scott McClellan's early memoir concept as "a not-very-interesting, typical press secretary book." That's brought up in McClellan's WP chat.

Anonymous: I read this morning that your initial draft was seen as a boring, run-of-the-mill White House spokesperson piece that wouldn't sell. Is this true? If so, did money motivate you to be more reflective?
Scott McClellan: I do not know where you read that, but it is not true. As for the question about whether money motivated me, I encourage you to read an article in today's New York Times that addresses that question to some extent.

ALSO:

Chicago: Did Dana Milbank's shellacking of your performance yesterday in this morning's Post bring back any nostalgia?
Scott McClellan: I actually enjoy reading Dana's pieces much of the time. I guess he did not like my sideburns! Another piece I found interesting was Dan Balz's, which said the book should be required reading for all McCain and Obama staffers.

> Related from Louis Bayard, Dan Froomkin, David Corn and Jay Rosen.

Weiss believes PR Society of America should scold McClellan

GaryWeiss.blogspot.com
"I realize that violating the PR ethics code [the way Scott McClellan apparently did] is spitting on the sidewalk compared to the felonies of lying to the American people about Iraq and Katrina," writes Gary Weiss. "But it seems to me that the PR profession, if it wants to take this code of ethics seriously, needs to take a stand in a high-visibility case like this."

Many WH reporters aren't surprised that McClellan lashed out

Politico.com
"He promised when he first started writing this book that he'd engage in some truth-telling, and that's what he's done," says Newsweek's Richard Wolffe. Recent NYT hire Peter Baker tells Michael Calderone that the book is "not surprising after talking to him. You can't underestimate how the CIA case left him burned ... and being pummeled for passing along untrue statements." || Huffington Post: Henry Blodget on Scott McClellan's "loser move."

Perino on McClellan: "It's sad; this is not the Scott we knew"

USAToday.com | Time.com

Perino: I'm no Tony Snow, but I like to have a little fun

White House press secretary Dana Perino says: "Scott [McClellan], we now know, is disgruntled about his experience at the White House. For those of us who fully supported him, before, during and after he was press secretary, we are puzzled. It is sad -- this is not the Scott we knew." || Book excerpt. || James Poniewozik: It's sad to imagine that all the while he was standing at that podium, McClellan was wondering why in the world the supposed jackals of the press weren't being more aggressive with him and the White House.
> Rove: "This doesn't sound like Scott; it really doesn't" | Video (WP/FNC)
> Kornblut: What?! Isn't it the job of WH staff to be straightforward? (WP)

Bloggers react to McClellan's surprisingly scathing memoir

Politico | CQ | HuffPost | TNR.com | FishbowlDC | Salon
Politico's Mike Allen was the first to report that Scott McClellan writes in his book that the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war. Bloggers quickly reacted to that, and other "explosive revelations." || David Corn asks: "Where's the apology?" || Greg Mitchell calls it "supreme irony" that McClellan book excerpts leaked out "exactly four years from the day from The New York Times offered its famous 'mini-culpa' on its role in helping to pave the way for war." || Jason Zengerle notes that "writing a harsh tell-all memoir of the Bush years is just good business sense at this point." | Patrick Gavin: What McClellan gets out of this. || Glenn Greenwald: McClellan slayed the single most ludicrous myth in our political culture: The "Liberal Media."

Previously

2006:

McClellan: Snow has "a strong and capable backup" in Perino
3/28/2007 7:35:42 AM

WH reporter says Snow's more fun than "cautious" McClellan
9/15/2006 9:37:34 AM

WPer: Obviously, Snow is smoother, sassier than McClellan
7/21/2006 12:35:20 PM

McClellan could only be trusted to tap dance, says Garfield
4/26/2006 11:27:08 AM
What it was about McClellan that drove WH reporters nuts
4/24/2006 9:56:07 AM

Dickerson: WH should hire a journalist to replace McClellan
4/20/2006 7:46:01 AM

McClellan's more memorable exchanges with WH reporters
4/19/2006 4:12:38 PM
"It was a good time to make this decision," says McClellan
4/19/2006 5:23:32 PM
McClellan out as White House press secretary
4/19/2006 10:37:12 AM