McClellan explains "heck of a job"

From the Times Picayune:

McClellan also recounts another "clinker," when Bush singled out Michael Brown, the beleaguered head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with the infamous, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

"Even Brown looked embarrassed and no wonder; most Americans had already concluded that the FEMA director was in over his head," said McClellan, who adds that it helped cement an image that Bush is overly loyal even after poor performance. (my emphasis)

I don't know if that last bit of analysis by McClellan is generally true of Bush though perhaps Scottie himself  may be an example of such. But I don't believe Americans watching that moment were thinking of Bush as loyalist. Rather it cemented an image that Bush didn't know WTF was going on. That's a "clinker"?  And remember the remark came just minutes after the Trent Lott's porch remark.  That one further cemented the image of Bush as tone deaf and uncaring to the death and suffering occurring. Taken together they were very damaging. Because even though Bush was no longer vacationing, nor peering out of a plane window but was at last on the ground, at least Alabama ground, he still didn't get it....what any American  watching their TV's for days previous got...the horror of it all.

The TP continues:

Later, McClellan writes, Bush told staff he had little choice but to praise Brown. "He was standing right there and I was trying to pump up everybody's morale," McClellan quotes the president's explanation to aides. (my emphasis)

Aaack. Whatever.....

Comments

[caliph garrett]

I was trying to pump up everybody's morale

The Cheerleader-in-Chief. Fantastic.

GOOOOO TEAM

I hate to admit it, but McClellan's reproof of the media is actually spot-on. How could they have allowed this guy--the most pathetically unqualified and abjectly incompetent candidate in several generations--to coast to two terms as president with nary a discomfiting question asked?

[willis]

The "truths" being spewed by snotty scotty are nothin knew. Did this guy just wake up one morning and decide everything he's said or been told while at the WH was bullshit? He knew he was lying all along, just that now there's a dime or two in rolling over so he tell his story. Fuck him and his book for not saying something when it mattered....IMO.

[willis]

Of course, that would be "nothing new" vs "knew". Its early, dammit!

[BuggyQ]

"he still didn't get it...the horror of it all."

This is the Bush Presidency in a nutshell. He doesn't get the horror of any of it--the the wasted opportunity in the aftermath of 9/11, when he could have galvanized Americans into doing amazing things; the wasted lives in Iraq; the wasted years New Orleanians have waited for a rebuilding effort that should have started the moment the winds stopped blowing; the wasted money that has gone to every rich contractor/oil man/lobbyist Bush knows instead of going to help make America better for everybody...

He doesn't get it. He thinks he's done a heckuva job.

[pansypoo]

the gnews were soft cause THEY created georgee and 'parents' love their children too much to punish them for being bad.

[MapleStreet]

I don't see where McC's explanation excuses Bush. Considering the time elapsing since Katrina and all the problems that had already come to light, the fact that Bush hadn't taken some action to at least get someone to "ghost" Brownie to make things go right - that alone speaks volumes about the engagement of Bush in the matter.