Liveblog, Scott McClellan hearing, Part 6

By GottaLaff

Steve Cohen (D): Who was the bigger influence, Cheney or Rove?

Scott: Vice President foreign policy influence, Rove, political influence.

Steve: Blackberry private account emails used?

Scott: I knew people used them, yes. I sent to both accounts of Rove's. ... There was a focus on Iran, still is.

Steve: 2004, familiar with Swiftboating discussions?

Scott: No.

Steve: Several editors on your book. What did they edit out?

Scott: Nothing of interest. I gave a clear view of the big picture.

Steve: Civilian casualties: You should have spoken up on. Any others?

Scott: There were other things, but the Pres. expected us to march in lockstep.

Next, Tom Feeney:

Tom: Should this book be out? Sets a precedent for decision making system to come out... be available to the press... What if that happened with plans for WWII?

Scott: Of course, those kind of things should not come out.

Tom: But you talk about motives for going to war.. you said othing new, though. You speculated a lot. Rumsfeld had experience, so did Cheney. Why, knowing they'd be judged by history, would they lie? Knowing they'd be outed?

Scott: I said it wasn't a deliberate attempt, but spin and manipulation has become part of the culture, so America doesn't get the full truth.

Tom: If Saddam had complied, they would have had access to the truth. Did Bush know about Libby or Rove's disclosure of Plame's I.D.?

Scott: No.

Next: Bill Delahunt:

Bill: I don't think Scott's suggesting we share info with the enemy, but with the American people. I applaud you for the book. The Bush admin. lacked accountability because Bush didn't embrace openness, you say. I concur. We've had those problems dealing with this administration. Right now there's an agreement being discussed between Iraq and the U.S. There has been no real consultation with Congress. Today in the Hill, the headline is "Cheney Gets Last Laugh"... stonewalls Waxman. But these decisions are important, and you've opened up the debate about public discourse. We have to have an informed citizenry. I voted against the war, as did 133 of my colleagues, 125 Dems, simply BECAUSE OF INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. There were no WMD. It was a hard sell, a tragic one at that. Disturbing: The secret declassification that only Bush and Cheney knew about... YOU didn't know, we didn't.

Scott: That's a prime example... no one knew.

Bill: This is not a democracy: Classify, declassify, reclassify. You have plenty of company, others say this: Paul O'Neill was stunned. I'd like to have you both come before my committee AFTER the election, so there's no impugning of anyone's integrity.