|
 Wesley
Clark
 excerpts
from
the Iowa Daily Report
November 1-15, 2003
Southern favorite
Wesley Clark has moved ahead
in South Carolina -- the state John Edwards must
win in order to stay in the delegate hunt for the
Presidential nomination, according to an
Associated Press report. Excerpts: “Clark had
the support of 17 percent, while North Carolina
Sen. John Edwards had the backing of 10 percent in
the poll by the American Research Group of
Manchester, N.H. More than a third, 36 percent,
were undecided. Edwards led among South Carolina
voters in this same poll in September, with the
backing of 16 percent, 9 points ahead of his
closest competitors. Edwards, a South Carolina
native who now lives in a neighboring state, is
counting heavily on a strong showing in South
Carolina and has spent more than $600,000 on
campaign ads there.” (11/01/2003)
The blame game
Wesley Clark continues to try
and place the blame for 9-11 on the current Bush
Administration. Following a speech by National
Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Clark implied
that Rice’s speech continued to try and place the
blame for 9-11 on others: "The White House was
told that Al Qaeda was the biggest threat America
faced. They ignored that threat and focused
instead on missile defense and other skewed
priorities. Even as they blame other
administrations for 9/11, they are stonewalling
the 9/11 Commission. Instead of blaming others,
they should try to figure out what went on between
January 20 and September 10, 2001.” (11/01/2003)
Clark supports lawsuit
Wesley Clark Website issued a
press release stating that he supports 12 states
suing the federal government in an attempt to
roll-back parts of the Clean Air Act by the
Environmental Protection Agency. This week a
coalition of 12 states, the District of Columbia
and local governments filed suit against the
Environmental Protection Agency to block the
rollback of key provisions of the Clean Air Act.
The new EPA regulations, pushed by the Bush
Administration, will allow older power plants to
continue polluting at high rates even as they
undertake massive expansion. (11/01/2003)
Clark’s computer move
Wesley Clark’s campaign wants
to make him more computer savvy, if we are to
believe their recent moves on their website. Clark
is going to hold Wireside Chats on Monday at 5:30
ET. Borrowing from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s
radio fireside chats, Clark is launching his own
‘tech’ version… Wireside Chats. Not only will we
be able to hear from him, he'll be able to hear
from us - in real time," said John Hlinko,
director of Internet Strategy. "So log on to
Clark04.com, throw a 'blog' on the fire, and help
build a better future for America - one keystroke
at a time."
In addition, Meetup members
gathering Monday night around the country in
cafes, restaurants and other venues will be able
to download a video of a recent Clark speech to
watch together. "The video clip is a terrific
example of Clark addressing important issues that
affect everyday lives," said Cara Couch, volunteer
coordinator of Clark 2004 Meetup. "We've added
tools on the Clark04 website to help new members
learn about General Clark and his vision for a New
American Patriotism."
Clark’s campaign has been
plagued by ineptitude since the firing of a top
staff person who argued that the campaign was not
doing enough to care and feed for the Draft Clark
volunteers. (11/02/2003)
Clark’s harping
Wesley Clark continues on the
theme that the War in Iraq has no plan and is
going nowhere. He made the following comments
regarding Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s
appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press:
"Today, Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld made clear that the Administration
has no answers to the increasingly violent
situation in Iraq. More than six months after the
'end of major hostilities', when the President
boasted that the American mission was
'accomplished', they still have no plan to
stabilize Iraq, return control to the Iraqi
people, and protect our troops. After months of
saying his capture was imminent, Rumsfeld also
acknowledged that Saddam Hussein was probably
still alive and at large… "The failure of the
Administration to present an adequate success
strategy is an example of the leadership gap that
has emerged at a time when the country needs
direction most. We need a president who leads, a
president who takes responsibility. We need a
plan." (11/03/2003)
ZIP code competition
Wesley Clark is going to come
to a ZIP code near you. Maybe! The Clark campaign
is using the competition of who gives the most
money by ZIP code to try an roll in the money
on-line:
“It's a friendly competition between ZIP codes
around the country. If you and your neighbors have
the greatest number of people who contribute to
the Clark campaign online before November 24,
Clark will make a stop in your ZIP code during the
primary season.” (11/04/2003)
Clark Rocks
Wesley Clark and the other
candidates except for Dick Gephardt are on CNN’s
Rock the Vote today. According to the campaign a
music producer shot Clark's ad in downtown New
York City last week. The spot shows Clark sitting
around a table with a group of young folks,
sleeves rolled up. He leans inward, talking to the
group about foreign and domestic policy issues and
… well, rock bands. (11/04/2003)
Clark favorable to landmine treaty
The Manchester Union Leader
story covering Clark indicates Clark’s willingness
to sign a landmine treaty ban:
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark said Monday he would
consider signing the International Treaty to Ban
Landmines. "I'd have to take a look at, primarily,
what's in the treaty since I worked on it,
particularly at the security requirements," he
told The Union Leader of Manchester. "But in
principle, I am against landmines."
(11/04/2003)
Clark claims to be Internet King
Wesley Clark’s campaign
claims to have surpassed Howard Dean’s campaign in
the most number of visitors to their website.
Clark, whose roots are in the on-line Draft Clark
Movement, has struggled with their on-line effort.
Now Clark’s campaign is trying to change that
perception as IPW reported yesterday. The
Boston Globe reports the Dean campaign is not
conceding its first place Internet position: "The
Dean for America website is one of the most
crucial organizing tools of this campaign," Dean
spokesman Jay Carson said. "It has been, and
continues to be, the most popular site."
(11/04/2003)
Clark critical
Clark took the opportunity to
criticize The defense department, according to an
Army Times report that outlined the Defense
Department, is completing a study on whether to
close or transfer control of 58 schools it
operates on 14 military bases in the continental
United States. Clark’s response according to
USA Today was: "Our armed forces and the
United States Army are under enormous stress,"
Clark wrote. "Sacrifice will no doubt be demanded.
Surely, the Department must know better than to
recommend such a proposal in wartime."
(11/05/2003)
Clarkapallooza
While this campaign season
has seen some different innovative tactics, those
Clintonistas over at the Clark campaign are not
taking any of their ideas off the table. The
latest idea is to hold a Clarkapallooza --
a concert to bring together great bands in support
of Wes Clark. The website press release says the
concert is in the planning stages. (11/05/2003)
Rock the Vote
Democrat Presidential
candidates went on CNN’s Rock the Vote and here
are some of the clips:
·
Edwards, Dean and Sen. John Kerry
said they had used marijuana in the past. Rep.
Dennis Kucinich, Wesley Clark and Al Sharpton said
they had not. Sen. Joe Lieberman said he had,
although he apologized for it. Former Sen. Carol
Moseley Braun declined to answer.
·
Kerry of Massachusetts drew the Red
Sox question and was asked whether he would have
removed Boston’s starting pitcher at the critical
point in last month’s Game 7 of a playoff series
with the New York Yankees. He said he would have —
that he was “throwing things at the television
set” urging the manager to do so.
·
Clark, asked about gay and lesbian
rights, said he would give homosexuals “the
opportunity to serve in the U.S. armed forces.”
·
"I understand the legacy of racism
in this country, and I understand the legacy of
bigotry in this country," Dean said. "We need to
bring folks together in this race, just like
Martin Luther King tried to do before he was
killed. He was right. And I make no apologies for
reaching out to poor white people."
·
"When Bill Clinton was found to be a
member of a white-only country club, he
apologized. You are not a bigot, but you appear to
be too arrogant to say `I'm wrong' and go on,"
said the Rev. Al Sharpton, the New York civil
rights leader and presidential contender.
·
“Teresa Heinz Kerry is right: nine
podiums on a well-lit stage do not make a
substantive debate, not any more than nine
candidates in frantic motion make a serious
primary campaign” -- Eileen McNamara, Globe
columnist. (11/05/2003)
Clark Marshall(s) Congress
General Wesley Clark welcomed
Thurgood Marshall, Jr. aboard his campaign for
president. Marshall will serve without salary as
the Senior Director for Congressional and Public
Liaison for Clark04. "Thurgood is going to be the
point person for my campaign's dealings with
Congress," Clark said. "The breadth and depth of
his experience in this area will be invaluable."
Marshall has lined up an all-star Congressional
relations team for Clark04, including: Peter Goelz
of APCO Worldwide, Steven Palmer of Van Skoyoc
Associates, Daniel C. Tate of Capitol Solutions
and Tracey Thornton of Farragut Consulting. Each
has extensive experience in senior government
positions and in the private sector. (11/6/2003)
The word
Americans will receive the
definitive word on how to win the peace in Iraq
today in a speech by Wesley Clark at South
Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South
Carolina. Clark calls for the United States to
appoint an allied high representative to guide
Iraq's reconstruction while shifting the military
operation to NATO forces under U.S. command. He
also urges that the interim government should be
given gradual authority over oil revenues and
other domestic issues to give civilians a stake in
stemming the violence.
Clark will also call for a new
Atlantic Charter to help define the common threats
faced with European allies. He suggests that this
will enable the U.S. to demand more action from
its allies providing the U.S. offer a promise to
act together as a first choice, not a last choice.
Clark has been critical of the Bush
administration’s going it alone. In the speech,
Clark alleges that 500,000 tons of ammunition
remains unguarded. Clark will demand an effort to
secure weapons dumps throughout the country.
However, Clark does not call for an early exit:
"Early exit means retreat or defeat. There can be
neither." (11/6/2003)
Clark: Use Bosnia model
Wesley Clark in his speech in S.
Carolina urged following the Bsonia model
according to the
Washington Times:
"The
Coalition Provisional Authority, by which America
controls Iraq today, should be replaced. But it is
simply unrealistic to have the United Nations take
over this daunting task — it's not able and it's
not willing," he said. "We must create a new
international structure — the Iraqi Reconstruction
and Democracy Council — similar to the one we
created in Bosnia with representatives from
Europe, the United States, Iraq's neighbors, and
other countries that will support our effort," he
said.
Clark was the Supreme Commander
and has been accused of supporting a false
statement that indicated that the United States
would be out of Bosnia in a year to gain
Congressional support for the Clinton
administrations policy. We are still in Bosnia.
(11/7/2003)
Black Hawk down
Wesley Clark used the crash and
deaths of American soldiers in the latest Black
Hawk down to pile on President Bush’s Iraq policy
-- a theme he has been pounding for most of the
week. Here are excerpts from an
Associated Press story:
"I
think before you go to war, you've got to have
exhausted all the diplomatic possibilities. He
didn't," Clark told a Georgia Tech audience. "...
I think you have to have a realistic plan for what
happens after you turn loose the bombers and send
the armored columns in. He didn't."
(11/7/2003)
General marching in S. Carolina
Former South Carolina Gov. Jim
Hodges will endorse retired Gen. Wesley Clark for
president, a Clark campaign spokeswoman said
Friday. A recent poll showed that Clark, who
jumped into the crowded Democratic race in
September, had surpassed North Carolina Sen. John
Edwards among likely voters in the South Carolina
primary slated for Feb. 3. (11/7/2003)
Job creation
Wesley Clark responded to
President Bush’s trip to N. Carolina saying in a
press release that Bush exported jobs but he would
create them.
“North
Carolina has lost 145,000 manufacturing jobs since
President Bush took office-- and more than 2.6
million manufacturing jobs have been lost
nationwide. Many of these jobs were relocated
overseas… “This is just more evidence that Mr.
Bush and his administration are seriously out of
touch with the problems facing ordinary Americans.
Even members of the GOP are rebelling against
Bush's tax cuts for multinational corporations.
According to the Associated Press, Republican Rep.
Donald Manzullo asked, "We're going to reward
companies to move production offshore. Who wants
that?" Clark said.
General Clark would make job
creation job one. He would repeal Bush's tax
giveaways for the wealthy and use the money to
jump-start job creation, while strengthening
Homeland Security, health care and education, the
release went on to say. (11/8/2003)
Reaction to Dean’s money
The following are reactions to
Dean’s foregoing federal campaign spending limits
as reported by the
Associated Press and the various Democratic
presidential candidates’ websites:
"It's disappointing that Howard
Dean so conveniently abandoned a long-held
position of principle out of mere political
expediency. After Howard Dean so passionately and
ardently announced that if any candidate left the
public system it would be an issue, then sought a
political fig leaf in an Internet poll slyly
worded to predetermine its results, it's clear an
alleged straight talk candidacy has turned out to
represent politics as usual," said Sen. John
Kerry.
"I'm a strong believer in the
campaign finance system. I think it brings
integrity to the process. I'm disappointed
Governor Dean has reversed his position." Sen.
John Edwards.
"Forget all of the gimmicks and
rationalizations, the plain truth is that Howard
Dean wants to outspend his opponents in the early
states and has therefore violated his pledge to
stay within the public financing system. Just like
President Bush, Howard Dean has effectively
undermined campaign finance laws for his own
personal, opportunistic political advantage." Rep.
Dick Gephardt.
"It's a shame that Howard Dean
has broken his word and abandoned his earlier
pledge never to bypass the public financing
system. America needs a leader who will stick to
the promises he makes. We call on Governor Dean to
comply with the spirit of the law — and his own
previous statements — and pledge to spend no more
than $45 million in the Democratic primaries and
to limit his spending to the specific spending
caps in the states." Sen. Joe Lieberman.
"I think it's important for
people to look at what he said earlier and the
pledge that he made. I think we'll leave it up to
the people to decide whether this is a good or a
bad thing," said Wesley Clark's spokesman, Kym
Spell. (11/9/2003)
Veterans Day bashing
The Manchester
Union Leader surveyed the Presidential
candidates, including President Bush, as to what
their policy towards veterans was. The Democrats
all said Bush was not doing enough. Former Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean summed it up for the Democratic
field:
“President Bush has broken promises, cut funding,
and turned his back on the same veterans he claims
to support. He has even ignored the bipartisan
recommendations of his own veteran’s health care
task force, which urged full funding for veterans’
health care. It’s time to end the broken promises,
and to do right by America’s veterans.”
Here
are two of the points Wesley Clark proposes:
*
Says veterans service organizations estimate that
President Bush’s proposed budget is $2 billion
less than what is necessary to give veterans
proper care and promises to provide needed health
care and timely access to preventive and
diagnostic care, and basic services such as
physical examinations.
*
Pledges to allow National Guard and Reserve
members to buy into Tricare, the military’s health
insurance program.
To see
all of the proposals go to the
Union Leader. (11/9/2003)
Personal testaments
Wesley Clark’s latest attempt at
a press release on his website is a bunch of
personal testament dribble from his first visit to
Missouri:
"I
think we really have to focus our efforts on the
candidate who has the strongest character and most
electability," said Brian Kearney… "We're building
name recognition, calling people, and inviting
them to Meetups and other functions."
"The
thing about Clark is he's lived all over the
world," Cox said. "I've lived all over the world
too, and it gives you a perspective that you don't
have otherwise. Clark has a demeanor of calmness
and steadiness. He projects that he is a good
listener. That's what we need to restore our
reputation around the world." (11/9/2003)
Clark’s money
The
NY Times reports on how Wesley Clark has made
it big in the influence peddling business:
“In
2000, the year he left the military, General Clark
had an income of $474,000, of which $184,000 came
from wages, $249,000 from business earnings and
the rest from investments. In 2001, he reported
income of $762,000, of which $213,000 was wages,
$84,000 was pension, $434,000 was business and the
rest was from investments.”
As Clark was looking at ways to
market himself he called on some old friends for
advice. He did not get much support from former
United Nations envoy, Richard C. Holbrooke.
“Mr.
Holbrooke was brutally honest about the general's
marketability. "I told him, 'Trust me, no one has
ever heard of you,' " Mr. Holbrooke recalled in an
interview. "And he shot back, `Well, I was the
supreme commander of NATO.' " (11/10/2003)
Clark’s hospitality
Yesterday as President George W.
Bush visited Arkansas, Wes Clark's home state in
anything but the spirit of southern hospitality,
Clark said: "Welcome to Arkansas, where we are
still waiting for the economic recovery you've
been boasting about."
Name calling
Communications Director Matt Bennett suggested,
"Mr. Bush, maybe next time you come to Little Rock
you can pick a more affordable place to eat. I
recommend the Whole Hog Cafe, but they're known
for their ribs-and you seem to prefer baloney."
Clark’s
campaign further stressed the latest labor figures
showing that Arkansas is still losing jobs. Last
month, the state unemployment rate jumped to 6.2
percent-the highest level in more than a decade.
“The
average income in Arkansas is $23,512 and the
price of admission to the President's fundraiser
lunch is $2,000 a plate. So the average Arkansan
won't be able to attend,” the release stated.
(11/11/2003)
Will veterans revive Clark?
S. Carolina may be the first
place that Wesley Clark can get some traction. The
South’s long tradition of military service coupled
with Clark’s Arkansas residency may help in the
Feb. 3 Primary. Clark has spent a large share of
his time in the state and the Associated Press is
reporting favorable impressions from the state’s
veterans. The AP also revealed in today’s story
that Clark is targeting the veterans:
During
a recent campaign stop, Clark talked about his
pride in being a veteran. "I'm going to reach out
to veterans' organizations through local
communities, through the media and with my hand
outstretched to thank 'em," Clark said after
addressing a standing-room-only crowd at the
University of South Carolina's law school.
Clark
is in New Hampshire Tuesday through Friday.
(11/11/2003)
Clark’s charges
Wesley Clark seemed to open up
three fronts at once on Veterans Day. One front
had him taking on flag burners, another had him
clashing with Edwards and his old boss, and then
he was tracking down Bin Laden…
Flag burning
Clark
in a speech on Veterans Day in New Hampshire said
that he supported a Constitutional ban on burning
the American flag. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in
1989 that burning the flag was protected by the
constitution’s free speech clause. The House has
passed an amendment that would allow Congress to
protect the flag. Both Dick Gephardt and Dennis
Kucinich supported the amendment. Senators John
Kerry, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards have opposed
the amendment.
Former boss
With
the revelation that former Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff Henry Shelton had informally
provided Sen. John Edwards with foreign affairs
advice, the Clark campaign opened a second front
against Edwards and impugned Shelton’s
credibility. Shelton has made the often-quoted
remark that Clark was removed from his Supreme
Commander of NATO troops because of integrity
problems. Clark campaign spokesman Matt Bennett,
in a letter to Edwards, was astounded that he had
retained Shelton as a campaign adviser -- a choice
that "undermines the spirit of civility that you
urged your fellow candidates to uphold," according
to an Associated Press story. Shelton is a
resident of Edwards’ home state of N. Carolina and
a longtime friend. Edwards responded to Clark’s
campaign with the statement:
"Whatever your personal views of General Shelton,
I'm sure you agree that he is a respected military
leader who served our country with distinction,"
Edwards wrote. "Although General Shelton has not
endorsed me or any other candidate, I value his
advice as one of our nation's top military
leaders.
Hunting down Bin Laden
Clark
thinks that the search for Bin Laden should be
internationalized by demanding that the Saudi
Arabians provide commandos to hunt him down.
Bennett outlined Wednesday morning a three point
plan Clark is to present in a speech at Dartmouth
College in New Hampshire today.
First, Clark would pressure Saudi Arabia to
contribute to a joint U.S.-Saudi commando force to
scour the Afghan-Pakistani border where bin Laden
is thought to be hiding
Second, Clark proposed reassigning some of the
intelligence specialists, linguists, and special
operations forces now searching Iraq for weapons
of mass destruction to the hunt for bin Laden.
Third, the United States needs to repair relations
with allies and friends. (11/12/2003)
Clark’s opps
Washington Post explains how
Clark’s pulling out of Iowa was big mistake:
The
fatal blow for Clark came when his campaign team
decided last month to pull out of Iowa. The night
the news was breaking, Clark called McEntee to
tell him. McEntee told him he was making a
terrible "strategic mistake." Last week, a Clark
campaign official told another labor official that
no one on the campaign had known how important
Iowa was to AFSCME and McEntee -- further proof to
AFSCME leaders of the weaknesses inside Clark's
operation. (11/12/2003)
Clark meets the press
General Wesley Clark will appear
on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, November 16.
Clark will be the guest for the full hour of the
show. Tim Russert will interview Clark about news
issues of interest. Meet the Press airs at 9 am ET
in most places. (11/13/2003)
Speaking of communications
ABC’s
The Note has been checking out Wesley Clark’s
blog. It is ugly over there:
Chris
Lehane, the Clark campaign's Communications
Strategist and most notably a former Kerry
campaign adviser, appeared on MSNBC's 'Buchanan
and Press' yesterday and according to bloggers'
reviews on Clark's campaign Web site, the
self-assured staffer's performance was, well, bad.
The 15 or so back-and-forth postings throughout
the evening resorted to name-calling — "looks and
sounds like a sixth grader;" "wimp;" "weak;" and
perhaps the most telling … "he spouted slogans and
various rebuttals in the manner of an undeserving
favorite nephew of a childless rich man sent out
to have fun on TV." And these are Clark
supporters. We know General Clark writes for the
blog (he was actually seen blackberrying
yesterday's text from a campaign stop in New
Hampshire), but does he read the comments?
(11/13/2003)
Who’s right?
The
Boston Globe covers the Wesley Clark campaign
and it raises the question of whether Clark reads
his campaign at all:
"I'm
in New Hampshire," he told the Queens County
Democratic Organization in New York last week.
"I'm working hard there, about 50 percent of my
time. We're going to do well in New Hampshire. And
then we'll go to South Carolina, Oklahoma,
Arizona. We've got strength in the South, we've
got strength in the West. We're going to win."
"Resume and credentials aren't necessarily what
gets people elected," said Andy Ostroy, 44, a New
Yorker in the marketing business, who thinks Clark
represents the Democrats' best chance in a
face-off with President Bush. "He's got to go and
touch people," Ostroy said. "He's not making that
connection with the voter at large."
(11/13/2003)
Clark takes caps
Wesley Clark’s campaign is
opting in to federal campaign financing which will
cap his primary spending at approximately $45
million for the primary. For the Clark campaign,
the promise of quick cash outweighed the long-term
advantages. The campaign needs the money now, and
the possible $19 million matching funds is a quick
way to maximize contributions in a hurry.
Clark has been raising money at
a fast pace and there was speculation that he
might forego spending limits. Clark is on a pace
that would see him raise nearly $10 million by the
end of the year. However, Howard Dean is on pace
to hit $25 million and John Kerry is likely to
make $20 million by the end of the year. Money on
hand is all the more important due to the fact
that after the Hampshire Primary, the remaining
states’ selections start going off like fireworks
on the 4th of July and the Democrat presumptive
nominee is likely to be picked by the middle of
March.
Campaign Finance matches up to
$250 per individual contributions. Even $2,000
contributions are matched by a $250 contribution
by the Federal Election Commission. However,
opting in to the system means that candidates have
to abide by overall spending limits and individual
state spending limits. For example, Iowa’s
spending limit is approximately $1.3 million.
Candidates do exceed these limits by buying
services in adjoining states. However, there is
only so much that can be achieved through this
method. (11/14/2003)
Clark takes Baucus
The
Associated Press is reporting that Senator Max
Baucus is going outside the Senate for his pick
for President:
Sen.
Max Baucus of Montana will endorse retired Army
Gen. Wesley Clark for president rather than any of
Baucus’ fellow Democratic senators who are running
for the job, a spokesman said Wednesday… Baucus
"believes the Democratic Party needs to embrace
leaders like General Clark, leaders who put
partisan labels behind and focus on doing the
right thing,"[ Baucus spokesman Barrett] Kaiser
said.
Baucus
is the second congressional tax writer to sign on
to Clark’s campaign, which already received the
backing of Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., ranking
member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Baucus is the ranking member of the Senate Finance
Committee… He also joins Arkansas Sens. Mark Pryor
and Blanche Lincoln in backing Clark’s
presidential bid. Clark is from Arkansas.(11/14/2003)
Clark is appalled
A General Accounting Office
report found that 94 percent of the Army National
Guard soldiers serving in Iraq have experienced
pay problems-including underpayment, three month
delays in pay, and loss of salary during
hospitalization. In a report aired on NBC last
night, one soldier said: "It distracted you from
the job at hand. You gotta worry about whether
your family has enough money at home to pay the
rent and put food on the table."
"This is appalling and
unconscionable," Wesley Clark said. "This is how
we repay our soldiers for putting their lives on
the line?" Clark asked. "The very least this
administration can do is to make sure military
families can make ends meet." (11/14/2003)
Clark skipping New Hampshire debate
Wesley Clark will miss the Dec.
9 DNC-sanctioned presidential debate in New
Hampshire because of a long-scheduled New York
City fund-raiser, the Manchester Union Leader
reports. A Clark spokesman tells CBS News
that the campaign has a $1 million event in
Manhattan that night that Clark cannot miss.
Communications director Matt
Bennett said the decision to skip the debate is
not an indication of any dialing back in New
Hampshire. "We are playing hard in New Hampshire,"
Bennett says, adding that the debate-skip was
"absolutely, unequivocally not" a signal of a
change in strategy, despite a report in Thursday's
Boston Globe that indicated the Clark campaign
hasn't caught fire in New Hampshire.(11/14/2003)
Clark wrong
Sen. John Kerry responded to
Wesley Clark’s plan to involve Saudis”
"I
have great respect for General Clark, but his
proposal to rely on Saudi commandos to go into
Pakistan to find Osama bin Laden just won't
withstand scrutiny. President Bush let Osama Bin
Laden slip away in the first place at Tora Bora by
not relying on US troops but rather on Afghan
mercenaries who just one month earlier had been
fighting on the other side. The General’s
proposal, likewise, is flawed. Not only do the
Saudis currently have their hands full finding the
terrorists who are blowing up buildings in their
own capital, but with their support of the Taliban
and the blind eye they too often turned towards Al
Qaida, I fear operational collaborations with the
Saudis in Pakistan and Afghanistan would create
serious intelligence and security risks… “The
Administration can and must turn up the tempo of
operations against Al Qaida in Northern Pakistan
by intensifying our efforts with General Musharraf,
refocusing U.S. intelligence efforts on the border
areas, and making better use of the existing
collaboration between the U.S and Pakistan.”
(11/14/2003)
Clark takes to the air
Wesley Clark is the last of the
top tier candidates to go up on television.
According to the
NY Times, the ad is more like “Saving Private
Ryan”:
As gunfire is heard in the background, an
announcer recounts the battle in Vietnam for which
General Clark won the Silver Star: "The first
bullet shattered his hand — the second and third
hit his shoulder and leg."
While flashing to black and white photographs of
generic jungle combat, the announcer says: "As he
fell to the jungle floor, he continued giving
commands to his troops and rallied their courage.
He refused to be evacuated until his troops were
safe."
Campaign officials said the
commercial was devised to draw attention to
General Clark's military background, which they
believe to be his most compelling selling point
with voters, many of whom know that he was a
general but not much more. (11/15/2003)
Clark’s NY endorsement
Representative Anthony Weiner
announced his endorsement of General Wesley K.
Clark's campaign for President of the United
States. Weiner became a member of the United
States House of Representatives in 1999. He
represents the 9th District of New York, which
stretches across Brooklyn and Queens.
"Anthony Weiner represents a new generation of
leadership," said General Clark. "He is a champion
of consumer rights and gun control and an emerging
expert on homeland security issues. I am thrilled
to have Anthony Weiner on my team."
"This is a troubled moment in United States
history. My constituents, the people of Queens and
Brooklyn, are desperate for a leader who can set a
new course on domestic and foreign policy," Rep.
Weiner said. "I believe that General Clark is that
leader and he is the best candidate to beat George
W. Bush next fall."(11/15/2003)
Clark’s Bush bashing
Today, President George W. Bush
held a White House ceremony to sign a proclamation
for the National Employer Support of the Guard and
Reserve Week.
"I'm glad the President took
time today to recognize our Reserve and National
Guard members. But our troops need much more than
fancy words from the White House," General Wesley
Clark said. "They need Kevlar vests, health care,
reliable pay checks and a success strategy for the
ongoing war in Iraq. Take it from an old soldier,
proclamations are little comfort to troops under
fire."
Clark would honor reserve and
national guard members with more than words. He
would:
Immediately Correct Our Soldiers' Pay Problems:
A General Accounting Office report found that 94
percent of the Army National Guard soldiers
serving in Iraq have experienced pay
problems-including underpayment, three month
delays in pay, and loss of salary during
hospitalization.
Extend Health Care to All Members of the
National Guard and Reserves:
Currently, 20 percent of the 1.2 million National
Guardsmen and Reservists have no health care at
all when they are inactive.
Ensure Every National Guard and Reserve Member
is Equipped to Succeed:
Under Wes Clark's watch no solider would suffer
from a shortage of body armor and other necessary
equipment.
Launch A Success Strategy for the Sake of Every
Solider:
To ease the burden on our soldiers: Wes Clark
would get the UN, NATO and our Arab allies
involved in the reconstruction of Iraq;
incrementally turn over more authority to an
interim Iraqi authority; and reconfigure our troop
mix to confront the reality of an ongoing guerilla
war.(11/15/2003)
Clark
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