The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy

This just in: Former White House spokesman Scott McClellan has written a new book that hammers President Bush! Among other things, McClellan says Mr. Bush did not handle Hurricane Katrina correctly, botched the Iraq war, which never should have been fought in the first place, and partied hard as a young guy.

That sounds like it's worth $30, does it not?

But the far-left media is swooning. Yeah, baby, a former Bush guy coming clean. Can't get enough of that!

Some inside baseball: Last November, "Factor" producers contacted McClellan's "people" about the book and were assured the author would be anxious to appear on my program since it routinely sells a ton of books. Great.

But now old Scott has had second thoughts, and has booked himself on every far left venue around, avoiding your humble correspondent. Interesting. Maybe that's because McClellan knows that in April of 2007, he appeared on Bill Maher's program still supporting the Iraq action. On that show, former Sen. Bill Bradley actually got annoyed with McClellan for his hawkish stance.

But that was then.

McClellan's former boss, Ari Fleischer, says that Scott confessed to him that the publisher, Public Affairs, made him "revise" some of the book, putting in more negative stuff about Bush. If that's true, it makes sense. Few people these days are in the mood to read anything good about the president.

Now, I predict McClellan's book will disappear in a few weeks, but the media angle here is fascinating.

Today in America there is a "vast left wing media conspiracy," no question. Overwhelmingly, the press has made a sharp left hand turn even as there is little traffic in the right hand lane.

That's because many in the conservative media do not like John McCain, so there's no drive to support him as there was with George W. Bush. The right may not like Barack Obama, but, without a champion, their zeal for the election is muted.

But the left media simply loves Sen. Obama. It is all affection all the time, a constant drumbeat of good vibrations. Bush and McCain bad, Barack good. And, as the election draws closer, the Obama media chorus will grow louder.

So, how will this affect the actual vote? No way of telling at this point, but it can't hurt Obama. Independents will decide the election, and they will be subjected to quite an avalanche of glad Obama tidings. Once Hillary gets out of the way, the summer of Obama love will commence.

There is something rather unsettling about the situation. With Gore versus Bush and Kerry versus Bush, the media was divided but equally passionate. Talk radio leading the way for Bush, the networks and big city papers heralding the Democrats. But this time, the deck is stacked for Obama.

Good break for him, bad deal for McCain. That's all there's left to say.

Veteran TV news anchor Bill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and author of the book "Culture Warrior." To find out more about Bill O'Reilly, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. This column originates on the Web site www.billoreilly.com.

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