Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Americans have read, seen, or heard something about the new book by President Bush’s former Press Secretary, Scott McClellan. However, the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows that the public is not sure if McClellan is telling the truth. Of those who have heard about the book, 37% say he is telling the truth and 21% say he is not. A plurality—42%--say they are not sure.

By a three-to-one margin, however, Americans believe that a Press Secretary who seriously disagrees with the policies of a Presidential Administration should resign. Among all adults, 60% hold that view while 17% disagree and 23% are not sure.

As with everything political in an election season, there are strong partisan differences on these questions.

Democrats, by a 58% to 6% margin, believe McClellan is telling the truth. Republicans, by a 44% to 15% margin, say he is not. Among those not affiliated with either major party, most—52%--are not sure. Among the unaffiliateds, 32% say McClellan is telling the truth and 16% disagree. Results in this paragraph include responses only from those who have heard about the new book.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans say that a Press Secretary should resign if he or she strongly disagrees with Administration policies. Fifty-four percent (54%) of Democrats agree along with 55% of unaffiliateds.

Among those who have heard of the book, 17% say they are Very Interested in reading it. That represents 12% of all adults nationwide. As you would expect, the book appeals to Democrats more than anyone else. Among those who have heard of it, 30% of Democrats are Very Interested in reading the book. Just 10% of unaffiliateds and 6% or Republicans share that interest.

McClellan has suggested that he hopes the book “might help us move beyond the partisan warfare of the past 15 years." However, most who have heard about the book suspect a different motive—money. Fifty-three percent (53%) say money was the primary reason McClellan wrote the book. Eighteen percent (18%) say he hoped to change Washington’s political culture.

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