Scott, Job Well Done

To adjust Richard Nixon's famous quote:

You won't have McClellan to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.

Text and Video

(Excerpts)

MR. McCLELLAN: Good morning, everybody. I am here to announce that I will be resigning as White House Press Secretary.

Mr. President, it has been an extraordinary honor and privilege to have served you for more than seven years now, the last two years and nine months as your Press Secretary.

The White House is going through a period of transition; change can be helpful, and this is a good time and good position to help bring about change. I am ready to move on. I've been in this position a long time, and my wife and I are excited about beginning the next chapter in our life together.

You have accomplished a lot over the last several years with this team, and I have been honored and grateful to be a small part of a terrific and talented team of really good people...

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I thank Scott for his service to our country. I don't know whether or not the press corps realizes this, but his is a challenging assignment dealing with you all on a regular basis. And I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity. He really represents the best of his family, our state and our country. It's going to be hard to replace Scott. But, nevertheless, he's made the decision and I accept it.

One of these days he and I are going to be rocking on chairs in Texas, talking about the good old days and his time as the Press Secretary. And I can assure you I will feel the same way then that I feel now, that I can say to Scott, job well done.

I'm amazed that McClellan was able to manage the White House press corps as well for as long as he did. I think of the WH Press Secretary as one of the worst jobs in America.

McClellan did a great job serving the President and his country.

Dealing with the inanity of David Gregory and Terry Moran and Helen Thomas on a daily basis must have been torture, yet McClellan did so with skill and poise. He has to be one of the most patient men in America.

Perhaps Gregory and his ilk won't be treated as kindly by the new WH Press Secretary. There would be some poetic justice in that.

How is the Left responding to the announcement?

Like it always does, with typical hatefulness and abusiveness.

A sampling of reaction, from the Huffington Post:

Not a big loss. He was so obviously lying, that even the idiots in the press corps could pick up on it. However, even if they bring in someone better, the tide has turned and we will not see as much passivity in the press room for the remainder of this doomed administration.
By: FriendlyFire on April 19, 2006 at 10:01am
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America will miss your free-flowing flop-sweat, Scotty.
By: DatelessNerd on April 19, 2006 at 10:01am
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And he was such an effective communicator. A class "A" liar. So charismatic. Gosh, we'll miss you.
By: RSLChuck on April 19, 2006 at 10:04am
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Everyone know Scott McClellan lie's for Bush. So Bush needs a new person to lie, some one with fresh line of lie's.
By: gopgoingdown on April 19, 2006 at 10:04am
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Scotty should probably be placed on suicide watch. I would not be suprised if the find him hanging from a ceiling fan.
By: DenverLib on April 19, 2006 at 10:08am
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Ah, yes. Those liberals are so classy and compassionate, aren't they?

Scott McClellan deserves SO much better than that.