Amanda Terkel explains the administration's standard procedure for discrediting those who turn against it:
The attacks on McClellan have been extremely well-coordinated, with current and former Bush administration officials sticking to tight talking points. They seemed to mostly take their cues from White House Press Secretary Dana Perino's official response, which came out on Wednesday morning. Rove and former homeland security adviser Frances Townsend -- experienced talking heads now affiliated with Fox News and CNN, respectively -- were allowed to respond when on their networks the news broke on Tuesday.
If White House officials' responses to McClellan were swift, it's because they have done all this before. Former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke, former chief strategist Matthew Dowd, and former Treasury secretary Paul O'Neill all received similar treatment after writing their critical memoirs.
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--The Editors
