The Disgruntled Former Employee

Last week former White House press secretary Scott McClellan got a taste of what it’s like to be on the other side of the podium. McClellan was savaged by the Bushies for having the temerity to criticize everyone from the President to the national media for their role in the Iraq war. McClellan’s criticism is in the form of a book sure to be a best seller. As was true in the run-up to the war, anyone daring to question the logic or facts paid a heavy price. That price included having your patriotism questioned to being denied access to information by the Bush White House. Democrats are enjoying every moment of this “I told you so” moment.
Ironically, McClellan was one of those administration officials selling and chastising reporters for questioning administration motives during his time as press secretary. Now many of his former colleagues have turned on him and are calling him “sad’ and “not the Scott we knew.” But the phrase most often used by the White House to describe McClellan these days is “disgruntled employee.”
This whole episode reminded me of my own high profile “disgruntled employee” experience. In the late 80’s, I was the producer and writer of the “Morton Downey Jr. Show.” It was a very controversial and confrontational talk show with Downey as the chain smoking, over the top host. As the show soared in the ratings, Mort began behaving in a manner I knew would hurt the show and his reputation with the audience. In deference to his memory, I’ll spare you the particulars but it wasn’t pretty.
After one particularly offensive incident, I quit the show and it got some press. A few months later Downey faked an incident involving an alleged skinhead attack and a swastika in a restroom at the San Francisco airport. Downey denied the allegations but the San Francisco police said it was a hoax. At that point I got a call from a New York Post reporter asking me if I’d heard the news. I hadn’t at that point. Then the reporter asked me if I thought it was a hoax. I remember saying while I wasn’t there, it wouldn’t surprise me if Mort did something crazy like that to boost sagging ratings.
The next thing I know its front page news around the country. The headlines said “Downey’s ex-producer says it’s a hoax.” A day later Phil Donahue’s on the phone inviting me to confront an enraged Downey on his show. I wanted nothing to do with that and declined. But that didn’t stop Phil from giving Mort a one hour platform to trash me on national television. One of the kinder things he called me was “disgruntled former employee.” We kissed and made up a year later after his show was cancelled and I asked him why he would lie about me on television. With what little innocence he could muster he said, “What else could I do, you had me dead to rights?” Makes you wonder about Scott McClellan’s accusers.
I don’t know for certain if everything in McClellan’s book is gospel but he was certainly there. That’s an important distinction from the countless authors who quote anonymous sources and speculate about what someone might have meant. The fact McClellan is a former employee doesn’t make him any less credible than other ex-White House employees spouting the party line. But don’t expect to see Mr. McClellan at Andrews Air Force base on January 20th when Bush slinks out of town.