McClellan: Plame outing led to memoirs

WASHINGTON, May 29 (UPI) -- Former White House spokesman Scott McClellan said his role in outing a CIA operative led him to consider writing his memoirs about Washington.

"The White House would prefer I not speak out openly and honestly about my experiences, but I believe there is a larger purpose," McClellan, chief White House spokesman from 2003-2006, said on NBC's "Today" show.

McClellan said he hoped "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" could "help us move beyond the partisan warfare of the past 15 years."

McClellan said he realized he'd have to write his story when he learned he may have been led to deliver false information about the roles two senior administration officials' played in outing Valerie Plame as a CIA operative.

His book is about "looking at the permanent campaign culture in Washington, D.C., and how we can move beyond it," McClellan said.

Several administration officials sought to discredit McClellan. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday President George Bush "has more pressing matters than to spend time commenting on books by former staffers."

Excerpts appeared this week on the Internet. The book is scheduled to hit store shelves Tuesday.