June 13, 2007
A More Candidate-Friendly Audience?
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark will now be exclusively on MSNBC as a military analyst, sources have confirmed to the Hotline. Clark has still not ruled out a possible White House bid and MSNBC would be a much more Dem-friendly audience than his old gig -- Fox News Channel
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http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/06/a_more_candidat.html
So it appears that Clark can exercise an escape clause if he wants. Here are my own thoughts on how this effects Clark's possible canidacy, taken from posts I made at Clark Community Network:
"From Clark's perspective, getting two months of free air time on MSNBC, and likely on NBC also, prior to entering the Democratic race for President would likely be viewed as a gift from political heavan. NSNBC/NBC means a probable open invitation onto Count Down, Hardball, and Meet the Press. It also means more excitement and anticipation over hearing Wes deliver his keynote at Yearly Kos, because as it is now, the only activists who watch Clark live or in reruns are usually Clark supporters already, but by then a lot more Democratic activists will have seen him reguarly on MSNBC to help get them psyched. All of that followed by the roll out of "A Time To Lead" on September 4th, with a slew of new readers, many of them Democrats, interested in finding out more about this guy they have been watching on TV all Summer.
From MSNBC's perspective it is less obvious. I can read it either way. Maybe they know damn well there's a good chance Wes will split in a couple of months and they are fine with that if it happens. Clark will have done an extended cameo appearance for their network, helping them gain Buzz and new viewers. If Clark runs the tag "former MSNBC news anylist" will get added to Clark' scredentials, adding to MSNBC's credibility.
MSNBC is still Number Three so they have to try harder. This may be a win/win for them no matter what Clark decides. There is a surplus of former military commanders out there available for MSNBC to hire in his stead should Clark move on, but hopefully, from their perspective, the new viewers Clark will win them now will stay. MSNBC's reputation as the up and coming hip news channel can only be helped by them hiring Clark now. No one will hold it against them later if Clark should leave to run for President of the United States."
Also this:
"This act extends Clark's window of opportunity to run. Not indefinately surely, not by more than a month or two max I supect, but it pushs it past the kick off of the first DNC sponsored Democratic debates in late July, which I had been using as a benchmark. Since I last thought that, there have been two blockbuster and relevent announcments.
The first is Clark giving the Key Note speech on the first full day of Yearly Kos. That gives him his single biggest potential activist break through moment since the 2004 election. Now this announcement about MSNBC, which is viewed by a much more Democratic Party friendly audiance on whole than FOX ever was. And Clark chatting about events with a friendly host like Keith Oberman rather than debating Billo and friends, is a very positive way for potential primary voters to become acquainted with Wes Clark, and for some of them to begin clammering "Why isn't this man running for President"?
Labor day still seems like an outer target to me, but now that doesn't sound as crazy."