I barely remember.  It was just at the end of the draft.  I had read about him, and knowing he'd been SACEUR and had a military background was actually a plus for me.  

I had become hyper-vigilant shortly after the selection of GWB.  I had been researching everything I could possibly google about the different players and the various and scheming motivations.  I remember my first trip to newamericancentury and the PNAC doctrinaire.  Shocked and dismayed don't begin to describe the urgency I felt to get a handle on just what the hell was really going on. 

So I remember that day in September, going into work and when I brought up the internet, there it was.  Clark in the race. I remember sending emails to everyone I knew, and I was so damn excited.   I felt relief as well, like, 'here's someone who knows what's going on, here's someone who understands diplomacy, here's the leader we've been hoping for!'  That was such a good day.

I've learned lots from the General, and many of you.  

I'm still mostly dismayed, but stuff doesn't shock me anymore. 

Edit:  Thanks to msinla for pointing out that Wes isn't a saucer, nor ever was. 

I observed him on CNN. Found him saying incredibly intelligent, thoughtful things. Totally out of line with my expectations for a career military guy. Obviously not getting his talking points from the Pentagon. And I sat up and paid attention because I was a totally freaked out mom of an Army officer in training. Thought, why can't we have somebody like this running for President? This is someone I could actually trust with my son's life. So I did my research, heard that there was actually a movement to draft him, and I was sold. Constantly wondering if he was too good to be true. Constantly finding out, with so many others in this group, that he was everything he seemed to be and so much more. Going from being a "fan" and "supporter" to realizing, there's so much to LEARN from listening to this guy--he's a natural teacher.

But, of course, too honest to be a politician in our filthy system. Alas. Having his voice in the public discourse remains ever so important, IMO. But I no longer hope for the best, understand I CAN'T have a President I can trust with my son's life,understand so much more than I ever did previously about how rigged the system is against We the People, and am TRYING to swallow my fear and get on with my life.

Watching his analysis of Iraq beginning in March of 2003, I saw that General Clark treated everyone with the same respect. He really stood out compared to the rest of the retired military analysts, regardless of which station they were on.

that wonderful day in Columbus.

Hi madspawn:

This is a really good post!

I was a disillusioned previously Republican voter and I knew that Bush was a very lousy, extremely ideological, and an incompetent President who was abusing his authority.

Bush was listening to Neocon ideologues like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz instead of the sane foreign policy people who his father listened to like James Baker and Brent Scowcroft and I was very opposed to the war in Iraq which I knew was a war of choice as opposed to a war of necessity.

I realized that Saddam Hussein was a "bad guy" but I also knew that he was fully contained and that he was never an imminent threat to us or to anyone else!

I knew that Bush had to go in 2004 so I shopped around all of the serious Democratic candidates and I was a soft Kerry supporter before Gen. Clark had announced. I did not think that Kerry was really great but I thought that he was the best of all the announced candidates at that time.

Then when I heard Gen. Clark announce, I was very impressed with what I saw and heard.

Gen. Clark had the right foreign policy message, he was really above partisanship specifically asking for the support of Republicans and Independents, and he was interested in truly uniting the country:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0307/07/cf.00.html

CNN CROSSFIRE

Aired July 7, 2003 - 16:30 ET

JOHN HLINKO, DRAFTWESLEYCLARK.COM: "To be the uniter, not a divider... Well, you've got to understand, the movement we have right now is uniting Republicans, Democrats, Greens, libertarians, you name it. And these are people who are voting for a man. They're not looking for a party..."

http://www.clark04.com/speeches/001/

Announcement Speech

Wesley K. Clark

September 17, 2003 - Little Rock, AR

Americans for Clark Announcement Day in Little Rock at Boys & Girls Club

"And when I say we're going to bring people together, I mean all people, not just Democrats, but Independents, and Republicans, too. And especially those who have never participated before. You'll come with us."

http://www.clark04.com/speeches/002/

For Immediate Release
September 24, 2003

Contact: Clark Campaign Press Office

Gen. Wesley K. Clark Announces Bold Job Creation Plan to Reverse Three Years of Failed Bush Policies

"I'm promoting a New American Patriotism - because it is vital to the life and health of this country that we criticize our leaders fairly - but freely. Some ask: How can you criticize the President at a time of war? I answer: "How can you not?" Eighteen months ago, Mr. Bush said in his State of the Union Address: "My economic security plan can be summed up in one word: "jobs." We can now sum it up in one word: "failure." We cannot afford failure. We can't be forced to accept failure just because we're at war. In fact, we cannot tolerate failure precisely because we are at war.

I am not making a partisan comment. The chance to earn a living is not a partisan issue. Yet when we point out the facts, they will call us unpatriotic; or they will call us left-wing liberals - even though I have been non-partisan my whole professional life. I don't oppose the President's policies because they are Republican policies. I oppose them because they don't work. If they worked, I wouldn't be here. If he admitted they didn't work and changed them, I wouldn't be here."

http://www.clark04.com/speeches/003/

Remarks to DNC Fall Meeting

General Wesley K. Clark
Remarks to DNC Fall Meeting
Washington, DC
October 3, 2003

"This New American Patriotism is not just about waving the flag and guarding our borders. It's about guarding what makes us distinctive as Americans - our personal liberties, our right to debate and dissent. We are not a country that manipulates facts, ignores debate, and stifles dissent. We are not a country that retaliates against people who criticize the government. We are not a country that disdains our friends and allies. We are not a country that sheds blood before every other option has been exhausted. And we can't have a government that stands for any of these things.

And that's why I'm running for President - to return America to the core ideals of our democracy: personal liberty; service to country; respect for others; the right to criticize and correct the government - in time of war, especially. Debate, dialogue, discussion, disagreement, dissent - that's not wrong - that's not unpatriotic, that's one of the highest forms of patriotism and love of country, and we need to say it."

No other candidate was talking like this back in 2004 and I could tell that Gen. Clark was really sincere so I joined his campaign within about a week of his 2003 announcement and worked as hard as I could to try and help get him elected. I have been a Clark supporter ever since then!

I have met Gen. Clark on several occasions and I know for certain that he is the real deal with the best experience and judgment!

Mitch Dworkin

I've told my story a number of times, so I'll do the short version.

Late 2002-early 2003 were "change of life" times for me. I had been in an assisted living facility (actually a private home with a 24/7 care provider, all of whose residents other than me were Alzheimer's patients) still recovering from my 1999 stroke. I was probably in a depression, although I didn't use that term at the time. But I didn't care about much of anything and didn't pay any attention to the news.

Jan and I decided to divorce, and the administration started making Iraq war noises. As a "former Naval person," I was vehemently against the concept of pre-emptive war. I started paying attention, and started thinking about living independently.

I turned to CNN for news about the impending war. My favorite show was Aaron Brown's "Newsnight." This articulate, reasonable, enlightened retired four-star general kept showing up. "Holy s**t!" I thought. Who is this guy? I was particularly attracted to his continual harkening to traditional American values. Everything he said really resonated with me.

I moved out of assisted living, bought a computer and a car, and started living something of a real life. My first use of the new computer was a search of this guy Wesley Clark. Everything I learned cemented his appeal to me. I discovered the Draft, joined first DraftWesleyClark, then SecuringAmerica.com LeadershipforAmerica.com [corrected 9/6] (Clark's own blog site), and DraftClark2004. I attended the first Denver MeetUp on July 8, and joined the Yahoo! group that night.

The rest is more or less history.

Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Make America All It Can Be!

I got to "know" General Wes during the war in Kosovo.

I used to watch the CSPAN's during the day while I did my chores and things. It would just be on and I would listen to whatever they had on while I worked. Wes was doing the press conferences and such during the war. He would come on and I would find myself stopping whatever it was I was doing and sit down and listen. After he was done....I'd notice I had stopped everything maybe with a dishtowel in my hand or whathaveyou and I would say....."oh...whoops....I'm supposed to be getting my work done!".

Then I would find myself thinking about what he had said. Always learning something. And for some reason...I didn't know why....there was a trust about what he said and I could tell there was something special about him inside....something personally special....not just about what he said on the outside.

I really didn't see him on CNN that much because I guess I wasn't watching much CNN at that time. But...

When I heard about the draft of General Wes for prez...I signed on without hesitation. The more I learned about him and saw him and heard from him.....the more I found I was right about my instincts where Wes was concerned. And...

That's about the size of it. :)

Great diary, madspawn. I look forward to reading everyone's stories.

I remember when Wes was released as NATO commander! I didn't pay as much attention then, as I was supporting a family as a single parent and trying to make ends meet. However, I thought WOW Why did they let that guy go!!!

Then as many here (Stan, Mad)I watched Aaron Brown, while we bombed Iraq, and Wes was the war commentator, I said, "WOW, that guy REALLY DOES know his stuff and why isn't he running this country. He is so intelligent and knowledgable. Then of course, I started detailed researching. Yikes, what a hero I found! Then I bookmarked anything Wes Clark.. When the draft started, was one to the first 100 with Stan and Maddy. The rest is history.

I weep for my Country!

It does us good to return to the source I think and recall what drew all us moths to this flame in the first place.

I feel like each of these stories is part and parcel of my own as well. My hubby and I had both been literally devastated, pummeled by the bush stolen 2000 fiasco. From the stopping of the ballot count to that dreaded evening on the steps of the Supreme Court with all the flustered journalists scrambling, trying to make sense of that fateful decision while the cameras were running. We were glued to the tube to witness the onset of the death of democracy.... We knew instinctively some dark corner had been turned.

As the bush era grabbed the country in a wrestling stranglehold - we became keyboard and roadside activists, determined to learn everything that was being squashed by the press and spread the word.

CNN was pretty much the station of choice in those days at home. And that's where we first laid eyes on this amazing General who just made you stop in your tracks and listen up. (like Mariner) He commanded your attention ...without trying. This guy was not just cranking out the same ole lines as the other actors. This guy was talking to us. Telling us things no one else was. Making us tune out everything else.

My hubby and I sat there transfixed one night, listening to Wes's military analysis, and just turned to each other - almost as if choreographed- and both simultaneously moaned;

"Why can't HE be our President???"

We had become official whiners.

Found CCN immediately thereafter-- spent a long time as "Anonymous" here - signing my posts as ms in la. A friendly Anon as opposed to the trolling type. :-) The timing was perfect because I had been searching for a circle of politically active & aware friends- my local buddies were great but most of them only peripherally involved in politics. I needed to find colleagues in the cause, people who cared as passionately as we did and wanted to do something to change things. Election integrity became a central cause when they stopped the count in Fla.-- an obsession. People here at CCN were electric with information, heart, soul, and wit. I'd struck gold!

Reading all these personal stories -- that same wistful tone of 'hope' that we all shared in those early Wes days stands out -- when we all thought for the first time that this man was not only destined to be our President, but was in fact clearly on the road to be elected to the highest office in the land.

Phone banking - esp Tennessee comes to mind!-- it seemed like he was really getting through to people. And those who didn't quite know him-- what an easy sell he was! You could just rattle off that resume and there wasn't a living soul that wouldn't respond and be duly impressed. He was a candidate that you'd wake up at sunrise to phone bank for, bursting with enthusiasm.

Years go by -- dreams of his Presidential run die. Then of his Vice Presidency. Then again of his possible presidency second time around, and as of just recently (for some of us) even dreams of his possible cabinet position die.

That spells grief.

For a country in dire need. :(

But the thing about General Clark-- his call to duty and love of country is SO compelling, deep, and powerfully ingrained in his hard drive.... that he will likely always find his own avenue to best contribute of his amazing pool of talents and knowledge to the country. He just doesn't do 'passive'.

Thanks for this warm fuzzy blog madspawn. :)

She may have mentioned him to me before, during the conflict in Kosovo, but it's also possible that the first time was in 2002 when she was just about to graduate with a Masters in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Her thesis, which she started in 2000 (over a year before the 9/11 attacks), described the vital importance of dealing with the threat of al-Qaida and Osama bin Ladin. Prior to those attacks, she was the only student at Fletcher studying that. Her proposals as to how to deal with al-Qaida and Osama were similar to what only a relative few well-known American national security experts like Wes were saying.

I didn't get around to taking her advice until shortly after Wes announced for the Presidency in September of 2003. Was very impressed by what I was able to learn. Went to his stopover in Denver in November of 2003 and was thereby convinced that he really did have what it took to get elected. Made my first contribution that night, began advocating frequently for him at other websites where I was already known (principally for my work on Irish issues), and eventually began posting occasionally at the old Clark website as "Irish". Also attended and worked as many local anti-war events as I could for Wes until he suspended. Colorado's caucuses weren't held until way after that, and I wore both my Clark and Kucinich buttons to those. Worked my --- off for Kerry. Sort of suspended most of my political activity for a while after Kerry's loss, although I did occasionally lurk at general discussion threads at the old site, and enjoyed quite a few very intelligent posts. In 2006, I finally decided to post here, this time openly using my name as my on-line identity.

Nick Kelly

Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.

You could say that I had an "insider's interest" in the F-16 operations launched from Aviano, Italy in support of the NATO bombing campaign of 1999 and was well aware of who the Supreme Allied Commander was at that time. The wise application of that force put an end to that genocide while at the same time kept us from unnecessarily using ground forces.

Then, just briefly after that I get to see "the man" offering sage advice on CNN as their military analyst in the wake of 9/11 and warning against our misplaced aggression against Iraq.

That's what I want to see in a leader in control of US Forces...someone who knows when and how to use it and when not to.

to the party compared to many of you. I hadn't heard of General Clark until I went to see Michael Moore in Santa Cruz, September, 2003. He was advocating for this General to be our next president, which seemed very weird to me. But the more he talked about him, the more intrigued I became.

Went home and googled around a bit and read up on him, found a Santa Cruz for Clark group and joined. I was kind of shocked at first to find all these old hippies, Democrats, Independents and even a few Republicans as part of the group. The funny thing was we all had so much in common, and knew we were supporting a special, incredible man who had what it takes to lead our country to a place we could all be proud of.

Soon after that, I found CCN and joined up but didn't say a peep for a few months, as I had never been on a blog in my life. It was sort of the same reaction as joining the SC for Clark group -- there were all these people who never imagined they'd be supporting a General, all these people who I seemed to have so much in common with. And so many people who never felt they could make a difference, were now inspired and motivated to get involved.

It's funny how once you get a glimpse of what a real leader looks like, you realize how few of them we have in our political world. And once you see what the powers that be do when such a person comes on the political scene, it's almost enough to turn one away from politics all over again. I think if General Clark ever decided to turn away from it all, I prolly would, too. As long as he stays in the fight, I'll be one of his troops.

Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Bill (from RI)

this would net some great stories! As I read through all your posts, I end up getting a lump in my throat.

Wow, Stan... so it sounds like the General sorta saved your life! What an amazing story.

And many of you seem to have heard of him and became fans before he threw his hat in the ring in '03. Very impressive!

Keep these stories coming... they are all great!!!

The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. ~Gloria Steinem

Remember wanting him very badly to announce he was running, and I was jubilant when he did. I was very idealist then. I thought a great American like Clark could win against the Republican fear machine and lead America into a non-partisan tomorrow. I was sick of politicians and I wanted a leader.

Then I got involved in the campaign, writing letters to New Hampshire, making phone calls, etc. and started blogging on this site.

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"
Clarkie since Summer, 2003

Except that I didn't get CNN on the TV. I read about the draft Clark campaign on CNN.com when he was a commentator there. I had followed the Balkan wars closely, even writing letters to the editor, and I not only knew how complicated they were, I knew that we had done the right thing, if we did it late.

I googled General Clark. The only negative website I could find was some Serb nationalist diatribe saying they would crush him. Imagine, it was still up on the web years later. Then I googled the Draft Clark campaign, signed up, and I've been a Clarkie ever since. Remember that special webcast? "All right, all right. You got me. I'm in."?

I remember Noel Schutz asking a similar question years ago, and my giving a top ten list of why I was a Clarkie. They still hold. I wish he had run again this time. I hope he will later, and especially I hope he will have a position in an Obama administration. He's the best we've got in the US, and I'm very proud he became a Democrat when he got out of the service.

Does anyone really think Bush will catch bin Ladin?

I was a Kerry supporter prior to Clark's entry into the 2004 race, for all the usual reasons--Vietnam vet, good Progressive, lots of exprerience, etc. I felt he was doing well in early debates, but my wife said "Not so fast; Kerry sounds like he's lecturing, talking over people's heads, just not connecting with people." Once we started to notice Wes Clark, it turned to "OH MY GOD! THIS MAN HAS IT" (the indefinable "IT" that you know when you see it). The absolute clincher was Clark's first town hall meeting in Heniker, NH right after the first debate that he was in. That meeting was shown only on CSPAN, and it is since gone from the archives. The man was amazing, a political neophyte handling and connecting with the crowd like Bill Clinton. Answering any and all questions with sincerity, knowledge, compassion. I'll never forget a very hostile question from a woman, now retired from the military, who said that she was a victim of abuse in the military and nothing ever happened to the perpetrator, and what would he, General Clark, do about that? The woman was so upset and hostile, she was shaking. Instead of being defensive or blowing her off, he looked her in the eye and apologized for the military for what happened to her. He asked her if she used the chain of command for redress. She said "yes, but," and Clark said "Didn't work, did it?" "No." Clark went on to explain how they worked very hard in his commands for equality of opportunity, equal treatment, no abuse, etc., but understood that there were still problems, and that, as president, he would work hard with the military to correct the deficiencies. He also volunteered to speak privately with the woman after the meeting to learn more about her situation so that he could help. The woman melted before our eyes! I found out afterwards that Clark met privately with her for 20 min. after the town hall and that her complaint was serious--she had been raped. Instances such as this convinced me that Wes Clark only needed sufficient exposure to have the following to be elected President. Once people get to know this man's intelligence, character, compassion, integrity, and depth of real world experience, they become dedicated Clarkies.

I was disturbed all during the run-up to the Iraq war--had a queasy feeling that we were about to become a different kind of nation--one that is rushing headlong to abandon the "traditional values" of peacefulness and respect for other sovereign nations.

In 2003 I heard of this 4 star general who might run as a Democrat against Bush and I thought...well, don't know if I really trust a military guy...but he's got to be better than Bush...and the only type of Democrat who could beat him." I was pleased on September 17, 2003, but still skeptical...then I saw Clark at a NH town meeting, and I was "in love" with a candidate, for the first and only time!

Clark did not have the arrogance that I expected. He was earnest, sincere, approachable. Yet very much a general. I knew this man could re define the Democratic party--he could be our Eisenhower.
I was eventually disilluioned by the lying media, especially figures I had heretofore respected, like Judy Woodruff. I saw the media for what it was, and realized that our media would actively work against a candidate like Clark. I have given up the dream of having such an ideal Democratic candidate. However, I wouldn't trade my time as a Clark volunteer. It was a very happy, positive time in my life.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Wesley_Clark_1star_portrait.JPG/175px-Wesley_Clark_1star_portrait.JPG

I guess I should blame Bush! I was never very politically active before. But after 4 very long dreaded years of Bush I was desperately searching for a Democrat that could beat Bush.
I was a member of quite a few Yahoo Genealogy sites. So I suppose that it how someone obtained my e-mail address.
But anyway I learned that the field of Democrats was very crowded. And I began my search. And it wasn't long before someone in a yahoo group e-mailed me about General Clark.
And from then on I was hooked. It wasn't long after (I think late 2003) I joined the Clark 04 site. The rest is history.

******************************************************************

Divide those up between yourselves.  Beautiful posts.  I'm having a hard time tonight, and those posts have just sent me over the edge with memories and the realization, again, of how much I appreciate our General.

Oh my, what might have been.   

During his run at CNN in the run up to the Iraq war and the early days of the conflict, I was disappointed when CNN stopped bringing him on and gave all the airtime to the more hawkish generals. I thought that would be the last I would hear of General Clark until on a summer edition of CNN's "Crossfire" interviewed the founder of Draft Clark.

I thought after watching his analysis of the lead up to the war, and the war itself that he would make a great president. I wasn't even old enough to vote at the time, I wouldn't be 18 until December 03, but I signed the draft Clark petition like many others here did. I donated money, by check of course, I've never had a credit card. I phone banked and I voted for Wes in the Virginia Primary.

On a side note: I never forgave Joe Lieberman for calling Wes a "closet Republican". The irony of that still makes me either laugh or want to scream depending on the mood I'm in...

If you see someone on the who's online list that you don't think has contributed, please point them here and have them add what they can.

Probably one of the interviews when they told him to get his f***ing face off the tv. I could tell that this guy was a straight shooter, a lot of honor and integrity. I came here shortly after the draft and read some of his policy statements, very impessive. But what really sold me was something about Plato and the higher metals of human charactor. I was sure this was the guy we needed for those, or for that matter these times. He was also the guy most Americans would be happy to vote for. he would have beat GeeDubs ass in the general. If only he could have got half the press of Dean...or Sarah Palin.

 This is what it is all about!  Let's share our loves, our dreams, and try to be our very best, with tolerance and respect for each other.  Let's find the things we have the common, like why we are here in the first place.  Let's focus on the issues we agree upon, rather than those we disagree upon.  I really think we can hold it all together here if we can discipline ourselves to do that.

"It does not take many words to tell the truth". Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

I caught interest for Wes Clark was in "Face the Nation". His unpopular comment " McCain is untested and untried" simply faced the Nation´s truth. So I started to research and found this interesting 4 star general Clark community network. His great biography on Youtube " American Son: Wes Clark".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKchifzp2Po
I like to listen to the radio clips always informative etc.

So Iam looking forward to see the process of this community. Specially when a Democrat is in the White House again, I can´t wait.

THE BEST DAYS FOR THE CLARK COMMUNITY ARE STILL AHEAD.

I actually started writing about this when I first came here, then never got time to finish... But...
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/2192

NON BENE PRO TOTO VENDITUR LIBERTAS AURO
(Liberty is not sold for any kind of gold)

Way back in the early 1990's when the United States together with our European allies (through NATO) collaborated to end the genocide in the Balkans, my cousin who is very, very, very, very well placed in the Italian government lauded the work of General Clark--who was Supreme Commander of NATO.

Of factual interest, the Europeans are, to this very day, far closer to General Clark, collaboratively-speaking, and are, thus, far more respectful of his achievements due to his intellectual brilliance.

As you know, the Italian government (as did other European governments) awarded General Clark a Medal of Freedom/Merit for his dedicated work towards the stabilization of the Balkans.

It is tragic that at that time, and, I suspect even today, our own U.S. media did (does) not make an effort to publicly recognize General Clark's skills in diplomacy, military strategy, military tactics, and international collaboration. As I have stated, it took my cousin, who lives 9,000 miles away in Terni (Umbria), Italy to enlighten our family about Honourable General Wesley K.Clark.

Based on my cousin's knowledge of General Clark, I continued my research.

Come 2003, when the "Draft Clark" movement started to "take hold," a very close friend of mine initiated the "Draft Clark" Napa Office. I made of point of working with him. I am convinced that had General Clark been nominated either President or Vice-President (and hopefully elected) in 2004, we would not have had to endure these past four years of continued pain and sorrow--not only in the U.S. but throughout the world at-large.

While I am a U.S. citizen, and while, I, to this very day, serve our country in many socially responsible ways for the betterment of our community, I still think like a European--read: brain power. That is why I, to this very day, am a General Clark supporter--and always will be.

On a personal note, I hope that General Clark will be placed in the Obama Cabinet. Without General Clark, I am convinced that we, as concerned U.S. citizens, will really, really be burnt "toast." Also, I pray that Barack Obama will name his Cabinet "A.S.A.P, " and, that, to this end, General Clark's name will appear on the Cabinet roster. That is if we want victory for the betterment of human/creature-kind.

Michael Joseph Matteucig

Hey madspawn, great blog. Thanks for asking!

It was this salon.com interview "Gen. Wesley Clark, unplugged" by Jake Tapper from March of 2003 that first brought the General to my attention.

I’d never been much into politics, although I’d had a fascination with Jerry Brown when he’d run against Bill Clinton the first time and pretty much an obsession with the late Robert Kennedy for a number of years. But disgust and dismay with Bush had pushed me to get involved. I was ready to find someone to work for in the ‘04 primaries.

I’d chosen Dennis Kucinich from the Move On questionnaire that all of the candidates had answered, after narrowing the choice down to Dennis and Senator Graham, mostly because of his answers regarding Iraq, but I guess I didn’t really think he’d be successful.

As the war got closer, I got more upset with both my President, the Democrats in office, and so much of the media and the country that seemed to be supporting the whole fiasco. I used to read salon.com daily in those days and when I found this interview, I was so thrilled to see a General, a longtime military man, expressing so much of my thinking on the war. Wow! Wes wasn’t running yet but there was a hint he might. I was intrigued. This could be the guy.

Then, I think also through salon, I found out about the draft movement and checked it out. I didn’t immediately write a note there asking Wes to run. I figured that it was a serious and terrible thing to ask someone, especially someone who wasn’t a politician, to run for President and I better be serious about supporting him if I was going to ask him to run. So I started doing my research on Wes and just became more and more impressed. Finally, I jumped in and started writing my pleading letters to Wes, asking him to run. I sent emails to my family members, with Wes info, asking them also to get behind him. (They all did, in one form or another.) I started looking around online for the Clark Meetup info and such....I still hadn’t done anything more than read about Wes and write online notes to him...nothing in the “real world” yet.

That was the summer of the big blackout in the Northeast, which happened on the Thursday afternoon before I was leaving the city for a week at the Jersey shore. I remember sitting in Bryant Park that Friday morning, with the power still out over most of the city, trying to figure out how I was going to get out of the city, with Port Authority still dark and the buses out of the city a mess. Later, I would consider that the last day of the “BC” period of my life -- Before Clark. I did find my way out of the city and to the shore. My mom was with us at the shore and every time Wes would come on TV (he was on quite a bit around then) she would call me to see him or tell me about him. The day I got back, I signed up for the NYC Clark Meetup and the NY Clark yahoo group and that was the beginning of my After Clark period.

And in those early days when we didn’t even know if Wes was Dem or Republican, I decided it didn’t matter to me. I was going to back this guy, whatever letter he chose to put after his name, because he was this guy and not because of the party he belonged to...

The NY Drafters were pretty active and I got involved in as much as I could. I was doing stuff that I never could have imagined myself doing, like passing out Clark literature in the rain in Washington Square Park. But I kept doing it and, after Wes jumped in, I did whatever I could to get him elected. Every free minute of every day was spent trying to help Wes get elected. Consequently, I didn’t have much time to blog in those early days. There was a lot of “real life” Clark stuff that was taking up my time.

Without cable, I didn’t get to see Wes’ TV appearances, but I would read the reviews from the yahoo Clarkies who did have cable and my Mom would always give me her reviews as well. “I’m worried about your guy”, she’d say. And I’d say, alarmed, “Why, did he look sick or something?” And she’d say no, but she was afraid the Republicans were going to come after him because he was fearless in his criticism of Bush and his cronies. That’s our Wes....fearless.

There’s much more but I think that’s enough for now. I do hope others share their stories....And I thank those who already have.

"She hopes to open shadowed eyes on a different world...." Robert Smith, borrowed from Penelope Farmer

...and seeing someone with a damn good academy and military background. Someone who excelled at policy. Someone who seemed warm and genuine. Someone unfraid to take on the bullies - or call himself a liberal.

Someone willing to stand up for everything I think this country should be.

That's why I was a Clarkie

That's why I still am.

And THAT's why, after starting out as a Libertarian before leaving that party due to it trying to become "GOP lite", I became a Democrat and started being more active in that party.

And why I don't blindly accept what people say, but look at all the data and act accordingly. Wes Clark, and his example, is why I am moderate, thoughtful, and willing to look at the ideals of someone.

Like so many here, I first noticed
General Clark on CNN with Aaron Brown
and others following the attacks of
9/11, and then as President Bush began
to talk about attacking Iraq. General
Clark seemed to be the only person who
was brave enough to caution against such
a move. Since I was also strongly
opposed to starting another war, I
was glad to hear a respected General
and a person who knew a lot more than
I did give sound reasons for waiting
and evaluating and not striking out
at Iraq, an apparently innocent
bystander.
Actually, I would have called myself
almost a pacifist, an attitude I had
come to during the Vietnam War, even
though I was really ignorant about
U.S. foreign policies. I did remember
the "ethnic cleansing" in the Balkans
in the 90's, largely because of
Christine Amanpour's reporting, and
how glad I was that NATO had intervened
to stop it, so I knew that war was
sometimes necessary. But I did not
specifically remember General Clark
from that episode. Now I wonder how I
could have missed him, as I did remember
thinking there was a rift between
President Clinton and Secretary Cohen.
As I listened to Clark on CNN, I began
to wish that he would run for President.
Then I saw John Hlinko and Josh Margolis on
C-Span talking about the on-line draft
movement, but at the time I didn't even
own a computer, let alone know how to
find something on the internet.
Needless to say, I corrected those
deficiencies in my life, but not before
Aaron Brown finally asked out loud what
I was thinking, Was Wes going to run.
Even though General Clark did not achieve
the Presidency, I have not ever regretted
following his lead and being one of his
"soldiers." I am no longer a knee-jerk
pacifist, I have gained increased respect
for my own brother's military service as
a navy pilot during Vietnam, and I have
developed an avid interest in The relations
of the United States to the rest of the
World. I have come to admire General Clark
more than any other person in public life.
All this and hours of education and
entertainment provided by the General and
his corps of intelligent and endlessly
interesting bloggers.

tonimiami
I don't remember the date, but it was early in the draft movement. I was half paying attention when I heard him say the words "civil discourse." Only a few days before, I had a conversation with a friend in which I railed about how the politicians in Washington were too busy playing partisan power games and they needed to engage in some open, earnest discussions about the issues we faced. Here was this guy I had never heard of saying the same thing. I looked him up on the Internet and read every thing I could find. I became a believer and joined the draft movement. I was so excited when he declared he was running and one of his first stops was in Miami, at the Rusty Pelican restaurant. I convinced my daughter, sister, and a family friend that they must hear him speak. We got to the event early and sat in the front row. He was so genuine. He looked us straight in the eye while speaking, and when finished walked straight to me and shook my hand. I attended weekly Clark meetups and met some wonderful people. Some of us drove to South Carolina and went door-to-door campaigning for him. I remember being angry at the DNC for cramming Kerry down our throats and admiring the general for being such a good soldier for the party by supporting Kerry so strongly. He has always remained so...his message that he was looking forward to going to the convention to hear Obama give his acceptance speech in person was the most recent example. I have been so disenchanted with the whole process this year that I changed my registration from Democrat to Independent. Every time I think I can't stand to pay any attention to politics any more, Wes inspires me to hang on to my dream of a just, noble, and truly free America. God bless him!

Until the Draft Clark days, I honestly didn't know anything about Gen. Clark, although I've been a political "junkie" for years. Never caught him on CNN during his analyst days.

I did, however, watch C-Span's Washington Journal quite often (although not anymore), and one day I saw Dean being interviewed, and I found myself attracted to his ideas. So, I started that election cycle going for Dean.

On yet another Washington Journal, the host interviewed two young men who were promoting the Draft Clark movement. I went to the website, listened to more of the show and instantly moved from Dean to being a staunch supporter of Gen. Clark, and remain so to this day.

Unlike many of you, I've never met Gen. Clark, but I always enjoy reading your FHAs, and viewing the great photos so many of you take and post online!

Even though Gen. Clark had already left the race by the time my state's (IL) primary rolled around, I was thrilled to cast my vote for him, and I've saved my voting receipt with a sample ballot attached to it as a wonderful memento, along with donation thank-you letters and so on. I've been reading and occasionally posting to CCN since the early Gen. Discussion days, and have laughed, cried and, at times, spit liquids on the keyboard along with the rest of you, morning, noon and night.

My dad, who died in July, 2006, also liked Gen. Clark very much, and I still remember him calling me one night in winter, 2004, saying "your boy, your boy is on TV!" We used to have some great discussions about Clark! My mom likes him too! :)

It's good to be a Clarkie!

....you hit it out of the park

:D

Why have Obama and the New Democratic Party chose to rehabilitate the Republican Party at a time when it and conservatism has proven to be such a failure? Answer: "Because that's where the money is."

I was in SC and was at the original Meet Up for Clark in September of 2003. Then I got hooked into Clark's Army from Janet in CALI which turns out was a bogus grass roots thing and more of a Clinton machine gimmick. But who cares. I volunteered in Columbia and followed Wes and Gert to events in Hilton Head and Charleston and Orangeburg.

Clark should be the nominee and Clark should be president. I get sick watching the races in 2004 and the current one. What the hell is wrong with this country? We seriously are going to elect McNasty bottom-of-his-class KeatingFIVE and his lying power abusing hockey VP? All I can say is that I guess this country gets the government it deserves.

If people were informed and not so damn lazy and stupid, they'd wake up and make Wes president. I tried to make it happen. I really did. WES CLARK you deserved more; we all did.