Gen Clark is up NEXT at the DNC meeting.....

it's on CSpan 1
At the DNC site also streaming

They're going through the rules right now:)

Dean just referred to Clark as our next candidate...

He was fired up speaking about brining troops home and having a plan in Iraq.

:woohoo:

He's hot. :)

Johnny Cash theme song? !!!

I'm Wes Clark, I'm a soldier and I'm fighting for our country.

Perhaps they haven't had enough coffee this morning.

I couldn't keep up with Wes

He made more powerful statements than I had time to write down, because everytime I started to type something my ear was distracted by what came nesxt, and so on. I'm waiting for the transcript. This, unlike Obama's speech, was not fluff.

was not schmaltz.

General Clark spoke from real experience of real sacrifice, physical courage, and deaths in combat. Edwards painted scenes from his imagination in an effort, it seemed to me, to tug at heartstrings the way all melodramas do.

I was hoping someone caught it here on DU and could summarize, but after reading through that long thread over on CCN I think I realize I'll just have to be patient and wait for the transcript too!

I look forward to your post on this, you always do a hell of a job!

Dealt with domestic issues. Clark ran down the American ideals and compared that to where we are now; very terse, very powerful. He exposed the hollowness of false promises made, and nailed where we went wrong. Talked about health care, unions, unshared sacrifices etc. And he called us back to the America we remember, and the America we want. Watch for the transcript.

he did in Nevada.

I was disappointed.

was absolutely appropriate, and chilling. Clark accurately predicted the speeches the politicians would make there honoring those Americans who died in Iraq. And earlier in the same speech he said this:

"I get angry with elected officials who dragged our country deeper and deeper into Iraq when there are so many urgent problems at home and abroad, and I ask, can't we do better!

There was too much miltary emphasis. There is heartstring-tug material in every speech I've caught so far, including Clark's. This is necesssary of course to "connect" with the audience. Clark only aimed for the heartstrings connected with sympathy/honor for the troops/veterans. After 6 years of "support the troops!" it might not have been the way to go. That would explain why the crowd was so tepid in their response to him.

I'm sure he will reflect on this speech as everyone does. He will recall how well received others were and how not as well received this one is and tailor his message to better connect. It will be good to see him hit his stride in future speeches.

All of the candidates speaking have represented our party well. I'm proud to be a Democrat and associated with every one of them.

Julie

afer his section about a future Iraq War Memorial. I really thought that part was powerful, the image it invoked, of a marble memorial to a tragically and criminally lauched war, was stunning for me. That is part of what went on with Clark's speech, he didn't build in so many cheerleading applause lines, he was at his best here when he made the audiance think, and a thinking audiance isn't usually a cheering audiance. Clark's domestic points were at the center of his speech and I thought they were very strong. Clark invoked hope, but in my opnion not with as much syrup as some of the other speakers, he mixed it more with anger.

When he said the line...

"I get angry with elected officials who dragged our country deeper and deeper into Iraq when there are so many urgent problems at home and abroad, and I ask, can't we do better!"

...I immediately wondered how many people in that crowd he put off with that. There were a lot of elected officials who supported the IWR, and their friends and allies, sitting in that room in front of him. I think it might make them feel uncomfortable to have a potential Democratic Presidential nominee head down that road. Perhaps that'w why Clark chose as his introductory song; "I Won't Back Down", the Johny Cash version.

In fact, it's my new signature :hi:

"I get angry with elected officials who dragged our country deeper and deeper into Iraq when there are so many urgent problems at home and abroad, and I ask, can't we do better!"

Exactly the kind of gut punch some of the establishment candidates deserve. Didn't get to see the speech, but I'm looking forward to the transcript. From the recaps I've read, sure sounds like Wes is ready to throw his hat into the ring. I think it was quite fitting that his speech focused on the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, considering our so-called leaders in Washington are currently sweating over the wording of non-binding resolutions that won't do a damn thing to protect our troops. Doesn't surprise me at all that he didn't get the love some of the other candidates received - Clark is dealing in reality, and it ain't a pretty place.

Give 'em hell, Wes. The party needs you.

Let's not forget that some candidates bring in their own cheerleading squads. So you and I can't really tell anything from the noise in the background.

As you say, Clark knows and can reflect on how the actual delegates reacted. But then too, delegates are not necessarily typical primary voters, who may not be so burnt out on supporting the troops.

But whatever. It's a long way to Jan 08, and all of them will have plenty more time between now and then to speak before voter audiences and hone their speeches accordingly.

The Nevada speech was highly inspirational. Today seemed to dwell excessively on the soldiers and overall sacrifice, more like a guilt trip. I'm not sure folks at the DNC meeting wanted to hear so much of that.

When they tell you you're out of time, you don't have to stop talking.

I would have rather seen his NV speech too, Gloria. This one wasn't bad, but it wasn't as rousing as he's given elsewhere. Think maybe he toned it down on purpose? Like maybe he didn't want it to sound like a stump speech?

I LOVED his choice of introductory song tho. "I won't back down." That's our Wes, isn't it?

Kucinich is on now. Darn, did anyone TiVO it? I just found out C-SPAN was covering vs. MSNBC. Drat!

I have to agree with most opinions here. The guy who introduced him gave him a GREAT introduction, but unfortunately, IMO, he was too focused on the military side of things, his tone was kind of uninspiring and sober, (compared to Edwards who came next and who I don't even LIKE), and he didn't concentrate enough on domestic issues. The audience didn't seem to appreciate him as much as audiences usually do, (especially compared to Obama who said a lot of nothing and Edwards who said a lot of what people want to hear, like about caring for the poor). He just looked and sounded resigned yet sincere. I hope he reviews this and does better next time. He DID point out that he's the ONLY one out of all the speakers who has actually DONE the things we need to do to succeed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the world. I think his biggest applause line was when he said it's not fair that women make .77 to every dollar men make. He DID get lots of "polite" applause, but not what he could've gotten with the speeches he usually gives.

And to top it off, on MSNBC, they broke away for a couple minutes from their continuous "breaking news" about the weather, and they showed Obama speaking for a minute, and didn't even MENTION Clark's name! x(

First, I was proud of Wes Clark for delivering important points and not just punch lines. He made some people think, he didn't go for the pep rally, and he didn't try to manipulate anyone's emotions by screenwriting emotional dramatizations using ficticious representative characters.

Second, I think much of Clark's speech was actually great, and that will become clear to anyone viewing it once the video of it is up. Clark should have chosen a different closing, and the closing is critical because that is the note people are left with which colors their memory of all that was said before it. By closing with another remembrance of the sacrifices that our armed forces are willing to make for their nation, after raising that same theme earlier in him speech, the result was to fog over the memory of the many other strong points that Clark made during it. It was the wrong "summary paragragh" for that crowd. Clark made some very sharp comments on domestic priorities, but he buried those in a way with his close.

That on top of Clark's close to "in your face" comment early in his speech about how we should be able to do better than the elected officials who got us into the Iraq War. Clinton and Edwards supporters in that crowd may not have been pleased, not to mention a whole lot of other Democrats who later got heat for not standing more in Buash's way. There were a lot of partisans in that crowd, and given Clark's current low poll numbers, a crowd with a lot of partisans in it will not now be one overly supportive of Clark.

Good points. :) I am noticing that on MSNBC, to this point, every time they break away from the non-stop weather coverage to talk about the speeches, they have neither shown nor mentioned ONE WORD about Clark. What's going on??? Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. Period. They're discussing the war and not even mentioning that a 4-star general, possible '08 candidate, just gave a speech largely about that! `I HATE the MSM!

supposed to be.

You know... all teeth and charm and fluffy. That's how the corporate media likes to portray Dems.

bus in some cheerleaders next time. Who knew? I didn't, and it invalidates fairly measuring audience reaction.

It also influences the energy of the speaker as he's delivering his message.

And now they're talking about the Repubs. and how McCain is strong on the war. Why can't they at least compare him to someone with military experience on the DEM. side. You know...someone like, oh, I don't know, CLARK?!?!

So I didn't really see this but I look forward to watching the video.

I do know that I LOVED the intro of Johnny Cash's "Won't Back Down" and, if he runs, I'd love him to continue to use it.

I also think that, as a not-official candidate, he was maybe trying to do something different than the other "official" candidates....And then, he really isn't a typical politician so he's not going to give a typical politician's speech and that's fine with me....

and I'm sure you have, you may be slightly disappointed in this one. I was. I was really looking forward to it and it just kind of seemed to be "not the right tone" or something. I don't know. I hope others liked it, though.

but I like his intense, passionate heartfelt speeches, even if they sound low-key next to the rah-rah ones....Even though the rah rah, fire them up ones are more exciting.

The day he becomes just a typical politician is the day I'll be really sorry we dragged him into this whole thing in the first place.

but this one seemed like he was a little down or something. Not as inspiring as he usually is...not as electric even in his heartfelt way.

I agree with you there.