Why do Clintons support Clark..?

[kentuck]

If he is so close to the Republicans? I don't think anyone would argue that the Clintons are Repubs? Or that they are naive to the political beliefs of General Clark? Should Clinton speak out for Clark if he knows something the rest of us don't know? Or is it that he doesn't want to get into the "partisan" politics of a primary election? Would this relieve some of the misgivings about Clark?

[wyldwolf]

1. Clark has stated...

..he is pro-choice, pro-affirmative action, and pro-many progressive issues.

The fact he likes many republicans on a personal level doesn't change his beliefs.

The Clintons have stated they are no more for Clark than any of the candidates.

[Ruby Newsbee]

24. not quite

The former President's remarks come days after a cocktail party at the couple's Westchester home, where he said the national Democratic Party had two stars - his wife and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who declared his candidacy yesterday.

[AP]

2. they support his participation, not necessarily his nomination...

...and therein lies the big clue as to what's going on.

Incidentally, I have noted here before that the VP nomination in the last several elections is often used to AFFIRM a central theme of the nominees meta-message (rather than to merely ballance the ticket).

One of Edwards's meta-messages is that American measure experience by a lot more than merely how many years you've been in DC/in politics.

[cid]

4. If Clark takes away enough support for Dean, then one of the DLC

guys will win..the Powers that Be of dem party dont want Clark or Dean..they just want them to split up the vote so that Kerry or Lieberman or Gephart wins. IF clark were running and no Dean OR Dean were running with no Clark, then either one of those guys would probably take the nomination..this way neither gets it and one of the DLC guys will get it. Whatcha think of that theory?

[AP]

12. If the DLC believes Dean can't beat Bush and is right, then Clark's...

...participation might ensure that a Democrat -- any Democrat -- wins in 2004.

[newyawker99]

28. Hi cid!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[diplomats]

3. He said nice things about Rumsfeld, Condi, etc.

but his political beliefs are not remotely Republican. Some of his positions still need to be fleshed out, obviously, but from what I've heard and read they strike me as pretty progressive.

[returnable]

5. But didn't you know?

The Clintons are DLC.

According to some here, DLC = Republican.

You need to brush up on your conspiracy theories :)

[DoveTurnedHawk]

6. The Clintons Will, I Believe, Totally Reaffirm Clark's Liberal Values

If this RNC trick starts to stick any. It won't even require an endorsement, all it will require is for them to dispel an unfair attack on a good man and Democratic candidate.

Watch for it!

DTH

[jumptheshadow]

14. Clark will show us exactly where he stands

He says he is going to lay out detailed position papers. At that point it should be very clear what his positions are.

I don't think the RW wants him to get to the point where he releases those papers. And they *certainly* don't want him to have any kind of longstanding national platform where he can criticize the Bush administration.

[Terwilliger]

7. Why does no one understand that Bill Clinton == Joe Lieberman?

If you don't like Joe, you shouldnt like Bill or Hillary.

Who do you think started all this?

[maha]

10. I don't think so.

Joe was one of Clinton's biggest Democratic detractors during his administration.

[Terwilliger]

13. that means nothing

Joe Lieberman (along with the DLC) found Bill Clinton, and they all got together to make a "third way"

[ScrewyRabbit]

8. They see Clark as the guy that will appeal to swing-voters

Which is the same reason I like him, even though I'm more leftist than he is. Basically I want someone who will beat Bush. Period.

[Pltcl_jnky]

9. i dont get it

The man was quoted 2 years ago glorifying Bush, Rums, Powell, Condi and saying they were doing the right thing....he admitted voting for Nixon, Reagan and Bush I and yet he claims he has been a life long democrat....but then again Hillary Clinton has been quoted and saying she agreed with the White House that Saddamm had WMD's and that nothing had changed from her husbands time in the WH....so I guess the Clinton minds change daily

[maha]

11. He never claimed to be a life long Democrat.

He said that during his military career he was apolitical, which is proper.

[macandcheese]

15. Hillary is gonna run

Howard Dean has said that he wants McCuallif out. This will not do, since McCuallif is a puppet for the Clintons. Hillary will run. If Bush is seen as weak, she will have to wait 8 more years to run. Clinton/Clarke 04!

[kentuck]

19. Hillary's not going to run.

You're listening to too much propaganda...

[maha]

22. No.

Hillary will NOT run in 2004, and I'll be surprised if she EVER runs.

[newyawker99]

29. Hi macandcheese!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. The Clintons Are Pragmatists

They want to find the most electable and most liberal Democratic presidential candidate.....

The two are often mutually exclusive...

A blind squirrel can find the most liberal Democratic candidate.....


It's electability that matters....

If you're the next Abraham Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt it counts for naught if you can't get elected....

[Terwilliger]

21. oh, you mean DLC

The DLC is pragmatic?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. Any Politician Who Wants To Gain Power

better be a pragmatist regardless of his political persuasion....


If you are unable to convince a plurality or majority that your views are correct you can't accomplish diddley poo...


Unless you're thinking about a coup or a violent accumulation of power....

[kentuck]

17. It's all so Machivellian....

And Dems are not as good as Repubs at Machivellian politics. Otherwise, we would use Clark to split the Repubs right down the middle and use him to further our own political agenda, throwing him overboard if necessary.

[jumptheshadow]

23. You are so right about that

The Clintons are Machiavellian pragmatists. Unfortunately, given our country's environment in the past decade, this is why they are also so successful.

And by the way, it's probably the reason why the RW hates the Clintons so much. They beat RWers at their own games.

[WilliamPitt]

27. Machiavelli Take II

Many, here and elsewhere, see Clark as an effective way to split the Dem base.

"Clark = GOP"

"Clark = PNAC"

"Clark = MIC"

etc.

[tjdee]

18. Because Clinton knows a winner when he sees one.

Even if Clark *is* a moderate Republican (isn't that really just a conservative Democrat) at heart (his stated policy views don't say this, but anyway), he still has a good chance of winning and governing like a normal human being (better, as he believes in internationalism and force as a last resort). If the GOP had nominated McCain instead of Bush, he may have won the general election fairly. That is, if he even wins the nomination. If not, his involvement is still very, very good for the Democratic Party.

Clinton is no dummy, and frankly, as another DUer said once, I trust his judgment on political affairs about 500 times more than I trust the armchair musings of any DUer.

Does that mean I agree with everything he says? Of course not. In fact, I like Al Gore slightly better than Clinton. But Clinton knows his stuff, and he knows the American voting public.

[sangh0]

20. Maybe they think he's be a good President?

Nah, it couldn't be that. We NEED a conspiracy!!

[Terwilliger]

25. Maybe Bush isn't actually an evil oil-mongering fascist?

Nahh...we NEED a conspiracy!