CanadaForClark asks: If Clark is a Republican (as Dean says), then why..

[SeveneightyWhoa]

Someone please ask Howard Dean:
If Wes Clark is a "Republican", as Howard Dean has been so fond of saying as of late, then why..
..did Michael Moore, the well-known leftist, just endorse him?
..does he win every candidate-of-choice poll at leftwing Democratic site, DU?
..are his policies VERY liberal?
..is he coming under constant attack from Republicans? Since when did Republicans attack one of their own, at every opportunity? When's the last time Ann Coulter viciously attacked a Republican?
..is he MORE liberal and MORE to the left than Dean himself is?

Read more: http://www.canadaforclark.com/tidbits.html

[Clark4VotingRights]

1. Thanks SeveneightyWhoa.

Fine questions.

[wyldwolf]

2. Because...

why..
..did Michael Moore, the well-known leftist, just endorse him?

'cause Mike is a liberal sell out! No! He's a Republican, too! Yeah! That's the ticket!

..does he win every candidate-of-choice poll at leftwing Democratic site, DU?

Because Clark put deep cover operatives on DU, let them garner well over 1000 posts, then released them to skew the polls in his favor!

..are his policies VERY liberal?

He's... lying!

..is he coming under constant attack from Republicans? Since when did Republicans attack one of their own, at every opportunity? When's the last time Ann Coulter viciously attacked a Republican?

Don't confuse me like that!

..is he MORE liberal and MORE to the left than Dean himself is?

YOU HAVE NO PROOF!

Did you know he voted for Reagan!

Worked with Kissinger?

Milosevic told me he cheated in the war and I believe it!

Hey, did you see this picture of him in a funny hat?

Clark must be defeated! Clark must be defeated! Clark must be defeated! Clark must be defeated!

DEAN MUST WIN!

[quaker bill]

7. Like Mike said in his book

If the only way we can beat the republicans is to run a general, then so be it. He seems to have concluded that this is the case.

However, his book states a very strong preference for Oprah. She just won't run.

[wyldwolf]

9. Like Mike said in his endorsement...

The decision in November is going to come down to 15 states and just a few percentage points. So, I had to ask myself -- and I want you to honestly ask yourselves -- who has the BEST chance of winning Florida, West Virginia, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Ohio? Because THAT is the only thing that is going to matter in the end. You know the answer -- and it ain't you or me or our good internet doctor.

This is not about voting for who is more anti-war or who was anti-war first or who the media has already anointed. It is about backing a candidate that shares our values AND can communicate them to Middle America. I am convinced that the surest slam dunk to remove Bush is with a four-star-general-top-of-his-class-at-West-Point-Rhodes-Scholar-Medal-of-Freedom-winning-gun-owner-from-the-South -- who also, by chance, happens to be pro-choice, pro environment, and anti-war. You don't get handed a gift like this very often. I hope the liberal/left is wise enough to accept it. It's hard, when you're so used to losing, to think that this time you can actually win. It is Clark who stands the best chance -- maybe the only chance -- to win those Southern and Midwestern states that we MUST win in order to accomplish Bush Removal. And if what I have just said is true, then we have no choice but to get behind the one who can make this happen.

[Clark4VotingRights]

24. "You don't get handed a gift like this very often."

No you/we don't.
At the exact time we most need him, here he is.
Carpe diem.

[quaker bill]

3. Support of Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II

It's on record. If he get's the nomination, it will be used.

That being aside I have no problem with Clark calling himself a democrat, I personally do not contest the issue. A wide range of ideologies fit within the label Democrat.

Accordingly I made my choice of candidate for other reasons.

[wyldwolf]

4. So voting Republican makes you one?

And voting Clinton twice and Gore once doesn't mean anything?

[Dookus]

5. I agree it will be used...

by Clark.

He will paint himself as something other than a partisan idealogue. Remember, the vast majority of voters (outside of DU) are NOT partisan idealogues. We will need the votes of a lot of people who voted for Reagan in order to win.

Anybody who thinks we can win with just the votes of registered Democrats doesn't understand basic math.

[Bombtrack]

16. how will it be used against him?

That would be the biggest backfire if they attempted to make it a major issue

[mandyky]

6. When is this "Dean keeps saying"

I haven't heard Dean say this for a month or so now. However Kerry and Lieberman have begun bashing Clark.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

10. Huh?

I just saw Dean calling Clark "a Republican" on CNN just a few days ago. It might've been yesterday even. Thats his gameplan, and it's pathetic. If Wes wasn't so noble, he'd respond by calling Dean "a Communist".

[wyldwolf]

12. This week as a matter of fact...

..widely reported in the Associated Press. Yahoo ran it for a day and a half.

"I think General Clark is a good guy, but I truly believe he's a Republican," Dean told a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, where Clark is narrowing Dean's lead in the polls.

[Toucano]

15. You can find a thread on it here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=116922

[kerry-is-my-prez]

27. Heard him say it at least 3 times in the last week. Kerry has too.

n/t

[mzmolly]

8. A DU poll as evidence? LOL

The OP should read:

If Clark is a Republican like: Dean/Kerry/Lieberman/Kucinich all say then.....

As for Michael Moore, he's a good film maker, but he's not the brightest bulb on the political tree.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

13. I don't think it's supposed to be "proof" of anything.

Just think objectively about this:
If Clark really was a Republican, as you yourself seem to be arguing right now, then why would Clark have the MOST support out of any of the candidates, ON A LEFTWING, PARTISAN, DEMOCRATIC forum? Like you say, its not proof, but c'mon--it does make a strong point.

[wyldwolf]

14. The standard reply is...

Clark is sending his minions in to "freep" the polls. (Translation: Clark supporters outnumber Dean supporters at DU now)

[mzmolly]

19. "Clark is sending his minions in to "freep" the polls"

you said it.

(Translation)=They found us out. ;) Not hard to do I might add, when it's all over the blogs.

[wyldwolf]

21. See. Didn't take long for someone to agree with that standard...

and desperate reply.

[mzmolly]

22. Funny what qualifies for desperate these days...

I liken desperation to quoting DU polls to bolster any case. And, to recruiting people to post on DU, and to forming *anybodybutdean* movements.

Now that's desperate. :hi:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

23. Oh, so now I'm guilty of "desperation"?

You're right, I'm desperate. I'm really reaching here, thinking DU liberal support translates to Clark NOT being a Republican. Gee, I must be insane.

I apologize to you. Clark is a Republican, Dean is right, and Dean is going to win!

[wyldwolf]

28. No, desperation is...

..claiming 1000+ posters at DU were sent in to "freep" polls just because your candidate's support starts slipping.

Now, it seems, national polls indicate the same thing - Dean's support is slipping.

Did Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt, and Clark supporters freep those polls?

[mzmolly]

18. I don't think this forum is un-freeped do you?

LOL It makes no point what so ever.

[Exgeneral]

26. I HATE Michael Moore

I don't enjoy his work. It's condescending and manipultaive.

BAD idea having him endorse Clark

[wyldwolf]

29. He probably wouldn't be very fond of you, either

... so I guess it cancels each other out.

[JPJones]

36. He's always spoken fondly of you n/t

[xultar]

11. I've had so many people from outside the US ask me

Why aren't the Democrats in the USA taking Clark seriously. Clark is well loved in the international community. Especially Europe. Europeans love him for what he did as a part of NATO. They want us to elect Clark. They think he is the guy who can help fix the foregin policy problems AstroDick GWB has gotten us into.

[Clark4VotingRights]

25. Really xultar?! That's fantastic input.

I'm damn well taking him seriously.
Apparently Karl Rove is too...

[Leilani]

35. That's 1 Reason many of us support Clark

Our position in the world community has been seriously damaged by Shrub.

And unless we fix it, we ain't getting out of Iraq, or fixing global warming, or fixing disastrous trade practices, etc etc.

[SheilaT]

17. Michael Moore

is a good satirist. I like his books and his movies. But, and this is very important, he continued to support Nader to the end. Yeah, he now says he didn't think Nader should have campaigned in Florida, but he was an enthusiastic Nader guy far too long.

And if Clark was so opposed to the war in Iraq, what was it exactly he was doing on CNN back last year?

[wyldwolf]

20. Wrong on Mike and your CNN "suggestion" is off base

Mike encouraged Nader not to campaign in close states - not just Florida.

Clark was an analyst for CNN. He commented on the execution of the war, not the moral or ethical issues it may have presented.

There is a difference. I can truthfully state that The Backstreet Boys sold millions of records, had legions of fans, and were marketed exceptionally well. Doesn't mean I buy their stuff.

[Lefta Dissenter]

30. As to what he was doing on CNN,

actually, he was criticizing the decision to invade Iraq. That's what caught my attention in the first place. I was very impressed that this General was frequently taking the opportunity to say that he would not have made that decision. But because he speaks with reason, and not screaming and shrieking, perhaps not enough people took notice.

[Duder]

31. Mike's been known to be wrong...

If Wes Clark is a "Republican", as Howard Dean has been so fond of saying as of late, then why..

..did Michael Moore, the well-known leftist, just endorse him?

Moore endorsed Nader in 2000 saying there was no difference between Democrats and Republicans.

..does he win every candidate-of-choice poll at leftwing Democratic site, DU?

Probably because they're freeped from Clark blogs which might have been one good thing about the brief rule about having to have a certain number of posts.

..are his policies VERY liberal?

It's well-known that a candidate should run to the left to win the Democratic primary.

..is he coming under constant attack from Republicans?

If you think Clark is coming under constant attack now then you'll be in for a big surprise when they go after the Democratic Party's nominee in the GE.

Since when did Republicans attack one of their own, at every opportunity?

It's true, Republicans seem to have a more military-like discipline with regards to not attacking their own.

When's the last time Ann Coulter viciously attacked a Republican?

Not sure of the last time but Ann Coulter's Median Partisanship Index is 83.33 and her Negative Republican Index is only 2.5.

..is he MORE liberal and MORE to the left than Dean himself is?

Based on Vermont versus collateral damage in Kosovo?

[shivaji]

32. ONLY reason for Clark support is the delusion that he is more electable

But in the real world of cold hard politics, he is not.

Myth: Clark will steal many republican votes.
Reality: President Truman, the wise old bird from MO, said:
--------"given a choice between republican and republican lite, the republicans will vote the reublican EVERY TIME".

What is worse, Clark will de-energize the base dem voters more
than any other of the 9 candidates running. Get a dose of reality
from analyzing the Wash DC vote of a couple of days ago.

Another Reality: There are literally dozens and dozens of video tapes
of Clark extolling the virtues of Bush*Rove policies. These video's
will at best confuse and at worst demoralize our base voters.

The stark reality is, seasoned politicians such as Dean, Kerry and
Gephardt will have a much better chance of beating Bush in 2004.
I would even take Edwards any day over Clark, inspite of his one
term experience. Edwards atleast has ACTUAL POLITICAL experience.

Clark has ZERO experience.

[wtmusic]

34. exactly

Dean has energized the base and will carry the base. A Clark candidacy will lose the election for at least one reason: voter turnout.

[bitchkitty]

33. Because:

1. Michael Moore thinks that Clark can beat Bush.
2. Because they are "Clarked"
3. We don't know yet what his policies will be
4. I hadn't noticed
5. See #3