Are Repugs and Freepers afraid of attacking Clark?

[evil_orange_cat]

I've visited a few freeper-type sites and they really hate Dean. They refer to him as a leftist wingnut and they refer to Vermont as the Soviet Union. One thing I have noticed though, is that the right-wing whackos don't seem to mention Clark at all. In fact, Dean and Hillary are their favorite targets.

I wonder, is the right scared of Clark? I know they feel threatened by Dean, and perhaps that's why they attack him so viciously... but I suspect the right is so scared of Clark that they can't even bring themselves to attack him.

What are your guys' thoughts on this? Have you seen the right attack Clark at all? Because I haven't. ;)

BTW, Dean is still my favorite, but Clark is a close second. In fact, I might just lean more towards Clark in the end because it seems as if the right wing hate machine will attack Dean so much that some voters will vote for Bush. Thoughts?

[La_Serpiente]

1. I think they have their lame excuses for Clark

but I really really think that they hate Dean.

[joeybee12]

2. Stick with Dean--those freepers will try to tear apart whoever is the

nominee.

If Clark were the favorite right now, he'd be attacked readily--Dean is just their prime target right now because he's in the lead.

And as for Hilary, well, they can't get over it, can they? They never will.

[evil_orange_cat]

5. but what would they attack Clark on? it's easy to call Dean a lefty...

but Clark has the military credentials and many years of distinguished service in the military... would the right risk alienating the military and their families by attacking Clark as viciously as they attack Dean?

[Demobrat]

6. Getting fired from the army would be a start.

Saying that we should let our software development jobs go to India would work too. Don't worry, they've got plenty of ammo, but Clark's not a threat right now. Should that change we'll see just how "electable" the fired general really is.

[spychoactive]

14. in a word:

yes! i think it's his military background that slows their attacks

[NewGuy]

3. I think they are simply attacking the threat.

They don't see anyone else as a threat because Dean looks like the front runner. Hillary has been a right wing target for 11 years now. She is used to it.

[billbuckhead]

4. "Coward Dean" from the "Peoples Republic of Vermont"

It's already started. Dean's been bullied by the NRA for years and they know he's the ultimate pink tutu Dem. Clark scares freepers because he's smart, unpredictable and disciplined.

[demnan]

7. Dean is the front runner

If you were the Republicans you wouldn't waste your time focusing on anyone but the front runner. After all, remember that the Democrats didn't waste insults on McCain, that doesn't mean they were afraid of him, that means they didn't view him as a threat.

Hillary is viewed as a threat as well.

On edit, to clarify, perhaps they should be watching Clark who has gained in popularity, but my guess is that they aren't.

The Republicans are afraid of no one. They will stop at nothing to attack, lie, steal and cheat to win.

[evil_orange_cat]

18. just reminding you... not one vote has been cast. ;)

n/t

[dajabr]

8. Just obeying Reagan's 11th Commandment I guess? (nt)

[PsychoDad]

9. The General has shown-

He won't take crap from reporters. I doubt he would take it from anyone else.

What is there for them to attack him on? Can't call him soft or inexperianced in national security, which I think will be the entire platform for the GOP... maybe with more tax cuts for the rich.
They will create BS, but they know it will be addressed by Clark, and they will be "dressed down" for it.

[dsewell]

10. No, for them a Democrat is by definition a traitor

As a Clark supporter since before he announced, I was naive enough to think that he'd get a bye from the right-wingers. No way. The attacks maybe aren't as sneering as they are on Hillary and Dean, but I can remember hearing Sean Hannity lighting into him early on, and Michael Savage tossing out the urban legend that Clark was involved on the Branch Davidian assault. You'll hear the nickname "Weasel Clark" on the hate-radio shows as well. But after all, if Jesus of Nazareth came back and announced he was a registered Democrat, he'd get the same treatment from the Limbaughs of the world.

[newyawker99]

17. Hi dsewell!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[NNN0LHI]

11. They are scared shitless of the military creds pissing contest that Clark

...is bound to get into with Bush that is going to come whether Clark gets the nomination or not. It could reopen the fact that Bush was AWOL for more than a year while a war was raging in Vietnam. They are not looking forward to it.

Don

[Greyhawk]

19. Only Nixon could go to China

That stupid phrase is it: Clark as a military man who advocates "a third way" is far and away the most appealing candidate to the largest number of voters.

For example, the Right fears Colin Powell as a R candidate because although he is strong on foreign policy, he would abandon them in a heartbeat on social and national issues.

Clark was an early target as a friend of the fervently-hated: the Clintons.

[DakotaDemocrat]

12. Rove will paint Dean...

...as someone who will take away everyone's tax cuts while being soft on defending our country from the evil that 9-11 brought...

I can see the debate now. Bush will paint Dean as that and the moderator will say, "Governor Dean? Would you like to respond?" Bush paints the SAME picture against Clark, and the moderator will say, "GENERAL Clark..."

[jobycom]

13. Different reasons for Freepers and for Repub leaders

Freepers are attacking Dean because he's the frontrunner and likely nominee, and because he attacks Bush frequently. They barely notice Clark.

The Repub leadership won't attack Clark, though, unless he becomes a mainstream threat. The reason is they don't want to bring attention to him. One of the drawbacks to attacking an opponent is you give them credibility, or at least publicity. If they attacked Clark, it would gain more attention for Clark.

I don't know which candidate would have the best chance of defeating Bush, but Clark would be the hardest for Bush to attack. Bush will slander anyone, that's just how the family operates. They've been doing it since the 60s. Slandering Dean won't backfire on them. Dean's a moderate, but he's perceived as a liberal, so there won't be any sympathy backlash from moderates. If they start on Clark, it could gain sympathy for Clark. It could even undermine Bush's credibility, if people didn't believe him. So they won't worry about Clark until he becomes a threat to them. That way he'll probably just go away.

For the record, I'm not supporting Clark or Dean yet.

[san antonio]

21. Exactly

Freepers are attacking Dean because he's the frontrunner and likely nominee, and because he attacks Bush frequently.

I couldn't agree more. With the focus that Dean has placed on Bush, they really have no choice but to focus their lies on him. Much of what makes Dean so popular around here is what makes him such a big target of those thugs.

[KittyWampus]

15. Well, The RNC Only Just Put Clark On Their Website

after he's been in the race 3 months.

They did an attack ad about angry Democrats and left Clark out.

The media tries VERY hard not to even mention Clark... and they seem genuinely pissed if they HAVE to mention him.

[VOX]

23. I've been aware of Clark's absence on the RNC Web site...

And was wondering when they'd get around to adding him to their hateful rogue's gallery.

So I see that he's now classified by the RNC as a "Flip-Flopping, Liberal Clinton Crony."

To which I say, "Alright, Wes!"

[drfemoe]

16. How about deciding

who you think will serve as the best President and don't worry about what the freepers think ...

You're not saying you think you should vote for the same person the freepers want to vote for, are you?

[Tinoire]

20. Naw... I don't think so. They loathe Clark

If you click http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=+site:freerepublic.com+Free+Republic+%22Wesley+Clark%22">here you'll find 1620 Freeper threads on Clark and none of them are admiring or scared. There are 3310 threads on Dean whatever that means.

Back to Clark:

Emotional sock puppet is one of their kinder terms

EMOTIONAL GEN. WES CLARK '60 MINS II' DAN RATHER INTERVIEW TONIGHT: MISTS UP, TEAR FORMS, DOES NOT FALL DOWN CHEEK; A SIDE OF HIM WE HAVE NEVER SEEN, SOURCES TELL DRUDGE... DEM CANDIDATE ASKED ABOUT KOSOVO AND CLEANSING. CBS CAMERA GOES FOR CLOSE-UP. TEARS, NO CRYING; SHOWS PICTURES OF DEAD CHILDREN... DEVELOPING...
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I saw it. Regardless of his party, General Clark should never be allowed into the Oval Office. He is dangerously unstable.

---

Sounds bizarre- but just like him. I have followed this guy ever since Kosovo. He is known for weird outburts. He is one stange and unstable guy. He was basically forced into early retirement. I think he is so dangerous that I would honestly rather have Hillary as President before Clark ever had access to the button.
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Somebody's got to say it: "what's the frequency, Wesley?"

---
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1032090/posts">My undercover evening at a Wesley Clark for President meetup

Lots lots more but that's about all I had the patience for. & Lots of graphics- the favorite seems to be Hillary & the Sock Puppet.

The don't seem scared at all. Are having a ball digging up a ton of dirt on him and laughing their heads off that Democrats are buying this.

[Andromeda]

22. That's simple...

Dean is the frontrunner. If Clark should take the lead then he would be the target. They will always target the guy at the top to bring him/her down.

Republicans love to hate Hillary because she is a Clinton and a popular New York Senator who has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008.