Another HUGE reason why Clark should be nominated...

[Insurance_Analyst]

In addition to the fact that Clark probably has the best foreign policy credentials and LEADERSHIP skills of any of the candidates, I believe that he would have the political muscle to cut the Pentagon's bloated budget in order to preserve middle-class tax cuts, expand ACCESS to more affordable health insurance, and probably most importantly BALANCE THE BUDGET AND PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE.

All of the other candidates, with the exception of Kerry possibly, would be slandered as traitorous by the republicans and their right-wing punditocracy if they even suggested cutting the Pentagon's bloated budget.

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. I think Dean will cut the Pentagon budget...

He says he won't but I bet he will, he can't come out and say it though.

[meow mix]

2. nah he to angry to cut military

he'll need it to lash out

[BootinUp]

3. I agree this is a biggie

Clark knows where the pentagon fat is. He'll put them on his mean and lean program.

[ClarkGraham2004]

4. My big reason = he won't alienate huge voting blocks like Dean.

Dean has been a real hit with minorities, centrist dems and Reagan Democrats. not


Dean will set us back light years.

[Insurance_Analyst]

6. I like Clark/Gephardt ticket better. Just my opinion.

[ClarkGraham2004]

7. I like anything with CLARK at the top of it.

[Insurance_Analyst]

8. I could live with Kerry...maybe, maybe Edwards as an alternative

[Toucano]

16. I think this could be a winner.

Gephardt still has a lot of support.

I think a Dean/Edwards ticket is a good combination if Clark isn't the nominee.

[otohara]

5. Clark Has Lot's of Friends at Pentagon

why would he want to go and anger his buddies?

[Qutzupalotl]

9. Cutting the Pentagon budget is part of his platform.

I agree it seems counterintuitive for a former General to cut the Pentagon budget, but if anyone can do it credibly, he can.

[Don Claybrook]

10. No one will be cutting the Pentagon budget

Not in any significant way. Don't you know who runs this country? The Pentagon is half of that answer. Their top contractors is the other half of that answer.

I think DK would slash the Pentagon budget, given the chance. But I feel just as sure he'd have a convenient plane crash before that would ever happen.

To anyone who thinks I'm exaggerating or just wrong, consider: people are killed every day over a $20 bill or similar. We're talking about hundreds of billions of dollars here, and it's not being managed by Sunday school teachers.

References: Moyers, Vidal, Chomsky.

All that aside, Clark would be one of the last in line to do any real cutting of the Pentagon's budget.

[BootinUp]

11. For some reason you think Clark just said that

but he didn't mean it. OK then.

[Don Claybrook]

12. He may mean it, but he'd be wrong about that

I think Bill Clinton meant to ride herd on the Pentagon, but he was quickly schooled. The logic is solid.

[helleborient]

13. What will Clark cut out of the Pentagon budget, if he's serious....

Show us the cuts...

[Don Claybrook]

14. Dean won't cut it either

I say that as a Dean supporter trying to be fair. For the reasons outlined above, that budget won't be cut in any serious way. The best to hope for is a leveling-off of chimpy's accelerated spending.

[Kolesar]

15. Don't expect corporate lobbiest Clark to cut the Pentagon budget

That is not what he got into politics for.

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=12
SNIP
Two weeks after declaring his intention to run for president, Clark was still registered to represent a high tech contractor, Acxiom Corporation, giving him the rare distinction of seeking the White House while registered as a lobbyist. Shortly after Clark announced his candidacy, a company spokesman said the general no longer lobbied for Acxiom, but, according to the Senate Office of Public Records, Clark had not filed any termination papers.

Clark has been lobbying for the firm since January 2, 2002; Acxiom has paid more than $830,000 for Clark to advance its agenda and meet with government officials. Clark also serves on the company's board of directors.

According to federal disclosure records, Clark lobbied directly on "information transfers, airline security and homeland security issues," for Acxiom, which sought funding to do controversial informational background checks on passengers for airlines. Privacy advocates have criticized the program, called the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System II, because of concerns that the data collected would be an overly invasive violation of individuals' rights to privacy. The public outcry has been so strong that there is a bi-partisan effort to create more oversight for the program to protect privacy interests if CAPPS II is implemented.

Clark lobbied the Department of Justice, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Transportation for the company. Clark also reported, on his lobbyist disclosure forms, that he promoted Acxiom to the Senate and the executive office of the president. According an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette report, he even met personally with Vice President Richard Cheney.

SNIP

[Clark Can WIN]

17. This extended family

really needs Clark in the White House. We care for my elderly mother and we are sending a teen to college in 2 years.

[1floridademocrat]

18. say it with me now..

Clark is not immune to any slander.. a Generals stars don't mean squat to the RNC 8)

Good.. I knew you could!