A book by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is getting a lot of attention, mainly because it is highly critical of President Bush – especially his rush to war in Iraq. Lost in the harsh assertions and equally harsh reaction from the White House is the lessons to be learned from an “insular, secretive and combative” administration.

As tantalizing as are Mr. McClellan’s descriptions of a president prone to “self-deception” who shunned honest evaluation and reassessment, the larger message from his book is that many – the media, voters and White House staff including Mr. McClellan himself – were taken in by Mr. Bush’s “personal charm, wit and enormous political skill.”

The book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception,” is the first by a long-time Bush loyalist. It paints a troubling picture of an administration and president stuck in perpetual campaign mode that became increasingly insular and thus reliant on its own version of reality.

As details of the book were revealed this week, the current White House spokesperson reacted with shock and dismay. “Scott, we now know, is disgruntled about his experience at the White House,” press secretary Dana Perino said Wednesday.

It likely took more than disgruntlement for someone who worked closely with Mr. Bush since he was governor of Texas to write such a scathing assessment. Clearly, there are reasons for Mr. McClellan to be upset with the administration – he was pushed out as press secretary and, as facts about the war in Iraq and the CIA leak case came to light, his reputation was tarnished. But, Mr. McClellan also offered this intriguing insight: “I fell far short of living up to the kind of public servant I wanted to be.”

The media, he also writes, fell far short of its responsibility of questioning the White House, especially about the war in Iraq. He blames the media for “covering the march to war instead of the necessity of war.”

Such warnings should be heeded as the media questions the presidential candidates about their plans for continued involvement in Iraq, among other issues. When Sen. John McCain says U.S. troops will leave Iraq victorious, how does he define victory? What resources is he prepared to devote, in terms of personnel, equipment and finances, to achieve that victory? What if Congress, likely to be controlled by Democrats, does not support his plan?

Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton say they will withdraw troops soon after taking office. What if conditions deteriorate in Iraq? Will they still continue to withdraw troops? What if Iran moves in?

Getting serious answers to such questions and looking beyond personality and slogans are critical as the country evaluates the potential new residents of the White House.