|
 Wesley
Clark
 excerpts
from
the Iowa Daily Report
December 16-31, 2003
"His capture is not
sufficient ... the entire resistance was probably
not run by a pathetic dictator hiding in a hole in
the ground,"
Clark said in a lecture to the Dutch Clingendael
Institute for international affairs. (12/16/2003)
Millosevick unrepentant
Reuters reports that Wesley Clark stated that
Slobodan Milosevic was unrepentant in his behavior
as Clark testified for the second day:
"I saw no change in his demeanor, his
stubbornness, his petulance, from the man I
believe was responsible for so much of the
slaughter and victims in the Balkans," Clark, a
U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful, told
reporters in The Hague.
"It was a typical Milosevic performance. It was
grandiose in effort, misplaced, in some ways
overly personal," Clark said.
"For me it was a very, very satisfying experience
because I've watched the ravages of his leadership
in Europe for years. I've talked to his victims.
I've met them. I've seen the results in the
shattered cities of former Yugoslavia."
In a separate development, the
NY Post reports that Madonna is giving a
concert in her home in L.A. as a fund-raiser for
Gen. Wesley Clark. (12/16/2003)
Clark bungled Kosovo
The Washington Post covers the
criticism of Wesley Clark’s handling of the War in
Kosovo. The article points out that Clark made
fundamental errors in judgment concerning the
conduct of the bombing campaign:
Clark and others at NATO headquarters had to
scramble because they assumed, in error, that
Milosevic would capitulate after a few days of
bombing. Rand called this a "misjudgment of
near-blunder proportions that came close to
saddling the United States and NATO with a costly
and embarrassing failure."
"We called this one absolutely wrong," Navy Adm.
James O. Ellis Jr., then NATO's commander in
southern Europe, said in a postwar briefing to
military officials. That "affected much of what
followed: . . . lack of coherent campaign planning
. . . [and] the race to find suitable targets."
The article covers a great deal
of Clark’s lack of cohesion and morale with his
superiors. However, the most derisive aspect were
the post analysis that the military always does
regarding military action -- especially the Rand
analysis:
But
Rand's Air Force report, written by analyst
Benjamin Lambeth, said "NATO's leaders . . . had
little to congratulate themselves about, when it
came to the way in which the air war was planned
and carried out." A second Rand report, prepared
by a team of Army analysts, concurred that
"problems abounded during the NATO military
operation," citing in particular the absence of
"any significant military planning" for a
sustained conflict.
Clark ‘intemperate’
Jay Nordlinger, in his
Impromptus column on the National Review Online (NationalReview.com),
points to a Wesley Clark characteristic that is
becoming well known -- his intemperate
personality:
"When the story of overcharging for gas arose,
Wesley Clark said the following: that the
president is 'more concerned about the success of
Halliburton than having a success strategy in
Iraq.'
"Now, I'm not naive about politics — I know that
rhetoric is excessive in campaigns. But even so,
shouldn't something like this Clark statement be
disqualifying? I mean, how is it possible to take
seriously a man who says that Bush is 'more
concerned about the success of Halliburton than
having a success strategy in Iraq'? That amounts
to a charge of treason. It is also demented."
(12/17/2003)
Clark: get bin Laden
Democratic presidential
candidate Wesley Clark said Tuesday it is time to
end the search for weapons of mass destruction in
Iraq and use the intelligence agents and U.S.
troops there to find Osama bin Laden instead.
According to an
Associated Press story, Clark continued his
charges that there was no imminent threat for the
war in Iraq:
"We didn't have to take the detour in Iraq," Clark
said at Logan International Airport, where he
arrived after two days of closed testimony in the
Netherlands at the war crimes trial of former
Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic.
"There's no evidence to indicate there was an
imminent threat there to the United States. But
having gone in there, we had to succeed," he said.
Clark e-mailed potential
campaign donors, trying to raise $1 million by
capitalizing on his high profile testimony at The
Hague. (12/17/2003)
Clark Bush-bashing
Wesley Clark bashed President
Bush for signing the American Dream Downpayment
Act -- a bill aimed at increasing minority home
ownership in America. I strongly agree with the
goals of this bill.
“We need to work harder to ensure that more
Americans can buy homes and that all Americans
have access to safe and affordable housing. That's
why today, I'm calling on President Bush to do
more than just sign the American Dream Downpayment
Act into law. I'm calling on him to fully fund
this Act so that a safe home isn't just an
American dream, but an American reality.
“Unfortunately, for the past three years, when it
comes to homeownership, the Bush Administration
has been all rhetoric, and few results. While
three-quarters of non-minority Americans own their
homes, fewer than half of all African Americans
and Hispanics do.
“And their record has been no better when it comes
to safe and affordable housing. President Bush has
cut nearly $2.5 billion in public housing funding.
He has attempted to eliminate the HOPE VI program
- a program that is crucial for the revitalization
of our neighborhoods. And he has refused to fully
fund Section 8 housing vouchers which so many
elderly, disabled, and low-income working
Americans depend on to pay for their housing.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. We need a
comprehensive housing policy in America. Safe and
affordable housing is the key to a strong economy
and strong families. As President, I will work to
make the dream of home ownership a reality for all
Americans. I will expand the Low Income Housing
Tax Credit, fully fund HOPE VI, and expand Section
8 vouchers. Because all Americans deserve a place
to call home,” Clark said in a prepared statement.
(12/17/2003)
Clark tells difference
The Boston Globe editorial board
wanted to know the difference between Clark’s push
to go to war in Kosovo over humanitarian reasons,
and his opposition to go to war in Iraq where
there were abundant humanitarian reasons. The
editorial basically says that Clark believes the
differences are timing and lack of regional
threats. This is true even though Clark admits
that Hussein was paying for suicide bombers in
Israel. The article goes on to say that foreign
policy experts don’t see any difference between
Kosovo’s humanitarian effort and reasons for Iraq.
Clark’s best description of the difference is:
"Well, if everything we knew was the same and I
had been the commander in 1991," Clark said, he
probably would have intervened to depose Hussein.
"But by the time the Bush administration decided
to go in, the ethnic cleansing was long over. Iraq
was a failed state," Clark said. "And now, the
grounds for the operation are being shifted to
sort of look as though it were a humanitarian
operation."
While Clark said yesterday regional stabilization
was the key reason for stopping Milosevic, his
campaign has made much of the humanitarian aspects
of that war. His first biographical ad says he
"stopped a campaign of terror" and "liberated a
people."(12/18/2003)
Clark: internationalize prosecution
Wesley Clark campaigning in New
Hampshire just after testifying against another
war crimes criminal stated that he wants to
internationalize the prosecution of Saddam
Hussein. He also wants the death penalty as an
option. According to the
Associated Press, Clark made the following
statements:
You've got to hold this trail in Iraq and I
believe the trial has to be held in public," he
said. Clark suggested convening legal experts from
the United States, United Nations, Arab League,
and European Union to work with the Iraqis to
develop procedures for the trial.
"If we do this the right way, we can help the
people of Iraq and the people of the Middle East
gain a new appreciation for the meaning of the
rule of law," he said.
"Justice must be done, known to have been done,
and known to have been done right. Doing it right
will help us bring peace to the region, rebuild
our relations with the world community and,
ultimately, it will help us be more effective in
defeating terrorism."(12/18/2003)
Clark: jobs gone
Wesley Clark campaigning in Iowa
said the jobs are gone, according to the
Associated Press:
"The only way to increase profits is to fire
people," Clark said of the business mentality.
"That's what's happening. Some of the jobs will
never come back." He said he would "re-employ
America" by pumping $100 billion into the economy.
Clark made the comments as the
stock market and jobless rates continue to
improve. The Labor Department report that new
applications for jobless benefits had declined by
a seasonally adjusted 22,000 to 353,000 — a drop
much larger than economists had expected. It was
another sign the struggling labor market is
recovering. Analysts continue to forecast that job
improvement is likely will be the last sector to
fully heal. (12/18/2003)
Clinton on Clark
As reported in the press today,
former President Bill Clinton sent a letter to the
prosecutors in the Hague this week, asserting that
General Wesley Clark "carried out the policy of
the NATO alliance, which was to stop massive
ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, with great skill,
integrity and iron determination." Clark Campaign
Communications Director Matt Bennett issued the
following statement in response:
"General Clark is grateful to President Clinton
for his comments and for his support in the
prosecution of this brutal despot."
(12/18/2003)
Clark’s new ad
Clark's new television spot will
begins airing in New Hampshire today. In it,
campaign advisers say, the retired Army general
from Arkansas talks about the need for a strategy
that ensures success in Iraq and says that while
others discuss foreign policy, he's actually been
involved in it in his career.
Madonna
By the way, if any of you are
wondering how it came to be that Madonna is
backing Clark, it seems the two were introduced by
"Bowling for Columbine" filmmaker Michael Moore -
an early supporter of Clark. (12/18/2003)
"Do you think you are a
war criminal, General Clark?"
Milosevic asked,
before presiding Judge Richard May interrupted,
saying the question was not proper, reports the
Boston Globe.
Clark's economic
advisers said they were confused by Dean's
remarks. "I'm curious what he means by
that," said
Mickey Kantor, Commerce secretary under Clinton.
"If he's not trying to alter in a significant way
the Clinton approach to the economy, which was so
successful, why does he reference the Clinton era
vs. some new era?"
(12/19/2003)
Clark: buy Canadian drugs
The
Associated Press reports that Wesley Clark
while campaigning in New Hampshire said that he
would support legislation that allowed Americans
to buy Canadian drugs:
Democratic Presidential hopeful Wesley Clark says
he supports amending federal law to allow
individuals and groups to buy prescription drugs
from Canada.
"Until we get this worked out, we need to be going
to Canada to buy a lot of our drugs," Clark told
eight of the 23 registered voters in the tiny town
8 miles from the Canadian border.
It's illegal for U.S. residents to buy Canadian
drugs, and Clark later added, "I don't encourage
people to break the law." (12/19/2003)
Clark: Milosevick knew
Retired General Wesley Clark,
the former NATO commander, told a UN war crimes
tribunal in The Hague this week that Yugoslavia's
former president, Slobodan Milosevic, indicated in
1995, he had prior knowledge of the massacre of
Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica -- the worst act of
slaughter of the Bosnian civil war, according to
transcripts of Clark's testimony released
yesterday. The
Boston Globe reports that Clark had to answer
the question about his character:
"So
your former superior talks about your character.
Isn't that right, General Clark?" Milosevic said.
He later asked, "Why were you removed from your
post prematurely?"
Clark
responded by reading a lengthy commendation given
to him by former defense secretary William Cohen,
and also the citation read by President Clinton
when he gave Clark the Presidential Medal of
Freedom. Clark said he and Shelton had policy
disagreements over how to pursue peace in the
Balkans. Clark recalled a break in a 1995 meeting,
when he asked Milosevic, "You say you have . . .
much influence over the Bosnian Serbs, how is it
then, if you have such influence, you allowed
General Mladic to kill all those people in
Srebrenica?" Ratko Mladic was the Bosnian Serb
military commander. According to Clark, Milosevic
replied: "I warned Mladic not to do this, but he
didn't listen to me." Clark said he found the
remark "stunning" because "that was an admission
that he had foreknowledge of Srebrenica." Clark
also said he did not know if Milosevic was telling
the truth when he said he tried to stop the
slaughter. (12/19/2003)
Clark: we are all patriots
The Boston Globe reports that
Wesley Clark is going to declare himself a Patriot
fan during the Patriots vs. Jets football game.
The Globe also takes a dig at Iowa for not having
a professional football team. They do, however,
reference the Jets who reside in N.J as a NY team.
Hillary Clinton on her recent Sunday talk round
said the Buffalo Bills are the only NY team. Could
Clark’s endorsement of the Jets be because NJ’s
governor endorsed Dean? Here is the commercial:
"We as Americans know what it
takes to be great," Clark says in the ad, as the
camera closes tightly on his face. "It takes
leadership. It takes teamwork. It takes spirit,
and sacrifice, and commitment… "
"And let's face it, you have to
be strong on defense," he continues, as the camera
pulls back to reveal that he's wearing a Patriots
sweatshirt. "You also need to be strong on
offense. And having a heck of a quarterback
doesn't hurt."
He concludes, with a little
smile, "We are all Patriots."
(12/19/2003)
Clark defends Clinton
Wesley Clark suggested that
Howard Dean’s economic speech was a repudiation of
the successful President Clinton years. Clark
stated, “I was surprised to hear that Governor
Dean has once again attacked the economic policies
of the Clinton years.
“This isn't the first time he's done this. Last
month, it was reported that Governor Dean wanted
to distance himself from Bill Clinton's economic
legacy when he called for "re-regulating" the
economy. Now, in a speech he gave today, he
essentially claimed that President Clinton didn't
stand up for America's working families.
“Did Howard Dean live through the same eight years
as the rest of us?
“Maybe Governor Dean should check his facts.
Because if I remember correctly, under Bill
Clinton ...
“America created more than 22 million new jobs...
“Under Bill Clinton, we balanced the federal
budget...
“Under Bill Clinton, we turned record deficits
into record surpluses ...
“Under Bill Clinton, we had the lowest poverty
rate in 20 years - and the lowest African American
poverty rate ever… And under Bill Clinton, we had
the lowest inflation in decades - and the lowest
African American and Hispanic unemployment rates
on record.
“If that's not standing up for America's working
families, then I don't know what is.
“So I don't know about Howard Dean, but when I'm
president, I'm not going to throw out the proven
policies that brought America the longest economic
expansion in history.
“I'm going to embrace them. I'm going to use them
as a foundation to take our country forward
again,” said Clark (12/19/2003)
Bush rewriting rationale for war
Wesley Clark accused President
Bush of rewriting the rationale for war. A Clark
release states, “The Bush Administration has been
touching up history and rewriting its rationale
for going to war in Iraq. In recent weeks, the
White House has redacted words it used on the
White House website.” The release cites a
Washington Post report that the Bush
Administration edited its website so that a May
1st speech by the President entitled "President
Bush Announces Combat Operations in Iraq Have
Ended," now reads "President Bush Announces
/Major/ Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended." The
release accuses the administration that this is
just the latest effort of the Bush Administration
to change its rationale for war.
"First the Bush Administration
played a game of bait-and-switch, by focusing on
invading Iraq to distract the American people from
their failure to round up al Qaeda… Now the Bush
Administration is playing a shell game of shifting
rationales for why we went to war in Iraq…
Leadership isn't about playing tricks. It requires
honesty and accountability. I would like to return
those qualities to the White House," said Clark
(12/19/2003)
Clark’s protection for manufacturing jobs
"Under the current
Administration, New Hampshire's manufacturing
sector has lost more than 21,900 jobs." Clark
said. "The sad fact is that under George W. Bush,
America's biggest export is jobs. President Bush
hasn't looked out for American workers. Today, I
want to make you a promise: I will… Under the Bush
Administration, New Hampshire lost 1 in 5
manufacturing jobs. Just last month, 129 workers
were laid off in Berlin. And this month, a
Manchester meat-packing plant announced it would
close and more than 500 people got pink slips for
Christmas.”
Here's what Wes Clark's
Manufacturing Security Plan will do:
5.
Jumpstart manufacturing job growth.
Give manufacturers fresh incentives to keep and
grow jobs at home by providing up to a $10,000 tax
credit for each additional full-time hire. These
tax credits would apply to all sectors--including
the software industry, which has been shipping
high-tech jobs overseas.
6.
Stop rewarding companies that ship jobs
overseas and start rewarding companies that
produce jobs in America. The Bush
Administration's biggest export has been jobs,
including the high tech jobs that are vital to the
future of our economy. To discourage conglomerates
from exporting jobs, require companies to disclose
layoffs in America and job increases overseas.
Plus, purge government policies of tax breaks and
regulations that encourage American companies to
shift jobs abroad and implement new incentives to
keep manufacturing jobs at home.
7.
Create the Conditions for An American
Manufacturing Renaissance. Reduce labor costs
by making health care more affordable. Lower the
cost of capital through deficit reduction.
Consolidate government trade promotion activities.
Promote trade. And invest in education and
training. (12/19/2003)
"They can't fight with
George W. Bush on national security,"
he said of the other Democratic Presidential
hopefuls. "They haven't been there; they
haven't done it. They don't know. I'm a known
quantity in the world. You can talk to foreign
leaders - they know me,"
said Wesley
Clark. (12/20/2003)
Clark’s missteps
It is hard to tell whether
Wesley Clark’s campaign is trying to clear itself
from a brewing scandal or is foolishly linking
itself to it. The scandal involves links from
Clark’s and Dean’s campaigns urging foreigners to
invest in defeating President Bush. The other
aspect of the scandal is the oblique connection
with MoveOn.org who has involvement with the
Democrat candidates and the defeat of President
Bush. MoveOn.org is a ‘527’ organization that is
allowed to use soft money for the defeat or
election of a political candidate.
The stir comes from Clark’s
campaign objecting to a fundraising email from the
Bush-Cheney campaign. The email reads as follows:
In my last
e-mail I told you wealthy liberals, led by
billionaire George Soros, plan to spend $400
million to defeat President Bush.
Now comes
word that Soros and his anti-war allies are
soliciting foreign money to use against President
Bush.
One group
Soros supports is telling liberal foreign donors
they have "a chance to defeat [Bush] -- even if
you are not an American." Read more at:
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2003/december/
1216_moveon_scandal.shtml
To beat these
billionaire liberals and the flood of foreign
money they're encouraging, we need
your help today!
Please help us
reach our goal of 450,000 AMERICAN grassroots
contributors to the Presidents campaign by sending
$100, $75, $50, $25 or whatever you can afford
today by contributing online at:
http://www.GeorgeWBush.com/Grassroots/
If you thought
liberal special interest groups raising foreign
cash to attack our President was bad enough ...
Democrat presidential candidates are doing it too!
Web sites
for Wesley Clark and Howard Dean direct visitors
from outside the United States to liberal
fundraising Web sites
where foreign donors can pledge money to fund
left-wing efforts to defeat President Bush.
This news
comes days after Democrat candidate Howard Dean
floated the absurd conspiracy theory that
President Bush knew of the terrorist attacks of
9/11, saying, "The most interesting theory
that I've heard so far ... is that he was warned
ahead of time by the Saudis."
It doesn't
stop there. This week, Dean declared that, "The
capture of Saddam has not made America safer."
And Dean is
not the only Democrat making such reckless
charges. Former Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright on Sunday floated the theory to a FOX
News correspondent, "that the Bush administration
has Osama bin Laden hidden away somewhere and will
bring him out before the election."
Wesley Clark,
who was in Europe when Saddam Hussein was
captured, criticized the President this week and
said that rather than going after Saddam, he would
have let the United Nations continue to seek the
dictator's cooperation. Clark also declared that,
"Weapons of mass destruction are no longer a
threat to the United States."
Democrats
will do or say anything to defeat our President
-- wild accusations, reckless conspiracy theories,
and now raising money from foreign, anti-American
activists!
We need
your help to overcome these attacks!
Reuters reports on the Clark
campaign’s objection to the fact that it
references Clark who was in Europe testifying
against Slobodan Millosevick. The article did not
reference the fact that the Clark campaign sent an
email asking for funds in which Clark’s testifying
was mentioned. Reuters reports:
Bennett said the Clark campaign considered the
reference to Clark being in Europe as a sideswipe
against Bush's potential opponent. "We don't know
why the Bush allies would question Gen. Clark's
participation in a trial against a murderous
despot," Clark spokesman Matt Bennett told
Reuters.
As the email reads there is no questioning of
Clark’s testimony but rather his statement outside
the trial about the capture of Saddam Hussein.
However it does bring the campaign to a recent
article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, the
headline read, "Now you have the chance to leave
your mark on Bush."
The article gives Europeans "a chance to defeat
[Bush] -- even if you are not an American."
"One dollar for every European citizen would raise
more money than the entire official Bush campaign
budget for his election in 2000," the website
proclaims. "Compare this price to the cost of
having Bush in the White House."
The article states that this is a "globalized
world," what happens in America greatly affects
the rest of the world. As a result, Europeans and
other non-Americans should go about trying to make
changes politically.
"For that reason, we urge financial support for
MoveOn.org," the article concludes.
The article also relates that
680,000 of the estimated 2 million members of
MoveOn.org are non-Americans. Despite a policy
against foreign money, MoveOn.org has appointed an
International Campaigns Director named Eli Pariser.
His primary role with MoveOn.org has been to
develop ways to generate interest in American
elections overseas, including developing
innovative fundraising drives in other countries.
Drudge reported on this
developing story and the Washington Post asked
MoveOn.org about it and they responded, "To avoid
even the appearance of impropriety, we are not
going to take contributions from overseas," stated
MoveOn.org founder Wes Boyd to The Washington Post
over the weekend. Drudge cited that two Democrat
presidential where listed by name on several
international fundraising websites asking for
donations to be made directly to MoveOn.org.
Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark and former Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean were the two candidates listed on
the websites requesting funds from foreign
citizens. Drudge also reported on the official
campaign website for Clark, there is a link to a
website entitled "Canada for Clark" urging
Canadians to give money to MoveOn.org. Clark
spokesman Bennett denied the charge as "absurd and
pathetic."
There is now no link from Clark
to
Canada for Clark,
but there is a Canada for Clark who no longer has
a link to contribute to MoveOn.org. If you are not
an American the site suggest that you can
contribute to
US4Clark.
Drudge earlier reported on Howard Dean. When
IPW visited the site it was a directory that was
no longer navigable. Drudge stated on Dec. 15:
Dean04Worldwide.com is a noncommercial and
volunteer website offered by Corinne Sinclair, a
non-US citizen, based in London. Domain
registration information indicates the website
name servers are owned by PromoHosting.com, a
website hosting service based in Portugal.
Dean04Worldwide.com encourages non-Americans
across the global to help Dean win the 2004
election.
A
notice on the website explains how to provide
funds to MoveOn.org, since non-Americans cannot
donate directly to the Dean campaign.
Late
last week, a Swedish website removed an "EU-MoveOn.org
Fundraising Appeal," claiming MoveOn.org "No
Longer Accepts Contributions From Non US
Citizens/Permanent Resident Aliens."
Former
U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who has been
headlining moveone.org events, is said to have
vocalized serious concerns about the website
accepting cash from foreign sources, the DRUDGE
REPORT has learned. (12/20/2003)
Vitriolic Clark
Wesley Clark issued every
negative metaphor and vitriolic statement he could
level at President Bush. He also took on Sen. John
Kerry’s claim that he is the only candidate with
foreign policy experience. Apparently to Clark,
serving on the Intelligence Committee in the
Senate and being able to provide consent to
whether you become a general or not just doesn’t
count. However, Kerry did not recognized Clark’s
credentials when he claimed to be the only one
with foreign policy experience to take on Bush.
Blistering language
Clark’s most outrageous comments
were left for President Bush: "It's a return to an
imperial Presidency, the likes of which we haven't
seen since Richard Nixon;" Telling other countries
they were either for us or against us in Iraq was
"cowboy talk," Bush is a "reckless radical,"
arguing he was reckless for getting America into
the war in Iraq and a radical for implementing an
economic policy based on giving tax cuts to the
rich; "He's a partisan, polarizing, divisive
figure;" No Child Left Behind, is a Trojan horse.
"It's designed to destroy public education by
eroding confidence in public education;" When it
comes to education, Bush is "all mouth and no
money." (12/20/2003)
Clark’s conflict of interest
The NY Times reports on Wesley
Clark’s conflict of interest concerning policies
that he promotes. Clark has a financial interest
in a company that is developing new battery
technologies. He has frequently suggested that as
President he would make sure that large subsidies
would go to such companies:
General Clark has discussed the WaveCrest
technology several times over the last month, most
recently at a campaign event on Thursday in this
town in western New Hampshire, where he enthused
about a future where the use of electric cars
employing the WaveCrest technology could cut oil
imports in half.
Clark used to consult with the
company and helped it sell motorized bikes to the
Army:
In the last two years General Clark has received
more than $195,000 in consulting and director fees
from WaveCrest, and he served as chairman of its
board from April 1 through Oct. 7, when he
resigned to focus on his campaign for the
Democratic nomination for president. The company
is seeking additional financing to further develop
its motor and battery systems. Even if General
Clark doesn't win the nomination or the
presidency, WaveCrest might benefit from his
consistent promotion of its technology.
(12/20/2003)
Clark’s testimony available
The
Washington Post makes available the
transcripts of Wesley Clark’s testimony against
Slobodan Milosevic. (12/20/2003)
Clark on rampage
Wesley Clark’s campaign has gone
beyond rational to the point of weird. The latest
is the campaign's response to Majority Leader Tom
Delay’s comments on Meet the Press. The response
resembles something between first year law
students campaigning for campus president of the
school Democratic club. Here is the Clark
response:
Clark
Campaign Strategist Reid Cherlin responded to Tom
'Chicken-Hawk' Delay's latest cowardly comments,
"The closest to real combat that Tom
'Chicken-Hawk' Delay has ever come was when he got
himself a student deferment from Vietnam and
instead suited up in his exterminator outfit and
defended the people of Texas against invading
cockroaches, marauding red ants and hostile moths.
Wes Clark has seen real combat, given his blood
for our country, and commanded troops in battle,
which is why he believes we need to win the war on
terrorism instead of declaring victory when we all
know that the terrorists directly responsible for
9/11 are still out there at large. General Clark
lives in a world where he believes that America
will be stronger, safer and more secure if we are
focused on winning the war against the terrorists,
getting Osama bin Laden and working with our
Allies."
They also wanted to remind the
public of why Tom is ‘Chicken Hawk’ Delay. They
chose the ridiculous moment when Delay was
defending the choice of Dan Quayle for V.P.:
Just
to remind people of the Chicken-hawk's views on
military service, here is what he has said about
his lack of military experience, in an excerpt
from the/ Houston Press/:
"He
and Quayle, DeLay explained to the assembled media
in New Orleans, were victims of an unusual
phenomenon back in the days of the undeclared
Southeast Asian war. 'So many minority youths had
volunteered for the well-paying military positions
to escape poverty and the ghetto that there was
literally no room for patriotic folks like
himself.' Satisfied with the pronouncement, which
dumbfounded more than a few of his listeners who
had lived the sixties, DeLay marched off to the
convention." [/Houston Press/, 1/7/99]
Speaking of V.P.
If that wasn’t weird enough,
Clark let loose with the fact in a one-on-one
meeting with Howard Dean he was offered the V.P.
slot. Why would anyone bring up what cannot be
verified after the fact and this late? While there
were rumors of the offer and a sense of trying to
keep Clark out of the race by Dean back then, you
sure don’t walk into the issue at this late date
of whether you were or were not offered the slot.
Once again, it shows the naiveté of Clark and his
amateur campaign.
Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi,
appearing separately on the show, denied that Dean
offered Clark the V.P. slot.
Dean's campaign has not focused
on a running mate, Trippi said, and "particularly
back in the period he was talking about, we were
still an asterisk in most of the polls, so to be
talking to anybody about being vice president
doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
In a childish response, the
Clark campaign offered this rebuttal:
"Joe
Trippi may want to check in with his candidate
before talking. Howard Dean did in fact offer Wes
Clark a place on the ticket in a one-on-one
meeting that Trippi did not attend. Joe Trippi
shouldn't comment on meetings he wasn't invited
to."
The shrillness of the Clark
campaign causes the question to arise of how much
longer will this go on? For awhile, seems to be
the answer. The Clark campaign is raising money
off of Clark’s certain comment in reply to what he
would do if Republicans questioned his patriotism.
The website
www.GeorgiaForWesleyClark.com is using Clark’s
words to raise money. The
Associated Press is reporting:
"When
General Clark was asked how he would respond if
anyone from the right-wing criticized his
patriotism or military record, he responded in no
uncertain terms: 'I'll beat the s--- out of
them,'" says the appeal on the group's Web site.
"Do
you agree it's time to beat the — ahem — 'spit'
out of the right wing? Well, show it by donating
to our special 'Beat the Spit' fund-raiser! Every
dollar raised will be categorized as a 'Beat the
Spit' dollar, and will go to the 'Clark for
President' campaign," the group says.
(12/21/2003)
Clark blames President for 9-11
Wesley Clark is reported as
staying on the warpath in
Politics New Hampshire Online. They report
that:
His
biggest applause of the night came when he
addressed the September 11 terrorist attacks.
“More
could have been done,” to anticipate the tragedy
he said, “and this president could have done it.”
However, he was questioned by
someone with more pacifist nature when they
questioned Clark about his support of the School
of the Americas in Georgia. Rep. Dennis Kucinich
has criticized the school which is for the purpose
of training Latin Americans, of training
individuals who violated human rights. Clark
responded:
“The
School of the Americas teaches human rights,” he
said.
Later
in the forum, Clark revisited the issue when
another questioner indicated he was dissatisfied
with the general’s earlier explanation.
The
program, he said, offers the opportunity for Latin
American soldiers to be exposed to the Democratic
culture of the United States so that they come to
respect the values they are being trained to
defend. (12/21/2003)
Who is following Clark?
The Washington Post reports on
Wesley Clark’s campaign being in search of a
following. Clark’s missteps of late are only
chronicled from past perspectives. And it seems we
are giving Clark a pass until Feb. 3rd round of
primaries. He will have to perform then or be
gone:
On
that day, with more conservative electorates in
states such as South Carolina, Arizona and
Oklahoma, Clark hopes to score his first victories
and then consolidate the anti-Dean vote in hope of
winning the nomination.
But
other Democrats have similar scenarios in mind,
and Clark must demonstrate the candidate skills
and the political ingenuity to turn that strategy
into reality. So far the jury is still out. At
times, he demonstrates clear talents as a
candidate; at other times, he is unfocused in his
public appearances. He often excels in the
question-and-answer sessions that are a staple of
New Hampshire politics, but can turn testy when
pressed, particularly by reporters, to fill in the
details of his policy proposals.
To that end Clark was in the
very important state of S. Carolina campaigning
with Andrew Young, according to the
NY Times:
"I
asked a whole lot of my friends who were generals
and colonels and majors, who served over General
Clark and under General Clark," Mr. Young told the
congregation of more than 1,000 at Bible Way
Church, "and every last one of them said to me
that this is a good man, and if he were leading
our nation they would be proud."
Darrell Jackson, the church's pastor, joined in.
"Thanks be to God for somebody who can lead this
country in the right direction," he said to shouts
of "Amen!" and applause.
More praise of Clark’s chances
are reported by the
LA Times, where the potential of Clark
followers derives from Clark being an outsider to
Washington:
"The
more time passes, the more I am convinced this is
the year of the outsider," said Donna Brazile, a
Democratic strategist who served as Al Gore's
campaign manager in 2000. "The only possible
candidate who can come in with the Dean sort of
momentum is Gen. Clark." (12/22/2003)
Clark’s Iowa effort
Iowa supporters of Wesley Clark
are not giving up, even though the retired Army
general has decided to bypass the Iowa caucuses.
Max Guyll of Nevada, an Iowa State University
research scientist, announced Monday the launch of
a new grass-roots effort to support Clark in the
Iowa caucuses. Operation Sodbuster, named for
settlers who came to Iowa to break new ground for
farmland, will work to organize Clark supporters
in Iowa and other states, Guyll said.
"Between now and caucus night,
hundreds of Clark supporters in Iowa and across
the country will be contacting prospective Iowa
voters," Guyll said. "Like the sodbusters before
us, we feel we exude their grit, determination and
perseverance." (12/23/2003)
Clark attacks terrorism strategy
Here’s what Wesley Clark had to
say about the increase in the national alert
level:
"We should have gone after that
network and we should have gone after it directly
instead of taking half the United States Army and
putting it in Iraq and using $150 billion and
distracting us from our world leadership in the
war on terror," he said. "It was a strategic
mistake. I just hope that we'll be able to protect
this country and we don't have more Americans who
will suffer as a result of the president's bad
leadership," reports a story in the
NY Times. The story also covers other
candidates’ reaction to going on Orange Alert.
(12/23/2003)
Coleman endorses Clark
Wesley Clark announced that
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is joining the
Clark campaign as a Senior Advisor and the Ohio
State Chair. In making the announcement Clark
stated, "Michael Coleman is a remarkable man and a
remarkable mayor -- and I am honored to have his
endorsement today.
“Since he took office, he's
created thousands of jobs - jobs we desperately
need under a President who's lost 3 million of
them. He's started after school programs for
thousands of children across the city - programs
we desperately need under a President who's left
so many children behind. And he's working hard to
keep the streets of Columbus safe.
“Today, Columbus is ranked as
one of the nation's hottest job markets - and one
of the best cities in America to live and work.
“When it comes to homeland
security, Mayor Coleman believes, as I do, that
our cities are a key line of defense. And like me,
he thinks it's outrageous that our President
hasn't provided cities with the funds they need to
keep us safe. He's been leading the fight to turn
this around. And I'm proud to be with him every
step of the way.
“I'm looking forward to getting
Mayor Coleman out there on the campaign trail with
me - from Columbus, Ohio to Columbia, South
Carolina - and all across America."
(12/23/2003)
Clark critical of Rice
Wesley Clark’s campaign
criticized the Bush Administration for once again
trying to stonewall the 9-11 Commission. The
campaign cited government sources reported in TIME
Magazine that National Security Advisor
Condoleezza Rice does not want to testify under
oath or in public about the tragedy.
Clark said, "There is no excuse
for failing to fully cooperate with this
independent, bipartisan commission. We need open
government and new leadership that holds itself
accountable for whatever goes wrong on its
watch--especially when it involves a national
tragedy like 9-11. The Bush Administration should
be taking the lead in cooperating--not dragging
its feet.
“To build a stronger and better
America, we must find out what more could have and
should have been done to prevent 9-11. The Bush
Administration owes us the full truth and nothing
but the truth. Unfortunately, they seem to be
giving the Commission nothing but a stonewall."
(12/24/2003)
Congrats to Wes
Wesley Clark got a surprise
holiday present - his first grandchild was born a
little early, on Christmas Day. The baby boy,
named Wes, was not due until January but was born
Thursday in Los Angeles. The father, Wesley Clark
II, said both the child and mother, Astrid, were
doing well. The new grandfather, a retired Army
general who is seeking the Democratic presidential
nomination, waited outside the delivery room with
his wife, Gert, during the birth. (12/27/2003)
Clark’s diversions
The
Washington Post is carrying a story titled,
“Clark waits for voters to thaw” but a better
title would be, “voters wait for Clark to learn
politics.” Here is a piece that shows Clark’s
amateur status:
"I'm
not a professional politician," Clark tells his
audiences, and the lack of tradecraft shows. At
his town hall meetings, his answer to a single
policy question can run 15 minutes, complete with
detailed percentages. He can drift off into Al
Gore-ish techno-idolatrous/green Earth dreams,
about electric highways or buffalo roaming free in
Montana. He can talk himself into strange alleys,
like his recent verbal bio that began with his
experience as a teenage camp counselor and somehow
ricocheted back to "I want to be camp counselor of
America . . . at whatever age I'll be."
(12/27/2003)
Clark on Alaska wilderness
Wesley Clark issued a statement
that the Bush Administration finalized the opening
of 300,000 acres of Alaska's Tongass National
Forest for logging and other development. Now the
timber industry will be able to clearcut trees in
one of the most ancient forests in the world.
"As
Americans gathered to celebrate the traditions of
the holiday season, the Bush Administration
practiced its own tradition - rolling back
environmental protections when most Americans
weren't looking.
“It's
wrong to announce gifts to your special interest
supporters under cover of Christmas. American
needs leadership that puts the people's interests
above the special interests. That's the kind of
leadership I'll bring back to White House."
(12/27/2003)
Clark endorsed
Democratic presidential
candidate Wesley Clark has been endorsed by Rep.
Dale E. Kildee -- the first member of Michigan's
Democratic congressional delegation to announce a
favorite. (12/29/2003)
Clark’s true grits
Wesley Clark is not campaigning
in New Hampshire, but he is campaigning in the
South. The Clark campaign must demonstrate that
they can win Southern states to become the
alternative to Dean. So, the Clark campaign is
implementing what it calls a ‘True Grits’ tour of
Southern states. The
NY Times covers the tour:
General Clark is trying to show the party that his
national security credentials and experience
leading a well-integrated institution make him the
most qualified candidate to go toe-to-toe with
President Bush in the fall. With five Senate seats
being vacated by Democrats in the South, General
Clark is also trying to demonstrate that for
Southern office-seekers, he would be a strong
presence at the top of the ticket.
"The
message we're trying to send is beyond the
specific states we will visit," Paul Johnson, the
Clark campaign manager, said in an interview. "In
part the plan is to make the statement that
General Clark has a broad base of appeal in all 50
states." (12/29/2003)
Clark’s new ad
Clark has new ad running and it
shows Bill Clinton awarding the General the
Presidential Medal of Freedom in an August 2000
clip. Clark's 30-second ad can be seen on
television stations in New Hampshire and Boston.
In the ad, Clinton places the medal on Clark for
the General's role as NATO Supreme Allied
Commander during the Kosovo War. The commercial --
with an ad buy of $125,000 -- also shows Clark
with a cook, a soldier, and students. The clip
with Clinton is part of the public domain, said Mo
Elleithee, Clark spokesperson. (12/30/2003)
Clark’s Southern tour
The
Boston Globe reports on Wesley Clark’s shift
in strategy towards trying to gain a foothold to
challenge Howard Dean in the South:
The trip represents a shift in
approach for Clark, who is still widely associated
with his foreign policy credentials, campaigns
with Rhodes Scholar elocution, and repeatedly
professes his love for New Hampshire. Clark must
perform well in the Granite State primary on Jan.
27, but he also needs a strong showing a week
later on Feb. 3, when seven states hold elections,
perhaps none of them more prominent than South
Carolina.
While his efforts may be daunting,
it is clear that Clark is going to show his
Southern roots in trying to gain a stake in
Southern allegiance to his campaign:
"I'm not sure how many people in
South Carolina even know quite where Arkansas is
or even are positive that Arkansas was one of the
Confederate states. But they also know that Bill
Clinton was a Southerner," said Jack Bass, a
professor at the College of Charleston, who
coauthored the book "The Transformation of
Southern Politics."
If there's confusion, Clark will
try to make up for it with Southern vernacular. In
a prepared speech he delivered in Little Rock
yesterday morning, Clark said it was so early that
"I don't even think the hogs are up yet," and he
talked about his Baptist upbringing and the school
where "we read the Bible in homeroom and recited
prayers every morning."
Clark also called
for the enforcement of the voting rights act at a
stop in Alabama according to the
NY Times:
"If anyone is intimidated or turned
away from the polls illegally, we will push to
prosecute the perpetrators to the full extent of
the law," he said. (12/30/2003)
Clark opposes parental notification
Wesley Clark expressed his
support for yesterday's U.S. District Court for
New Hampshire ruling striking down a law requiring
parental notice before a minor could get an
abortion. The law was overturned because it failed
to provide an exception to protect the minor's
health. It required that parents be notified at
least 48 hours before medical care could be
provided. Clark strongly supported the New
Hampshire Court's decision:
“Women's health should never be endangered by laws
that prevent doctors from providing medically
necessary care. I applaud the court for protecting
the young women of New Hampshire.
“I
would hope that a young woman could talk with her
family about medical decisions. But I recognize
that, unfortunately, in some extreme cases, it is
not possible for young women to have that
conversation. That's why I believe that, in
addition to providing exceptions for a woman's
health, any law requiring parental notification
must have an exception providing judicial bypass
or notification of another responsible adult.
“As
the court rightly found, parental notice laws must
also include an exception to protect young women's
health, which must be our paramount concern. A
woman's health should never be put in jeopardy for
political reasons." (12/31/2003)
Clark will spend New Years in New Hampshire
Clark will join New Hampshire
families on a cruise aboard the Thomas Laighton
Ship in Portsmouth on New Year's Eve in an event
complete with fireworks and light refreshments,
spokeswoman Kristina Saunders said. The early
evening New Year's Eve cruise will be the first
event in the General's 11-day tour through New
Hampshire, which will include a house party later
on New Year's Eve and town hall meetings
throughout the week.
"General Clark loves New
Hampshire, and he can't wait to kick off the new
year on the ground there," said Clark's spokesman,
Mo Elleithee. "He really enjoys the opportunity to
talk to people one on one and engage the voter in
a very direct way." (12/31/2003)
Clark
main page
top
of page
|