Scott McClellan

We should have embraced a high level of openness and forthrightness, in addition to that, and then the expectations wouldn't have gotten so out of whack, and we wouldn't have been in the problem we were -- we came to later when the…

The federal government should have taken more responsibility, because, to the American people, I think, the federal government is the failsafe backstop to all that.

Yes. No, I was sincere at the time. Now, looking back and reflecting on that, I have a different perspective on it.

It's too much about party and too little about the country. And we need to put the country first and put the party much lower.

You have a lot of good people that come there for the right reasons, to make a difference, but they get caught up in this permanent campaign culture, where it's all about manipulating the narrative to their advantage.

I have a higher loyalty than my loyalty necessarily to my past work. That's a loyalty to the truth.

I asked them point-blank, 'Were you involved in this in any way?' Both assured me in unequivocal terms, no.

I felt like we were rushing into this. But because of my position and my affection for the president and my belief and trust in he and his advisers, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. And looking back on it, reflecting on it now, I…

This is my honest perspective on how things went off track. And that's all I can do is honestly and forthrightly express my views and let the chips fall where they may.

I felt like we were rushing into this. But, because of my position and my affection for the president and my belief and trust in he and his advisers, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. And, looking back on it and reflecting on it now, I…

There have been some that have tried to suggest that we don't have a plan. I know some congressional members of Congress have -- Democratic members of Congress have suggested that, and they are flat-out wrong.

The national press corps was probably too deferential to the White House and to the administration in regard to the most important decision facing the nation during my years in Washington, the choice over whether to go to war in Iraq.