What Happened

Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception

By: Scott McClellan

Narrated by: Scott McClellan

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Scott McClellan belonged to President Bush's select inner circle of trusted advisers during one of the most challenging, contentious periods of recent history. Over a period of more than seven years, he witnessed, day-to-day, exactly how the presidency veered off course, not only by its decision to topple Saddam Hussein, but by an embrace of confrontational politics in the face of an increasingly partisan Washington and a hostile media.

In this refreshingly clear-eyed book, McClellan provides his unique perspective on what happened and why it happened the way it did, including the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina, and two hotly contested presidential campaigns. He gives listeners a candid look into who George W. Bush is and what he believes, and explores the lessons this presidency offers the American people as they prepare to elect a new leader.

©2008 Scott McClellan (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The former press secretary of President Bush (No. 43 version) empties out his notebooks, and all of Washington will be holding its breath." ( Seattle Times)

I nominate Scott McClellan

It must have taken a lot of courage for Scott McClellan to write this book. I recommend it to anyone in politics or news. The more Americans who read this book, the harder it will be for Washington to pull the wool over our eyes. I am a bit surprised at the nerve of some of the people who occupy the whitehouse. They will so whatever it takes to advance their agenda.

Boring and self-serving

I've been listening to recorded books for 20 years, and this, by far, is the worst ever. The first half of the book is about the author's college days and early career. Who cares?! I fast-forwarded to the second half of the book to get some info about "What Happened?" And the narration was painful to listen to. Words like "ideals" pronounced "idills". AAARGH!!! He should never, ever, narrate anything again.

What Happened

Idealist, Self-Promoting and Boring!

Not as Insightful as the Hype Suggested

Yea, they screwed him. We sort of had figured that out hadn’t we.

Depressingly unsurprising

Scott McClellan has been criticized widely as having given us too little too late in this book. I disagree. Even though there's little here you didn't already know or suspect, this book is confirmation from one of the closest of sources that the catastrophe that was the presidency of George W. Bush was every bit as sinister and sordid as most of us knew. After all, McClellan isn't the first Bush defector to show us the dark side of the Bush administration.

As to the narration, McClellan's congenial reading conveys, without being sentimental, the author's ultimate indigation with his former employer. McClellan was a mouthpiece who was lied to by his masters, and who passed those lies along to the White House press corps, and to the nation. This is his confession and apology. I believe him.

What Happened?

This is a must read, everyone in this country should read this, especially all political hopefulls. Scott has one an excellent job of the truth

One suggestion, the author should have used George Tenets format and let someone else read most of the book, listening to Scott say "didenient" instead of didn't and couldn't and wouldn't left a lot to be desired. The current fad amoung the young newspeople is terrible when pronouncing contractions.

Over Hyped

The narration is painfully stiff. I have listened to the first half hour and I want to give up. So far the book is focused on this writer's family and its political connections. It feels like listening to the guy in your college class who had an inferiority complex and needed to make up for it. I will continue to listen in hopes of hearing some information which meets with the media hype, but so far I wish I hadn't wasted my credit.

If you are an INSOMNIAC, then buy this Audio Book

This should have been an interesting listen.

Juicy details about the Bush Administration, Rove, Scooter, and Iraq...

But, Scott McClellan makes two big mistakes:

1. He goes on and on and on about his childhood, puberty, high school, college years. Scott! I don't care if you wore the wrong color shirt to a big game!

2. He narrates it himself and he is the dullest reader you can imagine. His droning sounds will put you into a deep slumber.

I am ordinarily very focused and can concentrate on the task at hand, but I have even been missing the important historical comments because Scott McClellan is such a miserable narrator.

Clueless or Just Pandering?

This book is one I wish I had not ordered. Either the author is really retarded or he feels there is some future benefit of saying that Bush is okay. In case you don't know Bush is intelligent, but lacking intellectual curiousity. What is even more amazing is the author stating the problem in Washington is pandering to a political viewpoint all the while pandering a political viewpoint, i.e. typical Republicanisms of religion and misguided Democratic values. A total waste of time and money! Don't bother with this one, wish I hadn't

Down with the "Permanent Campaign"

This not the gotcha book that many liberals, (myself included) wish it was. Thus, McClellan's credibility is enhanced since What Happened? implies a very negative bias that the book does not contain. Rather it sensibly deplores how Washington has gotten into a Permanent Campaign Mode. The writer is fair to Bush even as he recalls him bungling key moments and statements.. One of these is the -16 words controversy- in a State of the Union address (about uranium for Saddam) leading to the Plame incident as part of the Permanent Campaign. Considering all Scott did for this administration, What Happened?; is extraordinarily bile free in a time when many make their millions selling books written specifically for those leaning left or right. Some may complain that the book is downplays Bush and his seeming total lack of competence to be president. You should not expect differently from a guy who worked for Bush for 17 years. But, as a Bush critic might point out, the Bush rationale for war on Iraq (as repeated by the author) is a direct contradiction of ideas! One must read the book to understand that statement. (Critics should not be spoilers.)McClellan, understandably as former press secretary, is an excellent reader with a perfectly modulated voice. The best author reader I have ever heard and a professional reader would never hit each word note for intended note. He concludes with suggestions for avoiding the The Permanent Campaign. This book should be required reading for anyone, liberal or conservative, who wishes to see a more properly governed nation... and these days, who does not?