Is Wesley Clark still working for the Clintons?

[What the Heck]

I'm reading that Wesley Clark on "Face the Nation" made comments about John McCain's military service, how he wasn't leading a "wartime squadron". What the heck? Is he really backing Obama when he does this?

I think his entrance in 2004 kept Edwards from being the choice then. When he entered the race, I understand he took a lot of votes from Edwards and revitalized Kerry.

So, is he a political hack for the Clintons or just a moron? I can think of no attack that he could make on McCain that would be more infuriating to others who were in the military, from both sides of the street.

 

[marybet]

I don't know who he is working for but the point he was trying to make is that McCain's military experience does not translate to presidential experience. He was a war hero and a POW but that by itself does not make him a more experienced candidate for president. People seem to think that because he has been around awhile that he has the most experience to be president, I think Clark was saying that you have to look at what that experience brings. McCain may have more experience in the Senate than Obama but you have to look at what that experience is. Neither one of them has had to answer that 3 am phone call, and IMHO you just don't really know how they will react until it happens.

 

[What the Heck]

Then why couldn't he have said it like that? Not even to mention his experience in the Sentate on Foreign Relations, but why would Clark choose such an inflamtory way of putting it?

 

[marybet]

I don't know, and I was in another room listening so I might have missed some of what he said. I think Bob Shiffer was not doing a good follow-up to what Clark was saying, but it did not sound to me like he was dissing McCain's military service just pointing out that that alone did not make him the best candidate for president.

 

[What the Heck]

I don't know, and I was in another room listening so I might have missed some of what he said. I think Bob Shiffer was not doing a good follow-up to what Clark was saying, but it did not sound to me like he was dissing McCain's military service just pointing out that that alone did not make him the best candidate for president.

Oh we on the right already know that - there are so many more reasons as well. Glad to see that those on the left are coming around to it.

 

[marybet]

Oh we on the right already know that - there are so many more reasons as well. Glad to see that those on the left are coming around to it.

Nice spin!! I needed a good laugh today.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

It's not the first time Clark has attempted to marginalize McCain's service. He pulled the same sort of maneuver a couple weeks ago on MSNBC's "Morning Joe". So I guess Obama supports this strategy, but I don't think it falls in line with his so called "new approach on political campaigning". Both interviews are on YouTube.

 

[LukenDC]

I hate when candidates attack the military service of their opponents. I hated when Kerry was attacked and I hate it when McCain is attacked. It is dispicable, dishonest, and shameful.

It just disgusts and angers me!

 

[marybet]

I hate when candidates attack the military service of their opponents. I hated when Kerry was attacked and I hate it when McCain is attacked. It is dispicable, dishonest, and shameful.

It just disgusts and angers me!

He did not attack his service. Did you listen to what he said?

 

[LukenDC]

He did not attack his service. Did you listen to what he said?

Sorry---I was not referencing Clarke. Instead I was thinking about a recent conversation I had with someone who claimed that McCain was a war criminal. I should not have vented on this thread.

 

[marybet]

Sorry---I was not referencing Clarke. Instead I was thinking about a recent conversation I had with someone who claimed that McCain was a war criminal. I should not have vented on this thread.

I would be upset by that remark too. Glad you cleared it up.

I do think that Clark could have said it better, it is easy sometimes to take things the wrong way.

 

[CowboyCO]

I think you will see lots of democratic talking heads trying to marginalize McCains extensive military and public service record because Obama has neither.

 

[Charade]

He did not attack his service. Did you listen to what he said?

Not exactly a ringing endorsement either...

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I, I think it's a fair evaluation, because I think what you learn coming up through the ranks in the military - and I stayed with the military from, I started at the service academy and I served in Vietnam. I didn't do what John McCain did. I did come home on a stretcher. But as I went through the ranks and I was a Major and a Lieutenant Colonel and a Colonel, and at every stage, I learned something more and something different. And the Army always told us, they said, 'You know, remember the thing that got you promoted to where you are is not the skill, the, the intuition or whatever that's going to get you promoted to the next rank. You had to learn at each step along the way. And later I was the Supreme Allied Commander. I helped hold an alliance together. I helped set the strategy that won a war without any American casualties. I watched people under that kind of pressure, and I realized that, you know, John McCain was a Senator - he supported my actions, but his support was rhetorical.

 

[JennaTX]

Why does what Wesley Clark say have anything to do with Obama?

 

[Mamu]

Some of the things said by politicians make me wonder if they have a brain. To knock any person who has served his country honorably makes me wonder what kind of person they really are.

I think both candidates have lots of flaws, and as far as Wesley Clark goes, he's in love with himself and thinks he the only one who knows whats best. I think he need a good reality slap. Americans will look at the whole picture and choose for themselves who they think will be best to run the country. Not Wesley Clark. We are facing a difficult road ahead and there will be lots of difficult choices our next president has to face.

Hopefully whoever is chosen our elected officials can get their heads out of their butts and finally work together to get this country back on the right direction. I am so tired of watching the right and the left fight about whats best, while they reap the benefits for themselves and forget who put them there. Their job as elected officials is to do whats best for America, so many of them forget this and do what best for themselves or their party. It time to think about the American People, not some but all it's people. The rich and the poor.

 

[DawnCt1]

I saw the interview with Bob Scheiffer was a bit taken aback. Its hard to take anything Clark says; he is known as the general who almost started WWIII.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Charade - thanks for posting the quote. I agree that it isn't an endorsement . . . but it's hardly a "swiftboat."

Dawn - care to expand on your characterization?

 

[SeeVee]

I think you will see lots of democratic talking heads trying to marginalize McCains extensive military and public service record because Obama has neither.

I just hope that if Obama needs to use the military, he sends his two girls first.....you know, the same way Bush should have sent his?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I think you will see lots of democratic talking heads trying to marginalize McCains extensive military and public service record because Obama has neither.

I don't think you'll see very much of that at all. It's why Obama applauds McCain's service every chance he gets. Unless the guy received an honorable discharge from the 3rd Reich, going after someone's military service is off limits and a huge mistake, regardless of the messenger. To be honest, I like Wes Clarke. However, I didn't hear his pronouncements on Face the Nation. If he's out making statements that disparage McCain's service to our country, then someone needs to put a muzzle on him pronto.

To add: I'm talking about military service here. His record of public service is completely fair game, as opponents of McCain's policies from both sides of the aisle will gladly tell you.

 

[JimB.]

Dawn - care to expand on your characterization?

In 1999, As SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander, Europe), he ordered British Paratroopers to seize the airport in Pristina, Yugoslavia & deny access to Russian forces who had landed there.

General Sir Mike Jackson, commander of the international KFOR peacekeeping force, is reported to have told Gen. Clark:

"I'm not going to start the third world war for you".

BTW, this exchange is verifiable through multiple sources.