Statement by General Wesley K. Clark (Ret.)

There are many important issues in this Presidential election, clearly one of the most important issues is national security and keeping the American people safe. In my opinion, protecting the American people is the most important duty of our next President. I have made comments in the past about John McCain's service and I want to reiterate them in order be crystal clear. As I have said before I honor John McCain's service as a prisoner of war and a Vietnam Veteran. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. I would never dishonor the service of someone who chose to wear the uniform for our nation.

John McCain is running his campaign on his experience and how his experience would benefit him and our nation as President. That experience shows courage and commitment to our country - but it doesn't include executive experience wrestling with national policy or go-to-war decisions. And in this area his judgment has been flawed - he not only supported going into a war we didn't have to fight in Iraq, but has time and again undervalued other, non-military elements of national power that must be used effectively to protect America But as an American and former military officer I will not back down if I believe someone doesn't have sound judgment when it comes to our nation's most critical issues.

This city needs to be destroyed! Or, at least painted another color. ~Squidward

For those who have not seen it:

http://innovation.cq.com/vpmadness

:D

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/2/11101/80948/786/545337

We learn. We change. That's progress. If we don't do that, well, we're GWB.

And get this out there.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/2/11101/80948/786/545337

We learn. We change. That's progress. If we don't do that, well, we're GWB.

I am so proud of General Clark and thrilled at all the press he is getting. His clear, logical assertion that McCain is not fit to be POTUS is right on!

I too am discouraged by the media and bloggers that criticize Clark but he can take it. It is nice that many of the stories are including his record when discussing the topic. And McCain attacking his record is classic GOP overkill and it will bite him back.

I have met the General only once but he made a personal call to me after I lost my brother. There was no need for him to do that other than it being a very, very nice thing to do. Later on he also helped get the news out about the Widow's Tax via an on-line petition.

He is an absolute class act in my book.

"If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend." - Abraham Lincoln

McCain's entire justification for being presidential material is the hero worship he derives from his war experience. Clark is going straight at that, trying to point out the obvious; being a war hero does not necessarily mean you would make a good president.

First all we saw in the media was the backlash, but Clark didn't back down from what he actually said and his real point.

First the Obama team quickly rejected Clark's comment, but now Obama refuses to criticize Clark. And Webb is getting in the game as well.

Now the MSM is finally picking up on Clark's central, blindingly obvious point. Check out this from ABC News:

McCain bristled at the comments on "Face the Nation" last weekend by an Obama supporter, retired general Wesley Clark, who belittled the relevance of McCain’s wartime experience as a qualification for the Presidency.

"I think it’s up to Sen. Obama now not only to repudiate him but to cut him loose," McCain said.

McCain became visibly angry when I asked him to explain how his Vietnam experience prepared him for the Presidency.

"Please," he said, recoiling back in his seat in distaste at the very question.

You see, you aren't suppose to question how his Vietnam experience prepares him for the Presidency -- it just does. Cause he's a hero and all that. Up until now, the MSM accepted that without question, but the questions are beginning to trickle in. If McCain loses this, McCain loses everything.

----
McCain on Social Security. McCain on kid's health care.

go watch the video that Phoebe linked to in her blog.........it's refreshing. It made me smile and beam with pride........ It's 5 star!

PHOEBE'S BLOG

http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/attacking_mccains_military_rec.php?page=all

Attacking” McCain’s Military Record

What Wesley Clark really said; how the press missed it

By Zachary Roth Mon 30 Jun 2008 03:54 PM 

snip

...is like a dog with a bone on FISA....

thank the goddesses someone is.

......It's bad enough that Obama is supporting a new warrantless eavesdropping scheme. They should just candidly admit that he changed his position rather than feeding incoherent and insultingly false rationalizations to the public -- whereby they throw around the terms "National Security" and "balance" enough times and hope that nobody notices or cares that what they're saying makes no sense.

[...]

Just to get a flavor for how fundamental a reversal is Obama's FISA position, here is what Obama said back in February when accepting Chris Dodd's endorsement:

We know it's time to time to restore our Constitution and the rule of law. This is an issue that was at the heart of Senator Dodd's candidacy, and I share his passion for restoring the balance between the security we demand and the civil liberties that we cherish.

The American people must be able to trust that their president values principle over politics, and justice over unchecked power. I've been proud to stand with Senator Dodd in his fight against retroactive immunity for the telecommunications industry. Secrecy and special interests must not trump accountability. We must show our citizens -- and set an example to the world -- that laws cannot be ignored when it is inconvenient. Because in America –- no one is above the law.

Here is what he said back in January:

Ever since 9/11, this Administration has put forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand.

The FISA court works. The separation of power works. We can trace, track down and take out terrorists while ensuring that our actions are subject to vigorous oversight, and do not undermine the very laws and freedom that we are fighting to defend.

No one should get a free pass to violate the basic civil liberties of the American people -- not the President of the United States, and not the telecommunications companies that fell in line with his warrantless surveillance program. We have to make clear the lines that cannot be crossed. . . .

A grassroots movement of Americans has pushed this issue to the forefront. You have come together across this country. You have called upon our leaders to adhere to the Constitution. You have sent a message to the halls of power that the American people will not permit the abuse of power -- and demanded that we reclaim our core values by restoring the rule of law.

It's time for Washington to hear your voices, and to act. I share your commitment to this cause, and will stand with you in the fights to come.

And obviously, his vow last October to "support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies" can't be reconciled with his vow to "support" such a bill now.

The issue is not -- as one extremely confused Obama-cheering blogger put it -- that Obama has done "something contrary to what conventional wisdom as dictated by a small coterie of prominent bloggers agrees with," nor is it -- as an equally confused, Obama-cheering Ed Kilgore put it -- that Obama is "stray[ing] from Democratic Party orthodoxy or from strict down-the-line partisanship" by "expressing heretical thoughts on FISA"

[...]

The issue is that Obama has repeatedly, over the course of the last year, made emphatic commitments and clear statements about his own core political values that are completely irreconcilable with his support for the FISA bill. ......

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/02/obama_fisa/index.html

“No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her self.” - Susan B. Anthony, 1872