Michael Moore endorses Clark

[windansea]

Wednesday, January 14th, 2004
I’ll Be Voting For Wesley Clark / Good-Bye Mr. Bush — by Michael Moore

Many of you have written to me in the past months asking, "Who are you going to vote for this year?"

I have decided to cast my vote in the primary for Wesley Clark. That's right, a peacenik is voting for a general. What a country!

I believe that Wesley Clark will end this war. He will make the rich pay their fair share of taxes. He will stand up for the rights of women, African Americans, and the working people of this country.

And he will cream George W. Bush.

...snip...

I strongly urge you to vote for Wes Clark. Let's join together to ensure that we are putting forth our BEST chance to defeat Bush on the November ballot. It is, at this point, for the sake of the world, a moral imperative.

Yours,
Michael Moore

full letter...

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php

[xxqqqzme]

1. Mr Moore should

just write his books and make his movies. He doesn't do well endorsing candidates!

[formernaderite]

32. very surprising

I am pretty disappointed as I've always respected Michael.

[bigwillq]

44. Surprised the poo out of me

I thought Moore would go for someone more liberal but like the rest of us, he really wants to beat Bush. Moore made his case as to how we're going to accomplish that, i.e. the Southern States

[PennyLane]

2. I bet Dean will love this!

:party:

[Wonco_the_Sane]

3. Just saw Mr. Moore on Charlie Rose

He was GREAT. Can't wait till Fahrenheit 911 comes out. I'm still for Dean, but if Clark gets the nod, then my vote will follow. Sorry to hear Micheal Moore's taxes will go up if his boy wins. lol :)(small joke) :)

[windansea]

5. lol

he can afford it

[bluestateguy]

4. Well written letter

eom

[necso]

6. Good link.

I like Mike and I think that his heartfelt message has a lesson for all Democrats. To quote:

"The decision in November is going to come down to 15 states and just a few percentage points. So, I had to ask myself -- and I want you to honestly ask yourselves -- who has the BEST chance of winning Florida, West Virginia, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Ohio? Because THAT is the only thing that is going to matter in the end."

What more is there to say?

[mithnanthy]

35. The only thing that matters in the end...

is making sure the voting machine issue is rectified before this election. I wish Michael Moore and the Dem candidates would speak out about this DAILY! What good is all this campaigning, if the machines can be rigged?

[bigwillq]

45. great point

It's so true. I'm a Dean supporter but I still have my doubts as if he could win certain states, like Florida, WV and others in the south.

[BeyondGeography]

7. I truly believe Wes Clark is a great Democrat

love,

Michael Moore

[Clark4VotingRights]

8. Wes has had a good day.

A very good day.

:bounce:

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. I feel special

Madonna sent me a personal letter endorsing Clark. LOL

[Ekova]

20. Me too.

I still feel warm and fuzzy.

[worldgonekrazy]

10. Great letter.

This is from a Dean supporter. I've never seen the "Big Win" theory stated so eloquently.

[Lindsey]

11. Ditto

Awesome letter. Michael's a true patriot. I'm pretty much an "anyone but Bush" supporter (leaning toward Dean) but Michael has made some excellent point. Especially about the states (southern) that Clark could pull in. Also, Michael may have some pull with the greens.

[IndianaGreen]

12. "I believe that Wesley Clark will end this war"

Wrong! While Clark will certainly get our troops out of Iraq, and might even cancel the contracts the Bush regime gave to their corporate friends, Clark is not going to "end this war."

Clark was quoted yesterday as saying that NATO should be used on the war on terror. The "war on terror" is a sham! It is nothing but a pretext to expand American imperialism and hegemony by supporting oligarchies friendly to the US against their domestic insurgencies.

The military is a blunt instrument. It is ill-suited for chasing after criminals, which is what real terrorists are. In addition to that, NATO is a relic of the Cold War that should have been abolished years ago. NATO is now a tool of American hegemony in Europe, not to mention a conduit for American arms merchants.

BTW, where are all the Moore bashers that used to rail against everything he wrote because he had supported Nader?

Anyhoo, Clark is not the Messiah that Moore thinks he is. There are no Messiahs, dead or alive! I will agree that Clark will give Bush a run for his money, and that Clark is not tainted by the IWR vote as Kerry, Lieberman, Gephardt, and Edwards are.

I give credit to Moore for openly endorsing a candidate, unlike Big Dog.

[cyclezealot]

13. Have you forgot where you came from.

As a former Michiganian I think Moore needs to get out of deep freeze awhile and re-think his positions. To think what a fit he gave Clinton/Gore and caves in so cheaply now..Clark is a Clinton clone..? Come on Mike..! Not that Clinton was far better than Dubya, but we can do better than that coming from a state reeling from Nafta.
I do not think those who listened to Moore in '00 will be influenced by him now. I won't..At least Clinton never sat in a tv photo op for Bush II. And to think Moore gave Bill Clinton fits.
Guess as we age we mellow out..
I will keep an open mind about Clark, even if I can't imagine myself getting too excited about some general who changes his spots for political convenience.
To me the gung ho march by Demo's is just like the Arnold Schwarznegger phonema..We know little about him,but with the Hollywood glitz machine in full gear we follow like lemings.
Just to choose a candidate who we think can win is not enough. Won't solve our social problems, then I have better things to do.

[delete_bush]

19. Michael Moore believes that

Clark is the only one who can beat Bush. Although there might be several others, I tend to agree that he stands the best chance, in part for the reasons stated.

If you're concerned about the solution to our social problems, four more years of * and 4+ Supreme Court appointees are not going to do the trick, I guarantee you.

Clark is hardly unknown, and his positions are reflected in his speeches and in his policy statements. I highly doubt this a midnight ruse on his part, it makes no sense for it to be so.

I trust that he's voted Dem in the last 3 elections, which is a period of at least 15 years. Not what I would call changing spots on a whim.

[stickdog]

23. Anyone can try on some policy papers. Clark is a complete political cipher

who spent the last couple of years making millions as a military/industrial/homeland security lobbyist.

This endorsement shows all the clear thinking and integrity of Moore's Nader endorsement.

No mention is made of Clark's financial deficiencies. No mention is made of simply throwing away Dean's entire network of highly motivated grassroots supporters. Is Moore simply the political comedian equivalent of Madonna?

[GiovanniC]

30. What Did You Expect Him To Do?

"who spent the last couple of years making millions as a military/industrial/homeland security lobbyist."

After serving three decades in our country's Armed Services, what did you expect him to do when he came home? Become a preschool teacher? A grocery store cashier? Maybe a clown that does kids' birthdays?

I know lobbyist is a dirty word for a lot of people, but they actually do serve a legitimate purpose, and there is no evidence to suggest that Clark did anything inappropriate in that capacity.

[cyclezealot]

34. Two assessments we apply to candidates.

Where their money comes from and their connections to special interests. Just because they claim to be Democrats does not exempt them from this judgement. Lets have some consistency here.
Do we forgive the likes of Richard Perle or Wolofwitz for their connections to military contractors.? I don't .
When Clark says he favors the elimination of 10-15% of the bloated military contracts that goes to planes that are not needed,Starwars, etc; I might consider him good for the country.

[lastliberalintexas]

40. Are you kidding?

How about following an example like President Carter? How about becoming a college professor? How about running for Governor in Arkansas as the Dem party BEGGED him to do in 2002?

There are *plenty* of things the man could have done following his military career that would have perhaps benefited humanity more than him playing a corporate war cheerleader for CNN. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and go with the idea that he actually opposed the invasion. But you sure as heck couldn't tell from his stint on cable news.

But then, he wouldn't have made as much money doing those "good" things as he has working for Corporate America. And as we all know, even among so many progressives here, money is ALL that matters anymore. :eyes:

[Phelan]

36. While the Dean movement is impressive

While the Dean movement is impressive it is not the end all of this election. The financial deficiencies wont be a large issue.

The day I decided it was going to be a cold day in hell before I backed Dean for the nomination was when Al Gore at his endorsement belittled the grassroots support of the other candidates. There are strong grassroots groups around here, shoot the Kucinich supporters here in Birmingham are more organized than the Dean supporters.

It seems to me that a lot of Dean people are having a second love affair with a fairy tale creature. The first one was Nader (didn't break 5%) and now Dean.

[cyclezealot]

31. His solution to lack of medical care

His solution to medical care is more tax credit bull ****. I amnot impressed.Heard that first hand. Our family is approaching the decade where we can't qualify for medicare and our employers don't want us.
Intolerable positon. Candidate does not solve this problem, we will be sitting out the election. Maybe even retire to Europe where we can buy medical coverage at a reasonable cost.
Besides we have been HMO's to witt's end. American public can tolerate such crap, we are can't.. This is our two issue and if we are two issue people, that is how it is..
I see Wesley put up on a screen next to dubya, we see duplicates.

[0rganism]

14. This will give a nice little boost to Clark's left flank

Michael Moore is a brilliant and persuasive man, and Candidate Clark is worthy of the endorsement. I really do think Clark has a good chance of uniting the clans to beat bush, and his tax bracket proposal is the best thing I've seen in that field for years -- it has some true populist potential.

At this point, Clark is shaping up to out-populist Dean.

[necso]

21. Refuse the left flank!

Fix bayonets!

(For those of you who aren't buffs, to refuse a flank is to assume a formation designed to prevent being flanked --- to hold such a position is of the greatest risk --- you are out there on your own --- and of the highest honor. At Gettysburg the 20th Maine took a defensive position on the extreme left of the Union line at Little Round Top, refusing their left flank. Out of ammunition, they fixed bayonets and charged, overrunning enemy forces, preventing certain disaster to the Union cause.)

Thank you, Michael Moore. We in the center will hold firm... now if the flanks will just hold.

[windansea]

43. nice!!

according to NH polls...all flanks are holding!

[liberalnurse]

15. If I have hear this once I've heard it a zillion times already.

Same song and dance just another day. Does Michael Moore have Alzheimer's?

[FrenchieCat]

16. NO.....

He doesn't....thanks for the congrat though.....

There goes the old "Republican" chant that Dean sings about his "wish he was my VP" candidate.

[roguevalley]

17. Everyone should endorse who they believe in. If Carol Mosley

Braun is tossing in her hat and endorsing Dean, I don't care. I will feel fine about it. Of course, those who don't support it will be like those who don't support this. People can endorse. No one should get in a tizzy about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and not have to explain it to anyone else. I don't defend/explain, etc.
my support for Clark and I don't expect Deanies to be defensive or
have to explain their support for Dean. Endorsements mean exposure for our guys and maybe draw in others. All of it is good.

[windansea]

58. right on!

[RafterMan]

18. Alzheimer's?

No, not that I know of.

And Clark doesn't have cancer, if you're still worried about that.

With all this concern you have for the health of Clark and his supporters, it's a wonder you still have time for your patients.

I can't wait for your update on Andrew Young's bowels.

[windansea]

46. LOL

easy rafterman..you might cause a meltdown

[stickdog]

22. Facile bullshit.

Now, before those of you who are Dean or Kucinich supporters start cloggin' my box with emails tearing Clark down with some of the stuff I've seen floating around the web ("Mike! He voted for Reagan! He bombed Kosovo!"), let me respond by pointing out that Dennis Kucinich refused to vote against the war resolution in Congress on March 21 (two days after the war started) which stated "unequivocal support" for Bush and the war (only 11 Democrats voted against this--Dennis abstained). Or, need I quote Dr. Dean who, the month after Bush "won" the election, said he wasn't too worried about Bush because Bush "in his soul, is a moderate"? What's the point of this ridiculous tit-for-tat sniping? I applaud Dennis for all his other stands against the war, and I am certain Howard no longer believes we have nothing to fear about Bush. They are good people.

Why expend energy on the past when we have such grave danger facing us in the present and in the near future? I don't feel bad nor do I care that Clark -- or anyone -- voted for Reagan over 20 years ago. Let's face it, the vast majority of Americans voted for Reagan -- and I want every single one of them to be WELCOMED into our tent this year. The message to these voters -- and many of them are from the working class -- should not be, "You voted for Reagan? Well, to hell with you!" Every time you attack Clark for that, that is the message you are sending to all the people who at one time liked Reagan. If they have now changed their minds (just as Kucinich has done by going from anti-choice to pro-choice, and Dean has done by wanting to cut Medicare to now not wanting to cut it) – and if Clark has become a liberal Democrat, is that not something to cheer?


The fact that Clark voted for Reagan is the fucking LEAST of our concerns, Michael. Do you have ANY idea what Clark's been doing since he retired from military service? Have you ever heard of Jackson Stephens, the Club for Growth, Acxiom, the SOA or CAPPS II?

When we combine this with your endorsement of Nader last election, how are we supposed to take your leftist credentials seriously?

[wyldwolf]

25. Most of your points were already debunked...

The latest was the Jackson Stephens, the Club for Growth links the Frenchie4Clark did a great job of blowing to hell in the old GD2004 Primary forum this week.

Hey, did you know the latest Zogby has Kerry now leading in Iowa?

[stickdog]

26. Would you like to put some money on the winner in Iowa?

Cause I'm betting on Dean.

Please feel free to debunk away. My I suggest, though, that simply assuring me of the existence of a mythical past debunking is less than convincing.

[wyldwolf]

27. Two comments, well, actually, three

1. No, I won't bet. I was just pointing out a fact that it is now a race in Iowa and NH.

2. You know it was debunked because you participated in the thread. But never fear, I have an e-mail out to the original poster to get the info to refresh your memory.

3. The "scary" Clark stuff doesn't concern the American people as a whole, but only to a tiny band of left extemists who have either opted out of the electoral process anyway and won't vote for the dem or have hitched their wagon to Howard Dean (who has been revealed to be exactly what they fear - a corporatist)

[stickdog]

29. Dean ain't perfect, but Clark is a scary pawn of the establishment.

I have no reason whatsoever to believe a word Clark says.

And I wasn't talking about betting money. You seem to think Dean is going to lose Iowa. I think he's going to win. So I'm asking you just how much you trust your own evaluation -- because as they say "talk is cheap."

[Phelan]

38. So you people hate the establishment

So who was the last high profile leader of the DLC? Al Gore perhaps?
So you hate the DLC because they are evil and republican but Saint Al, he is not like that... Clinton that evil evil centrist. I think a verbal minority part of the democratic party is so blinded by hate that they have lost all touch with reality.

[Guaranteed]

60. "You people"? You LIKE the establishment?

You like the way things are going now?

[wyldwolf]

52. I seem to think Dean is going to lose Iowa?

Stretch.

I simply posted the results of a current poll.

[wyldwolf]

24. Love it!

Both Clark's endorsement and the way what he describes as the "professional left" is turning on him and saying he should just write books and make movies.

Kind of sounds like the right, doesn't it!?

[GOPBasher]

28. Yes!!

I love Moore.

[returnable]

33. Excellent!

:kick:

[bushisanidiot]

37. Dean Supporter Here. I think this is actually good for Dean.

:)

[robbedvoter]

39. Here's the good part (for the Mayflower dems):

Why expend energy on the past when we have such grave danger facing us in the present and in the near future? I don't feel bad nor do I care that Clark -- or anyone -- voted for Reagan over 20 years ago. Let's face it, the vast majority of Americans voted for Reagan -- and I want every single one of them to be WELCOMED into our tent this year. The message to these voters -- and many of them are from the working class -- should not be, "You voted for Reagan? Well, to hell with you!" Every time you attack Clark for that, that is the message you are sending to all the people who at one time liked Reagan. If they have now changed their minds (just as Kucinich has done by going from anti-choice to pro-choice, and Dean has done by wanting to cut Medicare to now not wanting to cut it) – and if Clark has become a liberal Democrat, is that not something to cheer?

In fact, having made that political journey and metamorphosis, is he not the best candidate to bring millions of other former Reagan supporters to our side -- blue collar people who have now learned the hard way just how bad Reagan and the Republicans were (and are) for them?

We need to take that big DO NOT ENTER sign off our tent and reach out to the vast majority who have been snookered by these right-wingers. And we have a better chance of winning in November with one of their own leading them to the promised land.

[metisnation]

41. Michael Moore

This is a good endorsement. Sorry your feelings are Hurt Deanies, but I too believe that Clark has a greater chance of defeating Bush. We can use Dean for the frontal attack in the month leading up to the election then WHAM flank them hard with Clark. I am voting for whoever makes it out of the primary but I will be voting for Clark in the primary.

[Rich Hunt]

42. my take

I like MM and I respect him for taking the time to make a detailed, thoughtful explanation of his choice. It's more than a lot of people have done for Clark.

However, I don't necessarily find the 'only a general can talk to the south and midwest' line persuasive, and I don't think it's a good long-term strategy for the Democrats. Doomsday talk serves to justify the right's tactics and rhetoric - it ultimately gives them the upper hand by letting them set the tone of the debate. I think Democrats should stand their ground and be Democrats.

At its heart, this article is the same old 'Dean is an elitist and only Clark can speak to regular folks' schtick. I have less of a problem with Clark than I do with the arguments used to support him. I think it's underestimating the intellect of southerners, midwesterners, Peorians, etc. to say that only a general can talk to 'those people'. I don't see how speaking plainly to 'those people', being direct, concise, and not insulting their intelligence is somehow elitist. I say this as someone who comes from a very similar background as Michael Moore. I used to think all of that stuff about Dean, but I see how well he plays in the Midwest, I've listened to him, and I've changed my mind. I'm not going to let Dean's class background vs. Clark's class background sway me.

Moore has a lot of credibility with me, but he hasn't cleared up my distrust of Clark based on who he's surrounded by.

[windansea]

53. Clark is surrounded by Clintonites

you know..that popular 2 term DEMOCRATIC president we had in the 90's

take a look at this recent CBS poll...see the 70% approval number for the war on terrorism?

that's what we're dealing with...any candidate without STRONG foreign policy/defense credentials will lose in a landslide


BUSH APPROVAL RATINGS
Now
Overall
60%
Terrorism
70%
Iraq
57%
Foreign policy
54%
Economy
48

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/23/opinion/polls/main590018.shtml

[TacticalPeek]

47. The best endorsement statement I have seen this cycle.

And congrats to Dean on CMB.


May the best man win, so the worst President ever will lose.


:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[Foehammer]

48. Dean or Clark? Undecided ... Now - Clark Supporter (nt)

[windansea]

49. good decision

sounds like you want to win!

[libview]

50. so Moore is endorsing a guy that voted for Regan and Nixon?

Hmmmm, now that is a surprise. Are we forgetting our liberal roots just to win an election? Selling out?
I like Clark, and I don't like Moore, I think he does damage to our party in the long run.

[Dr Fate]

55. But if you "like" Clark, then how is voting for him "selling out?"

Care to adress the issues he stands for rather than repeating Matt Drudge's talking points?

[Forkboy]

51. I dont agree with Moore

but he's still a cool guy in my book.

[Dr Fate]

54. Great! n/t

n/t

[laruemtt]

56. had planned to buy

dude where's my country tomorrow, but now with this endorsement, i think i'll buy a couple of dozen copies and give them to friends!

America needs Clark!!!!!!!

[PatrickS]

57. MM endorsed Nader

'Nuff said!

:evilgrin:

–

[eridani]

59. Clark is a Plan B for me only if---

--he publicly repudiates the Project for a New American Century

http://www.denniskucinich.us/article.php?story=20040102155547526

Studying up this morning on approaches for world peace, I was reading the infamous document Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century from the Republican William Kristol's think tank Project for the New American Century and I ran across this picture of Wesley Clark on page 16 of the publication (page 28 of the PDF). That seemed oddly out of place...but perhaps it shouldn't have. When questioned about Clark's failure to have registered as a Democrat until recently, Jeff Cohen remarked today "It's hard to imagine how a longtime Republican can win the Democratic nomination. You can't beat a real Republican, Bush, with a recently lapsed Republican, Clark". Why don't all of us Democrats, Greens, and Independents just re-register as Republicans so they don't have to come to our party?

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2003/11/14/74127/713/192

"And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Paul O'Neill - people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there, because we've got some tough challenges ahead" (Wesley Clark, Pulaski County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner, Little Rock, AR, 5/11/2001).

http://pilger.carlton.com/print/124759

As for Iraq's alleged "weapons of mass destruction", these were dismissed, in so many words, as a convenient excuse, which it is. "While the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification," it says, "the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein."