My 1000th post, fitting on Memorial Day, is "WHY WES CLARK."

Today we remember the dead and maimed, the disintegrated families, as a result of the misbegotten folly that is Iraq. I need to remind people about the person, with a military background yet, who warned us from the beginning not to get into the fiasco, yet who is the only one with the background/experience to be able to extricate us with honor. We have seen as recently as last week what utter sniveling cowards our so-called Dem. leadership has been, from our gutless Congresspeople, to our IWR-voting, or Bush-enabling, or inexperienced declared candidates. Who among them has the cougage and National Security creds to stand up to the Rethug machine? 2008 WILL be about national security. As recently as THIS WEEK Rethugs have always been get away with painting us as national security wimps. The next Rethug presidential candidate will run far away from Bush, but still hammer the soft-on-terror theme. And they get away with it because we let them.
Enter Wes Clark:
THE DUCK PRINCIPLE
Ducks don't wear signs labeling them ducks. If it has a ducksbill, waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck, then you know it's a duck. Wes Clark is one of the Democratic Party's foremost progressives by virtue of his actions over the years, not by any labels that people want to throw at him simply because he had a career in the military. It is time to appreciate just how lucky we are to have this national treasure. Just a few items:

--Clark was always butting heads with the stereotypical "macho" military Neanderthals because he saw the horrors of war firsthand in Vietnam and always espoused "diplomacy first."
--Clark was one of the leaders of the all-volunteer Army created after the Vietnam debacle. To keep personnel in you had to do a good job of providing for their family needs, health, education, equal opportunity.
--Clark actually won environmental awards at bases under his command, and has a 100 year plan for the environment.
--When Clark was working at the Pentagon in the mid-90s, he was virtually the only voice crying out to intervene in Rwanda.
--It was Clark's voice, along with Madeline Albright, who persuaded the Clinton Admin., over the objections of the Pentagon, to stop the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Tell the Kosovar Albanians that Wes Clark isn't a liberal, progressive, humanitarian.
--It was Wes Clark's voice prior to the Iraq invasion who urged that we exhaust all possible diplomatic means before any military action, including in testimony to Congress.
--It was Wes Clark who filed an Amicus Curiae brief in the University of Michigan affirmative action case.
--It was Wes Clark who first proposed a single-payer universal healthcare plan.
--It is wes Clark who is a staunch supporter of unions.
--It was Wes Clark who committed A true act of political courage by appearing on the cover of the Advocate (gay rights magazine)during the '04 primaries.
--It is Wes Clark who repeatedly goes into the lion's den of Faux News and destroys the likes of O'Reilly and Hannity.

2008 is all about flipping a few red states into our column. Wes Clark is a progressive wolf in military uniform sheep's clothing. Many Republicans who didn't care for Bush, still couldn't vote for Kerry. Clark was the only Dem. they could consider. Clark has had more EXECUTIVE leadership roles than any Senator by virtue of his military commands where he had responsibility for the lives of hundreds of thousands of servicepeople and their dependents--the whole range of housing, education, training, healthcare, social services, sometimes in a dangerous spot. When Clark was Supreme Allied Commander Europe (Eisenhower's last military position), he had "Head-of-State" status, meaning that he dealt directly with prime ministers/presidents, not underlings. And Clark was virtually the only voice urging help for Rwanda. And Clark and Madeleine Albright were the ones who convinced Clinton to take action against the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, where Clark carried out the military action w/o the loss of a single American life. In this he stood up to the Pentagon brass who wanted nothing to do with "saving Albanians." And it was Clark who served for more than 30 years AFTER getting shot up and winning hero medals in Vietnam, when he could have gone for the big bucks in private industry. Try Swift Boating this guy--the smackdown will be heard around the world. Clark is all about duty, honor, country. When Clark's American Dream/American Hero story gets out to middle America, watch how many red states flip. And the beauty of Wes Clark is that HE IS A REAL LIVE D-E-M-O-C-R-A-T, with a progressive agenda equal to anyone.

veep? i think we need gore/clark. would this be acceptable to you?

i am really impressed with clark and want him on the ticket but, i think gore needs to be prez.

:shrug:

He would be the best Presidential candidate, the best VP candidate, the best Secretary of State. How many candidates can you say that about?

I would also love a Gore candidacy. And a Gore/Clark or Clark/Gore ticket would be wonderful. Also unbeatable.

Although Gore has my utmost respect, I think Clark has a touch more charisma.

think gore's time has come. and, then 8 yrs of clark:shrug:

....it was at a short campaign stop in Minnesota during his 04 run. He certainly has the ability to convey earnestness and sincerity. Which isn't saying much perhaps because he IS earnest and sincere!!!!

His 2000 campaign was not a savvy one. He controlled himself too much, listened to tired advisors too much, and made strategic blunders like running away from Bill Clinton and not responding well to the form of swiftboating that the Rethugs threw at him. I'm afraid that Gore may be tarnished goods in the eyes of too many voters. Can he change his nature? I believe Wes Clark has learned to do it the right way, and the man certainly "don't take no shit from nobody." I go way back to Bobby Kennedy, and I have not been as inspired by a public figure since RFK. I believe that, once America notices Wes Clark, they too will be inspired.

and, i am greedy. i would like to see 8 years of gore and then 8 years of clark:shrug:

I can enthusiastically support Gore. I can't say that about anyone else.

:applause:

I believe John Hlinko is running things with Obama's crew ~~

I understand Clark has a pretty savvy media crew who could be used in a campaign.

Hlinko worked with Edwards before that. He's pretty much in the email database marketing business.

Of course you're not suggesting that there is such thing as loyalty in Washington DC politics are you? :p

And as a side note, anyone on the Clark04 list that was able to see the best candidate in 100 years stumble should not be anywhere near the Clark 2008 campaign. I'd rather they worked for someone else, it certainly helps General Clark's chances.

Just to be clear, Hlinko is a nice guy, but he brings little new to the table, as the draftwesleyclark emails are already the property of Clark0X

Great post :-)