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Anyone else think Scott McClelland's days as Press Spokeman Numbered?

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KoKo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 12:58 PM
Original message
Anyone else think Scott McClelland's days as Press Spokeman Numbered?
Edited on Wed Aug-20-03 01:01 PM by KoKo01
I've only caught parts of three of his "Press Briefings" but it seems that cables are cutting off sooner than with Ari. Also seems press is less on the attack than in Ari's "latter days."

But, McClelland's "clueless" answers and stammering don't seem to attract very complicated questions. Today, he had to ask three times for a reporter to repeat a very simple statement about John McCain saying we needed more troops in Iraq. His operational mode seems to be "pretend I don't hear, pretend I don't want to hear," and then stammer around awhile with a vague answer until they give up. Whereas Ari was arrogant and a double talker he did seem to have a brain in there somewhere. McClelland comes off as a Doofus.

Is this their new strategy? Put a Doofus out who appears to not understand the questions of reporters?

He also sounds a little like Bush....keeps repeating terrorist bombers, terrorist this, terrorist that....and three times he talked about war "the-Ators" instead of Theaters. Now, I know that in many parts of the US "the-Ator" is just part of the local accent. (I grew up in an area where theater was pronounced that way by some) but McClelland's accent doesn't seem to fit the type of accent that would use that pronunciation. Made me wonder if he's "putting on an accent" like Shrub does with his fake Texas twang.

If things start to get very threatening for Shrub, I wonder if McClelland isn't going to be out the door soon.

Anyone else seen his Press Briefings?
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GainesT1958 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:01 PM
Response to Original message
1. Ari was The Weasel...
Scott McClelland is just a dope--and he's clearly NOT up to the Weasel's lying ability.:eyes:

B-)
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DisgustipatedinCA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:03 PM
Response to Original message
2. He sounds perfect for the job
He's supposed to be the official spokesman for the President*, right? I would think that evasiveness, incoherence, and general inability to communicate would be the perfect credentials to faithfully represent the views of this president*.

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realFedUp Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:04 PM
Response to Original message
3. Considering he rarely gets threads here...
that no one is interested in watching his lips move
and nothing coming out...I'd say he's a B actor.
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SpiralHawk Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:08 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. incoherent boredom could be their strategy
Take nothing at face value.

Lies are truth.
War is peace.
Big Brother loves you.
Choco-rations will be increased next quarter.
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AP Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:07 PM
Response to Original message
4. Waste time, reporters ask fewer questions.
Right wingers do this on radio and TV all the time. Shout, go on and on...it's just an attempt to occupy all available time with anything except addressing the issues.

He's doing his job.
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KoKo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:12 PM
Response to Original message
6. Oh....the other thing about him....he doesn't seem sure of his answers....
Edited on Wed Aug-20-03 01:18 PM by KoKo01
to the questions he actually tries to answer. Actually the RW'ers come out on the "attack." McClelland acts like he doesn't know why he has his job! They are so careful about who they put out......it's odd they picked him. That's why I wondered if it's a "new" strategy.

Or, maybe the "inside whispers" in the WH are Bush is going to be "Toast," and no one wanted the job of defending him. The latter is my fantasy! Bush/Toast........McClelland the last person who would take the job.

It's just my fantasy, though. He's probably just a doofus. :eyes:
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On the Road Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:13 PM
Response to Original message
7. Maybe Scott is Just What They Want
Say what you want about Ari Fliescher, he was very, very good at his job. Defining his job as denial, deflection and giving the runaround. I really admired his ability to leave reporters dumbfounded with the most breathtaking denials.

But Ari was so good that he became a lightning rod -- he was just loathed too deeply to be of any further use to the administration.

McClelland, OOH, is so obviously clueless and over his head it's difficult to hate him in the same way. His answers just fall into the void. They don't make headlines. Which is exactly what the administration wants: silence so it can pursue its plans unfettered.
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bluestateguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:21 PM
Response to Original message
8. McClelland
I don't have a whole lot of respect for people who get paid to lie for other people.
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blm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-20-03 01:38 PM
Response to Original message
9. He has NO JUICE.
Bush needs forceful juice to make ANYTHING he does sound believable and palatable.
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