How should Kerry handle the Richard Clarke situation?

[milkyway]

Lay back and let others hammer bush* about Clarke's accusations? Or should he be the guy out front speaking up the strongest? I don't know which way he should go with this. It seems like there's no need for Kerry to stick his neck out too far on this--with the hearings coming up this week, it will be leading the news for days.

But this could also be a lost opportunity to permanently define bush*. This is a chance for more Americans to see bush* as most of us here at DU see him. But will it stick? Or will voters forget it when hit with an onslaught of flag-waving propaganda portraying bush* as a hero? My concern is that Richard Clarke could be forgotten by November. How much of an effect will Paul O'Neil's statements have in November? The media will soon move on to other things if the Dems let them.

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Lay back and let others do it.

Stay above the fray.

[yardwork]

3. But work behind the scenes to make sure that the drip-drip-drip continues

Walk softly and carry a big stick.

It's a long time to the election. We need to roll out these things in timely manner, allowing the momentum and outrage to build on its own.

[whistle]

5. Exactly, let the facts speak to the issue...

...let the Bushkies dig their own graves and don't give BushCo any opportunities to make Kerry a direct target

[incapsulated]

2. Lay back

The media would love nothing better than for him to get down and dirty with this. I wouldn't be good for him. He has people like Wes Clark and Holbrooke and the rest out there for him. He doesn't have to get his hands dirty, so why do it?

Sure, they will move on from this, like they did with O'Neil. But if Kerry get's involved, it won't be about Clarke and Bush any more, it will be about Kerry, and that's not what we need.

Don't worry, some other piece of bad news will come along after this. It's turning into a regular cycle, now. :)

[Adelante]

8. Jamie Rubin's back, too

He kicks ass.

[incapsulated]

12. You read my mind

*again* ;)

I was going to mention Jamie, but I hadn't seen him. Good. He's great at always seeming a gentleman and above politics, even when he's not, heh.

[Adelante]

19. He's a bad boy

I like 'im. Yummy. :)

[kodi]

4. express concern, mention the need for transparancy

and let slip the dogs of war with wes clark, rand beers, charlie rangle, bob kerrey.

all decorated combat veterans

follow up with janet reno, gary hart, and al gore.

[alcuno]

6. When your enemy is drowning you don't throw him a life preserver.

If Kerry gets into it, it will just be all about Kerry playing politics. Let it stew for a while.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

7. I think Clarke should be praised as a patriot who served his country

admirably for 30 years and stood up for the truth. The Bushies will do everything to discredit him, so there should be a concerted effort to make sure he's heard and respected.

[Adelante]

9. Absolutely

And I heard several people saying just that on the shows today.

[Leilani]

17. Rose, that's the best idea!

Make a statement about Clarke, praising his service to the country.

Then I'd back off, & let others continue the battle. And I wouldn't use partisan hacks. Use people who know foreign policy, terrorism, national security, military issues.

Don't make it look political; make sure it is about the security of the country.

[arewethereyet]

10. there is no benefit to connecting to this guy

if he makes any difference then fine but I rather doubt he will change any minds.

[Auntie Bush]

15. How can he NOT change any minds?

If this doesn't help...then God help us!

[arewethereyet]

18. if you want to believe it, you will believe it

otherwise he's just a disgruntled loser hawking a book just like the last one.

the sooner we accept the fact that there will be no lighning bolt to take Bush down and that it will have to be done the good old fashioned hard way the sooner we have a chance at getting it accomplished.

people have been praying for lighning bolts for a solid year and there none nor will there come one.

just being realistic, not a downer.

[Adelante]

20. LOL...

You really say the oddest things.

[jfxgillis]

11. Woodrow Wilson: Don't murder your opponent--

--when he's busy committing suicide.

[incapsulated]

13. I love that quote! n/t

[goclark]

14. Keep Skiing

He needed the vacation.
It was perfect that he said that he needed to read the book first.
Gen. Clark and the excellent troop of brave men -Bob Graham, Ted Kennedy etc. etc., all were excellent.

Kerry needs to stay above the fray.
Keep acting like a real President. If he starts slinging mud then he becomes just like the UnAdministration.

The pompous answers from Condi and Crew fell flat in my estimation.
And the nutcase Wilkerson from the National Security Council was unreal, he should be on again to give us all a good laugh.

I also think that it would not be appropriate for him to form his opinions while Richard Clarke and others will be giving public testimony.

Let Scottie McWimp keep bumbling and stumbling all over the place.
Just wish my girl Helen will be there to ask a few well thought out questions on the next go round.

[Leilani]

16. On C-Span right now

Scottie McWimp & the daily WH press conference, lying his ass off!

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. Maybe make a statement of how factual

the book is, how credible Clarke is and tell the WORLD Clarke is a REPUBLICAN....THEN, sit back and let Wes Clark pound the shit out of the cabal. They can't stop now. They are on constant defense.....he needs to help keep this ALIVE!

[YIMA]

22. He needs to take the reigns

and run with it

[milkyway]

23. It's almost unanimous here that Kerry should lay back.

I tend to agree, but my only concern is that bush* gets away with so much other crap, he might even get away with this. The Dems can't just watch events unfold. The media will soon turn to other more important things like the trials of Scott Peterson and Kobe Bryant. The Dems can keep their distance this week, but they must not let the testimony of Richard Clarke and others fade from peoples' memories this summer. It's up to Kerry's surrogates to keep hammering bush* on 9/11 and Iraq. When the repugs and their attack dogs get ahold of something, they never let up. They came up with the "Al Gore said he invented the Internet" meme and kept pounding it until election day. That's how they define our people--we need to make sure that bush* is defined as the weak-on-terror president who fucked up before and after 9/11.

[Jacobin]

24. He needs to be careful about throwing rocks on this issue,

considering how many windows are in his own house.

[looking glass]

25. Lay back - Clarke has his own baggage

The Republicans are already pulling out NYT stories that show that Clarke absolutely believed in a linkage between Al Qaeda, Iraq, and chemical WMDs. Clarke was also the prime mover behind the bombing of the Sudanese pharmaceuticals plant.

Clarke can handle himself, and any mileage gained from him has already been logged.