Say Anything Blog

By Noel Sheppard

As media gush over Scott McClellan’s latest tell-all book about the Bush adminstration, a 1999 article by Margaret Carlson depicted a much less-pleased press corps when George Stephanopoulos’s “All Too Human: A Political Education” cast an unfavorable light on then President Bill Clinton.

In fact, according to the former Time magazine columnist, people in the media referred to Stephanopoulos as a “turncoat,” a “backstabber,” and an “ingrate.”

‘Tis a far cry from the standing ovation McClellan is publicly receiving in press rooms around the country, wouldn’t you agree?

[...]

Even George, at one time, wouldn’t have approved of George. Commenting on Dick Morris’ memoirs, George said, “You have a responsibility not to embarrass the President. It hurts the country. It’s just stupidity and weakness.” That sentiment may have held Stephanopoulos back. He may have been disloyal enough to take nearly $3 million to write the book, but something kept him from stripping Clinton bare.

Hmmm. You mean sometimes people do things for money? Noooooo.

Stupid question of the day alert: Why isn’t this greedy motivation ever raised when a former member of a Republican administration gets rich off such a tell-all?

[...]

Definitely a double standard there.