Does Clark have to confront the AWOL issue?

[gulliver]

The media is not going to let this one go, and it is Clark's territory. It may be time for Clark to take a risk and hit Bush squarely with the AWOL stick. This fight has been forced on Clark. The media wants it bad.

Clark had better act fast. Kerry has demurred. Dean has no standing. Only Clark can take this issue, and it now looks to me like he should.

[NashVegas]

1. No. Bush Does :)

And I couldn't be happier.

[gulliver]

3. If they beat Clark over this, the issue dies, IMO.

Kerry backed away from it.

[bearfartinthewoods]

24. i forget how the saying goes but it's something

like if you are going to kill the king you'd better kill him good.

mm put clark in a tough position. clark can't prove bush was a diserter. it would be very dangerous to try. kerry is very lucky that mm endorsed clark and saved him the hassle. of course, kerry's team is more experienced. they would probably talked to mm before the fact to vet his remarks. i'm surprised clark's people didn'y do it.

[gulliver]

25. Clark doesn't have to prove it to feed the media.

There is more than sufficient reason for suspicion. I think the greatest risk to Clark now is not being bold on this. Courage on his feet and service credentials are the basis of his candidacy.

Clark is going to need to get personal this time, I think, and make a strong comment on this.

It's rolling the dice, but sometimes that's what has to be done. I think maybe now is the time.

And I agree with you that maybe Moore's comments should have been vetted. But Moore clearly has his finger on the pulse of what sells. This is an opportunity for Clark. I think he has to take it.

[jbfam4]

30. Clark is doing great

the way he talked about the AWOL issue with Russert is a challenge now to every reporter to go after Clark to be the one to scoop the story: " Clark finally calls * a deserter." Of Course, Clark would never say that but it keeps the AWOL story alive.

[gulliver]

31. Yes, he did great! I just think this could be a breakthrough ...

... issue for him.

We agree. The reporters are going to ask him for more on this. I just want him to give them something, not try to use conventional wisdom and merely steer the answer to his tax plan.

It's a brilliant plan. Don't get me wrong. But Clark has to use this attention to define himself as the Bushwacker. That's what he is. We know it, and so do the Republicans. Clark needs to make it clear, IMO.

[Bluzmann57]

6. But Clark and Kerry

should absolutely hammer bush on this. Rove tried to make him out as a war hero and now its finally being revealed that bush was AWOL. If Kerry won't do it, then Clark should. And he should not let up either.

[emulatorloo]

27. Only if GWB hammers them first

ala fired general, vietnam protestor

Until then it is a hot potato with more danger to the candidates than payoff. They media wants the headline to be "Candidate X calls Bush Deserter" not "Bush was a Deserter" so that everybody gets upset at candidate X.

They are right to say, lets not get hung up on the past, lets look at how bad a president he is today.

[pacifictiger]

9. Absolutely not

He's not the one making the allegation, merely acknowledging that an allegation exists and that those that want to check it out should do so. Brilliant - dont think of an elephant in the room - strategy. By focusing so much attention on it, the media is encouraging people to wonder about it (like the dean 'scream'). People that are pro Bush anyway will not believe anything unless it has been spoon fed to them or because of big corporate payoffs, so why spend wasted effort to convince them.

[hlthe2b]

13. I agree. Ball is in the media (and Bush's) court

[gulliver]

21. The media reports sports, it doesn't play them.

They want a fight.

[HereSince1628]

11. Exactly, its Bush's hot potato

The media is looking for a way to do the story without having to act like they went after it.

[Bonobo]

2. I agree with everything you said. Except the timing.

Clark is a strategist if nothing else. He will let the Media do his work for him, occassionally egging them on if need be. If he ever addresses it directly, it will be much later.

He's just keeping his powder dry for the time being.

[gulliver]

5. I think the media wants a fight.

They don't want to fight themselves. They want Clark to do it. They want to see him smack (or attempt to smack) Bush right in the kisser.

That's the way it looks to me today.

[mikehiggins]

4. Well, after Terry Mac's comments today

I guess all of the Democrats should deal with it.

What a shame that Terry turns out to have more nerve than our front-runners.

Not a surprise, just a shame.

[gulliver]

7. I think Clark or Kerry can do it. The media wants it.

Kerry won't jeopardize his front-runner status for anything. It has to be Clark. I think if Clark did this for the media and prevailed in any way, he would be a media darling for the remainder of the primary.

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. I missed Terry's comments. Haven't followed news much.

Where are they reported?

[jbfam4]

29. Terry

was on with Wolf this morning on CNN. Terry did a great job.

[emulatorloo]

28. Terry should do it, not the candidates

They have to stay above it, because IMHO the media will use it to "Kill The Messenger."

[pinkpops]

8. He is doing the right thing.

When they ask about it use the precious air time to give a positive message about his programs... Maybe he could also suggest that as journalists they should chase the story if they think there is one.

[gulliver]

14. I think he has to be more aggressive on this.

It's one of those cases where the issues are clearly being drowned out by a visceral desire to see "a fight." I'm not saying Clark should out and out call Bush out for being AWOL. Clark can stretch it out, getting more and more pointed.

He could start out with something like, "Frankly, it appears to me that Bush may have been absent when he was supposed to be serving in the national guard position he was lucky enough to get into."

[lovedems]

10. The most he should do is point out that there are questions regarding

his 18 month absence. I wouldn't do anymore than that. The media whores are trying to innsinuate that Clark is calling * a desserter by proxy and he isn't. All I have heard is how serious a charge that is to make against the pResident.

I don't want him to take the bait that they are giving. He should stay above the fray and focus on the issues, not the idiots military record. That is better left to Moore who can present the facts.

[NashVegas]

12. Look at Recent History

Talking the past 10 years.

The Republicans have been relying on non-elected aids and paid shills to push mass media into spreading negative propaganda about Democratic leaders.

Said Dems have two choices: go on the defense or go on the offense. We are all familiar with the saying, "the best defense is a good offense." By responding directly to Rush and Annie, Dem leaders lend them credibility. By going offensive against the Republican leaders who, themselves, didn't publicly issue the broadsides, they look petty.

So when Clark has a Michael Moore standing up there going after Bush = AWOL, Clark himself can stay above the fray.

[gulliver]

19. That was my belief too until today.

Clark is disappointing the media by not going for Bush's jugular on this one. At least that is what it looks like to me.

I think Clark should get at least ankle deep into this and give the media some fireworks. That is what they want, and Clark is the only one who can do them. This may be a pivotal moment, and it may have been thrust upon Clark.

He may have to respond now. The risk does not look too bad, and the upside is that Clark would become the "kick Bush out" hero.

[bain_sidhe]

15. No! Let it float...

This works better as a rumor than as an issue. A rumor just goes round and round and round till everybody hears it. An issue is either debunked or... er, bunked? Whatever. Just let it float, give it enough air to do so when it seems to be sinking. That would be my advice.

[gulliver]

22. It's more than a rumor now. Clark needs to take this wave. n/t

[LandOLincoln]

16. Wes is playing it just right.

Deflecting the discussion to his policies while keeping the charge afloat in the media and continually asserting Moore's right to free speech. Keeping all options open.

Looky here, you guys who want him to nail the Shrub as only a 4-star can: what if the Bushies have managed to "find" documents to "prove" the Shrub actually showed up? What if they've managed to, y'know, use a little friendly persuasion on Shrub's backintheday superiors?

[robbedvoter]

18. Why Clark? It's W's issue. Let W respond - is he or isn't he?

They brought it up - let THEM put the genie back in the bottle. No skin of Clark's nose. Besides, Michael Moore is pleasantly busy....;-)

[gulliver]

20. It is an opportunity for Clark.

That is my point. Clark is letting the media down by not taking the bait on this one. Brokaw's comment today that Bush has "absenteeism" issues with his guard service and Jennings question at the debate say that the hunting season is now open on AWOL.

Clark should get out his gear and take a couple of shots. I think the media would go nuts.

[overground1]

23. Clark has to confront being fired

[HootieMcBoob]

26. he has addressed that on many occasions n/t

[RobinA]

32. Clark Was AWOL? n/t

*