The General and his ground troops (Salon on Clark's movement)

[robbedvoter]

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/10/23/clark/ 
The general and his ground troops
Howard Dean is not the only Democratic candidate who has inspired an army of followers. Wes Clark's ranks are growing, and they include Bush deserters.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Michelle Goldberg



Oct. 23, 2003  |  Since she found Gen. Wesley Clark, Beatrice Moritz, a Manhattan photographer, has stopped hating George Bush. She's taking down the full-page MoveOn.org ad she'd taped to her wall, with its scowling picture of the president labeled "Misleader." Before becoming a Clark volunteer, she'd spent months seething, becoming obsessed with photographing those who were "speaking back" to Bush with their signs at protest marches, incredulous about the nation's acquiescence to an administration that seemed to her so self-evidently awful. Then Clark turned it all around.

"Now I feel like I have an alternative because Wesley Clark, he's going to win," she says. "It makes me feel that I'm not going to waste my energy thinking about all the bad things Bush has done. I don't hate Bush as a person. I went through a period of that, but I'm more focused now on the very positive experience of supporting a candidate who's a real president, and I know it's not just me. I feel it."

snip

Many of Clark's followers say that while Dean speaks to their rage, Clark, four-star general, intellectual, humanitarian and war hero, speaks to their longing for something higher. "He's obviously the best man at this time in history," says Alexandra Richards, a New Jersey stay-at-home mother with a 2-year-old child and an unemployed husband. Figuring that their economic prospects are unlikely to improve as long as Bush is in office, Richards and her husband are considering selling their house and moving to Clark's home base in Little Rock to volunteer for the campaign full-time. "Dean makes me angry about the present," Richards writes in an e-mail. "Clark, on the other hand, gives me HOPE for the future. Hope feels better than anger."

[Ksec]

1. I actually love Wes Clark

in a guy way. I think hes a great honorable man.

[GainesT1958]

2. That's why the General's whole personal approach to this...

Strikes me as by far the BEST way to campaign for the presidency. It begs that oft-asked question yet again: do we simply want to vent, or do we want to win? And, after that, do we simply want to negate, or do we want truly to govern--and lead? :eyes:

B-)

[ProfessorPlum]

3. It's all about hate in the Dean campaign

That's our well-kept secret. You should see the meetups - they include a Two Minute Hate against Bush.

Actually, it's great that Clark is inspiring people, too. His biography is incredibly strong and I think based on his record and his achievement, both in the military and academically, we would be in good hands with him as candidate and President.

On the other hand, I would point out to Ms. Moritz, that if you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention.

[kang]

4. I don't think it's so much about the outrage, but

more about the fact that many Americans don't hate Pres. Bush...they just think he's doing a bad job or are becoming less confident in his leadership.

If Democrats come off too negative against him, people will discount the message or tune out completely since they will figure criticism will always come from the other side.

I think Gov. Dean's done a great job at pointing out what's wrong w/the current administration and I even admire some of his policy ideas, but "Take back America" and other messages seem to lack the kind of overarching theme that will be needed in the general election. The election's not just about beating Pres. Bush, but also conveying a sense to the public that you can be President and have a long-term vision for the country.

Unfortunately for Gov. Dean, he's gotten engaged in a pretty nasty fight w/Gephardt and Sen. Kerry over Iowa and NH. Hopefully, irreparable damage will not result for any of them should they become the nominee.

[ProfessorPlum]

6. Once, just once

I would like to see the Democrats come off as "too negative" against their opponents. The Republicans make this "mistake" all the time, and they seem to be tripping over all of the branches of government they control while we worry about whether we are being nice enough.

Just my $0.02

[kang]

9. GOP goes negative in a very subtle way though

you'll never hear Bush say anything directly, he lets his minions do the sniping instead. There's also the rumor spreading and gossip that their talk radio and columnists provide. That kind of negative is fine, but it's true that directly being negative is unattractive to most voters. Gore was right about Bush's tax cut (and much more), but was pegged as the know-it-all and "fuzzy" math person (which I think Bush's world means you can add and subtract).

I think Clark's "troops" helps convey a movement and an energy that grabs people's attention. It also lends more to his aura as a leader (again, I admit this is all propoganda-type campaign stuff here). Although solid liberals in the primary might be turned off by this due to some ambivalence about the military or militarization of our country, it works.

It's no worse than what we call Dean supporters...there's Deanie (which rhymes w/a synonym for hot dog or a part of the male anatomy) and there's Deaniacs (which suggests a borrowing from the word "maniac" or the Superman villain "Brainiac"). I guess it's better than supporters of other candidates who have no nicknames, but it's strangely fitting given the stereotype that Dean supporters are hi-tech, yuppie, etc. (not that I subscribe to this belief completely).

[RandomUser]

10. I agree with this assessment of the GOP

They're using a subtle triangulation strategy. They present the demonized democrats on one side, and the raving lunatic right fringe like Rush and O'Reilly on the other side, and then present themselves as someone in between. Rush and O'Reilly et. al do the dirty worrk for them. Thus, they are able to keep their hands clean, and come off as pleasant and reasonable. A safe choice between the demonized lunatic left and the lunatic right demonizers.

[RandomUser]

11. Here's an interesting thought

If Dean loses the nomination, perhaps we can utilize him in the same manner. We can have him out there viciously attacking and seen as rabid, like the Rush and O'Reilly, while Clark comes off as the triangulated choice, thus shifting the center leftwards.

No one would vote for Rush/O'Reilly or the other rabid dogs on the right, but they would vote for the triangulated Bush. The further right these rabid right lunatics move, the further Bush can safely move the center right without appearing to be hard right.

Thus, by this analysis, if Dean wins the nomination, he better make damn sure there's someone left of him to pick up the label of rabid leftwing attack dog so that he can come off as the sensible safe moderate choice. If Dean is seen as the left wing equivalent of Rush/O'Reilly, he won't be elected any more than Rush/O'Reilly would be.

[robbedvoter]

7. No one said that. People interviewed gave Dean a lot of thought

Me too. We were asked (and answered) what made us pick Clark. It was not meant as a put down. Just honest introspection. I was surprised to read the article and see that so many others said roughly the same thing I did.

[RandomUser]

15. I was surprised too

As a Clark supporter who switched from Dean, I was surprised how many felt the same way. They captured the difference between the two candidates very well, and I could definitely identify with some of the people cited, since I went down the same path of conversion from Dean to Clark.

[robbedvoter]

16. Ms Moritz - a lead activist in the NYC group - protested herself

as the opening paragraph tells you (I met her at an anti-Ashcroft protest). She was however acknowlodging that out there, a large majority of people DID NOT PAY ATTENTION - so are not outraged. They are however unhappy with W and can be brought to vote for him.
I said this before: I am here on DU for the past 3 years, my handle still represents my feelings. Angrier than me it's hard to find. And still I cringed at Dean's speeches. (mind you, I attended his NYC rally fully deternimed to be impressed). We are a great bunch here at DU, but we still are 30,000+. Not enough to determine a national election.

[madfloridian]

5. Clark is fine, but stop with the "troops" and "deserters" talk.

Just say Clark supporters. All the military stuff is just too much right now.

[KittyWampus]

8. Thank You! But It Seems Unavoidable...

The "troops" talk.. :(

That is NOT why I support Clark.

[thentro]

12. re: troops talk

I think the military lingo will fade into the background more and more, ending up as simply credentials (ala civil rights). The metaphor is just too good to pass up right now

[Ksec]

13. Clark repelled down a mountainside to save victims of a car accident!

Indeed, Clark's followers circulate stories of his exploits -- and the fact that Clark himself hesitates to tell them only stokes their devotion. Tom Junod's awed August Esquire profile has become an ur-text of the campaign. Junod writes of how, in August 1995, Clark was on his way to Sarajevo with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke when an armored personnel carrier in their convoy plunged off a mountain road.

"In his book, the general describes what happened this way: 'At the end of the first week we had a tragic accident on Mount Igman, near Sarajevo. were killed when the French armored personnel carrier in which they were riding broke through the shoulder of the road and tumbled several hundred meters down a steep hillside,'" Junod writes.

"It is not until one reads Holbrooke's book, 'To End a War,' that one finds out that after the APC went off the road, Clark grabbed a rope, anchored it to a tree stump, and rappelled down the mountainside after it," Junod continues, "despite the gunfire that the explosion of the APC set off, despite the warnings that the mountainside was heavily mined, despite the rain and the mud, and despite Holbrooke yelling that he couldn't go."

Take a moment to ponder the likely actions of George W. Bush finding himself in a similar situation
I got it from Media whores online.

[RandomUser]

14. That's very telling of his character

He had the chance to make himself look good by bragging of his heroic warstories in his book, as most veterans would. But he chose not to, preferring to be modest and humble about it, never even mentioning the role he played.

[FrenchieCat]

17. But I don't want him to be too humble .......

A little bit of braggardship wouldn't hurt during the election......

I guess his supporters does enough of it for him though!

"IT'S YOUR ECONOMY AND YOUR WAR, STUPID!"
A REAL MILITARY HERO TELLS A GENUINE INTELLIGENCE FAILURE

[RandomUser]

18. I don't think he'll have any trouble attacking Bush

He's still on a learning curve regarding campaigning, but what I saw of his Fall DNC Meeting appearance on C-Span was reassuring. He spoke after Dean and some others, buth he roused the crowd the most. If you examine the reaction of the audience after each candidate spoke, you'll find that they had the most trouble calming the crowd after Clark spoke. He used a really high energy approach in that speech, and I was disappointed he didn't use that same approach at the Iowa Townhall meeting a few days later -- perhaps the setting didn't lend itself. But at least I know he's capable of a high energy approach that drew even more response than Dean who spoke before him.

[1971]

19. "The General" by Tom Junod (Esquire, Aug. 2003)

Here's the link for that article.
Great shot of Clark in swim trunks, too!

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2003/030801_mfe_clark_1.html

The Aug. '95 incident that Ksec posted is on page 8 of the article.

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2003/030801_mfe_clark_8.html

[FrenchieCat]

20. now, now, now......

Let's not push the physical appeal of the General so much! We don't want any of the other candidates coming out in speedos, now do we???

In particular, Bush.....
cause he will have to find that "Cod" piece that he was gifted from Karl Rove!

"IT'S YOUR ECONOMY AND YOUR WAR, STUPID!"
A REAL MILITARY HERO TELLS A GENUINE INTELLIGENCE FAILURE

[DemCam]

21. Fat chance, Frenchie...

No way for some of us not to notice. ;-)

But I think he must be more handsome in person than on tv. and more charasmatic.

[DemCam]

22. Good to see a Clark thread that's not an adolescent bash.

Was a pleasure to read this morning. I came with fear and trepidation.