Clark Alleges White House Pushed CNN to Fire Him

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON — The White House pressured CNN to fire former military analyst Gen. Wesley Clark (search), the retired Army chief told a Phoenix radio station on Monday.

"The White House actually back in February apparently tried to get me knocked off CNN and they wanted to do this because they were afraid that I would raise issues with their conduct of the war," Clark told Newsradio 620 KTAR. "Apparently they called CNN. I don't have all the proof on this because they didn't call me. I've only heard rumors about it."

Clark was one of cable network CNN’s military analysts and commentators during the Iraq war. Frequently named as a possible presidential candidate, Clark has not said whether he is interested in seeking the Democratic nomination. But, in his comments on the "Drive Home With Preston Westmoreland Show," Clark indicated that he is debating a bid.

"I had a very clear understanding with CNN that if I ever decided to go forward in considering becoming a political candidate that I would at that point, leave CNN. That's what I did in June," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95714,00.html

[demnan]

1. I guess it's a credit to CNN that they didn't fire him

Rove can only push so far.

[Drifter]

29. Why wouldn't CNN ...

break the fact that the WH approached them to fire Clark. That should have raised a red flag, and prompted them to question why the WH wanted him gone. This completely smells of scandal, and CNN should have been on top of it.

Oh wait, I forgot the Conservative News Network would not want to rub chimpy the wrong way.

As for the poster who gave credit to CNN for not firing Clark, I say phooyey. CNN should have broken this story (scandal) and begun a full investigatiopn into why the WH is trying to get a CNN Military Analyist fired.

Cheers
Drifter

[maxsolomon]

2. could a dean/clark ticket be beat?

for that matter, clark/dean?

i don't think 200 million is gonna be enough. the white house is SCURRED of this man.

what's that odd feeling? is it... optimism?

[VaLabor]

14. Maybe...

...Dean/Clark could be beaten if the Republicans ran a Jesus/Lincoln ticket.

But last I heard, Jesus has remained squarely with the Democratic Party and Lincoln switched parties back in 1932 when he endorsed FDR.

So the Repugs would be ... S.O.L.

[sujan]

3. boohoo

what a whiner

[alcuno]

8. I don't like him saying that either. Let CNN say it.

Still. I'd vote for him.

[Democat]

22. Bashing Bush is now whining?

You are not helping the Democratic Party by bashing Clark for attacking Bush.

Are you DLC?

[sujan]

24. clark can't even decide if he's a democrat

'nuff said.

[cprise]

4. What little angels

...those political appointees at Fox are for running this story.

[Rose Siding]

5. I know. Sorry about the source

but there's really no way they can make this look bad:

Insisting on the accuracy of his military analysis of the Iraq War, Clark said, "No one ever complained about my analysis being partisan except for Tom DeLay and he's hardly an unbiased source," Clark told KTAR.

"I was anything but biased. I was 100 percent objective. I called it right and I stand by the results," he said.
end snip>

I would strongly favor Clark as Sec of Def in any Dem admin, because someone who has successfully dealt with int'l forces would be so ideal. While like to see some diversity on the ticket (I support Dean) like Richardson or Landreau, a VP spot for Clark, if necessarry to whip Jr would be ok with me.

[DemNoir]

6. Darn interesting Wes!

"Apparently they called CNN. I don't have all the proof on this because they didn't call me. I've only heard rumors about it."

Of course, we have only heard rumors that your a democrat.

[onehandle]

7. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid...

" I don't have all the proof on this because they didn't call me. I've only heard rumors about it."

Proof that he is no politician. I'm afraid that's it for him.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

9. Oh Brother!

Yeah, one statement that is arguably less-than-polished (it sounds like fair, full disclosure of his uncertainty, to me), out of thousands and thousands, and you're ready to write the guy off and hang it up. Nice to see you swallow FAUX's propaganda job, hook, line and sinker.

Let me guess. You never liked Clark to begin with, right?

DTH

[grasswire]

12. I don't get this candidate bashing

I support one candidate, but I have NEVER on this board bashed another Dem candidate. Never. I have explained why I don't favor Kerry (because he flip-flopped on the war) but that's it.

How does candidate bashing serve Democrats?? Shame on all of you who attempt to elevate your candidate by tearing down another.

[ewagner]

16. What concerns me

is that this is unlike Clark. He rarely says anything he can't back up with facts and usually cautiously avoids saying anything he can't back up.

I don't think this is a fatal misstep but it will cause a few days of headlines....and the obligatory candidate bashing....

[Kahuna]

11. Why is that "it" for him? Do you think people will find it hard to

believe the White House would do this? Even if he can't prove it, it's hardly the kind of accusations that ruins careers.

It is obvious that since the DU polls of a week or so back showed Clark gaining substantial support, that there is a contigent who troll the internet for anything anti-Clark that they can find. They aren't particular about the sources either. I smell a whiff of desperation in the air.

[onehandle]

17. I'm not anti-Clark or any Dem...

Making accusations is one thing. Basing it on "rumors" is another.

A rookie mistake for Clark.

I take back the "it for him" part. If the media passes on this, you're right, it's nothing.

I don't bash Dems or Clark...just el Chimpo Supremeo and his klan...uh, clan.

[Kahuna]

31. Alrighty then!

:7

[Democat]

23. You sound like the DLC

Bashing Democrats for attacking Republicans.

Karl Rove would be proud.

[FredScuttle]

32. Absolutely....

I'm going to bail on a man who beats Bush by 9 points in a recent poll because of one statement made 15 months before the election.

You by any chance a Lieberman supporter?

[0007]

10. junior has complete control of the whores

I don't know why Clark even bothers to appear on any of junior's networks.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

13. Unbelievable. This Is Actually on FAUX's Front Page

Not the featured story, but it's still there, second story down on the right side.

The RW is PETRIFIED of a Clark candidacy. If Clark is as savvy as I think and hope he is, he already had the witness on the CNN side lined up to back him before he made his statement.

DTH

[Kahuna]

15. Of course he will be able to produce his source. Clark is not only smart..

but he's very cagey to boot. We might have to start calling him by the same nickname as the other Arkansan who became president. Hmmm...."Slick" Wesley.. Nawwwwwwwwww.

[robbedvoter]

18. From "Wholy without merit" news? I need a reputable source

for this piece of - non-news.

[TacticalPeek]

19. Think of this as probing the oppo position.

Now we get to see the color of their response, or lack thereof.

Denial, modified limited hangout? Looks like a tarbaby in a minefield to me. A silence would be deafening. KKKarl must be tied up consulting with Chuck Colson about prisoner visitor lists, etc.

[grasswire]

20. har, good one

Colson will be taking to the federal prisons with his bible thumpers once all the Bushbots are washing Bubba's laundry like he did.

[Donna Zen]

21. errrrrr

Let's see? He slammed the White House and does so with an admission that the statement in based on rumor. If asked about it, he says...read the transcript. What's is the White House going to do? Make an issue of it? Huh? They did it and Clark knows they did it or he wouldn't have said it. (Read his book...he got burned by the press once before and saw it as one of "life's lessons.")

Besides, his wife does not want him to run because American politics is less an exercise in policy discussion and more a game of character bashing. Hmmm? So do you think she's right? Read any "progressive" forums lately?

[diplomats]

27. I've heard that about Clark's wife (I can hardly blame her)

will her reservations keep him from running?

[Spazito]

25. Common sense tells me that the WH would try and get him fired...

with or without him saying it. There have been many previous threads and posts on the WH influence on the media so this doesn't surprise me at all.

[robbedvoter]

26. Such as Dick's call to cancel the Spin Room, cuz Press was overpowering

bow tie. It was their best rated show. Then there was the story of Isaacson conferring with Rove &comp. And let's not forget, when Unca Dick had his latest mechanical heart put in, both Hume and Judy Woodrow jumped in: "Oh, my! I justr had lunch with him! he looked just dandy!"

[TacticalPeek]

30. And Office of Global Communications,,,DEA input on scripts, etc

n/t

[MasonJar]

28. Clark and Bush

Let's see. Clark says that Shrub tried to get him off CNN. Bush, on the other hand, lied about WMD and a 100 other important issues. Bush cannot stand criticsm because he is such a loser. Ergo: get rid of CLARK. I DARE Shrub to prove he didn't. See how that shoe fits.