Outgoing Bush Counselor Bartlett: "If There Was Ever A Do-Over, [Mission Accomplished] Would Be It"

[babylonsister]

http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_5737

LAST ONE OUT, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
Dan Bartlett—the president's most trusted aide—has been a true believer ever since he signed onto George W. Bush's gubernatorial campaign back in 1993. So why's he leaving now? Robert Draper catches him at the door

Dan Bartlett was there from the start: first as a 22-year-old consultant to George W. Bush’s campaign for Texas governor, then as his policy adviser, then as rapid-response director for his presidential bid, and finally as the Bush administration’s wunderkind communications strategist and the aide closest to the president’s ear. And now he’s jumping ship, going the way of other longtime Bush loyalists Karen Hughes, Scott McClellan, and Harriet Miers.

This June, just a few hours after Bush named Ed Gillespie the new counselor to the president, we asked Bartlett, 36, to reflect on those times when the administration’s communications shop hasn’t exactly done a heckuva job.

Let’s talk about the war. You’ve been the White House communications czar ever since the run-up. Where do you feel like there was a failure to communicate?

There was never a more benign incident that turned into a bigger messaging problem than “Mission Accomplished.” It set the wrong tone for what became a protracted, difficult mission. If there was ever a do-over, that would be it.

more...

[Solly Mack]

1. Karen Hughes didn't jump ship

she's manning the lackluster - and sinking fast - life-boat (Bush's image)

[Javaman]

12. dupe

[Javaman]

13. dupe

[Javaman]

14. dupe

[Javaman]

15. dupe

[Javaman]

16. dupe

[Javaman]

17. "karen, your suppose to bail OUT the water, not in" nt

[Solly Mack]

23. lol!!! Good one!!

[Javaman]

18. -went a little crazy with the mouse- LOL nt

[Solly Mack]

24. Oh, you gave the mouse a cookie! :)

[salin]

2. gee, ya think?

Then there was the "Bring it On!" proclamation of bushjr back in the summer of 2003 - and the insurgency in its 'last throes' moment by Cheney... Heck go back to Powell's UN speech and the ginning up of propoganda to get us into war in Iraq on false pretences to begin with.

Go crawl under a rock, Mr. Bartlett.

[Cha]

21. I couldn't believe bushit

actually apologized for that shyte after 100's of Soldiers were killed.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. If ever there was a do over it would be election 2000.

:banghead:

[Cha]

22. It will interesting to see

how Karma turns that one around as I think it will(I hope in my lifetime).

The Supreme Court 5 lifers are a nasty piece of work..they think things are all set; but that's just when life happens.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Boy, does he do some lying in this interview. nt

[ima_sinnic]

5. a "do-over"--it's all just makeup and PR to them

gee, if only they had had a better slogan back when the asinine little dogturd was strutting his stuff at taxpayer expense on the ole carrier deck.
With the right "do-over," the vast majority of the country would now still be fully behind the naked ape and his goon squad instead of stocking up on torches and pitchforks.

:sarcasm:

[MissWaverly]

6. are you talking about the strut that cost us 1 million dollars

meanwhile they are cutting head start becuz they don't have the money, it pays to have priorities

[Toots]

7. Wasn't this the same fella that said the Whitehouse never said "Mission Accomplished"

But it was the Navy that made the professional banner and it didn't have anything to do with Iraq but only that particular ship? That ship's mission was accomplished not America's. I am pretty sure he was the one telling us that garbage..

[gratuitous]

8. A benign incident?

Like, it "just happened" that the USS Lincoln was delayed from getting to San Diego for three days, the ship was repositioned so the U.S. coastline wouldn't be visible, the banner placed for maximum floating headline positioning above Chimpy's head, and the whole stunt of landing him on the flight deck (he is so a real pilot!) and hopping out in his flight suit with his harness still engaged. Yeah, just a benign incident, according to Bartlett, who's been lying to the American people and himself for so long the he doesn't know what's real anymore.

[UTUSN]

9. Oh. NOT an illegal war of choice and aggression? NOT the undermining of our democracy? n/t

[Virginia Dare]

10. Nope, December 2000 is the mother of all do over in my book...n/t

[Javaman]

11. There is no crying in baseball and there are no do-overs in politics...

what a fucking tool.

[Bluebear]

19. Well, there isn't. So STFU and go "spend time with your family" already. nt

[Cha]

20. "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" set

the tone for the whole maladministration.

But, thanks for bringing that out in open dan bartlett..you poor poor thing.

[Fleshdancer]

25. but but but....I thought they said the sign was done by the soldiers!

They actually blamed the soldiers for creating and hanging that stupid banner. I'm glad to see that in looooong hindsight, they can actually admit to a minor mistake. :eyes: