Talking Points Memo: EXCLUSIVE General Wesley Clark Interview

[DoveTurnedHawk]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/oct0301.html#1001031244pm

DTH

[pmbryant]

1. I haven't been able to get to the TPM site all morning

Is is just me?

:shrug:

--Peter

[11cents]

2. I was just there

Excellent interview, long and dense, well worth reading.

He mentions that the Clinton administration's Iraq policy was hobbled by PNAC activities, in much the same way that the Carter administration was hobbled by the "Committee on the Present Danger" -- which was in the fact much the same group of neoconservatives.

[TLM]

3. That would be the group of neo cons that Clark said he likes

and wants to work with again?


Oh but that was when he was a republican... last month.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

5. Please Try to Put Aside Your Obvious Prejudices, and Read the Interview

With an open mind. It is awesome, and displays a brilliant intellect. There is no doubt this man is a Democrat.

DTH

[Pastiche423]

8. There is plenty of doubt

and there will be more.

This is a Democratic primary, where Democrats look for the person that will fight for and uphold Democratic ideologies, not a person that has fought for and up held repug ideologies for almost his entire life.

[janekat]

24. Have you read about Clark on the issues?

Do you even know hwat you're talking about?

If you haven't gone to his site and read about him don't bother us with your "prattle."

[TLM]

30. I went to his site and the issues section was under construction

But wow... express doubt and the clak mercinary corps show up in force.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TLM]

11. No doubt? LOL!!! WHy because he says the right sound bytes?

Clark is very smart... I'll grant him that of course. And the fact is you'd have to be smart to try and act like you're a dem after a lifetime of republican support and war mongering.


This guy is a fraud and a con man all the way. He can say whatever he wants... he could say he's a black woman with 3 kids, but that wouldn't make it true.

He can say he is a dem and rehash all the correct dem talking points, but that won't change what he said and did BEFORE he decided to become a dem to run for president.

And you talk about prejudices.... I was excited about CLark. Look at my posts. I liked him, based on the draft clark hype, but when I looked at the man behind the hype I did not like what I saw, not one bit. My judgement is hardly a prejudgement.


Let me ask you something... can you even admit that it could be possible that Clark is a fake, that he is a republican oppertunist simply looking to grab power. Or worse he is the PNAC pal that is being pushed to forward teh PNAC agenda in a way that W can't?

I could easily see Clark being the guy that his friends in PNAC want to send in to bat clean up for their agenda. Blame all the fuck up on W and then let Clark go in and continue the "clean up" of Bush's mess in exactly the way the PNAC folks want.

Can you admit that it is possible you're wrong about Clark?

[KittyWampus]

14. TLM It's Obvious You Neither Read The Article

Or any other posts in this thread.

Apparently you are only capable of regurgitating your paranoid ravings about Clark being a PNAC plant.

Well, the fact is, Clark has already repudiated the Neo-Con ideology numerous times and in detail. And he has already broached the subject of Pentagon spending and waste.

Compare and contrast with Dean, who not only would NOT cut Pentagon spending but used the "War on Terror" canard like any REAL PNC'er would do.

[TLM]

32. Can;t defend clark, so attack Dean...

same crap, different day.

Let me know if you can answer my questions.

[janekat]

38. touche'

[SWPAdem]

19. Can you?

n/t

[TLM]

35. I was wrong about Clark.... I thought he was a dem.

I was wrong.

Now can you admit you could be wrong... or is that not alowed in the Clark Corps?

[SWPAdem]

45. I'm my own boss

and switched from Dean to Clark, when he finally declared, after months of research. You sound like Bush, repeating the same mantra over, and over and over

evildoer evildoer evildoer
PNACplant PNACplant PNACplant
not a dem not a dem not a dem

Be careful not to choke on the crackers, Polly.

[TLM]

48. Personaly attacking me will not change Clark's past words and actions.

No matter how much you want it to.

Clark still is a war criminal, a war monger, and was a republican until he thought he could get more power by claiming to be a dem.

[SWPAdem]

58. Did I hurt your little feelings

When did quoting someone suddenly become a personal attack? You said it, you own it. If you think that your actions, or your words are going to convince anyone but a major league moron to switch from their candidate, whoever he may be, to Dean, then you are only fooling yourself.

I will at least be mature enough to vote for Dean if (God forbid) he is the Dem candidate. By your own account, you won't vote for Clark under any circumstances. Enjoy your second Bush misadministration!

[janekat]

64. Can we please stick to the issues? If you don't have any constructive

opinions please post on the sophmoric "Wesley Clark is a weasel" thread.

[janekat]

67. Repeating the "talking points" you were given???

keep on hearing the same thing over and over again.

[janekat]

65. a lot of sheeples... mindlessly following - repeating "talking points"

n/t

[OKNancy]

31. Those aren't sound bytes

in that interview. Read what he says about schools. No one could make up something like that just to please the public.

Open your eyes man.

[TLM]

34. LOL! Noone can go through the motions....

No one can pretend to be something they are not.

No one can make up positions and read scripts.

Ahh so now the entire nature of humanity has been changed to prop up Clark.

Nice

[janekat]

36. You want to talk about a "Con Man" - let's try Dean.....

“……keep in mind that Dean is no progressive. He just wants your vote. And like most politicians he'll say what he needs in order to get what he wants. ..... Don't let him fool you into thinking he's anything more than regressive. He's simply not.” http://www.pressaction.com/pablog/archives/001000.html


http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/08/269121.shtml
"I suspect we'd rather not actually know who the real Howard Dean is. He just pulled the wool over everyone's eyes thanks to AP news and reporters who can't bother to research or question - in CA this week he said he supports the Kyoto Protocol, when in fact, he's on record as not supporting it. No one said anything about it, and now the average cheering fan thinks Dean supports Kyoto.

.....But don't hold your breath on EVER knowing the real Dean."


http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/07/267969.shtml
“Dean's strategy is to pick a handful of issues - the war, gay rights, healthcare - and spout off that he's so against Bush on these issues, that Bush is so wrong, etc., but when examined in more depth, Dean shows that what he offers isn't 'progressive' by any stretch, but is actually fairly similar to what Bush offers.

So for Amerisheep who aren't paying close attention, they hear that he supports one issue, say gay rights, and they are sure - when you ask them - that he couldn't also support the death penalty, the views of AIPAC, be against the Kyoto Protocol, have supported the concept of illegal preemptive war, etc., and they're often quite surprised to hear that this is the case.

[TLM]

46. As usual, when Clark Corps can't answer tough questions about Clark...

they attack Dean.

But back to clark....

Extra! July/August 1999 Legitimate Targets? How U.S. Media Supported War Crimes in Yugoslavia - By Jim Naureckas
NATO justified the bombing of the Belgrade TV station, saying it was a legitimate military target. "We've struck at his TV stations and transmitters because they're as much a part of his military machine prolonging and promoting this conflict as his army and security forces," U.S. General Wesley Clark explained--"his," of course, referring to Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic. It wasn't Milosevic, however, who was killed when the Belgrade studios were bombed on April 23, but rather 20 journalists, technicians and other civilians.



Mary Robinson, the UN human rights commissioner, said Nato's bombing campaign had lost its "moral purpose". Referring to the cluster bomb attack on residential areas and market in the Serbian town of Nis, she described Nato's range of targets as "very broad" and "almost unfocused". There were too many mistakes; the bombing of the Serbian television station in Belgrade - which killed a make-up woman, among others - was "not acceptable".





"The poster child for everything that is wrong with the GO (general officer) corps," exclaims one colonel, who has had occasion to observe Clark in action, citing, among other examples, his command of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood from 1992 to 1994

"At the beginning of the Kosovo conflict,CounterPunch delved into the military career of General Wesley Clark and discovered that his meteoric rise through the ranks derived from the successful manipulation of appearances: faking the results of combat exercises, greasing to superiors and other practices common to the general officer corps. We correctly predicted that the unspinnable realities of a real war would cause him to become unhinged. Given that Clark attempted to bomb the CNN bureau in Belgrade and ordered the British General Michael Jackson to engage Russian troops in combat at the end of the war, we feel events amply vindicated our forecast.

With the end of hostilities it has become clear even to Clark that most people, apart from some fanatical members of the war party in the White House and State Department, consider the general, as one Pentagon official puts it, "a horse's ass". Defense Secretary William Cohen is known to loathe him, and has seen to it that the Hammer of the Serbs will be relieved of the Nato command two months early.
Gen. Wesley Clark Fights On and On
CounterPunch November 12, 1999




Can you show me the picture of Dean shaking hands with a murderer who slaughtered thousands of serbs.




For those in the audience who did not have a flier, I began to explain the picture which showed General Clark in a congratulatory handshake with Hashim Thaci, leader of the KLA, which under the noses of KFOR had murdered or ethnically cleansed thousands of Kosovo Serbs and had destroyed more Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries than were destroyed in 500 years under the Ottoman Empire. Next to Thaci was Bernard Kouchner, Chief U.N. administrator in Kosovo, British General Sir Michael Jackson, and Agim Ceku, who commanded the Croatian Army in "Operation Storm" that ethnically cleansed 250,000 Serbs from Krajina and murdered thousands and who now commands the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), the thinly disguised successor to the KLA. It should be noted that the KLA, with whom we allied ourselves, at one time was designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist organization. Of course, this is the same KLA about whom Senator Joe Lieberman said: "The United States of America and the Kosovo Liberation Army stand for the same values and principles . . . Fighting for the KLA is fighting for human rights and American values." (Washington Post, Apr.28, 1999). Clark at Borders bookstore, Pentagon Center Mall, 17 Jul 2001 by Colonel George Jatras, USAF (Ret.)

[janekat]

40. I've been researching and reading about both Dean AND Clark

for weeks and I feel MUCH more comfortable with Clark.

You had better start reading up on the REAL Dean and his record in Vermont instead of his campaign literature.

Dean used to be my #1 choice but after reading articles from people in Vermont, other Progressives and several environmentalists I changed my mind.

Have you read this yet? There will be a quiz at 8....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=442080&mesg_id=442080

[TLM]

50. I have and nowhere have i seen anything were Dean

murdered thousands of civilians, supported the war in IRaq, said the PNAC crew were his frineds that he wanted to work with again, that Bush was a great leader nor have I seen Dean rasing money for repukes.

Dean worked in hospitals... CLark bombed them.

Never seen Dean shaking hands with a genocidal mad man. Can you even start to defend this... or is attacking Dean all you got?



Left to Right: Hashim Thaci, UCK (KLA) leader; Bernard Kouchner, UN Administrator of Kosovo; Gen. Sir Michael Jackson, KFOR Commander; Agim Ceku, Commander of KPC; Gen. Wesley Clark, NATO Commander.

For those in the audience who did not have a flier, I began to explain the picture which showed General Clark in a congratulatory handshake with Hashim Thaci, leader of the KLA, which under the noses of KFOR had murdered or ethnically cleansed thousands of Kosovo Serbs and had destroyed more Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries than were destroyed in 500 years under the Ottoman Empire. Next to Thaci was Bernard Kouchner, Chief U.N. administrator in Kosovo, British General Sir Michael Jackson, and Agim Ceku, who commanded the Croatian Army in "Operation Storm" that ethnically cleansed 250,000 Serbs from Krajina and murdered thousands and who now commands the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), the thinly disguised successor to the KLA. It should be noted that the KLA, with whom we allied ourselves, at one time was designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist organization. Of course, this is the same KLA about whom Senator Joe Lieberman said: "The United States of America and the Kosovo Liberation Army stand for the same values and principles . . . Fighting for the KLA is fighting for human rights and American values." (Washington Post, Apr.28, 1999). Clark at Borders bookstore, Pentagon Center Mall, 17 Jul 2001 by Colonel George Jatras, USAF (Ret.)

[janekat]

66. Oh my Gawsh!!! He shook hands with someone....

Please don't repeat cheap Propaganda.

[stickdog]

70. Great. We'll just take your word for it then!

Clark the political cipher is good.

Dean the 5 term Democratic VT Governor is bad.

[KittyWampus]

9. No! That 'd Be The Group Of Neo Cons He Dissects

As he calls them outdated, checker players using an 19th century strategy of landing on the shores of the Middles East and then trying to take out states like they were playing hopscotch.

He totally dissects their losing strategy.

WHY DON'T YOU READ THE ARTICLE?

Further, why don't you try and compare Clark's capacity to analyse and understand the situation in both historical and PRACTICAL terms with your candidate (Dean)? Who do you think would actually be able to particpate in a policy discussion?

The fact is, Dean would be at the mercy of advisors and those in the Pentagon who are ESTABLISHMENT MILITARY.

Clark worked around the ESTABLISHMENT and that is the reason why he was taken out of command. He did what was right, stuck his neck out, and the Top Brass stabbed him in the back.

[TLM]

12. Clarks issue seems to be their strategy....

not their goals or their ultamate agenda.


"Further, why don't you try and compare Clark's capacity to analyse and understand the situation in both historical and PRACTICAL terms with your candidate (Dean)? Who do you think would actually be able to particpate in a policy discussion?"


I think Dean has already shown he is very much able to participate in policy discussions on these issues, and in fact has more experience with foreign policy than clinton, carter, Bush or reagan had when they were elected. Dean also has experience on the issues of foreign policy that don't hapen at the end of a gun showing DU rounds into civilian centers.

Clark has expereince killing people and ordering people to kill people... and he's going to stop war how?


"The fact is, Dean would be at the mercy of advisors and those in the Pentagon who are ESTABLISHMENT MILITARY."

Like Clark?

"Clark worked around the ESTABLISHMENT and that is the reason why he was taken out of command. He did what was right, stuck his neck out, and the Top Brass stabbed him in the back."


No CLark got canned because he ordered birts to attack russians, and had his order refused because it would have started a massive conflict.

Bad orders, accused of war crimes, no problems using Du rounds, friends with PNAC, and wants to work with them again.

No thanks.

[KittyWampus]

16. Your Ignorance Is Showing.

Clark was taken out of rotation 3 months early because he wanted to use ground forces to minimize civilian casualities. This would have necessitated using Apache helicopters which are vulnerble to anti-air craft fire. So the politicos and Top Brass didn't want to use ground forces. They wanted to use a bombing campaign and incur fewer casualties.

Clark did the RIGHT thing and went over their heads to Clinton and also went public.

THAT IS WHY HE GOT PULLED!

[TLM]

28. I think that sealed the deal...

but the perfumed prince had a number of problems before that which got him into trouble.

Do a google search for CLark and war crimes.

[catforclark2004]

60. David Hackworth" I called him a “Perfumed Prince,...I was wrong" "

Good article on General Wesley Clark from a "Soldier's Soldier" and most read by troups Military Journalist/Veteran!

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=35&rnd=48.784918255379786

"No doubt he’s made his share of enemies. He doesn’t suffer fools easily and wouldn’t have allowed the dilettantes who convinced Dubya to do Iraq to even cut the White House lawn. So he should prepare for a fair amount of dart-throwing from detractors he’s ripped into during the past three decades.

Hey, I am one of those: I took a swing at Clark during the Kosovo campaign when I thought he screwed up the operation, and I called him a “Perfumed Prince.” Only years later did I discover from his book and other research that I was wrong – the blame should have been worn by British timidity and William Cohen, U.S. SecDef at the time. "

Col. David Hackworth
Soldier of Truth

[janekat]

68. I've already seen the freeper site - no thanks....

n/t

[tjdee]

20. In his BOOK he says their agenda is wrong.

As opposed to Dean, who says what about PNAC?

Umm...

Nothing?

Also, Pristina is NOT the reason he got canned. There are dozens of ideas/theories, but Pristina is NOT one of them.

[TLM]

41. Quick, clark is being questioned...

beter attack Dean.

[janekat]

10. The last Rep. he voted for was Reagan - that was 19 yrs. ago

The speech that he made praising Reagan was 2 years ago. Are you a little biased against this man?

[TLM]

22. Did he not say he voted for Bush I in 88?

And that he was praising Bush II at a repuke fudraiser a year or two ago.

"The speech that he made praising Reagan was 2 years ago."

Yeah and if any other candidate up there had been praising Bush and Reagan at a repuke fundraiser 2 years ago, would you ignore it?

If Lieberman had done what Clark did, we'd be roating him alive, DESPITE his record of progressive policy positions. Yet Clark did this stuff and so many are ignoring it even though he has no record of progressive policy positions.

Hell Dean gets shit for something he said 10 years ago in an answer to a hypothetical question... yet we're supposed to ignore what Clark said 2 years ago? Are you kidding?


"Are you a little biased against this man?"

No. THis guy only registed with our party like 3 weeks ago... and he thinks he should be our nominee for president? Nobody is askign this guy the hard questions and they are simply ignoring the fact that he's a republican.

What has Clark done to advance a democratic or progressive agenda?

I think the bias is in saying that Clark gets a pass for what he did 2 eyars ago. No other candidates up there are getting the free ride that Clark is getting.

[tjdee]

27. Well, he was good enough for Max Cleland.

He campaigned for Cleland after that fundraiser, and Cleland didn't call him a dirty Republican and turn him away.

Speaking of which, neither did Dean when he was seeking his counsel on foreign policy.

Probably because Clark IS NOT A REPUBLICAN. If anything, he was an independent. Like the majority of people in the country.

[TLM]

52. Clark may not be a dem or a repuke.... he's a power hungry opportunist.

Asking his advice or having him stump for you is one thing... having him lead the party and the country is another.

[stickdog]

71. As was General Myers. (NT)

[KittyWampus]

33. As Career Military-He Was Non Partisan

And he was courted by both the GOP and Democratic Party.

So, when you go to buy a car... do you just put your money down...or do you do some research and the go for a test drive or two or three?

And choosing a political party and political agenda is a HELL OF A LOT MORE IMPORTANT than choosing a car, don't yoU think?

Not everyone is an idealogue like you and all too many other Dean supporters... in fact, in the article Clark addresses how the current Administration exemplifies the tragedy of those who hew to an ideology at the expense of pragmatism.

[TLM]

53. You make my point for me....

Clark could as easily be a repuke as a dem... I thought that was a bad thing.

Funny me, thinking we wanted a democrat who was a democrat in his heart, not simply because it was the easier choice for his power grab.

[janekat]

69. No he didn't

if you wish to make that claim - then supply a link.

[janekat]

17. the speech was 2 1/2 yrs ago

before the war in Iraq. He says that the war in Iraq was what really affected him. A lot of people "broke" with the administration with this issue and felt very strongly about it.


"Clark votes Democratic. In Arkansas most voters enroll with no party affiliation; you show up on primary day and select the ballot of whichever party you want to support. Clark told me he voted in the Democratic primary in last year's state elections. He seriously considered seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Arkansas in 2002, challenging Republican incumbent Mike Huckabee."
http://www.issues2000.org/Wesley_Clark.htm

[TLM]

55. I wish he had... run for gov in Arkansas.

Let this man serve in lower office, establish a record of liberal/democratic service and a record of positions... then I'll reconsider him.

Until then this is a man who went from blowing up civilians and supporting repukes, to saying he wants the dem presidential nomination.

[WilliamPitt]

4. PNAC criticism

"CLARK: Mentioning those two countries upsets the kind of nineteenth century geostrategy and the idea--this administration is not only playing that game, but they're more or less settling scores against the Soviet surrogates in the Cold War in the Middle East.

TPM: That being Syria, Lebanon

CLARK: The proxy states, Syria, Lebanon, whatever. These states are not -- they need to transform. But, why is it impossible to take an authoritarian regime in the Middle East and see it gradually transform into something democratic, as opposed to going in, knocking it off, ending up with hundreds of billions of dollars of expenses. And killing people. And in the meantime, leaving this real source of the problems -- the states that were our putative allies during the Cold War -- leaving them there. Egypt. Saudi Arabia. Pakistan."

[TLM]

13. Again his problem seems to be their methods... not their goals.

I guess he wants to get in there and enact the PNAC agenda the "right" way.

No thanks.

[KittyWampus]

21. If You READ The Article, TLM

You'd find that he talks about democratizing the Middle East gradually.

About TALKING to N.Korea rather than just letting them develope nukes.

About using alliances and international friendships (rather than our own selfish interest) to go after Egypt Saudi ARabis and Pakistan.

[TLM]

56. Sorry but his ACTIONS speak far louder than his words.

His words at this point are hollow and meaningless lip service.

Dean has expressed very similar positions and plans on the mideast, and building friendships... and Dean has a record of progressive/democratic actions. I trust Dean. I can't trust Clark.

CLark has a record of bombing hospitals, journalists, and raining down DU of civilian centers, ordering the brits to attacks the russians, makign friends with the PNAC crew and shaking hands with genocidal madmen.

[Julien Sorel]

29. And what, pray tell, is wrong with Calrk's goal?

His goal is to have democracies in the Middle East. Do you have something against that goal?

[TLM]

59. Gosh that's also PNAC's goal, isn't it...

to force american ways of doing things on everybody else, and use our power to control the economic developments of these nations.


You may like the idea of being the world's bully, but I do not.

[VolcanoJen]

6. Hard to believe Josh got all those questions in...

... during a ride to Dulles!! He must have been speed-talking. :-)

Thanks for the link, DTH. Here's an excellent quote from the interview:

CLARK: ...and I knew Dick Cheney and Rumsfeld -- I didn't know them personally or well; I was 30 years old and they were very important people. I was just a sort of special assistant to the director of OMB. But I knew him, and Paul O'Neill and other people, and respected them. Then I worked around with the Clinton administration when I was the J5 on the Joint Staff. I knew people there, high level officials, and respected them. And when I got out, I went into business and obviously I voted.

I voted for Al Gore in the election of 2000. I had voted for Bill Clinton previously. For me, the issue was: make sure before you pick a party -- you don't have to pick a party in Arkansas to vote, you just vote, and I voted in the Democratic primary, but that didn't mean becoming a member of the Democratic party. Before you pick a party, make sure you know why you're picking a party. Make sure you understand what the partisan political process is in America. What does it commit you to? What does it mean? How does it affect the rest of your life? What is it all about? And so I thought I'd take a look at both parties.

I was fortunate. I was well-enough known that both parties invited me to consider them. The Republican party invited me to participate in a fundraiser and run for Congress. The Democratic party invited me to be their nominee for governor of the state of Arkansas. I was tremendously honored by that. And it was clear as I looked at the parties, looked at the culture, watched the dialogue, it wasn't just that I had voted for Al Gore, I really believed in what the Democratic party stood for. And so when it came time to choose a political party, I chose the Democratic party.

[OKNancy]

15. That answers a lot of the questions

he was never registered as a Republican....so anyone who said so is a,uh, is mistaken.

[WilliamPitt]

7. Kicking this

[Carmerian]

18. What a great interview!

This one really rates up there with the Rolling Stone interview.


"Force is the ultimate action, but improperly applied, force only kills people and breaks things."

That's amusing. Who's it a sly dig at? :D

(hint : sounds like "flush")

[OBrien]

23. He just keeps getting better!

The more I read about him the more I am convinced he's the man!

[dd123]

25. Wesley Clark: Still Not a Democrat

Turns out the Presidential candidate hasn't yet changed his party affiliation as a registered independent in Arkansas

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2003/nf2003101_0874_db038.htm

[Lurking Dem]

47. Party affiliation is optional

on the Arkansas form. You don't register as anything.

[Pastiche423]

51. He is campaigning as a

DEMOCRAT in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, not voting in Arkansas!

He is still registered as an INDEPENDANT not a DEMOCRAT!

HE IS NOT A DEMOCRAT!

[SWPAdem]

26. Wow, wow, wow

Not that I had a doubt about this man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:kick: :kick:

[incapsulated]

42. My First Post...

on the DU!

The interview was outstanding! Jebus, the man is intelligent. It reminded me of old Clinton interviews... :sigh: Anyone who actually read that interview and uses the term "soundbites" is deluded.

[SWPAdem]

49. Big DU welcome

not to mention the fact that you are absolutely brilliant
:toast:

[incapsulated]

54. Awww...

That's the kind of welcome I like! Great minds do think alike, don't they?

:hi:

[OKNancy]

57. I have a favor

can you change your avatar. I can't say why because I might get deleted but...pretty please from a fellow Clark supporter.

[incapsulated]

62. Who me?

The avatar? Wonderwoman? Is she a Bush supporter, lol?

[TacticalPeek]

39. I would expect polling to show support for Clark firming up.

I know mine is after reading Marshall's interview.

:toast:

[ShaneGR]

43. I think this quote about sums it up

I was fortunate. I was well-enough known that both parties invited me to consider them. The Republican party invited me to participate in a fundraiser and run for Congress. The Democratic party invited me to be their nominee for governor of the state of Arkansas. I was tremendously honored by that. And it was clear as I looked at the parties, looked at the culture, watched the dialogue, it wasn't just that I had voted for Al Gore, I really believed in what the Democratic party stood for. And so when it came time to choose a political party, I chose the Democratic party.

Honesty and integrity, for real this time.

[LizW]

61. Am I misunderstanding you?

Does that quote not rub you the wrong way?

Why would BOTH the Republicans and Democrats "invite" Clark to run for them? Doesn't that seem strange? Is Clark just a nice electable chameleon candidate that either party can insert into a given race and put over on voters? Isn't that insulting, both to voters AND to Clark?

Why would the Republicans want him if he told them the truth about his positions on the issues?

I guess because I see immense differences between the Democratic and Republican parties, I find it mind-boggling that the same man would be seriously courted for high office by both at the same time. It makes me suspicious that Clark himself, having numberous contacts and friends in both parties, was shopping the best deal in party affiliation. He seems to have had these "fortunate" opportunities open to him because he could fit into either party.

It has the air of a job search. Clark, because of his qualifications and resume, could go with Company "A", but the best position they have available at this time is candidate for Congressman from Arkansas. Or, he could go with Company "B", which has open the position of candidate for President of the United States. Is it any surprise that he finds himself saying, "I always felt like a Company "B" man at heart"?

[incapsulated]

63. No, it doesn't

He sounds to me like someone who, as he said, spent his entire career in the military, where party affilation/activism was a grey area. He voted Republican and later switched to Democrat, voting for both Clinton and Gore.

He is actually far more like the "average American" then those on forums like the DU. Most people are turned off by partisan politics and don't see it as heresy to vote for different parties depending on the canditate. Remember the Reagan Democrats?

He was courted by both parties, obviously because each of them thought he would be a great addition to their team. I think his reasons for choosing the Democratic Party where not only believable, but backed up by the fact that he voted for Democrats in the past three elections. I think he made the right choice, don't you?

[catforclark2004]

44. Gen. Clark is the only one that can stop that damm PNAC

General Clark knows those PNAC gang members and their minions imbedded in our government....in the military, the state dept., the CIA, the FBI, etc....and he can get rid of them. It's obvious that he is no fan...and in fact is viewed by many as the anti-PNAC General...That's part of why he got sacked back in 1999!

Clark is the one that could really move congress to transform our military and it's expenditures in a way none of the other candidates could! ....down to the the role played by the Military industrial complex..... He has many ideas on how to make the military mean and lean, he cares about soldiers and their lives (unlike President Toy Flight Suit)....and he would be much more concerned about Veterans and their families (we will have a lot of veterans coming back one day, hopefully soon!)

The end result would be that the U.S. wouldn't have to spend such a large portion of the U.S. budget buying weapons that are uneccesary or don't work. Do you know the kind of money that could freed up to deal with the deficit, health care and Education?

If one connected the obvious dots, they would realize that many of our domestic problems are due to the order of priorities and lack of funds......and defense has always had a lot of waste in it....much more than other programs, because there is so much money dedicated to it....especially presently.

If we could get a handle on the defense side, domestic programs could be realized without having to raise taxes, etc.... Also, we could then get into the business of dealing with our infrastructure which could put many back to work....instead of throwing our tax dollars down the dark bleak hungry mouth of the Military Industrial Complex. I believe he is also against "Arms sales" to the world...and we are #1 in that area...and that too has to change.

Those who have experienced WAR work for PEACE.

SUPPORT OUR TROUPS, ELECT ONE!

[DoveTurnedHawk]

72. Kick for Those Who Haven't Seen It (eom)

DTH

[bhunt70]

73. punt.

kick. great interview.

[WillyBrandt]

74. Fantastic Interview -- Clark on Education

Talk about melting the liberal heart:

"Schools aren't businesses. Schools are institutions of public service. Their job--their product--is not measured in terms of revenues gained. It's measured in terms of young lives whose potential can be realized. And you don't measure that either in terms of popularity of the school, or in terms of the standardized test scores in the school. You measure it child-by-child, in the interaction of the child with the teacher, the parent with the teacher, and the child in a larger environment later on in life."

He said this in a car ride! Is ANY other candidate--with the occasional exception of Edwards or Kerry--as eloquent as Clark?

I've got many reason for preferring Clark to Dean, but not the smallest is that, unlike the stacatto Dr. Dean, Clark actually has a talent with words.

I could see Clark delivering great speeches, especially as he is steadily finding his political footing. Go, Wes, Go!