The book, The Spin Cycle is written by Howard Kurtz, a media reporter with The Washington Post. It is not an easy book to read. Kurtz covers many different personalities and scenarios and how the press has been manipulated by the White House.
             The book describes how the White House misleads and intimidates the press. So they can control when a story breaks and how it will be handled. However, I find that there is a one main character that Kurtz refers to repeatedly throughout the book and that is Mike McCurry.
             McCurry is the press secretary for President Clinton and his administration. He does not fit the mold of past press secretaries who were older, stylish and gray-haired. McCurry is a slim built, young man with blue eyes and thinning blonde hair. He has established a reputation with the press as being quick to wit and honest in his briefings. Not only was he well respected by them, but he also had a good rapport with the President and Mrs. Clinton as well as the advisors within the administration.
             Unfortunately, scandal has plagued the Clinton's not only during their time in the White House but even in the early days of both their political careers beginning in Arkansas. From the Whitewater to Filegate investigations, President and Mrs. Clinton were hounded by the press. They formed a dislike for the press from their earlier days and it continues even to the present. McCurry wanted to change that situation. McCurry encouraged to meet with the press on different occasions to establish a better working relationship and settle feelings between the two. McCurry would script out scenarios for potential questions so when Clinton would meet with reporters, he would already have exact verbiage for a reply. To better relationships, one time McCurry even arranged a white water rafting trip between Clinton and some of the top press officials. Even though most of the trip was previously scri
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