CLARK WARMS UP NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH DIRECT APPROACH

[robbedvoter]

CLARK WARMS UP NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH DIRECT APPROACH
25 minutes ago
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/uclicktext/20040107/cm_ucds/clarkwarmsupnewhampshirewithdirectapproach

By David M. Shribman
snip

 

They belonged to retired Gen. Wesley L. Clark, who, because he is from Arkansas and is a newcomer to presidential politics, can be forgiven the new boots, which, by the way, were by far the nicest in the room. The other boots belonged to the reporters, columnists, editors and assorted friends of the Conway Daily Sun, plus of course the editor's cousin. He had a few questions, and besides, this is an informal state. Everyone's welcome.


But the biggest question I had after an hour with the general and the journalists was about my own preconceptions. I had believed that Howard Dean (news - web sites) was the most angry fellow in the Democratic race. I had believed that the former governor of Vermont was the most intemperate guy in the contest. I had believed that the nomination battle consisted of one guy out on a limb with the rest of the contenders hugging the trunk of respectable moderation.


By dusk, I saw that I was, as they say around here, wicked wrong.


There's a peculiar tropism to presidential nomination fights. The candidates start out somewhere toward the middle, appealing to as many people as they can, and then they discover that, in caucuses and primaries, it's the extremes and not the center that matter. They veer to their respective suns, Republicans to the right and Democrats to the left.


In this race, however, Clark isn't behaving like a plant. He resembles a heat-seeking missile.


Which may explain why, as the evening grew darker, the one-time soldier leisurely came close to accusing the commander in chief of treason, though he did so with a smile, in a whispery voice and with soothing sips of hot chocolate from a Styrofoam cup that he was handed by an aide. Try a few sips of this:


* "I didn't want to believe the administration would do what it did, that it would deliberately mislead the American people and bring us into war with Iraq (news - web sites)."


* "The president didn't do everything he could have done to prevent 9/11."

Plus this: The real villains in the Iraq drama were Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) and George H.W. Bush, the president's father, who stood by as Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) practiced genocide. More

[cally]

1. But, but he's a Republican

Those of us who have been following his statements closely know how much he hates what Bush and company have done to this country. Great article. Thanks for sharing.

[xultar]

2. GENERAL SMACKDOWN is in da house n/t

[Democrats unite]

3. Great post!

Thanks!

[Tweed]

4. Wonderful

I love how Clark can appeal to all Americans in a way that no other candidate can.

[Mz Pip]

5. Heat seeking missile

Sweet. :nuke:

MzPip
:dem:

[lancdem]

6. I like that, too

Great phrase.

[Jerseycoa]

7. I love this part

"I've driven by the place, an 1860s hostelry in the White Mountains National Forest, maybe a hundred times -- it's hard to think of a more remote place in the state, so a granite mansion is sure to stick out on the hillside, and in the memory -- and I can't remember ever seeing more than a handful of cars in the parking lot. That day there wasn't a space to be had, and the cars lined the long driveway nearly all the way to Route 302."

:bounce:

[maxanne]

8. this makes me sick

I live in this area - and I contribute to that newspaper. For years we Democrats have fought tooth and nail for coverage. I wrote a story about Chrissy Gephardt that was edited down to nothing by Adam Hirshan, and now here he is, sucking up to Wesley Clark, because Shribman is drooling on him. :puke:

Right wingers worshipping the General. Scary.

[robbedvoter]

11. Take an Alka Selzer and try reading/ listening to the man

You lend him your mind, the heart will follow. Generals save lives sometimes, ya know? Or, try?
http://ellabella.forclark.com/story/2004/1/6/182850/1804
Holbrooke and Clark watched the van crash over the side and go down. Clark jumped out, tied a rope from the rear of his car to the door, and rapelled down to the van as it began to burn. He said that he was hoping to help survivors. What he did was pull all of their dead bodies from the burning van before it exploded. Holbrooke was up on the road, screaming down that there were landmines and snipers and that he was a 50 year old General, not a g-d GI and to get himself back up into the VAN!!! When asked about it, Clark just shrugged and said, "We bring our comrades home." He stayed with the bodies till the MPs arrived. Much later I learned that he brought Joe's wedding ring home to Gail.

P.S. He was more successful with the Albanians - about twice the population of Vermont. He saved their lives, you know.

[maxanne]

12. sorry

his military service is more of a liability, where I'm concerned. I mistrust the General and his motives.

And you either ignored or missed the point about the newspaper.

[Gemini Cat]

9. I'm starting to really like General Clark.

The more I see and hear of him, the more I like!

:dem:

[Lefta Dissenter]

10. That's all it takes! :)

The more people see and hear of him, the more they like him!

GREAT article! :bounce:

[Ernesto]

13. Funny thing his 4 star huevos

were absent @ today's NPR debate.

[NV1962]

14. that's because he has at least as much "cerebro" as "huevos"

He knows his way around logistics and strategy, see.

And that'll get him elected into the WH.

Feel free to read it first-hand on www.clark04.com

[billbuckhead]

15. Not being on these debates and being on TV intelligently was smart.

Especially with the big tax cut launch.

[DakotaDemocrat]

16. I love this part...

"Which may explain why, as the evening grew darker, the one-time soldier leisurely came close to accusing the commander in chief of treason, though he did so with a smile, in a whispery voice and with soothing sips of hot chocolate from a Styrofoam cup that he was handed by an aide."

Kill him softly, General!