Clark Hard to Trash

[Jerseycoa]

Source: Cleveland Free Times

Retired General Wesley Clark stands between Dems and Dean disaster. If the polls are correct, Howard Dean is the leading contender for the Democratic nomination for President and — unless another candidate catches fire — could be well on his way to victory by the time the Ohio primary takes place in early March.

To many in the party, this is a frightening prospect, conjuring up images of McGovern, Mondale or Dukakis-like thrashings at the hands of incumbent Republican chief executives. That's why this past Sunday more than 200 enthusiasts gathered at Burke Lakefront Airport to greet General Wesley Clark, a late entry into both the Democratic Party and the presidential sweepstakes, in what amounted to the formal beginning of his Ohio campaign.

According to the activists, elected officials and deep-pocketed donors on hand Sunday, the telegenic and articulate retired general from Little Rock — a former NATO Supreme Commander and Rhodes scholar — is the perfect antidote for the certain disaster of a Dean candidacy, and the ideal standard-bearer to beat George Bush.

They are right on both counts.

<snip>

Dean's cocksure-banty-rooster-who-shoots-from-the-hip routine plays well in the comfy world of cyber-soldiers and give-peace-a-chance wine-and-cheesers. But the election of 2004 is going to be an all-out war with the Republicans bringing out the heaviest artillery we've ever seen. Which is why the Democrats need a true warrior. Which is why they need Wesley Clark.

:dem:

[xultar]

1. I don't know why you even bothered, it is over Dean has the nomination

and no one here will even read this for what it is worth.

[wndycty]

9. Please tell me you are being sarcastic

:kick:

[democratreformed]

19. I'm loving this

I am seeing these types of stories EVERYWHERE. Most amazing of all is a similar editorial in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette which has, thus far, been pretty hostile toward our candidate.

Yes!

[cigarstore]

2. He is no MacArthur or Eisenhower

Or even Scwarztkoff in terms of his standing with the America people.

[rumguy]

4. He could be though, if people gave him a look over

he has tremendous appeal and charisma...

[cigarstore]

32. Nope

He does not have the very successful military campaigns or victories that they did.

[Parche]

10. OR

NIMITZ, HALSEY, SPRUANCE, MITSCHER

[oasis]

24. MacArthur and Patton were "maverick" generals. Clark is in that mold.

Scwartzkoff and Hugh Shelton are stuffy relics by comparison.

[cigarstore]

33. Baloney

Clark is a pipsqueak caompared to those giants. Give me a break.

[BootinUp]

35. Why

should we give you break? You obviously haven't read Clark's resume or the reviews of his performance from his superiors.

[HFishbine]

3. He's not hard to trash

But I'll leave that to Rove should it come to pass.

[Pastiche423]

21. No, in fact

his actions make him easy to trash.

[rumguy]

5. Yes he is a great candidate

He has a charismatic appeal that reaches people...and he would be hard to trash...

I just hope he has time to pull this out.

[eleny]

11. Me too!

It would be a shame for the country to miss watching him debate the shrubitis virus.

[w13rd0]

6. plays well in the comfy world...

...of cyber-soldiers and give-peace-a-chance wine-and-cheesers...

yeah, i love being generalized...whatever...

[maddezmom]

7. thanks for posting

I enjoyed reading it. Clark seems to get a fair amount of regional coverage just not national. Oh well, it's still coverage. :)

[DemExpat]

8. I couldn't agree more with this last phrase....

But the election of 2004 is going to be an all-out war with the Republicans bringing out the heaviest artillery we've ever seen. Which is why the Democrats need a true warrior. Which is why they need Wesley Clark.

Absolutely why.....

:kick:

DemEx

[Crewleader]

15. I couldn't agree more.......

Hi DemEx_Pat....:hi:

General Wesley Clark is a Man Of Honor!

[DemExpat]

20. Hi there, Crew!

Wes just HAS to have a chance to fight the Goliath of the Republican Party.

:hi:
DemEx

[sandnsea]

12. He would be tough to trash

That's one reason I give Clark a serious look. Who can call a General unpatriotic? How can anyone seriously trash a General's military plans? How can anyone say a General wants to turn the world communist? How can anyone question a General when he says certain things can be cut from the defense budget? Plus, he's taught college, managed military bases and implemented policy, has diplomatic experience, and is just plain smart and well-spoken. And, he's from the south. He has a whole lot going for him. I still like Kerry best because he's more inspiring to me and I trust his internationalism and dedication to liberal principles more; but Clark would be tough for Bush to beat. At least the Republicans couldn't run a typical liberal trashing campaign.

[TrueAmerican]

13. Forget about it

These guys just won't listen. It's the Poseidon Aventure sequel...The PoserDean Aventure.

[Bake]

14. I agree 10,000 %.

The general election IS going to be an all-out, down and dirty slugfest. And that's why I **do** think we need Wes Clark. He's a fighter, who will not let himself be painted into a corner and who seldom says anything stupid. Dean is already being painted as a draft-dodger (a refrain that I got soooooooooooo sick of with reference to the Big Dog! -- but which you still hear TODAY!!).

Clark's da man. In my heart I truly believe this. I like Gov. Dean, and if he is our nominee I will support him without hesitation. I **do** think Dean is better than Dukakis, but not by much. But I will (and already do) talk up Clark to anyone who will listen, and believe me, a LOT of people are listening these days. Buyer's remorse with Smirk is setting in with a growing number of people, and I tell them all about Wes Clark.

Bake

[BootinUp]

25. Well said dbaker

I agree with everything you just said, and I have been spreading the word the best I can too.

:toast:

[Kosmos Mariner]

16. This what I see happening, a little afternoon humor......

Clark '04!


:dem:

[killbotfactory]

17. My Message to Larry Durstin

Dear Larry,
Pleas eat my ****, you ****ing cowardly blowhard halfwit. If you let the republicans control the debate, you lose. I'm sick of chicken-little losers like you and your bull**** "analysis". Stop drinking the Rove kool-aid, you moron.
Sincearly,
Your pal,
Killbotfactory

P.S. You suck.

[TrueAmerican]

18. That's winning friends and

influecing enemies. Not.

[killbotfactory]

23. My message to TrueAmerican

**** **** ****ing ****. I'm just blowing off steam, because I'm sick of reading half-assed takes on the election which predict Dean-Doomsday scenario's based on nothing more than a bunch of crap that's been written about him by republican spinsters. All of which chronically leave out the fact that Dean actually FIGHTS BACK, raises the most money, has the most supporters, has the best organization, has a great record to run on, and doesn't come across as a spineless politician. ROVE WILL SMEAR EVERYBODY, and it will only stick if we don't fight back.
Sincerely,
Your pal,
Killbotfactory

P.S. Even I don't know what I said under the ****.

[BootinUp]

26. If it is meant to be

Then Dean will win and you have nothing to fret. Keep fighting for your guy and lets see what happens. But also, give us the credit of having our own brain unlike the shrub...ok?

[killbotfactory]

31. I respect Clark and .. most .. of his supporters

But the original article was quite insulting and pissed me off.

[rucky]

27. ****** you, killbotfactory!

***** = "I agree with"

[thebigidea]

28. and "give-peace-a-chance wine-and-cheesers" was meant to be friendly?

[Mz Pip]

30. It would be terrific

if the Republicans didn't control the debate, but they control the White House, the Senate, the Congress, the Courts and the Media. If you can come up with a way to counteract that, please share it.

MzPip
:dem:

[Bombtrack]

22. and he didn't even mention taxes

good article

[1monster]

29. Now that's a ticket I could get behind whole heartedly!

[windansea]

34. no need to trash Clark

Rove will just run ads of him praising the Bushites

[bushisanidiot]

37. Clark/Graham Doesn't Sound Bad. Good Dem. Field=Good Possibilities

there are soooo many good match up possibilities. There's no way in hell we could lose to AWOL and Cheney. NO WAY!

[bushisanidiot]

36. Dean Supporter Here. Wouldn't Dream of "Trashing" ANY Dem.!

I think Clark would make a FINE President as well as a fine Vice President or Secretary of Defense. I just want us to WIN dammit! Why are we doing the repukes work for them?? We should be congratulating other dem campaigns for their victories instead of tearing them down.

We need to stand together. Personally, I REFUSE to speak ill of another democrat at least until after the election.