Wesley Clark: Still Not a Democrat (Business week)

[Demobrat]

Turns out the Presidential candidate hasn't yet changed his party affiliation as a registered independent in Arkansas

It may come as a surprise to some of his supporters, but Democratic Presidential candidate Wesley K. Clark still hasn't joined the Democratic Party. According to the Pulaski County (Ark.) Voter Registrar's office, the former four-star general remains a registered independent. Even though he has been a declared candidate for the Dem nomination for two weeks now, he has yet to officially change his party affiliation.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2003/nf2003101_0874_db038.htm

[StephNW4Clark]

1. So I guess then Dean was wrong...

by saying Wesley Clark was a Republican up until 25 days ago when he so clearly was registered as an Independent. Funny how that makes so much sense when he has consistently stated he was non-partisan for most of his life.

[dd123]

3. Hey that's some pretty good spin there.

bwa hahahaha.

[StephNW4Clark]

4. So apparently someone can register with 2 parties?

So even though official registration is as an Independent, to you that means Independent=Republican.

Wow - congratulations, you just lost the general election.

[dd123]

8. Defensive defensive defensive.

I would be too, if my choice for Democratic nominee for the President of the United States wasn't even a Democrat.

Too funny.

[SWPAdem]

10. So, only label's count?

Not beliefs?

[dd123]

12. Well, I am a card carrying member of the Democratic

Party and being a Democrat means something to me.

I guess you don't care, and that's ok for you, but for me it is a slap in the face.

[w13rd0]

13. Helps if those "beliefs"...

...have a history of action that might make one more inclined to accept those beliefs as deeply-held. Heck, Zell Miller calls himself a Democrat, but he's a history that says otherwise.

[Demobrat]

11. Do most non-partisans raise funds for one of the parties?

I would consider that to be a partisan act, but then I'm sort of a newcomer to politics.

[davidinalameda]

2. did Nader ever register as Green

even though he was their candidate twice?

[w13rd0]

5. Heck...

...Nader didn't even support half of the Green Party platform...

And yes, Dean was wrong to say that Clark was a Republican, even though he didn't say there was anything inherently wrong with being a Republican. Doesn't make the concern or questions vanish though.

Does Arkansas have open or closed primaries? I think a candidate should be able to vote for themselves in their primary...

[StephNW4Clark]

6. Open primaries

[bluefire2000]

7. Clark on Party Affiliation/Choice in TPM

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

I voted for Al Gore in the election of 2000. I had voted for Bill Clinton previously. For me, the issue was: make sure before you pick a party -- you don't have to pick a party in Arkansas to vote, you just vote, and I voted in the Democratic primary, but that didn't mean becoming a member of the Democratic party. Before you pick a party, make sure you know why you're picking a party.

I was fortunate. I was well-enough known that both parties invited me to consider them. The Republican party invited me to participate in a fundraiser and run for Congress. The Democratic party invited me to be their nominee for governor of the state of Arkansas. I was tremendously honored by that. And it was clear as I looked at the parties, looked at the culture, watched the dialogue, it wasn't just that I had voted for Al Gore, I really believed in what the Democratic party stood for. And so when it came time to choose a political party, I chose the Democratic party.

[HereSince1628]

15. So Wes see's himself as a "leader"

maybe to him it doesn't matter what he leads, Dem, Independent or Republican.

Afterall, that is the basic strategy for the managerial/execuctive class of the 90's. That ambiuguity is a big part of the military executive system.

Maybe Wesley is one of those who could care less what kind of company they manage, the product they produce, or the company's solvency as long as they get the big salary and the prestige? For the Pentagon it doesn't matter what political agenda you go fight for. In fact having opinions can hurt your career progress.

[Larkspur]

9. Independents can switch parties on a whim

In CT they can change on the day of the primary, so we really don't know how Clark voted or if he did vote in previous primaries and elections. Only have his word, which is suspect.

Clark may be a registered Independent, but praising Bush and the PNAC crowd and helping to raise funds for the Republicans in 2001 makes him a Repuke in my book.

[Dubyawatchers]

16. I agree

"Clark may be a registered Independent, but praising Bush and the PNAC crowd and helping to raise funds for the Republicans in 2001 makes him a Repuke in my book."

Also show a lack of RESPECT for the Democratic Party and
what a NOVICE politician he is by not changing before making his announcement.

[robbedvoter]

17. Clark: the only candidate denouncing PNAC:

here were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria,
Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan. So, I thought, this is what
they mean when they talk about “draining the swamp.” It was evidence of
the Cold War approach: Terrorism must have a “state sponsor,” and it
would be much more effective to attack a state than to chase after
individuals, nebulous organizations, and shadowy associations.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/969671.asp?0bl=-0

The Islam on Line take off:
7 Muslim Countries Were On U.S. War List: Wesley Clark
http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-09/22/article04.shtml

[dd123]

14. What happens if Clark never registers as a Democrat?

Would you still vote for him in a Democratic primary?

[Larkspur]

18. No

and won't vote for him in the general election either.

The Dem Prez nominee is the standard bearer for the Dem Party, and if Clark is not a registered Democrat he should be disqualified from being the Dem Prez nominee and the Party's standard bearer.

Clark's bid as Dem Prez Nominee is a sham, and I'll never trust a word he says. If he wants to regain trust, he should register as a Dem and run for dog catcher first, not Prez nominee.

[robbedvoter]

19. Guess what? Dean is not registered as a democrat either!

Why? because both Vermont and arkansas have non-partisan registration.
"There is NO PARTY REGISTRATION in Vermont. Names are added to the checklist alphabetically with addresses but with no party affiliation noted."
http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/VoterRegGeneralInfo.html
How silly do you feel now?

[Lurking Dem]

20. Neither is Al Gore.

Some of these attacks (both of Clark AND Dean) border on ludicrous.

I do, however, look forward to the day when I can personally meet General Clark in the hopes he can make my tits bigger. :crazy: