What Happened

The presidency of George W. Bush has always been one of lies, lies, and more lies. It has been a secretive, deceptive, manipulative, and corrupt Administration. This has been obvious, baldfaced obvious. And yet they continue to deny, dodge, and act offended by the insinuation. Heavens, forfend, little old us?

The book by Scott McClelland -- himself usually a stranger to the truth -- has been all the news today, and part of yesterday. He lays out the case that the Administration has been exactly what we've known it to be all along. But because he's an insider, and not just someone with eyes and a sense for the obvious, his story carries more weight.

It turns out -- big surprise -- that the Iraq war was based on lies and spin. Also that the tooth fairy is Mom and Dad.

It turns out that George W. Bush wanted to take us to war for the sake of his legacy, because wartime presidents always get the best legacies. So, speaking of Mom and Dad, to anyone who lost a son or daughter in Iraq, to anyone who lost a limb in Iraq, cheer up, it was for Bush's ego. You made a contribution. All the yellow ribbons, all the flag-waving, all of it -- you contributed to the George W. Bush Ego Fund. So he can sit on his rocking chair someday and muse, "All those thousands of people died for me!"

And now the White House is in full denial mode, with their usual obvious talking points. Scott is "disgruntled." Scott was never in the loop. This isn't "the Scott" we knew.

Hey, when you're caught, and you've been caught repeatedly over the years -- and the only ones who think this White House is innocent seriously need therapy -- for once in your stinking lives, admit it.

Except for the occasional lucrative book deal -- as in the present case -- it looks like they'll go to their graves with the same old lies.

McClelland's book is What Happened. Here's what happened: Our country elected scum, and we've suffered because of it.