Wes Clark Jr.- Interesting Post on Daily Kos

[clar]

Without comment, here it is.


Think what you will about who I am and my writing style. Kos, RonK and the rest know who I am.
I'm not trying to injure Dean or Kos with what I've said, I'm merely trying to point out that the anti-Clark hysteria and trolling on these boards is unbelievable.
If you'd like to see what his positions are, go to his new website and read the hundred year vision. Not specific enough for you? Then just wait, learn and listen.
Regarding the comments that his campaign is screwed up and not wowing you yet - need I remind you that he announced 48 hours ago? Contrary to much of the garbage and gossip written about him on this board, the only organization he had behind him prior to the announcement was a blackberry and two cell-phones. It's going to take a few days to get up and running as the campaign needs to be assembled. If his campaign is such a disaster then why is it every thread that he's the subject of stretches into 300 posts? Why is the mighty Wurlizter firing on all pistons to knock him out? Why the vitriol from Dean supporters?
Regarding the DLC,DNC, Clinton paranioa and sockpuppet accusations - seriously people, go outside and get some fresh air. All this talk about "the establishment" is ridiculous. Who is more establishment - a guy (Dean)who grew up on Park avenue or a guy (Clark) who was raised by a single, working mother in Little Rock ? Establishment indeed.
Bill Rhem - you are correct that VP's do not determine the direction of the country. However, it is one seat away from the presidency and the reason he was being looked at by Dean is that he makes up for Dean's weakness - foreign policy and the military (which arguably are the two most important fields for a head of state wartime or no wartime).
Posted by WesleyClarkJr. at September 19, 2003 12:08 PM

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Good for the kid

I must say, he says exactly what I feel, give the man
time, at least two weeks.

[tjdee]

2. His mom was a single mother?

How 'bout that.

I gotta say, part of the reason I'm interested in Clark is because, like Edwards, Kucinich, and Gephardt, he started with absolutely zero in the way of connections and capital and worked himself up (through the military, which a lot of poor kids can relate to, actually).

[madfloridian]

7. His father was named Kanne, a lawyer and politician in Chicago.

He did not have a poverty type background.

http://www.nbc5.com/news/2488225/detail.html
SNIP...."Clark was born Dec. 23, 1944 in Chicago, Ill. His father, Benjamin Kanne, was an Orthodox Jewish attorney and Democratic Party politician. Kanne died when Clark was 5 years old, and his mother, Veneta Kanne Clark, moved the family back to her native Arkansas, where she remarried former banker, Victor Clark.

Clark was raised as a Baptist (he converted to Catholicism during Vietnam), and attended the local public schools. Clark has said he was influenced as a young man by a World War II veteran, Jimmy Miller, who coached swimming at a local Boys Club.

Clark was first in his class as a 1966 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York. After a brief stint working for a national poverty program in New York City, Clark studied at Oxford University in London, where he was a Rhodes Scholar -- an honor he shares with a fellow Arkansan who ran for president, Bill Clinton. Clark was at Oxford from 1966 to 1968, and earned a master's degree in philosophy, politics and economics....."

[bicentennial_baby]

9. ?

"Kanne died when Clark was 5 years old, and his mother, Veneta Kanne Clark, moved the family back to her native Arkansas, where she remarried former banker, Victor Clark."

Do we know how long his mother waited before she remarried? She may well have been a single mother for a while before she did.

[tjdee]

10. Okey doke.

He was a regular guy with regular connections and capital....which is still a mite different than say, GW Bush, but thanks for correcting me on that.

I wonder how long his mom was single...as another single mom, I find that pretty...cool is not the right word....I don't know.

[madfloridian]

12. Not concerned about the single part at all.

Sorry I did not state it correctly. I just thought it was not right for people to think he came from a poor background.

Good grief, I am so sorry. This was not a bash. I was just presenting fact.

I don't care if his mother was single, not single, or for how long. Does not matter, not a class thing. Don't care.

[tjdee]

13. I think we're getting our signals crossed here...

I was being totally truthful when I said thanks for correcting me on that.

If he wasn't in the same boat as DK and Edwards, then you're right, people shouldn't think that.

I just started thinking about his mom again, and tacked it on to the nd of my reply...I don't think it's relevant to anything, but it's an interesting little fact that interests me. I can see how that was confusing, I should have been clearer. I knew you weren't saying anything related to that.

:)

[madfloridian]

16. Thanks.

Appreciated.

[JI7]

30. admirable ?

maybe you find it admirable she was able to raise someone who made it pretty good in life by herself ? or maybe just a common understanding you may have with her on that. i know i always admired clinton's mother for raising someone who did so m uch in life while poor and single.

[Renew Deal]

32. Poorest kid in the richest hood.

I read that somewhere. He was the poorest kid, with the worst clothes, in the richest school. He ended up being a top swimmer in HS and I think #1 there too.

[BJ]

3. A career general in the U.S. Army isn't the Establishment?!

:wtf:

[DoveTurnedHawk]

4. He Worked His Way Up Through Hard Work and Talent

Unlike Junior, most Thugs, and even many of the elite Dems.

DTH

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Believe it or not

he is not.

If his last name was oh Eisenhower or McCarthur you would have
a point, but not with a kid that truly worked his way up.

What is it that people are scared of a general automatically
or buy the Republican tripe that if you are military you
are Republican? NOT TRUE, you have no idea how many liberals
there are in the Military RIGHT NOW!

[MoonRiver]

5. I'm getting real fed up with this narrow minded attitude toward Clark.

I really like Clark. I think he's the man who can beat *. I don't believe he's a DINO. He seems to have very thoughtful balanced opinions on social as well as military and international issues. And I hope he wins the nomination so I can enthusiastically vote for him in 2004.

[Larkspur]

8. But how much has the military changed his perceptions of regular people?

That is the question. If he looks at civilians as sheep to be sheared, I'm not going to support him.

While Dean came from a priviledge background, he didn't rest on it, like Bush did. Dean, without his father knowing about it, returned to school to earn a medical degress so that he could help people one-by-one. Politics was a natural outgrowth of Dean's desire to help people. Politics helped Dean help more people in a shorter amount of time.

How does Clark view politics and regular people? Is it to helpe people or is it a ego trip for him?

While Clark has credentials that I'd like in a Secretary of Defense, he doesn't have the credentials to be president. He doesn't have enough civilan governance experience to convince me that he won't treat me like a private in his army, who is expected to obey and pay the great general.

Dean has worked his butt off earning the support from his followers. Clark's presidential bid seems to be a lark (carefree merry adventure) right now.

[juajen]

28. Sorry, but the info I get from my brother, who is knowledgeable about

military and pentagon affairs, he and his wife both having put in over 15 years at the pentagon, is that he treated those privates very well, as well as all of the men in his command. My brother is a conservative, but says he will definitely vote for Clark, because he is a wonderful, honest and sincere man. I still haven't joined the bandwagon (still support Kucinich) but he is certainly grabbing some voters who would otherwise vote republican. My brother was in Vietnam (two tours) and certainly is knowledgeable about Clark. My brother was only a Sgt. at the time.

[Renew Deal]

34. Good people coming

There are good people out there ready to talk about the quality guy Clark is. I have seen some of these interviews.

[MariMayans]

11. check this part out..

the reason he was being looked at by Dean is that he makes up for Dean's weakness - foreign policy and the military (which arguably are the two most important fields for a head of state wartime or no wartime).

That is a neo-con, I don't care what party they identify with and I don't care if they will vote for the D instead of the R in exchange for a further leap toward a more paranoid and belligerent state than we already are.

[Nlighten1]

14. Nah

It is a very important consideration. Like it or not the team running for the office of the Presidency must have broad appeal and if you can surround yourself with people of character and experience it helps.

[MariMayans]

15. the MOST important thing in the country is the military?

Fuck that, sounds like Starship Troopers or something.

[Pepperbelly]

18. what world do YOU live in?

The one I have tread these many years is a wondrous place but a dangerous one as well. I did my part walking the at the frontiers to keep the wolves at bay and the wolves were not imagainary nor are they imaginary now.

To have some concern for national survival and the defense of our nation is not a neo-con ideal. It is one of the highest ideals of the Democratic Party since its inception and through the years. Do you really believe that a FDR, a JFK, a Jimmy Carter or a Bill Clinton subscribe to your views in this regard? George McGovern did not nor does he today.

[MariMayans]

20. the real one..

in a country that hasn't been invaded since the war of 1812 but it's inhabitants are so insane they think they have to spend more of "defense" than the rest of the world put together.

[Ms. Clio]

23. you totally nailed it in just one short sentence

Awesome. Welcome to DU.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

24. How Funny You Say That!

To my knowledge, Clark is the only candidate aside from Kucinich who has suggested CUTTING the defense budget!

DTH

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. "A country that hasn't been invaded since the war of 1812"

I guess 9-11 and Pearl Harbor were Disney productions...

[Ms. Clio]

26. no, they were attacks

Not invasions. The Japanese did not put troops on the ground and occupy Hawaii, did they? The terrorists did not occupy New York, did they? Moreover, it is part of the idiocy of the whole metaphor of the "war on terror" to call an atrocity by non-state supported actors anything but a crime. Was the attack on the federal building in Oklahoma an invasion, or a crime?

Here, let me help you with the Webster's definition of the word "invasion": to go in; a hostile entrance into the possessions of another; especially, the entrance of an attacking army into a country. The act of invading, encroaching, or trespassing.

In fact, the most recent invasion occurred when the U.S. attacked and invaded Iraq.

[juajen]

29. I totally agree that the spending on military and defense is outrageous

However, still think we probably need a man like Clark to undo what this junta has done. Even though I think we overspend on defense, I certainly do think we need a good and well supported military. Clinton did well with making the military strong, but cutting expenses. I believe Clark will, too, if he wins the nomination. Note, that Kucinich never said he would destroy the military, only hone it.

Edited for spelling.

[Renew Deal]

35. Pearl Harbor, 9/11???

Aren't those close enough to an invasion?

[blm]

17. This proves one VERY BIG THING.

The theory put forth that Clark and Dean are working together is DEFINITELY flushworthy.

[legin]

19. bump

n/t

[babzilla]

21. Yikes

All I can say about that is that I'm glad Dean's kids aren't posting to any blogs.

I'm sure it would be hard to read stuff posted about your dad but someone should tell WesleyJr that its always best to not feed the trolls.

[Julien Sorel]

27. Isn't one of his kids in jail?

Probably sharing a cell with Lyndon LaRouche.

[juajen]

31. My word,

the "kid" did a prank. I don't think he's in jail. I'm assuming you were joking.

[Julien Sorel]

33. What was the nature of the prank?

[Renew Deal]

36. Getaway driver

In a deli robbery the day before Dean announced. I am not sure if they took money, but I am pretty sure they went for the beer. :beer:

[Julien Sorel]

38. His child participated in a robbery, and Dean went

off on a campaign for the presidency? You have to be kidding me. Where are his priorities? Family should come first. And if he can't raise decent children, how is he fit to be the titular father of our country?

[bloom]

22. kick for pitt

[IranianDemocrat]

37. Clark didn't have everthing handed to him like Dean.

He had to work his ass off.