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

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Preface, ix; 1 A Made-for-Washington Scandal, 1; 2 A Small Part of Something Grand, 11; 3 Growing Up in Politics, 21; 4 Governor Bush Runs for President, 39; 5 The Permanent Campaign, 61; 6 The Early Days, 87; 7 September 11 and the Partisan Ceasefire, 99; 8 Selling the War, 119; 9 Becoming White House Press Secretary, 149; 10 Deniability, 165; 11 Betting the Presidency, 191; 12 Brush Fire, 213; 13 Triumph and Illusion, 233; 14 Revelation and Humiliation, 255; 15 Out of Touch, 271; 16 After the Trial, 293; 17 Changing the Culture of Deception, 311; Acknowledgments, 325; Index, 327.;In the bestselling book that provoked a media sensation, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan takes readers behind the scenes of the presidency of George W. Bush. Scott McClellan was one of a few Bush loyalists from Texas who became part of his inner circle of trusted advisers, and remained so during one of the most challenging and contentious periods of recent history. Drawn to Bush by his commitment to compassionate conservatism and strong bipartisan leadership, McClellan served the president for more than seven years, and witnessed day-to-day exactly how the presidency veered.