Clark 'Probably' Would Have Backed War.....Wash Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32450-2003Sep18?language=printer

what the hell??

campaign speeches? What is this? People are pushing a Repug all over the DU board? I had no idea he had been a rRepublican for so long......or that he was for this war (his supporters just about convinced me that he was a Dem who wouldn't have support Bush in this war).


Here's the quote from NYT's:

"A moment later, he said: "I don't know if I would have or not. I've said it both ways because when you get into this, what
happens is you have to put yourself in a position — on balance, I probably would have voted for it."

Moving to fill in the blanks of his candidacy a day after he announced for president, General Clark also said that he had been a
Republican who had turned Democratic after listening to the early campaign appeals of a fellow Arkansan, Bill Clinton.

Indeed, after caustically comparing the actions of the Bush administration to what he described as the abuses of Richard M.
Nixon, he said that he voted for Mr. Nixon in 1972. He also said he had voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984.

The general's remarks in a free-rolling 90-minute airborne interview suggested the extent of the adjustment he faces in becoming
a presidential candidate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/19/politics/campaigns/19CLAR.html?ex=1064635200&

.....

eom

Q:Who wants to hear about cutting the military budget when our military is engaged in hostile actions in two different nations?

A: Very few, but Clark is talking about it anyway.

Doesn't sound like a Republican to me.

because i love bill clinton and it's a huge compliment to bill clinton although i'm sure the same hometown thing also added to him voting democratic then. but still , he had continued to vote democratic primaries so i'm sure his views are those of most democrats now.

This was the wrong war at the wrong time.

It does seem a little odd to me that he would have voted for it.

Anyone else have more information on this?

It portrays Clark as genuinely conflicted over the vote, instead of (re)acting reflexively.

How many people on this board can READ past that goddammed headline? It is really pissing me off. :grr:

it shows that he doesn't want to eke out a position, so he doesn't offend anybody

Typical "all things to all people" Democrat :eyes:

.

being conflicted is something the one in the white house never feels.

and consistent as the sun rising in the east from the WP and NYT, two papers that sdeserve dethroning from their unmerited prominence in national forums. But not by the Washington Times!

I wish these outrage quotes from these blood soaked rags would be confined to the Media board instead of discussion starters among the Democrats they disfavor on a fixed and continuing basis. No one was more instrumental in trapping the public and stranding politicians against a blatantly unjust, lie-based war of aggression and Bushco profit than the major media. When they deal with that(can't, won't)then we can admit reasonable points from their wise and wonderful newsrooms.

He is a very good friend of Kerry's and Lieberman for all of his flaws went to bat for Clark when he was being attacked at NATO by the Clinton haters.

Jeffords voted for Reagan...Nixon...Dubya....hey, I got a great idea! Let's creat thirty threads a day and bash Jeffords.

Note: If one is running for president, one hopes to achieve that goal. There may come a day, when a president will ask the congress for support. Think about it.

If so, I am sorry I gave that impression.

I read the first post and asked if anyone had any more information on this. I also noted that I'm pretty sure I have heard him say that Iraq was the wrong war at the wrong time. It does seem odd to me that if he said that, he would then consider voting for it. I would say the same thing about any candidate if they said something was wrong but might vote for it.

As far as him thinking ahead, he can have a different opinion on the issues without attacking other candidates. John Edwards seems to be doing this well. Concerning his voting record, I personally don't care whom he voted for in 1972 as long as he will stand behind the ideas he has now.

Again, I am sorry if any of this comes off as attacking Clark. I am trying to learn as much about him as I can and the only way I can do that is by asking for more information.

Clark is obviously not one to pander. Though I'm not a big fan of his, and while I have some serious concerns about his candidacy, I appreciate his speaking about these important and complex issues without reducing it to empty rhetoric and sloganeering.

Don't fool yourselves about that. Here's just one link:
www.democracynow.org and play yesterday's (Sept 18th)program or read the transcript. In the first half our the have a discussion of Clark's candidacy, as well as an analysis of his statements before the war.

Does he sound very anti-war to you?

some reporting :eyes: