Dole to McClellan: You're a 'miserable creature'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/30/art.dole.gi.jpg caption="Dole is not happy with McClellan."]
(CNN) - Bob Dole is furious with Scott McClellan's public criticisms of the Bush administration, telling the former White House Press Secretary in an e-mail Thursday he is a "miserable creature" who is "spurred on by greed."
"There are miserable creatures like you in every administration who don’t have the guts to speak up or quit if there are disagreements with the boss or colleagues," Dole wrote in the personal e-mail. "No, your type soaks up the benefits of power, revels in the limelight for years, then quits, and spurred on by greed, cashes in with a scathing critique."
Dole spokesman Michael Marshall confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail, first reported by Politico and obtained by CNN.
Dole, the former Senate Majority Leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, also tells McClellan he is likely looking to "clean up" as "the liberal anti-Bush press will promote your belated concerns with wild enthusiasm."
"When the money starts rolling in you should donate it to a worthy cause, something like, 'Biting The Hand That Fed Me,'" he wrote. "Another thought is to weasel your way back into the White House if a Democrat is elected. That would provide a good set up for a second book deal in a few years."
Dole also made clear he has no plans to read the book.
"I have no intention of reading your 'exposé' because if all these awful things were happening, and perhaps some may have been, you should have spoken up publicly like a man, or quit your cushy, high profile job," he wrote. "That would have taken integrity and courage but then you would have had credibility and your complaints could have been aired objectively."
"You're a hot ticket now but don't you, deep down, feel like a total ingrate?"
Related: McClellan hints at supporting Obama
Regardless of how I feel about Bush (worst President ever) I have a hard time patting Scott McClellan on the back and saying, 'Good job." If he had such qualms then, as surely he must have, he should have spoken up and resigned on principle. If you know someone is doing something wrong and you don't try to do anything to stop it then, to me, you are equally at fault.
dole,bush and mcCain is all the same.
i wonder why all these republicans are so upset.
Poor Bob Dole, he wouldn't know a "miserable creature" if it hit him in the head, been surrounded by them all his life. Good going Scott McClellan!
Your the miserable creature you wrinkly old sack.
Thats alot of tough talk coming from an elder stateman. A firm rebuke. He must be really pissed. And I wonder why. Is it that he told the truth or that he lied? mmmmgh....
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
If you hate Obama, then you will probably always hate Obama, but guess what… Everyone is not crazy or a traitor, hypnotized, etc… You have to ask yourself why people from all walks of life seem attracted to Obama's message and style.
Most of these people from all walks of life, seem to be leaving other constituencies to come to support Obama.
And those that seem opposed seem to be, just "seem" to be the same ole type of people that are running this country into the ground. They refuse to accept change. They can't understand why people are so dissatisfied with our government not working for them. They seem to think that breaking from the norm is a bad thing. Or they want to return to 1990. My mom used to say, "You can have everything you want in life… EXCEPT the way it used to be…"
These same people are seeing a major decline in their own standard of living but because of some deep seeded hatred, or flawed tradition, can't seem to step into 2008.
Well I guess they have every right to live in the past, when things were good for just a few… But they do not have a right to hold the rest of us in that past. Nor do they have the right to be angry with us for wanting a policy shift in government to the inclusive, rather than the exclusive…
My sadness comes when I think about whether Obama does a great job as president or not, those intrenched boneheads will do their best to bring him down every single day of his administration.
I pray for his stamina in the White House… (Obama, quit smoking… You'll need the energy…
Okay This is the Bob Dole that I remember before he ran for prsident.
Could always count on him to speak his mind (even if you didn't like him or what he had to say) without fluff or nuance.
Bob makes a good point regarding McClellan being spineless and leecherous. Aah but for a return of the good old days when we had men of "character" such as G. Gordon Liddy in the White House.
Dole,
Shut up!
You are a failed Senate Majority Leader .
And you failed at a pathitic presidential campaign.
You are a TOOL. period. (bet u didnt even write the email.)
Well said
This is how republicans treat one another, no respect. But, when someone says something about the Queen Hillary, and apology must follow, PLEASE.
Bob Dole uses e-mail?
I love the "moral" standards of Repugnants. Did you know that telling the truth (eventually) makes one a 'miserable creature?' What a world!
Oh, and Ha Ha. McCain is the new Bob Dole.
SCOTT. YOU ARE A HERO. DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE. YOUR FAMILY, YOUR MOM AND 95% OF AMERICA IS BEHIND YOU.
I didn't even know this guy was still alive. Old school conservatives are hot because McClellan basically gave away the playbook to the other side. The only thing I've heard is that people who either work or have worked inthe Bush administration don't understand where McClellan is coming from. Nobody has really denied what he said. When you work at a job and you hate it, you don't whine in public. You wait until you get a new gig, then you blast off. McClellan realized early on that the Kool-Aid was tainted, and faked drinking it until he got busted, That's when he left, or was asked to leave. Bush and the Axis of Shame should have known that McClellan was going toblow up their spot. But then again, those arrogant sons of @#$$%& probably didn't care. Now all they have is to discredit him. but the American People are smarter than that. Most believe all or most of what he said in his book. If I was a republican holding office right now, i would be scared as hell. November 2008 is going to be scary as hell.
I view McClellan as a whistleblower; it seems that retaliation against whistleblowers will remain the norm regardless of all the talk of reform in Government or ongoing legislation to ‘protect’ those that come forward to speak out
go away old man. noone cares about you. i love how people get offended from people speaking the truth..unbelievable.
But isn't it true? No one seems to be addressing the issue of this being true or not. Who can speak up and tell us Americans that this is not true? That should be the question and the issue for today.
Mr. Dole, at least he has the gut to tell the truth no matter when, but you don't have that . Also you commented to come into picture and / or tv coverage, money.
Oh, Bob. Always the pot calling the kettle black, aren't you?
I have to disagree with former senator Dole, McClellan has every right to publish his experience at any time, for any reason – including greed – if this were a healthy democracy.
Rush Limbaugh still believes polluting the Democratic nomination with solicitous & phony votes is okay, but having this Administration's PR chief publish his historically accurate account is '"wrong"'? Scott McClellan has spurred a fresh attention to our presidential candidates; knowing what it will take to sort fact & fiction from President Bush's Administration is among the leading issues this year.
Mr Dole may care less, but I would gauge Scott book's accuracy by reading it and reflecting on personal experiences over the past 7 years.
Thank you Scott. I believe Americans are all the wiser because of you.
Scott McClellan-back stabber
Another Bush cronie is sent out to discredit Scott. What a surprise! . You're not fooling anybody Bob! Different tone but same message! It sad to watch a person your age using this kind of rhetoric. Scott has made his peace with our lord Jesus; you shoul do the same.
Nipped on the ankle one to many times by poisonous snakes, sheriff McClellan rides out of Dodge and tries to round up the rattlers. They have all scurried back into their holes, fangs poised, venomous, ready to inflict pain.
Better late than never. All he did was comfirm what we already knew. Gen. Powell suggested that we rushed to war
Does anyone care what Bob dole thinks? So soaking up the benefits of power, reveling in the limelight for years, and cleaning up by lobbying for the tobacco industry is better Mr. Dole? Give me a break! Someone using whatever knowledge or influence they developed in Washington to make a buck, SHOCKING!