Clark, Dean camps spar over vice president talk

[kysrsoze]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Democratic dust-up pitted the campaigns of retired Gen. Wesley Clark and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean on Sunday, but the issue was the vice presidency and not Dean's foreign policy positions, which have come under regular attack from some other candidates.

Speaking in a taped interview on ABC's "This Week," Clark said Dean had asked him to be his running mate should Dean win the Democratic nomination in a conversation before Clark entered the race.

After the interview was broadcast, Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi said on the same program that such a conversation never happened. And after that, Clark's communications director disputed Trippi's response.

"Joe Trippi may want to check in with his candidate before talking," Matt Bennett said in a statement from Clark headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. "Howard Dean did in fact offer Wes Clark a place on the ticket in a one-on-one meeting that Trippi did not attend."


http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/21/elec04.prez.democrats/index.html

Here we go.....

[libview]

1. So the question is......

Who's lying?? whoever it is can kiss the nomination goodbye IMHO.
We have one of those already in the WH, we don't need another.

[Quixote1818]

18. Dean is lying

Democratic candidate Dean asks Wesley Clark to be running mate
By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
12 September 2003


Howard Dean, presidential front-runner in the Democratic Party, has asked retired General Wesley Clark to join his campaign, should the former Nato commander decide not to join the race himself.

Here is the site:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=442481

[dave29]

2. I'm trying to count the number of ways

this entire scenario could have been taken out of context by both sides.

I'm also trying to figure out why such a fuss is being made about a non-issue.

[kysrsoze]

4. I'm more excited to see that Dean/Clark are talking about the possibility

I think we need them together.

[bushisanidiot]

6. Absolutely! They'd be Unbeatable.

they just need to stop the VP talk NOW.

i think the media is trying to pull them into a fight by bringing up VP in interviews, etc. and both dean and clark want to show their honesty by giving an honest answer.. i just wish they'd tell the interviewer that they don't want to count their chickens before they hatch or some such statement.

[bobthedrummer]

16. That would be a strong ticket indeed Dean/Clark

they need to explore that IMHO.

[Quixote1818]

17. Clark won't be Dean's VP

Didn't you read the whole article? Clark has said he absolutely is not interested in being Dean's VP! Dean is in a real situation now. He needs someone to shore up his weakness on National Security in a National Election. Ouch!

[9119495]

5. good point

This means nothing.

Why would either side lie anyway. Both have said they will support the eventual nominee so acting like HD or Clark is not VP worthy is really counter-productive.

The best answer for both of them would be to say "Yes, any of the candidates now running would be a great VP--but I the best man for the top spot."

[bushisanidiot]

3. This VP Talk Is Stupid. They Shouldn't Be Saying Things Now That They

may not be able to take back later for fear of losing face.

dammit. If Dean actually had that one on one meeting and offered the vp spot to clark should dean win, clark is screwing it up by talking about it to the public. why couldn't he have sat on that info and just waited it out to see who won and THEN make a decision? to turn the VP spot down now, publicly, just makes clark look arrogant and it also makes it look like clark is trying to make dean look arrogant.

i just don't like it. it was a bad campaign move and rove will love it.

sh*t.

[PAMod]

9. I agree. Bringing it up now is a mistake.

I guess Clark is trying to have some of Dean's mojo, by stating the obvious: that Dean is a ton of respect & admiration for Clark. I think he feels he is within striking distance of the nomination, and this is a way to close the gap.

No other motive makes any sense to me.

I would have loved a Dean/Clark ticket, but this b.s. makes it less likely.

[Gman]

7. Why is Dean covering this up too

like his records in Vermont?

This guy's not very trustworthy and that's a huge problem for the party.

[Jim Sagle]

8. Clark is hurting himself with this.

[ibegurpard]

14. Yes

Let's start a squabble over whether or not Dean offered me the VP slot. Makes him look VERY petty.

[TheStateChief]

10. Let Me Say Upfront

that I haven't made up my mind between Dean or Clark (but I have gotten it down to these two). That said, however, this "dust up" is totally inconsequential - it's a side-show - and no one will be talking about it once the primaries start. The media just can't help themselves, but creating tension where none exists shouldn't surprise any of us.

[Hobarticus]

11. Lie? You want a lie?

Damn, grab a passing GOPer and get a statement, they don't know how to tell the truth anymore.

I wish these media whores could get some stones and chase after a story with some real merit, instead of fluffing this pap up. Who cares?

[SupremeBeing]

12. A clark integrity issue?

These were private conversations between Dean and clark.
clark shouldn't even answer questions about them except in the broadest terms.It looks like he's just trying to use this to make some political gain.
Instead it looks like that he can't be trusted.

[Quixote1818]

13. Smart move by the Clark people

What this is about is Clark pulling away the Dean/Clark option that the Dean camp put out there to shore up Dean's weakness on National Security if he were to become the Democratic candidate. I have been on several Dean Blogs and it's like Dean/Clark has become part of the Dean campaign. A lot of people on the fence for Dean are now less likely to put support behind Dean because Clark won't be on the ticket like they were hoping. Dean desperately needs someone on the ticket who can shore up his weakness on National Security in the middle of the war on Terror. If not I don't see how he can be perceived as a viable candidate. Clark's team realized that Clark is the second choice of most Dean people but with him off the ticket for sure Dean becomes less interesting all by himself. Smart move by the Clark people! Very smart! Who is going to shore up Dean's weakness on NS now? Not Kerry! Dean is left out in the cold and in the long run this could really hurt Dean in my opinion.

[Scoopie]

21. Thank you!

I cannot believe the gall of the Deanies on this board who suggest this hurts Clark. It does NOTHING of the sort.
It may hurt Dean because it deflates that little "lie" that I've been hearing out of the Dean camp: "Vote for Dean and you'll get Clark as Veep."
Other than that, I seen no negatives in it what-so-ever.
I'm glad it came out.
Now, when people hear how Dean said today that foreign policy is "a hole" in his resume, they'll think twice and actually nominate someone who could beat Shrub-ya.

[Jerseycoa]

25. Dean/Clark Dream Ticket

has been pushed here on DU for a long time. It was never going to happen, as I and others said repeatedly. Clark said today on CNN that he had respected the confidence, but is addressing it now because the Dean campaign has been using it to bolster Dean's FP credentials.

[dolstein]

33. "If I were to ask you to be my running mate, would you say yes?"

Dean probably used this or a very similar formulation.

[Quixote1818]

34. Definition of the word "If"

That depends on what Dean's definition of the word "if" is!

[kysrsoze]

37. Yeah, but Clark/[insert name] doesn't seem to be too big a ticket

Probably just posturing - unless he does something big in the next 2 days or so, he'd better start thinking about whether VP isn't so bad after all. I guess I could take Edwards as VP, but I don't know if he'd go for that. I think he's already too established to want to become a part of the whole Dean thing.

Of course, a lot of people thought Clinton was the same way - some governor from a place where they didn't think he'd have the wherewithal to get things done.

[TexasPatriot]

40. i hadnt really thought of it that way

but it makes sense...
i dont really understand why Dean did this... because once Trippi denied it and Clark checked, Dean raised. It's a bold move by Dean to call Clark a liar - especially since Clark has been the guy whose gone out of his way to keep the campaign pretty clean and above board. Plus - you have the word of the General vs the word of the Politician. I suppose Dean could be trying to play into the Shelton comments... but man would that be a mistake (talk about the 'nuclear' option).

I couldnt figure a 'why' to all of this talk... your theory makes more sense than most of the crap i've heard.

[Donna Zen]

29. Dean's camp had already leaked this private conversation.

Months ago to the LATimes, in an obvious effort to suppress any support for Clark. Clark never had anything to gain from this story, Dean has everything to gain.

What does Clark gain? To be running for president and saying he's just praying every night to Dean's VP is no reason at all.

This may come as a shock but Dean is lying.

[The Stranger]

15. Dean-Clark is the winning ticket,

and you heard it here first.

[Quixote1818]

19. Back in September

Howard Dean, presidential front-runner in the Democratic Party, has asked retired General Wesley Clark to join his campaign, should the former Nato commander decide not to join the race himself. The move will strengthen speculation that if Mr Dean wins the nomination, he will select General Clark as his running mate to challenge George Bush in 2004.

Mr Dean's campaign officials confirmed the men had a private meeting in California at the weekend. Neither side would give details, but General Clark told The Washington Post it had been "a complete tour of the horizon", implying that the vice- presidency had been discussed.

[Debi]

22. "Join the campaign"....

I was asked to join the campaign..in fact that's what's on all the literature..."Join us" Does that me he offered me the VP spot?? Dean/Nagle '04....I like the sound of that!

Do you think that Clark's falling #'s had anything to do with this story being brought to the press? Hey, let's get some headlines with a Dean story, we'll ride his coattails for a while until we get some mo back (or 'if)....

[Gigi]

20. Howard Dean

I don't post too often but I read DU every day. Howard Dean is not all things to all people but I think we, meaning we Democrats, have to
face the fact that he will be the nominee. Why? Because he has the
best-run campaign and he is the best politican in the field of those vying for the Democratic nomination. His poll numbers are growing and
his name recognition is spreading. My parents (70/73) are interested in him. My niece (25) is interested in him. He has that fire in the belly and he is not afraid! I wish the other candidates would just drop out and shut up. It doesn't serve any of us or the nation for
the Dems to carp at each other. It's expending time and energy we could use for better things. The goal here is to get Bush OUT of the White House. We deserve better than Bush and we should demand it.
Folks....don't lose sight of the goal. Please???!!!

[Scoopie]

23. Gee... when was the election?

Have I been asleep for two months?
Oh - no, I still see Christmas decorations, so that means we haven't the FIRST primary or caucus. Which makes me wonder why you're calling the election for Dean?
The tide is shifting and, after the holidays, we can bet the combat boots that Clark will have the big MO and Dems will start realizing there is absolutely NO WAY that a Democrat with no foreign policy experience can oust a war-time president.

[Debi]

24. So when you say...

"there is absolutely NO WAY that a Democrat with no foreign policy experience can oust a war-time president."

Do you mean even if the war was a 'false' war...based on lies...that even your candidate is/was against? (well, sometimes)???

[Quixote1818]

26. Dean/Kusenich

Wow, when you take Clark out of there it just doesn’t sound very interesting. How about Dean/Braun? No, still doesn’t sound very flashy! Dean/Edwards No, that doesn’t work.

Oh NO! Dean doesn’t have Clark to prop him up anymore! How can a Dean/Edwards ticket beat Bush??????

Time to look for another candidate.

[Nashyra]

27. When Clark entered the race

He gave the Democrats the credibility they needed in the media on foreign policy, national security and diplomacy. No matter what he made it an issue that * was not the most credible person on foreign policy, if anything Clark's experience and credentials made the *'s imcompetence very public, even the media could not hide the glaring differences. Even if he does not get the nomination he has been a huge benefit to the Democrat Party

[Debi]

28. That is...

When he became a Democrat.

[koopie57]

32. actually I think

Dean and Kucinich might be a good combination. They are both articulate, smart, quick and fired up. I like Clark, but if he is not interested in the vp spot and does not get the nod for the nomination, that is that way it will have to be. It does make me wonder why he is running though. Where as I think both Dean and Kucinich are running cuz they want to make a positive difference. I think it is very important to them. I haven't had much opportunity to hear Kucinich, are they very far off on their views?

And I think so far as the war goes, that all the people want to hear is a way to get our guys home, get the UN involved to secure the mess and get on with living again.

But a lot can change with the voters. I guess it is exciting to wonder cuz I think that besides Lieberman we got some good choices.

[Quixote1818]

35. 12% Angry at Bush

On the News tonight a poll suggested that only 12% of the country is Angry at Bush. That would include all of Dean/Kucinich supporters. They are also the two candidates who have been endorsed by the communist party here in the US. Sounds like a winning ticket. What's that saying "A chicken with only one wing will never get off the ground."

[kysrsoze]

39. As much as I respect Kucinich for the things he says,

he will be seen too much as being off in left field. Case in point:

Q: How will you fix the healthcare system?

A: Do away with HMOs.

Come on, that's not going to fly with all the influence the medical lobbyists have - they're probably the strongest lobby in Washington. Although I think it would be good for the country, it's just not going to happen anytime soon.

Even my dad, an espoused "progressive," knows Kucinich isn't going to sway nearly enough voters. I don't think he would help the Dean campaign that much.

[koopie57]

30. another one of those with a

crystal ball :puke:

[Quixote1818]

36. Yuck!

Quit barfing on my post!

[kysrsoze]

38. Ummm, except for Clinton ousting Bush Sr.

[windansea]

31. my take