Bravo to Clark on Hardball - He may have changed my mind tonight

Let me first say that I'd ordinarily never consider a military man for president. I remember laughing when people suggested Norman Schwartzkopf or Colon Powell should be president. But this guy seems like the real deal.

Last week, my dad asked me what I thought about him. I said I didn't know much, but I have tried to find out more. My dad mentioned the guy is a Rhodes scholar and evidently has some business experience. Two points make him really stand out:

1. He is a general who was against the war and explained that he thought the WMD claim was blown way out of proportion, we didn't even bother to try a diplomatic solution (hell, Rummy and Saddam know each other all too well), and we have done nothing but increased our risk of terrorism. That absolutely destroys the claim that we needed to go to war.

2. He's one of the most well-spoken, and seemingly HONEST, well-intentioned people I've heard speak in a long time. I see shades of Clinton speaking ability.


Granted, Tweety was really sucking up to him, but he was completely honest about alterior motives for the war - I've always thought that in addition to Iraq being an oil grab, a military contractor boom, a replacement for Saudi military bases and a favor for Israel, but one thing I've always considered is that this Iraq war was a demonstration of how much @ss the U.S. could kick in attempt to scare other countries into submission.

On the California illegal alien drivers license issue, he also pointed out it may be a way to identify people - which I believe is a good thing. Also, if you'e an illegal w/o identification, you have some explaining to do. And hats off to the guy for his opinion on gays in the military. He acknowledged it's reality in every country's military. He dodged just a bit, but he did give the indication that "something needs to be done about the issue" and I really don't think he meant kicking them all out. I would really like to know what the guy thinks about the economy and treatment of the un-privileged poor.

I've been a Dean supporter (don't care what any you think of that). I still am - would have to put a clothespin on my nose if I were forced to vote Bush out by voting for Gephardt or Lieberman. I'd still prefer to vote for Sharpton over Edwards and I don't think Kucinich has a realistic chance. But I'm really excited about the thought a combined Dean/Clark or Clark/Dean ticket. I think combination of Dean's veracity and Clark's foreign policy experience would steamroll the right.

Bring on the flames, but you'd better have some good reasoning for it.

Is there a video recording of this available anywhere? I'd really like to see this but don't have cable.

www.digitalclark.com

It was because of all the negative stuff people were saying about the guy - but nobody had any real stuff to back it up, other than his being a general.

I love it when people go out and educate themselves instead of starting flame wars with out actually doing a little home work.

Right on buddy ;-)

I am apprehensive. But I want Bush out, and will support any Dem. Also, like you, will hold my nose for Gep or Joe. Still, there's such a long way to go, we may have very different views by March.

...that Bush should be held accountable for misleading the public, and he approves an investigation. He said he's running so that an honest dialog is possible in the national conversation. I find that very appealing.

we may have very different views by March

All these people are in the crucible, let's see who comes out whole.

I don't expect any on this thread, by the way. When you invite flames, they don't come. I do expect at least three anti-Clark threads as a response/reaction to this thread, though. That's the way GD is these days.

You made very good points in your post. I don't agree with everything that you said, but I'm really glad you posted. The rest of DU can learn from your post.

I'm not a Clark supporter, for the record. And it's a fucking shame that I post "congratulations" threads to those that don't flame or seek flames here on the fucking Democratic Underground.

Bashing other candidates is a Republican strategy. It makes me very sad when DU'ers act like Republicans.

I've always said it doesn't matter when it comes down to election day. Even when it's the lesser of two evils, you have to pick the right one. That's reality. You just have to have a brain about things. Can't wait to see how the debates go now.

BTW - I forgot to mention that I think more than anything, the resulting media coverage about it is probably going to wake a lot of people up. So even if he doesn't win, I'm glad he's running.

Man, ain't that the truth!

Bushco is out full-bore today sliming Wes. That, I can understand, because they have snake-bite fever; today they saw the end of their string.

But here? Sheesh!

http://www.msnbc.com/news/963939.asp

I'm collecting these since I don't have cable news (and yet I am loving life without it! go figure)

my second today on the subject of who`s the "best". i like the idea of a clark/dean or dean /clark..why? clark would be very good in patching up our international relations-dean the domestic side.both men are intelligent and would pick capable people to run the government. i think dean has the right ideas across the board,while clark is just starting,i`m sure his campaign will be interesting.
no matter what, the democrats have to field a ticket that will reassure the world that we will not lie to them and that we will honor treaties and comitments. i think dean and clark can do this.
also i think clark/dean or dean/clark can do what bushboys can`t,actually save "face" in iraq. it is in our own interest to stay in iraq and restore what we have destroyed. it is also our moral duty to rebuild iraq,if we don`t then we as a nation are truly bankrupt. the problem lies in how to do this.clearly bush`s vision will not work, so now we have to await the plan from our democratic canidates. this will be the true test of their vision of what the united states must be in this century.

But I totally agree.

Hell, Michael Moore's letter was very
persuasive to me. (Frankly Moore won
me over 100% with his Oscar speech.)
By now I've read a lot on Clark,
including his views on his website, and
I'm sold.

Kuchinich is also great, but IMO unelectable.

I don't think I could bring myself to vote
for Holy Joe Lieberman or Bush lackey Gephardt.
Even under these circumstances. They're just
too vile.

You've completely disappointed me. BTW - thanks.

I like Clark. As of now, I am still a Kucinich supporter and hope his campaign will jumpstart. If not, I probably will vote Clark.

I have to commend the guy b/c I recall him being one of the first publicly known people of influence to rally against this disgusting war. He and a few others got the whole thing started. He has all of my respect for that.

As much as I agree with a lot of what he says, I guess Kucinich is a little too idealistic, though I'm glad he's out there to make his case. If we win in 2004, it will take a good period of time to erase all the wing-nut mentality from 50% of the population and I don't think all those people are ready for such a huge change. Heck, people probably think of Greenpeace as being more terrorists than Mother Nature's bodyguards. But at least we'll start to move in the right direction again.

I hope Kucinich stays in it until the cash runs out.

I feel that Kucinich is the Alan Keyes of this race. He is the party line (except abortion) and he likes it that way. His genuineness is appealing to people.

And the GOP unleashed it's venom very early today--it shows you they really fear Clark.

I like Clark, Dean, Kucinich and Gephardt. I will vote for any of the DEm candidates in 2004, but those are my four. I am kinda leaning on Clark, because his views and way of thinking, and analayzing are closest to mine.

...that most of the negativity came from the "contributors" (i.e. regulars) on Fox, MSNBC etc. They were hard pressed to get many of their guests to agree with them--I'm thinking of Barry McCaffrey, Bob Shales, hell even the Newt said he would be "a very, very formidable opponent".

And my God! I think I'm starting to like Chris Matthews. God help me. :P


-ph

Dean/Clark

or even Clark/Dean would be good.
I like the General. I wouldn't normally go for an army guy, but Clark is honest, straight-talking, and he's on our side.


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