Press release: Wesley Clark to Run for President (Brazile)

[Julien Sorel]

Almost posted this in LBN, but it's a Draft Clark press release, not the most unbiased of sources.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- Retired General Wesley Clark will announce his plans to run for president by the end of the month, according to Democratic Party insider Donna Brazile.

...

Indeed, General Clark acts more and more like a candidate each day, as he lashed out at the Republican administration during a media tour that has included interviews with media outlets ranging from network morning shows to syndicated radio shows.

“It’s pretty clear that General Clark has begun articulating his message and telling voters his views on a number of issues,’’ said Michael K. Frisby, the media strategist for the Draft Clark 2004 Committee. Mr. Frisby said the General will be a formidable candidate.

“None of the other Democratic candidates have raised enough money to scare General Clark away,’’ said Mr. Frisby, a former political reporter and White House Correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. “When General Clark enters the race, he will do something that the other candidates have failed to do: make the case for why the country would be better off with President Bush back in Texas on his ranch.’’

http://www.draftclark2004.com/news_detail.asp?nid=107

[CoffeePlease1947]

1. Where can I find out more about Clark?

Do you have a website maybe?

Mike

[Julien Sorel]

2. I actually stumbled on this

while putting together a list to answer your question in another thread, but when I went there to post it, someone else had put together a better list ;-)

If you go back to the other thread, you'll see where a pretty good list was posted for you.

[GOPBasher]

11. Here are some:

http://www.draftwesleyclark.com/

http://www.draftclark2004.com/
http://www.draftclark.com/

http://extremecampaigns.com/draftwesley/


http://www.wesleyclark.us/

[revcarol]

3. If Brazile is associated in any way with his "campaign,"

he won't get a second look from me. That would tell me that he is a DLC candidate.

[Paschall]

4. Agreed, revcarol

Not to mention the fact that Brazile left a very bad impression after she trashed her former boss President Al Gore.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. Clark is looking more like a centrist, he needs a progressive

on the campaign. Otherwise, he'll never win the primary. God forbid he wins the primary, chooses another DLC centrist as VP, and loses the election because the base becomes demoralized or splits the party.

If he came out as a strong progressive to match his strength on national security, there's no way he could lose to Bush, except for the fake voting machines, that is.

[tjdee]

14. Donna Brazile doesn't have anything to do with the DLC.

As far as I know.

She's in heavy with the party honchos (i.e., Terry MacAuliffe), but not kooky Al From.

Unless you have evidence otherwise?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. Donna Brazille

held a senior level position in the Dukakis and Gore camapigns.

She's not DLC, Progressive, or New Democrat.

She's a big D Democrat. That's it.

Go Wes Clark....

[ElsewheresDaughter]

41. tjdee how much proof do you want? Donna is DLC

http://www.aarlc.org/news/022103.shtml

February 21, 2003
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
New York Times

WASHINGTON - Two years ago, Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's campaign manager, was engaged in daily combat with Karl Rove, then George W. Bush's top campaign strategist.

Today, they chirpily exchange e-mail, chat on the phone and write letters, indulging in their shared zeal for the inner workings of politics.

"I like her a lot," said Mr. Rove, now ensconced in the West Wing as President Bush's chief political adviser.

Ms. Brazile, a committed Democrat who was the first black woman to manage a presidential campaign, has built similar relationships with other Republicans, like Grover Norquist, an influential conservative strategist. And her coziness with them comes as she is deeply frustrated with her own party for what she calls years of taking African-Americans for granted and for failing to organize for elections in a coherent way.

In fact, Ms. Brazile's alienation could well be viewed as emblematic of a Democratic Party in disarray.

For years Ms. Brazile, 43, has worked diligently in the trenches for Democrats, mobilizing the black vote. She worked on Representative Richard A. Gephardt's last presidential primary campaign, in 1988. She was fired from Michael S. Dukakis's presidential campaign later that year for impolitic remarks about his opponent, Vice President George Bush. After pulling out record numbers of black voters for Mr. Gore in 2000, she helped engineer one of the few Democratic victories in 2002, rebuffing an intense Republican campaign against Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana.

But as the new presidential season approaches, Ms. Brazile has spurned overtures from most of the Democratic candidates and opted out of the 2004 primaries. For the first time in her two decades in politics, she has hung out a shingle as a consultant who wants to be paid as well as other top Democratic strategists for her advice.

These days she pointedly calls herself a "totally independent Democrat." And she is not defensive about her chattiness with Republicans

more...

[Julien Sorel]

46. Didn't see a thing in there about DLC.

[tjdee]

48. She likes Republicans. Still don't see DLC.

She hangs with Kay Bailey H. and Rove, and she doesn't see them as evil.

While that's gross and baffling to me (as is the Carville/Matalin marriage)...

Still doesn't mean she has anything to do with the DLC. I've not seen any evidence that her politics are particularly conservative either (except for the war? I don't even know).

So I'm not going to read anything there that isn't there.

[legin]

54. She could be worse than DLC

http://www.defenddemocracy.org/biographies/biographies.htm

[tjdee]

62. That's kind of disturbing...

I'm not her biggest fan, but there's no reason to bandy about rumors.

And as I say, I've not heard her espouse particularly conservative viewpoints ever.

But it's kind of creepy that she's one of about 3 Dems involved with that thing. I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to lure her to the GOP.

Weird.

[legin]

64. Even some of the Dems there

are a long from being my favourites.

Zig Zag we all know about.
Rep. Eliot Engel is a basement issue person.

[tameszu]

69. Feh, that's not so happy regarding Donna

although I notice that Schumer and Lautenberg are there too.

Not a big fan of Schumer, who is definitely too hawkish (esp. on I/P--but I guess you gotta represent your constits) for me, although I do like Lautenberg.

People join on so many of these advisory boards, I often wonder if they fully realize what their names are attached to...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

40. revcarol i'm with you! Donna is very chummy with Rove ...

even during her stint as Gores campaign director and the 2002 election cycle!...even she admitted to this friendship on crossfire...i shit you not!



http://www.aarlc.org/news/022103.shtml

February 21, 2003
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
New York Times

WASHINGTON - Two years ago, Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's campaign manager, was engaged in daily combat with Karl Rove, then George W. Bush's top campaign strategist.

Today, they chirpily exchange e-mail, chat on the phone and write letters, indulging in their shared zeal for the inner workings of politics.

"I like her a lot," said Mr. Rove, now ensconced in the West Wing as President Bush's chief political adviser.

Ms. Brazile, a committed Democrat who was the first black woman to manage a presidential campaign, has built similar relationships with other Republicans, like Grover Norquist, an influential conservative strategist. And her coziness with them comes as she is deeply frustrated with her own party for what she calls years of taking African-Americans for granted and for failing to organize for elections in a coherent way.

In fact, Ms. Brazile's alienation could well be viewed as emblematic of a Democratic Party in disarray.

For years Ms. Brazile, 43, has worked diligently in the trenches for Democrats, mobilizing the black vote. She worked on Representative Richard A. Gephardt's last presidential primary campaign, in 1988. She was fired from Michael S. Dukakis's presidential campaign later that year for impolitic remarks about his opponent, Vice President George Bush. After pulling out record numbers of black voters for Mr. Gore in 2000, she helped engineer one of the few Democratic victories in 2002, rebuffing an intense Republican campaign against Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana.

But as the new presidential season approaches, Ms. Brazile has spurned overtures from most of the Democratic candidates and opted out of the 2004 primaries. For the first time in her two decades in politics, she has hung out a shingle as a consultant who wants to be paid as well as other top Democratic strategists for her advice.

These days she pointedly calls herself a "totally independent Democrat." And she is not defensive about her chattiness with Republicans

more...


http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Mar/03162003/nation_w/38863.asp
and read especially paragraph 6 ...

[guajira]

5. Donna Brazile!!??!! AAARRRHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please NO! Surely the Draft Clark campaign will not let her get involved in his campaign, if he runs!

If they try, I'm sure there will be huge outcry from Clark supporters!

[JI7]

8. why ? i like brazile

what's with the anti brazile posts here ? i like her. i would like it if she worked for kerry.

[tjdee]

13. She runs her mouth when she doesn't have to.

I'm sure you'll get specifics, but I just remember that she likes to speak at length about the dirty linens, so to speak, of the Democratic Party. I remember she was all "I talk to Karl Rove on the telephone from time to time" and she dissed Gore slightly a while back (I try to block that out, LOL)--and she ran his campaign.

But, I will say this for her--she is very good at getting out the black vote. She is very entrenched with the DNC (Terry), NOT the DLC as far as I know, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the DNC is pleased as punch to have Clark run. They're not stupid.

[myomy]

45. Yes, but thatÕs just the female side of her.

.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. Really

And she has cache in the African American community.

[arwalden]

27. I Like Her Too... BUT...

She's not the world's best public speaker, nor the best debater, nor the best talk-show guest. She could learn to CORRECTLY PRONOUNCE a few of my pet-peeve words.

Brilliant as she may be, she's best suited for background (non-speaking) roles.

-- Allen

[wes_clark_for_pres]

31. Brazile is a nice lady...

but we need somebody with the Carville-like fighting style for this round... I agree...don't get Brazile involved in the campaign!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

34. during the 2002 election cycle...Donna starting hanging out with Rove

hell even when she was Al Gore's presidential campaign manager they are quite good friends now...she work on mary landuue;s LA campaign and thats when Rove and her became chummy

http://www.aarlc.org/news/022103.shtml

February 21, 2003
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
New York Times

WASHINGTON - Two years ago, Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's campaign manager, was engaged in daily combat with Karl Rove, then George W. Bush's top campaign strategist.

Today, they chirpily exchange e-mail, chat on the phone and write letters, indulging in their shared zeal for the inner workings of politics.

"I like her a lot," said Mr. Rove, now ensconced in the West Wing as President Bush's chief political adviser.

Ms. Brazile, a committed Democrat who was the first black woman to manage a presidential campaign, has built similar relationships with other Republicans, like Grover Norquist, an influential conservative strategist. And her coziness with them comes as she is deeply frustrated with her own party for what she calls years of taking African-Americans for granted and for failing to organize for elections in a coherent way.

In fact, Ms. Brazile's alienation could well be viewed as emblematic of a Democratic Party in disarray.

For years Ms. Brazile, 43, has worked diligently in the trenches for Democrats, mobilizing the black vote. She worked on Representative Richard A. Gephardt's last presidential primary campaign, in 1988. She was fired from Michael S. Dukakis's presidential campaign later that year for impolitic remarks about his opponent, Vice President George Bush. After pulling out record numbers of black voters for Mr. Gore in 2000, she helped engineer one of the few Democratic victories in 2002, rebuffing an intense Republican campaign against Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana.

But as the new presidential season approaches, Ms. Brazile has spurned overtures from most of the Democratic candidates and opted out of the 2004 primaries. For the first time in her two decades in politics, she has hung out a shingle as a consultant who wants to be paid as well as other top Democratic strategists for her advice.

These days she pointedly calls herself a "totally independent Democrat." And she is not defensive about her chattiness with Republicans

more...

[OKNancy]

35. I see nothing in this story to indicate that she works for the

Clark campaign or the draftclark people. It says she was speaking at a Democratic luncheon in Utah and made these remarks.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

51. Brazile and DLC....she works for the highest bidder

http://www.msnbc.com/news/834591.asp?0bl=-0

Election Gave ’04 Brokers More Clout Governors, others gain power over Dems’ choice

Snip>
BLACK DEMOCRATS
One of the most important moments in Clinton’s rise to the nomination in 1992 was the decision of former Gov. Doug Wilder—an African-American—not to get into the contest. That left Clinton free to lock up crucial black votes in the South. Since then, black voters have, if anything, become a more important part of the equation in Democratic contests. That’s especially true in the South, where blacks can make up half or more of the turnout in a primary. They’re up for grabs this time, and are sure to decide the outcome of the third important event in the 2004 season—the South Carolina primary, which follows Iowa and New Hampshire. Which Democrat can win them over? In the meantime, there is one person every Democrat would want on their side in that effort: Donna Brazile. The Louisianan worked for Gephardt in 1988 and for Al Gore in 2000. She is a master organizer, and highly regarded by everyone in the business.

[tjdee]

57. Highest DEMOCRATIC bidder.

What's wrong with that?

Who's that guy? Don't remember his name, but he left Edwards to go to Kerry, same deal... I think those people do this kind of stuff all the time.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

63. tjdee touche..yes donna works for the "highest democratic bidder" for now

let's hope she stays that way...but imho Rove is a bad bad influence

[tjdee]

65. I agree.

That affiliation is kind of disturbing.

[OKNancy]

58. Would you like her better if she said nice things about Dean?

The excitement factor alone could be enough to make minority Democrats take a look at the brusque New Englander. Dean shows no sign of peaking too early, says Donna Brazile, who was Al Gore's 2000 campaign manager and is one of her party's more effective minority organizers. "He's all that and a stick of gum. He's that hot. The flavor has not left him." She mentions a conversation with a prominent bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest African-American denomination. "I've seen all these cats, but I like Dean," the bishop told Brazile. "I've sent him money."

Time magazine

[Northwind]

6. Weren't there a rash of very similar news stories

In the days just before Gore most recently stated he would not be running?

[JI7]

7. brazile wanted clark to run

i had seen her in some appearances and it seemed she had always wanted him to run. i would not be surprised if she begins to work on his campaign. he would be lucky to have her.

[JanMichael]

9. Lula will kick his ass! Hmm. I didn't know Clark spoke Portugese...

<snare shot>

Thank, you, thank you very much!

[tjdee]

12. HAHahhahahahaha!

Good one!

Actually...to get all annoyingly serious on a perfectly good joke, I believe Clark speaks four languages....Portuguese isn't one.

Uh--

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Good joke!

[Yupster]

15. Bush is estimated to speak six languages

Liguists are trying to figure out which ones they are by examining his answers to reporters' questions.

[RichM]

18. Oh Goody! A takeover by a military strongman is just what we need.

After all, the US doesn't have nearly enough militarism in its culture & economic structure already. And we're not nearly frightened enough of the evil-doers in the rest of the world -- having a military guy as the nation's big honcho will help remind us that the world is full of dangerous enemies.

Let's confirm for the American people that when the going gets tough, what you need is more reliance on military strength. Let's also show them that the major requirement for holding high office is being a celebrity. After we nominate a general, we can look for a high-profile football coach to run in 2008 (if we can't recruit a major Hollywood star).

The best way for Democrats to establish their identity is to think fearfully about what nasty things Republicans might say about us. Then, whatever we fear most, we try to counter that with our choice of nominee. For example, we're most scared that Repubs might say we're "weak on defense." So, rather than debate that point, we show we're NOT weak on defense by nominating a military strongman, right?

In this clever way, we define our whole identity based on our fear of mean things that Republicans might say. Why stop there? Why not define our whole lives based on our worst fears of what Republicans might say?

This is definitely an idea whose time has come.

[tjdee]

19. Did Eisenhower and all the other generals worry you too?

Running generals for President isn't exactly a new idea.

I think for some Clark supporters it is less about being scared of Republicans than taking the Republicans' fire.

All Bush has is his 'war hero' thing. If we run Clark, he doesn't even have that.

You also act like Wesley Clark is some Democratic Arnold Schwarzenneger. Wesley Clark also holds a master degree in economics and I believe runs his own consulting firm. If all he is, is an empty military suit, I'm sure people will see through that.

If they don't, or if he is nominated, cleary the people are speaking.

[RichM]

42. The Clark phenomenon is indeed much like the Schwarzenegger

phenomenon. Both hope to cash in on celebrity, a macho public image, cute smiles, & fame earned in areas that have little to do with political leadership. Both men are candidates NOT because of ideas they've espoused, but because of their resumes and public personae.

I have nothing against Clark in particular, at least so far -- he seems like not too bad of a fellow. However, I also see no reason to believe that he should be seriously considered as a political leader, either. The few positions he's staked out so far are neither outstanding, nor seriously objectionable.

I object to the behavior of his supporters more than to Clark, himself. What he really is, remains to be seen. His supporters, however, are full-throatedly endorsing the stupid idea of picking a candidate based on what his last job was, rather than on the specifics of his program & his analysis of our political crisis.

Americans are already immature & childish. To encourage them to support a candidate just because the guy was a general, is to encourage yet more uncritical star-struck behavior in the body politic.

[fishnfla]

52. Perhaps you should sing your tune in KOSOVO

since the General was instrumental in the cessation of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, I would hazzard to guess he has a leeetle bit more experience than Arnie.

[RichM]

59. This is a crock of BS. Kosovo had nothing to do with cessation of

ethnic cleansing, any more than Iraq has to do with "Iraqi Liberation." That was just the pretext that was used, to make military aggression palatable for the general public.

[fishnfla]

68. *sigh*

the Serbs had artillary all over the high ground, shelling the crap out of innocent civilians. Clark and Clinton, against the wishes of the GOP in congress, brought in the jet fighters and won the day. Ended the war. Sorry Rich, its a big mean world out there, sometimes you gotta have brains, guts, a spine, and 2 strong arms to swing. Or you could serve in the Texas National Guard defending Crawford from the North Vietnamese Air Force.

[RichM]

73. Re: "Clark and Clinton, against the wishes of the GOP in congress, ..."

You try here to give Clark credit for this operation. He was just a general -- he HAS to follow orders. Therefore, he deserves no credit whatever for it. Colin Powell would have done the exact same thing as Clark did, in his place.

Amusingly, you also swallow the silly propaganda that the operation had to do with saving Kosovar Albanians (the Serbs, you write, were "shelling the crap out of innocent civilians.") You can believe whatever fairy tales you like. But when you get around to learning something about the military interventions of great empires, you'll see that though it's common for great powers to claim that an intervention is carried out "purely on humanitarian grounds," this is invariably a lie, used simply to hide the self-interest involved.

[tjdee]

55. At least Clark's area of expertise is necessary for the job!

I get your point--to a point.

Clark, as a military leader, met with international state heads and other assorted diplomats. In fact, I view him almost like a Secretary of State sort of thing--he has extensive experience in foreign affairs, unlike Schwarzenneger, who....um...is a foreign affair. In Clark's case, though, his position was also an executive one (as Allied Commander).

The only thing unknown (and it's a big unknown, we'll agree) with Clark are political things. What are his plans, his vision, etc. I think it's obvious that he's not a gung-hoer on the military complex, or a PNACer, or anything insidious like that.

The larger question is whether his poliices are acceptable to us. That's why I don't know how people can be exclusively supporting him against other candidates without hearing specifics from him. Or for that matter, be so vehemently against him without knowing where he's going to be coming from.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

79. If

Arnold was

F-i-r-s-t in his class at West Point

A Rhodes Scholar

Managed the militaries of nineteen of the most powerful nations in the world

I would take him serious as Wes Clark.


Go Wes Clark....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

80. By The Way Who Do You Propose We Run Against Bush

[Larkspur]

67. Under Eisenhower, the US toppled the Democratic Govt of Iran

in 1953 because it was feared that they would nationalize the oil industry in Iran and thus hurt US profits. The CIA led a coup that toppled Iranian democracy and imposed the Shah of Iran, a brutal dictator who eventually was toppled by anti-American Islamic fundamentalist forces.

Also, Eisenhower sent troops into Nicaragua to topple its government because the government there was planning on nationalizing or seizing lands that the United Fruit Company claimed to own. United Fruit Co. won and the Nicaraguan peasants lost.

My mom lived under Eisenhower and she thought that he was a political lightweight and really didn't care about the average middle class American.

He was right about one thing -- the threat posed from the military-industrial complex.

[tameszu]

71. One word, my friends:

Starts with "i," rhymes with "pignore."

It will save you much frustration in the end, unless your idea of a good time is banging your head against a brick wall.

Then again, maybe being exposed to more unreasonable attacks on Clark will just make you more likely to support him...

[SaintLouisBlues]

24. How do we get some of the white male vote?

The biggest problem progressives have in national elections is the almost 70 percent of white males who vote Repuke, IMO. You've just described many of the white-guy hot-buttons.

The Wimp Factor may have hurt Poppy, but it is killing the Democrats. As much as I wish it wasn't true, I firmly believe liberals are not seen as macho enough for many apolitical men whose interests run counter to the Repukes. Clark can eat into that 70 percent, at which point the Repukes simply don't have the numbers to win nationally.

By the way, are all military men "strongmen" or only those you hope to marginalize?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. A real leader doesn't pander to the constituency

(e.g. by playing up to the macho mentality) but strives to lead the constituency to something better.

I believe that white working class men have gpne into macho mode (in greater numbers than I remember growing up--they just were what they were, they didn't go out of their way to be mean and dumb) because it's a front to cover up their overwhelming economic insecurity.

If our economy were functioning better, and hardworking working class people had a chance for a decent life, we'd see a lot less of this purposely belligerent attitude.

I don't know. Clark may be okay, but the idea that both parties have to be about macho, strutting, Commie-stomping militarism is very disturbing.

[SaintLouisBlues]

49. No pandering, no winning the election

I agree real leaders should not pander, and real Americans should not have to be pandered to. Evidently, many Americans not only can't handle the truth, they don't even want to hear the truth.

Also, white guys voted 70 percent Repuke during Clinton's economic miracle.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

78. "Clinton's economic miracle"

was far from a miracle for working class whites. Even during the Clinton administration, well-paying manufacturing jobs continued their twenty-year trend of leaving for Mexico and China, to be replaced by burger flipping and Walmart shelf stocking jobs.

The main difference during the Bush misadministration is that the economic insecurity that the working class has known for twenty years is now reaching up into the formerly comfortable middle class.

Where the Dems went wrong was not in not swaggering enough (they largely supported Reagan's pathetically cruel adventures in Grenada, Lebanon, and Central America as well as Bush Sr.'s Gulf War, and Clinton seemed to send troops somewhere every month ), but in failing to stand up for unions, farmers, and other traditional constituents during the 1980s.

[fishnfla]

56. If he hates military strongmen, he wust love the Bushnik chikenhawks

eom

[wes_clark_for_pres]

33. "military strongman?" Do some research! n/t

[RichM]

43. "Research" my foot. I'm sure I know more about him than you do.

[tameszu]

39. Same old, same old Rich; and some arguments about Clark's appeal for Lydia

But, please, do continue. I'm pretty happy to report that the Clark supporters seem to have cleaned up their act; that many of our adversaries haven't can only make us look better. So by all means, keeping making your skepticism look bad.

Lydia: I'm not qualified to speculate about demographics, so I won't go into various claims about whether Clark will bring home the white male vote or the married women vote or whatever.

What I do know is that there does seem to be a nontrivial part of the population that does prioritize foreign policy and security/defense concerns quite significantly. And on these issues, the public generally does not trust the democrats--the Republicans sadly have a staggering 40% lead over the Dems on these issues.

If the Democrats are going to win, they either have convince voters that the economy and domestic issues are so much more important that foreign policy and defense that the latter are pretty much irrelevant, or they are going to have to pursuade the voters on these issues.

Doing so does not mean that the Democrats need to be "militarist" or "belligerant"; it does mean, however, that the Democrats need a coherent, consistent, and plausible position on foreign policy and defense.

I submit that such a position did not exist during the 2002 elections--the Democrats were all over the place, and those people who had good ideas did not articulate them clearly enough.

We Clark supporters think that he can articulate such a message. Yes, his experience does help give him credibility, but it's his message that matters to most of us.

So that's our deal...cheers...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

60. Credibility As A Commander In Chief

is a threshhold issue.


Becing perceived as credible on national security is a necessary but not sufficient condition for electoral success.

If you are not perceived as credible on this issue a m-a-j-o-r-i-t-y of voters will not listen to anything you have to say about the other issues.

"We must take man as he is and not the way we want him to be."

-Edmund Burke

[DoveTurnedHawk]

82. I've Rekindled My Love Affair With the Ignore Function

It really helps against those few people here who are so irrationally opposed to Clark.

Again, I love how Clark and Dean are so close in polling HERE. I imagine Clark will do even better among the general Democratic population, if and (hopefully) when he declares.

DTH

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. 22% Of White Males Identify Themselves As Democratic

You could prolly walk down the street of any major city and not bump into one white male Democrat.

Unless we project an image of strength and competence we will never make any inroads into this critical group of voters.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

53. RichM yup Clark the icing on the cake of "Military Industrial Complex"

that Ike warned us against

[tameszu]

66. Ironic that warning would come from the last general we elected President

isn't it?

Or maybe there really is something to the idea that generals often respect the line between military and civilian life, as well as the horrors of war and the value of peace, better than do many chickenhawks?

[ElsewheresDaughter]

70. tameszu maybe but i still feel better with military in military leadership

rather than presidential leadership...just my $0.02

[tameszu]

72. I can respect your presumption

Some people are reassured by Clark's background, others are a bit ooked out. It's all good...I'd just ask that you keep an open mind...cheers!

:toast:

[realFedUp]

20. I still think he should run as a Republican

.
Brazille's knowledge may just be political insider stuff...
I wouldn't jump at this yet.

[11cents]

21. Michael Frisby connection is interesting

... and it's a clear connection, which the Brazile one isn't. Frisby's an African-American journalist and something of a Friend of Bill, I believe.

[arwalden]

22. Does This Mean That He's "Announcing His Plans" To RUN?? Or...

... that he's announcing his plans "one-way-or-the-other" depending on what he decides by the end of the month?

This could be interpreted in about three different ways.

-- Allen

[bicentennial_baby]

23. Exactly

I read this as he's going to announce whether or not he's running, not that he's running and will soon announce.

[arwalden]

25. Okay... that's my interpretation too. But I was being generous with the...

... other interpretations.

I suspect that the vagueness in the wording of the press release was intentional. Although technically truthful, the press release does tend to list to the "hopeful" side (ostensibly so that others won't be discouraged and will jump on the Draft-Clark bandwagon.)

-- Allen

[tjdee]

38. It says "enter the campaign."

"Ms. Brazile said that General Clark will enter the campaign..."

And when you pair that with "Retired General Wesley Clark will announce his plans to run for president", it doesn't seem too ambiguous for me.

I do find interesting that the 'reporter' didn't exactly quote Brazile. I'm fairly suspicious when I don't see exact quotes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. Frankly, while Clark would be okay

and certainly better than Bush, he's too tied to conventional wisdom on foreign policy, and his views on domestic issues are vague.

I agree with RichM that the last thing we need is more military influence in this government, unless Clark can prove that he's out to question the very idea of the U.S. policing the world (which is more trouble than it's worth) and to put the Pentagon on a strict diet.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. Tied To Conventional Wisdom On Foreign Policy

If being tied to conventional foreign policy means that war must be used as a last resort and diplomacy through multinational institutions must be used as a first resort then call me and the General tied to conventional foreign policy...

Go General Clark...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

81. What I mean by "conventional wisdom" is

the idea that there's nothing wrong with the U.S. having six times the military budget of any other country or the idea that America knows best when it comes to deciding whether other countries are "good" or "bad."

Countries are "good" if they allow American business interests a free hand and support U.S. foreign policy decisions. Countries are "bad" if they try alternative economic systems or stand in the way of "strategic interests." How they treat their own people seems to be irrelevant, except for when a country is being moved off the "good" list and onto the "bad" list. Then the news media are full of stories about their horrible human rights situation, as if it's something new.

For example, the Left tried to warn the public about the Taliban at the same time that the C.I.A. was *supporting* (yes, actively supporting!) them with the idea that they were the only faction capable of bringing "stability" to Afghanistan. This was during the Clinton administration, by the way, and it is one of many reasons why I was sorely tempted to vote for Nader, until I realized how dreadful Bush was.

Neither of these situations is new with the Busheviks. They're just a particularly evil outgrowth of attitudes that have prevailied since the end of WWII.

What I see on the "draft Clark" websites is a lot of talk of "strategic interests," and nothing about the U.S. trying to relieve the misery that much of the world lives in.* That sounds like conventional wisdom--or like my brothers playing "Risk" when they were teenagers.

*Back during the Reagan administration, someone published an article putting price tags on several projects, such as providing safe drinking water for everyone on earth and providing every child in the Third World with an elementary education. The price tags were equivalent to the Pentagon's annual cost overruns.
The "conventional wisdom" on international relations is immoral and sick.

[fishnfla]

61. "More military influence on this goverment"???

It is chickenhawk civilians who got us into this mess!!!! It is a bigger mess because Rummy ignored military advice! Did it ever occur to you that someone who's been to war would be less inclined to go again? Did it ever occur to you that an AWOL chickenhawk like shrub has nothing against sending other people's kids to war? Trust.

[Donna Zen]

28. Brazile

My problem with Donna Brazile is the poor quality of her advice rather than the question quality of her associations. People who want to win would do well to stay away from Brazile. Does anyone here have a conduit to Clark's inner circles?

[imhotep]

30. Not only is she a loser.

She also became close friends with Karl Rove over the last 2 years, which shows something about her character.

[lanlady]

36. I hope he runs

I'm a Dean supporter but realistically speaking, having Clark on the ticket in the #1 or #2 spot would be Bush's worst nightmare for a number of reasons. For one thing, they wouldn't get away with the "Dems are wimps on security" so easily.

Clark maintains that he's heard from a lot of disaffected Republicans who would gladly support him. I believe him, because I also know plenty of Republicans who have turned against *. I truly believe he could pull off a victory over Dubya.

[CMT]

37. Donna Brazile will be part of his campaign?

well she is a good choice.

[grasswire]

50. nowhere does it say...

....that Brazile will be part of his campaign.

Brazile is a reactionary. By that I mean she only reacts to events, rather than setting the agenda for her candidate. She sits back and waits for the questions, and then looks inscrutable for a long while before attempting an answer.

She's not the kind of political advisor who can win the presidency for Dems.

[Donna Zen]

74. You are right!

Brazile ran a reactionary and inept campaign in the last cycle. Also, she has permitted herself to be co-opted by Rove of the right.

[Capn Sunshine]

47. There was a post by a Tenn DUer last night

That indicated a feeling that Clark would announce at their Knox County confab....in a week or so

[burr]

75. Really...the other candidates have failed to this??

Dean has made a great case, so have Kerry, Kucinich, Sharpton, and even Gephardt. The only candidate who has failed to make the case for sending shrub back to his ranch, IMHO is Lieberman. He first says that he and Gore defeated shrub in 2000, then he states that we must not repeal the entire tax cut or turn their bloody mistake in Iraq into a "partison matter".

[knight_of_the_star]

76. One week

And we know if he is going to help bail out the party or not.

[burr]

77. What is so magical about one week?

:shrug: