Soros rethinking Dean. Looking at Clark.

[Renew Deal]

OK, I think I can do this correctly.

December 20, 2003 |

WASHINGTON -- Left-wing billionaire investor George Soros, who appeared to support Howard Dean for president, now is privately expressing doubts about the Democratic Party's front-runner.


In conversations with political friends, Soros confided he has become alarmed by Dean's recent performance and wonders whether the former Vermont governor is capable of defeating George W. Bush. In one such chat, Soros suggested he is interested in retired Gen. Wesley Clark.

Soros has made clear his visceral opposition to President Bush and his passionate desire to find somebody who can defeat him for a second term. The financier has pledged $10 million to America Coming Together (ACT) and $2.5 million to MoveOn.org -- both anti-Bush organizations.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20031220.shtml

This comes from Town Hall so I have to wonder. Then again it is not a slam piece. I think that this is possible.

[wyldwolf]

1. Coup

[cally]

2. Soros is "left-wing"?????

The media get worse every day.

Anyway, that would be good news for Clark if it's true.

[chookie]

26. Bizarre, isn't it?

That was my immediate response as well.

I have admired Mr Soros for years and read his books and applauded his insight into global finance.

To call Mr Soros a "left wing" guy is simply ludicrous. Here's a guy who is a globalist, a fervent capitalist, who is being denouced now as some sort of wild-eyed Bolshevik simply because he falls short of the modern American Hero of Capitalist Plutocrat Corporate Criminal exemplified by GWB and Unka Dick.

)Personally, I would love to see Mr Soros in the cabinet of our Democratic President. )

[IndianaGreen]

3. I don't care to which candidate Soros contributes his money

as long as he doesn't exceed the $2,000 limit.

[wyldwolf]

10. But this endorsement means much more.. if it come to past...

Soros' pull can get his preferred candidate more media attention, for example.

Money means influence.

[IndianaGreen]

19. Soros has financial interests in the Balkans

which may explain his predilection for Clark--I am not impugning Clark here, I am talking about Soros.

Fellow DUer Tinoire has posted extensively on Soros's financial holdings and political views.

[Toucano]

4. I think you did it better.

Novak should be writing from behing bars, though.

[madfloridian]

5. Soros never supported Dean.

.

[Patriot_Spear]

6. Why don't we just post Newsmax, Fox and Limbaugh Daily news?

Robert Novak? Town Hall?

I'm sorry, your source is at best dubious and at worst propaganda.

My two cents.

[neuvocat]

21. Actually they do.

And while Novak is untrustworthy, he's not exactly Drudge either.

[Jerseycoa]

7. Too bad it's Novak

I might have believed it.

[windansea]

25. guess you didn't believe Novak

when he wrote about Valerie Plame?

[Jerseycoa]

44. He wrote

She was an "operative" and went on to claim she was clerical help. So, no, I don't.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

8. Is everyone happy to have the billionaires on "our side"?

I'm more of a Clark fan than a Dean fan, but do we really want billionaires like Soros intefering in our primary anyway? Is the Democratic party for sale, and if so, for how much?

[Tatiana]

11. This bothers me too.

If billionaires want to help throw Bush out of office, I'm all for it! There's nothing precluding them from recognizing the incompetence, stupidity and malice rampant in Dubya's administration. However, these people need to be donating funds to GOTV and progressive organizations. Let the people decide who they want as the nominee.

[Renew Deal]

14. As long as it is within the rules

I am usually fine with this stuff. I do hate it when reich wing groups fire up their Families for Christian values groups. But I can deal with this. I have always wondered. If I ran for office, would I accept PAC money. Not sure.

[MGKrebs]

15. What are we gonna do? Reject all billionaires?

The rules are the rules. If we create our own set of rules that put us at a serious disadvantage, we might as well just slit our wrists now.

I agree that there is an ethical line that we don't want to cross, but this is not it.

If you saw a box of money laying on the sidewalk, would you leave it there because it was against your principles to have so much money?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

16. I'm reminded of Jane Addam's "Hull House"

They had some rich people try to buy into their charity organizations, in order to influence their unions.

Soros isn't even an American for God's sake. This just looks so corrupt and it's not going to do anyone any good in the long run.

[MIMStigator]

24. Billionaires who say beating * is life or death? HELL YES

NT

[frustrated_lefty]

9. JFC, this is the THIRD time this has been posted today

Link to the FIRST post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=9196&mesg_id=9196

[Renew Deal]

12. People have trouble with the rules.

I figured I would try to do it right. I am reposting because people seem to want to talk about it.

[madfloridian]

13. When did Soros come out in support of Dean?

I think that is a fair question.

[FrenchieCat]

18. probably behind closed doors...

and that's why Dean has gotten support from some Democratic elected official...thinking that Dean had the powerhouse behind him. Remember that politics is more or less done behind closed doors...with backroom deals.

This event means that you will start seeing Clark endorsements very shortly....

That is the power of money...as Howard Dean might say!

OBJECTS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR

[LiberalBushFan]

39. he said it on msnbc or cnn awhile ago

sorry but i forget which program
"I'm keen on Dean" he said
It was also before Wes entered the race

[WiseMen]

17. CAREFULL NOW. Repubs know to try to manipulate Dem primary

Novak column may have a germ of truth. But keep in mind that the conservative media establishment will allways be trying to manipulated the dem primary to help the best candidate fails.

DEMs have to focus hard on candidate's objective record and the facts regarding existing political dynamics.

[msanger]

20. his legal limit

Is $2000 to any candidate. The 10 million is to 527 groups - which can receive unlimited contributions but are not allowed to coordinate with any campaigns.

So the moveon.org ads bash bush, but don't say to vote for Dean or Clark or anybody else.

It seems to me that we want billionairs and millionairs and middle class and poor people all helping us get rid of bush in 2004.

[Padraig18]

22. Nice how Nofacts doesn't name any names.

Yeah, I'd put a lot of faith in Npfacts' alleged 'convesations with close political friends'... Uh HUH. :eyes:

[MIMStigator]

23. he's going to be more serious about picking a winner

spendng that much $$$ is going to make someone think twice about gambling it away on a sure loser

[Tinoire]

27. Soros has never wanted anyone but Clark

Clark is the ONLY reaons he's wanting to pump even a single dime into the Democratic election process. What Soros wants to do with 'democracy & democratic elections' here is precisely what he did in Eastern Europe- the current example being Russia.

Right now a huge squabble is brewing between Carlyle and Russia (oh yeah, Soros is Carlyle). Putin closed down Soros' offices and threw Soros best friend mafia oil don in jail. For more info on this just do a DU search on Soros Russia in LBN and GD- not to forget the archives.

Clark supporters would like people to believe that Soros, another neo-liberal (the important part of that designation is the word neo) has suddenly had a huge change of heart and wants to do some good with his ill-gotten goods. If Soros wants to do any 'good', he can start by returning the Trepca mines to the people of Yugoslavia, returning all that land in South America, get his paid $1 million puppet Alejandro Toledo out of Peru, stop using his organizations like Reagan's NED and his other 'destabilization foundations" to overturn people like Hugo Chavez who just want to keep their countries natural resources for their people. Soros' entire MO is to destabilize countries and then to swoop in being their resources for rock-bottom bargain-basement prices. Bush clumsily gave away their game- that is the only reason Soros wants to invest money in the Democratic Party. He and his Carlye buddies need to ensure that all bases are covered and that regardless of who is President, the plundering of world resources can continue.

Soros' Center for American Progress" (CAP), is a new "think tank" run by New Dems like John Podesta (kingpin behind the Marc Rich pardon), Morton Halperin, and Gene Sperling.

Podesta is DLC through and through. Halperin is the Director of Soros' Open Society Institute in Washington (another neo-con operation), and Sperling we just can thank him enough for the massive deficits in most of the US states.

These people have never been behind Dean because Dean is not part of their cabal. Dean is NO God in my book but he's definitely not a neo-con sympathizer. I don't think he's as astute as Kucinich about the neo-con game and blah, blah, lots more ;) but he's definitely not signed on to their agenda even if some of his stances agree at times.

Has anyone ever wondered why that Osama/Dean ad was produced by the Clinton's campaign Media Director or why certain Clark groups have already been caught red-handed sending out faces and e-mails to discredit Dean as not being enough of whatever the General is? (Talking points change daily but the common ones are national security and foreign policy- as if waging war and littering another sovereign country with depleted uranium is considered foreign policy experience). Gore is no huge hero of mine but there is a reason he rushed out to endorse Dean and I forgive him for meddling that way because the stakes are too huge.

I hate, do not want to say, "I tried to tell you" but I called this one from the start- the minute Clark entered this race. Soros and him go way back and sit on the boards of many neo-connish organizations. Soros needs a candidate who shares his philosophy of destabilizing to ensure capitalistic exploitation. A candidate whose already on board and with experience would be nice- that candidate is not Dean and it is certainly not Kucinich.

We are being played.

[madfloridian]

29. I fear you are right..The men behind the curtains are in both parties.

I have a funny feeling the decision has been made.
What hurts is to see our party so divided.

[LiberalBushFan]

41. sorry

but Soros was definitely endorsing Dean on the news.

you sure are obsessed with this sitting on boards business.

[Tinoire]

45. Sometimes you have to pay attention & look past the charades Aug 2003

I've been calling this one since August. Soros' fingers have been all over the Clark movement since the beginning. Not everyone fell for that entire tri-partisan Draft/crank-it-up campaign the Republicans, the AEI and the DLC orchestrated for Soros & Clark.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=226293 (post #2) It's been absolutely amusing these last 7 months to watch some Clark supporters brag about the sure-fire support Clark's hero Soros was going to give him while others tried to down-play that angle because they knew that saying Clark was getting support from Soros and Stephens Group was not going to go over too well here.


VoteClark (775 posts) Sat Aug-09-03 10:25 PM
Response to Reply #38

39. Do you want to beat on if Clark runs?

Clark is running. You are just not aware of when exactly he is going to enter the race. If you would like to place a wager on it, I would love to take your money. But this would be like insider trading because I already know when he is. So I suggest you be careful about what you say.

I also think you are insulting all the people that have put effort into drafting Clark in this election. We have three headquarters and raised over $1/2 million, which will be matched on the date that he declares. In addition he will have about $7 million from the Stephens Corperation, and will get a good boost from the endorsement of Clinton, and the financial help of Mega billionaire Soros, and the 30K supporters he has on the ground.

So let us add that up, Over $8 million plus whatever Soros gives. An endorsement from Clinton, and 30K volunteers,and headquarters in NH, Arkansas, and Michigan on the day he enters. How many candidates do you know that have that going for them one the first day of they enter the race? Or for that matter, right now?

Good luck. I hope you join the Clark team soon. Anything else is a waste of time and money in my book.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=16056

08-08-03
Wesley Clark to trusted aid: "Crank it up." Just released from the National Journal is a story that an aid of Retired General Wesley Clark was told to crank up the campaign apparatus in expectation of an announcement sometime after Labor Day. George Soros has pledged $75 million to help defeat GWB. Soros is a friend of WKC. Is this the dough to jump start the Wesley Clark campaign? It's soft money so it has to be spent on "party building." Lotta' party can be built with that kind of money. Would WKC doing a "get out the vote" thing be party building? Draft Wesley Clark.com has launched its "million dollar march" pledge drive. If the General announces after Labor Day as expected, he should have a nice little nest egg to get himself started with.
http://nevadansforclark.com/arch_aug2003.html


But Dick Holbrooke, who's been U.N. ambassador since August, has a different idea of what sort of people the suite should be filled with. Tonight, he's hosting a dinner for General Wesley Clark, the granite-faced, soft-spoken nato chief, who is leaving his post in April.

<snip>

By 8:30 p.m., in addition to the usual complement of ambassadors and diplomats, the living room is filled with an A-list New Yorkers might recognize. Super-agent Binky Urban is schmoozing with Time editor Walter Isaacson. Barbara Walters races in, apologizing for running late. Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen are on hand, having flown in from L.A. (Steenburgen's mother knows Clark's mom back in Arkansas).

Dressed in a formal pin-striped suit, crisp white shirt, and red tie, Holbrooke still manages to look comfortably rumpled -- his unruly hair is the secret to this effect -- as he banters his way around the room. Introducing Clark to billionaire financier George Soros and Canadian press lord Conrad Black, Holbrooke teasingly calls the general, whose formal title is supreme Allied commander for Europe, "The Supreme," then launches into a hummed rendition of "Stop! In the Name of Love."

<snip>

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/features/1748/

VoteClark (775 posts) Thu Aug-14-03 08:13 AM
Response to Reply #8

12. Money, no Prob!

He will get in on or about Labor Day.

The money is not a problem. He has support from many people. Some including, Soros, a billionaire. While Soros is limited to donations he can spend as much as he wants smashing others,promoting Clark and doing fundraisers for the General.

Stephens Corperation, the same that backed Clinton, would heavily back Clark as well. To be honest, I think Wesley is better than Clinton, and more likeable then Clinton.
Also, Clark has 500,000 from private donations that could be doubled. I think he is in fine shape.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=20436

[madfloridian]

28. This article says he had a fundraiser for others. Clark included.

Wonder why Novak left that out?

http://progressivetrail.org/articles/031207Editorial.shtml

SNIP..."To the anger of Republicans, he has also injected large amounts of money into organisations that are deeply involved in the election battle against Bush.

Soros said he had made only "relatively modest contributions" to the Democrats in previous elections.

He has held functions at his New York state home in support of a number of Democratic party candidates, including Howard Dean, John Kerry, Wesley Clark and Richard Gephardt.

But more importantly he has spent 15 million dollars to help activist groups fighting the US president.

Soros gave 10 million dollars to America Coming Together, which campaigns to increase the number of people taking part in elections and 2.5 million dollars to Moveon.org, a mass grass-roots organisation that has opposed the Iraq war and many other Bush policies....."END SNIP

The article further states that the money to groups is to fight Bush. NOT for a specific candidate.

[madfloridian]

30. I don't think he supported Dean to begin with. Quote.

From November:
http://wesleyclarkweblog.com/archives/000565.html#008651

SNIP..."Bush can spend more money, but with the "I approve of this message" having to be on the ads, it means he probably won't be running too many smears. Those will be done by outside groups that aren't in conjunction with the campaign.
Soros will be picking up that bill. And he is a friend of a certain man from litle rock running for president."

Interestingly, the very next comment indicates the poster wishes he had not said that and indicates so.

If someone can point to where Dean was ever endorsed by him to begin with, I would appreciate it. Soros has donated to the Democratic party big time, and to groups as well.

[LiberalBushFan]

42. i can't find an exact transcript

but i found a weblog that mentions his near-endorsement of Dean (and I saw it on TV myself):

http://www.wateotw.blogspot.com/2003_09_01_wateotw_archive.html

just do Find-->Soros in the text. But Clarkophobes will say he was using reverse psychology or something.

[madfloridian]

43. He said he was "keen on Dean."

I like that, so am I.

That is the kind of statement I was looking for, though I still think he was a Clark guy from the beginning.

"George Soros is alright. On CNBC last night he said he was "keen on Dean" although there are a number of other qualified candidates: Kerry, Graham and Clark, should he decide to run. Soros has been a big proponent of working through international institutions of law, such as the UN, and is now putting up 10 million dollars to organizations that help Democratic candidates in elections. This money and support are necessary to counter the hundreds of millions that Shrub will have on hand next year."

[Scott Lee]

31. Dean can raise much more than Soros is allowed to give.

So quite frankly (Scarlett), allow me not to give a damn if Soros decides to support Clark. I'd say good on Clark, and the more help any Dem gets toward the White House, the better.

[madfloridian]

32. But, how do you know he was supporting him in the first place.

I believe the first premise to be faulty, and I get no responses.
The article I posted says he held fundraisers for Clark, Kerry, and Gephardt, as well as Dean.

I have wondered why that is not mentioned in Novak's article.

[Scott Lee]

33. I have never seen a public endorsement of Dean by Soros

so you could well be right. I was only commenting that Dean and his money raising apparatus appear to have made Soros's financial help fairly unnecessary.

[madfloridian]

34. You are right on that.

For sure. I was not critical of your post at all, just that people let Novak say such stuff and get away with it.

Turns out Soros had fundraisers for the others.

Not being critical at all. I am a Dean supporter myself.

[CMT]

35. that is up to him

in the general it is likely he will be helping whoever the Democratic nominee is--periiod, due to his dislike of Bush.

[rumguy]

36. Is this for real?

Or is it just Novak trying to play off our fears?

[madfloridian]

38. Read my post #28

Novak is jerking us around. Soros had fundraisers for all of them.

[Capn Sunshine]

37. Looks Like NOVAK IS SCARED SHITLESS TOO

Now I know we're doing it right when Novak turns his disinformation machine on us.

I feel so proud :yourock:

[Myra]

40. Even if I trusted Novak, I don't know that I trust Soros.

Just don't know enough about him...

I wonder if Novak's sourse was the same one who gave him Plame's name.
The source Bush can't seem to find for the life of him.

[wndycty]

46. Kick

:kick: