Defending Wes: Dem Leadership strikes out
Submitted by andym on August 3, 2008 - 1:58pm.
Wesley Clark
It's been several weeks since Wes Clark's out of context quote on Face the Nation exploded into a media frenzy that was essentially used to buttress McCain's qualifications for President.
How many prominent Democrats came to Wes Clark's defense or realized the importance of his point? Certainly not the Obama campaign, or Obama himself (who stood the most to gain if he took a positive stance). How about John Kerry, an ex-soldier to whom Wes Clark devoted considerable time and energy to in 2004. Did he have Clark's back? Well if you heard him today on MTP, the answer is a resounding no. Of the only other prominent Democrats (who ran for at least Vice President or are/were a member of the leadership) who said anything, Geraldine Ferraro accused Clark of trying to swiftboat McCain.
As far as I know only George McGovern came to Wes' defense and made the point that McGovern's own service did not qualify him for President and that's why he did not use it in 1972. Much credit is due him.
I hope others have come forward to help Wes. Please list them in this blog.
Thanks.
he has done:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11792
NEWS & VIDEO: John Kerry reopens door to possible presidential run
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 16, 2007 - 4:45pm.
"If Kerry does run, then this is the first thing that I think he will hear more in 2007 than Howard Dean heard of his "scream speech" in 2004:
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2006/10/john_kerry_stuck_on_stupid.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLuMWiQ6r2o
Kerry Belittles U.S. Troops (0:10)
YouTube of Kerry saying: "You know, education, if you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you -- you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11792#comment-202173
www.heyjohn.org: Democrats want their money back from Kerry!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 16, 2007 - 4:47pm.
The bottom line in my opinion is that John Kerry needs to take a very hard look at himself, his own gaffes, and his own controversial behavior BEFORE he criticizes Gen. Clark over something that he did NOT do wrong!
Shame on John Kerry for his hyporcisy!
easily intimidated in that exchange...he didn't give the question any thought but buckled under the pressure.
I was surprised by Tom Brokaw's shallow question and how Kerry was pushed around.
No wonder Democrats are in so much trouble.
General Clark has the courage to stand up for the truth that is so lacking in other leading Democrats, including John Kerry.
I think you may be right. I was trying to be subdued in my criticism. Apparently one must walk on egg shells around here.
I'm still outraged about the RBC ruling. How many of those members have actually read the Rules? Not many, imo.
Other than that, my life continues to be a living h*ll.
Nick Kelly
Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.
and currently don't have the time to check.
Nick Kelly
Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.
John McCain's being shot out of a plane, captured and tortured gave him PTSD and anger management issues.
If anything, this would make him less qualified to be President than an individual without PTSD and problems with his temper.
drsusan
...less than happy with the way John Kerry has handled this.
Since 2000, I've been wishing most of the Democratic leadership would invest in some strap-on porta-spines.
Being "less than happy with the way John Kerry has handled this" implies that Kerry didn't mean to stab WKC in the back, but it unintentionally came out that way. That in addition to what "less than happy" implies.
I would submit it's not only the "leadership" that needs to invest in a spine, portable or otherwise.
Maybe we get the leadership we deserve.
...Kerry is not my senator. I did send an email telling him I was disappointed, but past that point, not much I can do about him.
I'm still withholding donations to the Obama campaign until I know who the VP choice is. I stopped after the way his campaign treated Gen. Clark post Meet The Press, and wrote his campaign to explain why I stopped.
Depending on his VP choice, I will either resume donations or stop entirely. I will vote for him over McCain in either case, but if I stop, I will do no donations for him.
No donations yet to the Obama campaign. Wes Clark is the only person I have ever made any policital contributions to. The thought of John McCain as president could make me break down toward the end, but I am sick of the Democrats, including John Kerry, making these dumb statements against Wes Clark.
The blog post reads "Defending Wes: Democratic leadership strikes out." My first thought is why would anyone say that the Democratic leadership is "striking out" for Clark. They are doing nothing for him. The Democrats in general keep fawning over McCain, and reject any Democrat who fails to pay homage.
There is a real double entendre here. Getting into the post, it's immediately clear that the "striking out" is not getting on the offense for Clark. Instead, it's Casey at the bat. I finally got it - and it's a great point.
Hey andy,
Charlie Rangel defended him on Fox News not long after. Mitch may have blogged the appearance.
Here's the story from The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:
Rangel: McCain's Service 'Admirable' But Not Connected to Being a Good Elected Official
@ 10:18 am by Walter AlarkonRep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday defended retired Gen. Wesley Clark's remark questioning the pertinence of John McCain's military service to his ability to govern.
Rangel, on Fox News, said that McCain's service in Vietnam was "admirable"
"And we should spend the rest of our lives thanking people for doing that," Rangel said. "It doesn't have any connection at all in being a good senator, as being a good president."
Rangel was asked whether he was upset at Clark's remark Sunday that "riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down," as McCain had done, is not "a qualification to be president."
Rangel went onto say that his own four years of military service didn't make him a better congressman.
"I could have done so many things in life that probably could have been more productive in terms of being able to resolve legislative and other type of things," he said. "I think my training in law school better prepared me to be a lawmaker than getting shot in Korea, as I did in 1950. But I think that people who serve should be treated differently. I think people put their lives in harm's way."
And Eric Massa, bless his heart, although he's not quite a member of the Dem leadership hopefully he's on his way there, did post at Kos in defense of Wes if I remember correctly.....
But that's about it...them and McGovern and Sestak....Pathetic, huh?
I imagine that Hillary or Bill couldn't come out with a statement in defense of Wes, after O made it clear the campaign's official policy was to throw Wes to the dogs, without people requesting their heads on a platter for trying to undermine O's run for the Presidency ...but I'd love to see one of them asked about it. Boy, they'd better defend Wes if it ever does come up!
"She hopes to open shadowed eyes on a different world...." Robert Smith, borrowed from Penelope Farmer
that I think you are referring to:
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=1923307&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/foxfriends/index.html (03:02)
July 1, 2008: Are Gen. Clark's remarks indicative of tone of Obama's general election campaign? Rep. Rangel weighs in http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=1923307&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/foxfriends/index.html (03:02)
Clark Controversy
I wrote to Bob Schieffer again this morning. In his personal comment at the end of the show he said Obama's people have denigrated McCain's military service. Who pray tell is he talking about?
And to Sen. Kerry;
Several people I communicate with have called and/or written both these people this morning. Some choose not to repeat it here. Dodging bullets gets old.
There are several websites covering this today...
John Kerry rebukes Wesley Clark on Meet the Press: Brokaw loses ...
By John Amato
I don’t agree with Wes Clark’s comment. I think it was entirely inappropriate. I have nothing but enormous respect for John McCain’s service. I had the privilege of standing with John McCain in the, in the cell in Hanoi when we visited ...
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/03/john-kerry-rebukes-wesley-clark...
Tom Brokaw, John Kerry Throw Another Hissy-fit About Wes Clark
By Matt Stoller
This is former General Wesley Clark talking about John McCain. He said, "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president." He described him as untested and untried. With all due respect, ...
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7308
Kerry Gets Behind The Wheel Of The Bus
By Bob Schwartz
You may remember from from a month ago when retired 4 star general Wesley Clark wondered aloud about what part of John McCain’s military experience actually qualified him to be President. Clark’s comments came on Face The Nation in ...
http://politicsandhypocrisy.com/2008/08/03/kerry-gets-behind-the-wheel-o...