I just met Wesley Clark!

Yep. He shook my hand, gave me a hug and signed my copy of Winning Modern Wars. I had my picture made with him too. I also got to meet Gert and have my picture made with her, as well as the new Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles Foti. What a day! I'll post more details once I catch my breath. Right now I am still too excited to think straight!

Edited to remove excessive punctuation. Sorry about that. I'm a little excited.

congrats! what kind of event was it?

Please and thank you.

And congrats!

I want to hear all the details. WHOO HOO

:bounce: I'm so excited for you! He is a wonderful man and you're so lucky that you got to meet him. Be sure to give us details when you can! :)

My flight was cnaceled on Friday to Los Angeles and I was not able to get on another one even on standby because they were all full. I went airline chasing all day until it was too late and missed another because of security lines. Congratulation!!!! I've decided to go to New Hampshire to work during the primary, even though I'm from Nevada.

Hopefully you will get to meet him in NH. I imagine he will be spending a lot of time there over the next couple of weeks. If I wasn't a mom, I would SO be going to NH to volunteer, but my kids kinda need me here :-) I'm just thrilled that General Clark came to New Orleans and I was able to meet him. As far as I know, he's the only candidate who has visited here so far.

A great experience. I remember meeting him in Dover New Hampshire. It was wonderful.

You should edit out those exclamation points. :)

That rulez. Good job.:toast:

I want to hear all about it. :)

I keep reading about how the crowd is way bigger
than expected and can't fit in the room.

In Nashville they were crowded out into the hallways.

Would like to be in your shoes!

What a day! General Clark made a stop in New Orleans today as part of his "True Grits" Southern tour. My family and I made the trek across the big lake over to New Orleans Lakefront Airport to see him. The weather was HORRIBLE. I mean, the weather in New Orleans sucks anyway much of the time, but today it was just absolutely nasty. Pouring rain and bitter cold and humid. There were probably about 80 to 100 people there (it was a relatively small terminal), which was a better turnout than I expected considering the weather.

The General's plane landed a few minutes late, and he was whisked off to a fundraiser before returning to address the crowd at the airport. Our new Attorney General, Charles Foti (D) introduced him. There was a also a Congressman in attendance, but I cannot remember his name. Anyway, the General was greeted with wild applause and, after proudly announcing the birth of his new grandbaby, he made a great speech about why he is running, what he feels is wrong with the current administration's policies, and what he plans to do to get America back on the right track. He spoke about health care, veterans' benefits, his jobs plan, and of course the mess in Iraq. He also made a reference to the way Smirk uses the troops as a backdrop for photo opps, and said they deserve better and he intends to treat them better. This drew loud cheers from the crowd. In fact, he was interrupted several times by cheering and applause.

Now, I was in the very front row with my youngest daughter, who-- in addition to being an adorable blue-eyed blonde-- also happens to be in a wheelchair. During the General's speech, he made eye contact with my daughter several times, and then would look over at me and smile. After his speech, he did a walk through and tried to shake as many hands as he could. At one point, he was engaged in a conversation with someone a few people down from me, and he kind of broke away and said, "Excuse me, but I want to go and meet this young lady over here" (meaning my daughter). He came over and reached across the rope to hold her hand and she smiled at him like she had just met the love of her life (she can't speak but she is very expressive). The General was charmed :-) He was so sincere and genuine in the way he spoke to her, it was really moving. I asked him to sign my book and another book that a friend had asked me to pass to him. So he gave his signature, then put his arm around me and we had our photo taken together. I was so touched by the way he greeted my daughter that I was a little emotional and I really don't remember what I said to him, but I'm sure I blathered. Oh well. My husband also got to shake Wes's hand (twice) and my son shook his hand and said, "I'd vote for you if I was old enough", and the General got a chuckle out of that.

Then, Gert came over and greeted my daughter and me and posed for a photo with us. She was absolutely incredible. Very friendly and sincere and very poised. I was impressed.

I also got to meet Charles Foti, our new Attorney General, and have my picture made with him. He is very friendly and easy to talk to (and he also fell in love with my daughter-- I'm telling ya, she is quite a charmer :-)

Then, the General and Gert were whisked off to the tarmac to catch their plane to Birmingham. It was really a brief visit but let me tell you... quite an experience. I am still a little wired from all of the excitement. We got home in time to catch a brief glimpse of ourselves on the local news. All of the 24/7 cable news channels were there also, but I haven't seen any coverage yet.

Anyway, whew! That was just too cool... A wonderful belated Christmas gift to get to see and meet the General. I might just have to pop the cork on that bottle of Champagne we have left over from Christmas...

Cheers, everyone!

Wonderful message. I had the privilege of meeting and hearing Wesley Clark at the Florida convention. I share your impressions of and enthusiasm for him.

And welcome to DU, SW FL Dem! :-)

sounds like your family had a wonderful day. :)

your post made me cry. I so pray that this man will be in the White House. Sincerity and honesty is what you get from him.

Wes Clark will make an extraordinary American President!

Can't wait!

He is a great Democratic President. All we have to do is nominate him.

What a lovely story you told. :)

I met him about a month ago and he was really something in person. So friendly and personable. You can tell he really enjoys people and likes to connect.

I honestly could not sleep well for several nights. I went as part of the first Clark convoy. On our last day, we rallied around General Clark at a radio station where he was doing an interview. Afterward, he mingled and spoke with our group. It was absolutely fantastic. Gert was there as well. She not only remembered my daughter and me from some volunteer work we had done before, but even remembered our home town.

Honestly, I was so keyed up that I couldn't sleep well for several nights trying to figure out what more I could do to help get this man elected.

at Jubans?

We were in New Orleans. Clark did make a Baton Rouge stop at Juban's, but I couldn't make that one. But I've heard the food at Juban's is excellent :-)

Thought you were in BR. And Juban's is excellent.

Keep up that fighting spirit and excitement...for Clark Supporters' will see him in the White House where he will make a fine President!

Thanks for this thread...keep up the good work of supporting a great leader for our country! :hi:

Your daughter sounds like a real charmer... what a wonderful story!

I can't wait to meet Wes... hopefully, they'll be blowin' through Ohio soon!

Thanks for making my day,
Jennifer :-)

I hope EVERYONE gets to meet him. I feel so damned LUCKY, and just absolutely thrilled to have had the opportunity to stand in the same room with Wesley Clark. He is the Real Deal, in my opinion, an honest-to-God American Hero, and I feel so honored and blessed that I got to meet him and shake his hand, and that my children got to meet him.

I hope you get the same opportunity!

met and hugged Calrk but Gert was in AK still. Such a nice guy yes?


I'm soooooooooo happy for you, and that you got pictures too.

you wrote:
but Gert was in AK still.

No, Gert was in New Orleans and I got to meet her, too! I got a hug from her and got my picture taken with her. She is wonderful! Very poised, very graceful, and just an absolute natural with the crowds. She is definitely First Lady material.

Once again, I have to say I feel so lucky and priveleged to have met General Clark and his lovely wife in person. This will go down as one of the most memorable days of my life!

(I'll post pictures when I get them back if I don't look too wretched in them... I make horrible pictures anyway but today it was raining and humid and I'm afraid I looked like a drowned rat :) )

Gert was at home when Clark was in Fort Dodge Iowa, where I got this photo.

I envy your encounter with Gert. What a fine lady. Classy, diplomatic, unafraid.

I live in VT...about 2 1/2 hrs away from Manchester and hope to catch a ride over. Can't wait! I'd give my eye teeth...and many other things...to meet him. That would be the highlight of my life.