It was the "oops" heard 'round the world. Or, more accurately, the "oops" that ended one of the most storied military careers of the 21st century. If you were following the news back in June 2010, you probably remember the name Michael Hastings and a little magazine called Rolling Stone. The article, titled "The Runaway General," didn't just ruffle feathers—it scorched the entire coop.
But when people ask what did General McChrystal say about Obama, they usually expect a list of direct, profanity-laced insults from the General himself. The reality is a bit more nuanced, a lot more "insider-baseball," and frankly, way more interesting than a simple shouting match.
The Meeting That Started the Slide
To understand the friction, you have to go back to the very first time Stanley McChrystal and Barack Obama sat in a room together. According to the Rolling Stone profile, the vibe was off from the jump. McChrystal's aides told Hastings that the General was "disappointed" after their initial 10-minute Oval Office meeting.
The quote that really stung? An aide claimed that Obama "clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was." The General reportedly felt that the President looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by a room full of high-ranking military brass.
Basically, the General—a guy who lived on one meal a day and slept four hours a night—felt his Commander-in-Chief was a bit of a lightweight who didn't "get" the war or the men fighting it.
What was actually said?
While McChrystal was careful with his own words, the atmosphere he curated among his staff told the real story. Here is the breakdown of the most "fireable" offenses from that article:
- The "Photo-Op" Jab: McChrystal and his team viewed their interactions with the White House as theatrical rather than strategic. One aide called a meeting a "10-minute photo op."
- The "Wimps" Narrative: The article suggested McChrystal had seized control of the war by ignoring "the wimps in the White House."
- Disdain for Strategy: McChrystal admitted the period where Obama was weighing troop surges was "painful." He felt he was being forced into an "unsellable" position regarding the counter-insurgency (COIN) strategy.
It Wasn’t Just Obama: The "Team America" Burn List
If McChrystal had only been quiet about the President, he might have survived. But "Team America"—as his tight-knit inner circle called themselves—didn't stop at the top. They went after everyone.
Honestly, the comments about Vice President Joe Biden were probably the nail in the coffin. When asked about Biden, McChrystal reportedly joked, "Are you asking about Vice President Biden? Who’s that?" Then, an aide chimed in with a pun on the VP's name: "Biden? Did you say: Bite Me?"
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They also called National Security Adviser James Jones a "clown" who was "stuck in 1985." They mocked Richard Holbrooke, the special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a "wounded animal." At one point, McChrystal saw an email from Holbrooke on his BlackBerry and groaned, "Oh, not another email... I don’t even want to open it."
Why These Words Mattered So Much
You might think, "Hey, it's just locker room talk, right?" In the civilian world, sure. In the military? Not so much.
The U.S. military operates on the absolute bedrock principle of civilian control of the military. When a four-star general allows his staff to openly mock the Vice President and the National Security Adviser to a reporter, it’s not just a PR nightmare. It’s a constitutional crisis.
It looked like the military was trying to "roll" the President—publicly pressuring him into a specific war strategy by making him look weak if he didn't comply. Obama couldn't let that stand. If he did, he’d essentially be admitting he wasn't the one in charge of the war.
The Aftermath and Resignation
McChrystal was summoned to Washington immediately. He didn't even go back to Kabul. After a brief, private meeting in the Oval Office on June 23, 2010, Obama accepted his resignation.
Obama's Rose Garden speech afterward was a masterclass in "it's not you, it's the system." He praised McChrystal’s service but said the conduct in the article "undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system."
The Nuance: Did He Mean to Get Fired?
There’s a lingering theory that McChrystal knew exactly what he was doing. Some analysts suggest he was so frustrated with the "arbitrary" withdrawal timelines and the lack of support for his COIN strategy that he let the guard down on purpose.
Think about it: This was a guy who spent years in Special Operations. He understood the "information environment" better than almost anyone. Was it a lapse in judgment? Or a graceful—if explosive—exit from a war he felt he couldn't win under the current rules?
Most people who know him say it was likely just a case of a high-stress, insular team getting way too comfortable with a reporter who was "just one of the guys" for a few weeks. Michael Hastings lived with them, drank with them, and listened. And then he wrote it all down.
What You Can Learn from the McChrystal Incident
The fallout of the "Runaway General" article offers some pretty heavy lessons for anyone in leadership or high-stakes environments.
- The "Off the Record" Myth: In the age of 2026 digital permanence, nothing is truly off the record. If you say it, expect it to show up on a screen somewhere.
- Culture Starts at the Top: McChrystal didn’t say "Bite Me" to Joe Biden. But he created a culture where his aides felt safe saying it. As a leader, you are responsible for the "vibe" of your subordinates.
- Respect the Chain: Whether it's a corporate board or the Commander-in-Chief, public dissent is a fast track to the exit. You can argue like hell behind closed doors, but once the door opens, you have to be unified.
If you’re interested in how McChrystal bounced back—because he did, becoming a successful author and consultant—you should check out his books like Team of Teams. It’s a bit ironic, but he’s now considered one of the leading experts on organizational communication and transparency. Kinda funny how that works out, right?
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit your "inner circle" culture: Are your closest teammates speaking about your "clients" or "superiors" in a way that would embarrass you if it went viral? If so, it's time for a culture reset.
- Practice "Disagree and Commit": This is a management principle famously used by Intel and Amazon. Argue your point passionately in private, but once a decision is made, support it publicly as if it were your own.
- Read the original source: To get the full flavor of the tension, read Michael Hastings' original 2010 Rolling Stone article "The Runaway General." It’s a masterclass in narrative journalism.