Wes Clark Endorses Clinton, Coming to Oregon
Retired General and former presidential candidate Wesley Clark made headlines on Saturday by endorsing Hillary Clinton for President.
From the Washington Post:
Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed Saturday by retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who sought the party's nomination in 2004 and whose sterling military credentials could bolster her bid to be the first female commander in chief.Clark, the former supreme allied commander of NATO, praised the New York senator as "a remarkable person" with the skills and experience to be president.
"She will be a great leader for the United States of America and a great commander in chief for the men and women in uniform," Clark told reporters in a conference call with the former first lady.
Now, Clark will be in Beaverton on October 1st to sign copies of his new book.
From the Washington County Democrats:
Lupita Maurer, chair of the Washington County Democrats, will make an introduction Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, at the book-signing by noted Gen. Wesley Clark, who ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 2003.Clark will sign his new book, “A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor and Country.” Powell’s Books is located at 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton.
Clark will address such issues as foreign policy, the economy, environment, education, health care, family, faith and the American dream. His new book draws on his experiences with personal anecdotes and recommends options for the future.
It sure seems like there are a lot of notable figures visiting Oregon these days. Will Clark's endorsement have an impact on the presidential race?
Discuss.
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Sept. 17, 2007
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3:07 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
Nearly certainly not. And I would have been surprised for Clark not to endorse her, seeing as he's also from Arkansas, just like Bill is.
Really now, is there anyone who lets an endorsement like this affect them? About the only endorsement that's worth a damn in this race is Al Gore's, Bill Clinton's (already spoken for), and Howard Dean's (which he won't give, because party chairs are supposed to speak for all Democrats, not just a faction).
Sep 17, '07
I just wanted to clarify that the Washington County Democratic Central Committee does not endorse anyone during the primaries.
Powell's and the WCDCC have a great working relationship, and we will be working with this and other speakers as well.
My introduction of the General is just that, and does not mean in any way, an endorsement of the County party or mine of Senator Clinton.
Sincerely,
Lupita Maurer
Sep 17, '07
Hillary and the other Democraps (excepting Kucinich) will need all the military endorsements they can get to compensate for their image as gullible weaklings, who can't fight their way out of a paper bag or protect the country against Bush's intrusions on civil liberties.
Sep 17, '07
In answer to the question, "No."
This man is no great thinker and is simply returning a political favor.
More telling are the endorsements of Ted Sorenson and Zignew Brezinski.
Sep 17, '07
Wow, generally I abhor the term "purity troll"...
3:29 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
"Democraps" JohnH? Democraps??
Whatever shred of credibility you had left here you just shot with that. My God, I even know some Republicans who'd be embarrassed by such a juvenile insult. My 9 year old is more mature than you.
From here on out, I'm quoting you as: John-"Democraps"-H
Sep 17, '07
Well, Steve, when the Democratic Congress gets an 18% approval rating, it's not accidental--they have worked very hard to earn it and deserve the scorn. And when their best and brightest--their presidential candidates--don't have sufficient leadership qualities to improve Congress' ratings, they deserve equal measure of scorn.
But if you are shocked by my contempt for Congress, maybe you should read Mark Twain: "Fleas can be taught nearly anything that a Congressman can." And Twain heaps the scorn on: http://www.mises.org/story/983 It's a great American tradition.
5:24 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
I'm most curious about the notion of Kucinich as someone who could fight his way out of a paper bag.
Sep 17, '07
"More telling are the endorsements of Ted Sorenson and Zignew Brezinski."
Wow. I usually don't think of these two as being in the same category. I mean, no insult to Ted who's a good guy, but really? Same sentence?
Sep 17, '07
Varner, yep, very diverse guys, one was the voice of the Kennedy administration, the other Carter's national security guy. Both endorsing Obama. No political paybacks, just smart guys using their brains and picking the right guy.
6:12 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
The polling which actually breaks out Congressional approvals of the GOP members of Congress vs. Democratic members of Congress, you find that 18% is eing brought lower than Bush by the GOP cohort in Congress. Strip out the lead balloon of the GOP and Congress would be polling around 35%. (nothing to brag about, but higher than Bush or the GOP)
6:22 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
You mean Zbigniew Brzezinski, that genius who gave us the policy of creating the Mujahideen at the end of the Carter administration which then morphed into al Qaeda; the same Zbigniew Brzezinski who also pushed Operation Eagle Claw (the failed Iranian hostage rescue mission) which Cyrus Vance (then Secretary of State) opposed...?
Quickest way for Obama to lose my vote is laud Zbig as endorsing him.
6:35 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
Word, lestatdelc.
Oh, and way to go, John-"Democraps"-H. Not only are you fawningly echoing Republican talking points that even the DLC won't touch, you're now linking to a list of Mark Twain quotes that Gary M. Galles, a well known right wing crank, has selectively chosen to try to make it appear that Twain would have been a modern day neocon.
Since you don't like us, I suggest you go off to the home of your new hero, The One Republic, and swear your fealty to his idea that the Nation's Poor Getting Poorer just is not true...
Sep 17, '07
Matthew,
Sorry, I totally was thinking of Pete Sorenson, the county commissioner from Eugene. Wow, totally different people.
I was thinking, 'wow, most people aren't letting Pete Sorenson drive their world view. Maybe we should but didn't think folks were doing that. Oh well'.
Still think Pete's a nice guy though. Very approachable.
Sep 17, '07
Whatever shred of credibility you had left here you just shot with that. My God, I even know some Republicans who'd be embarrassed by such a juvenile insult. My 9 year old is more mature than you.
JohnH: Welcome to SM's s*#t list. I had that honor a couple of weeks ago.
Sep 17, '07
More telling are the endorsements of ... and Zignew (sic) Brezinski (sic).
Anyone getting an endorsement from Zbigniew Brzezinski should look out for the back-stabbing dagger that might come with it. See the first half of Walter Karp's book, "Liberty Under Siege" for details of how Zbig helped put the kabosh on Jimmy Carter.
Sep 17, '07
"Democraps" is standard usage in IndyMedia World. Used regularly on Portland IndyMedia website, for example.
A few questions:
(1) Why are "military credentials" supposed to be important?
(2) Regarding the title of Gen. Clark's book--Duty Honor and Country--I've no doubt he has his own ideas of what constitute duty and honor, but these are probably different ideas than mine.
(3) And another on the duty and honor bit: Let's suppose we're talking about, say, a guy named Gen. Vladimir Popov, who did a bang-up job for the Soviet Army. (The name is made up but that's irrelevant.) Let's assume that this guy is convinced he did his duty--honorably--by, say, rolling the tanks into Prague to stop a reactionary counter-revolution. Is there any meaningful way to even talk about what consitutes "honor"?
I kind of doubt it.
Sep 17, '07
Steven, you win. Next time I'll make sure my Mark Twain quotes come from a Democratic or non-partisan site.
But I really think you should brush up on what progressive conversation at democrats[dot]com an aggressive progressive web site. Here's an example: http://www.democrats.com/calling-bullshit-on-60-votes#comments
8:53 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
Republicans ran the Senate for most of the first 6 years of the Bush Dictatorship with a small majority. ... During that entire time, Republicans never had 60 votes - but they passed everything they wanted...
Hmmmm... Bob Fertik's a friend, but he's missing a key point there. During the first six years of the Bush presidency, the president was also a Republican.
Sounds obvious, but it's a lot easier to get things done in the Senate if the president's got your back. And it's nothing to do with vetoes and whatnot... it has to do with the presidential ability to deliver pork to particular states and districts.
I'm quite confident that with a Democratic president, and only 53-56 Senate seats, we'll be able to pass most of what the Democratic president wants too.
Sep 17, '07
Nice to hear that Ted Sorenson apparently meets with everyone's approval!
As far as Z-Big, are there any former National Security Directors of whom we could approve of all their actions? Or CIA directors? It would be difficult for any of us to serve in those positions without throwing our idealism under the bus. Even so, I think to have one of them say objectively that a certain candidate has what it takes to lead as President is impressive.
9:53 p.m.
Sep 17, '07
I call out all anti-Democratic trolls, Bill, not just Republicans but the Green/Naderite ones too. Otherwise, I'd be hypocritical.
Democrats who don't like other specific Democrats in the primary, say like H.R.C. as a big example, get a pass from me. But anyone who make little juvenile attacks against the entire Democratic Party, shouldn't expect their idiocy to go unchallenged.
And by the way, all this whining about the Congress is almost exactly like the tripe I was reading a year and a half ago about Ted Kulongoski. Oh... whine why didn't he stand up to Karen Minnis? She's not whine a complete ass or anything... that's why we need whine Pete Sorenson to "stand up" to her. Because whine she'd just be reasonable if someone would only just ask her. Reeeeeally.
Now, a year later with a Democratic house (which Washington County worked it's tail off for, thank you very much), suddenly Governor Kulongoski is showing the "leadership" you thought was missing. Too bad we missed you at our phone banks.
And instead, you're blaming the Democratic Congress for what Bush has done, and continues to do, as Commander in Chief.
With "friends" like these, who needs Republicans?
Sep 17, '07
And with Democraps like Steven "Da Mouth" Maurer, isn't it clear why America needs Ron Paul?
Sep 18, '07
Is this Wesley Clark the same Nato commander who gave an order in Kosovo that British General Mike Jackson refused because he didn't want to start World War III?
Sep 18, '07
Steven, rather than reflexively genuflecting before the Democratic Party, why don't you actually look at their performance in the 110th Congress? On most any measure it's abysmal. Contrast this to the 106th Congress (Republican), which came within a single vote of removing Clinton, despite his 70% approval rating. I didn't like their politics, but at least they had the strength of character to be an opposition party, unlike this band of bobbleheads that nods their agreement to unconscionable legislation: blank checks for Iraq and warrantless wiretapping. They simply do not have the moral fiber to lead or to resist this President, even though his approval ratings are near Nixon's historic lows.
By stumbling to an 18% approval rating, which they deserve, the Democratic Party almost seems to be begging the American people to put them out of their misery by forming a third party that will represent the will of the voters.
10:17 a.m.
Sep 18, '07
Contrast this to the 106th Congress (Republican), which came within a single vote of removing Clinton, despite his 70% approval rating.
Within one vote? The closest vote in the trial was 50 to 50, with a mere 5 or the 55 Republicans voting "Not Guilty" (as opposed to the "Perjury before a Grand Jury" charge, in which 10 Republicans voted Not Guilty).
You are aware that an impeachment conviction requires a 2/3rds majority, or 67 Senate votes? Not a bare majority?
I guess not.
Sep 18, '07
I doubt if Clark's enodorsment will help. Look at all of the endorsments Dean had (Gore, Bradley, Ann Richards, Tom Harkin, SEIU, AFSCME, Martin Shean, etc...) and where they got him. They all bailed after he lost Iowa/ N.H.
Endorsements from the minority community seem to be the most valuable. Both Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale have said that the most important endorsements that helped them win the Dem. nomiantion in '76 and '84 were Coretta Scott King and Congressman/Mayor Andy Young. Those two and a few other African American leaders helped Mondale win key southern priamries when his campign looked finsihed in the spring of '84.
Clark seems to me to be one of a number of Clinton suck ups who want to be on the ticket with Hillary. Dick Gephardt, Evan Bayh, and Tom Vilsack are some othrs. A recent Newsweek cover story (and others articles) revealed that many Democratic senators who actually worked with Hillary and observed her arrogance/bullying tactics during the Health Care battle of '93/'94 have no respect for her.
Sep 18, '07
As far as Z-Big, are there any former National Security Directors of whom we could approve of all their actions? Or CIA directors?
These are absurd questions. In any organization it is impossible to find perfection in the human elements. These questions suggest a disregard for the question of degree. As noted above Zbig has some nasty skeletons in his closet. As far as CIA directors are concerned, it's a good bet that most would hate to have all of their actions exposed, but I believe Jimmy Carter's director at the CIA, Admiral Stansfield Turner, set the bar for integrity that few, if any, could approach.
1:42 p.m.
Sep 18, '07
Sep 18, '07
David Sirota has more on Democrats' Cult of Weakness: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/the-outbreak-of-autoshado_b_55573.html
Unfortunately, voters prefer leaders, candidates with proven results. Except for Kucinich (Mayor of Cleveland), none of this batch of candidates has any experience holding executive office. And only two of them (Biden and Dodd) have ever held so much as a Committee Chairmanship.
And voters prefer candidates with proven leadership qualities, people with the skills to move others to a unified point of view and get legislation passed. Which one of the candidates has that skill? Well, Hillary has Bill covering her back. And Obama has charisma. And? Zero. Nada.
One of them could show leadership by getting their collegues together to reject warrantless wiretapping, restore habeus corpus, and end the Iraq War. But I doubt any of them have the character to do any of that. Truly a pathetic lot.
OK, go ahead, shoot the messenger! Take your best shots!
Sep 18, '07
I'm most curious about the notion of Kucinich as someone who could fight his way out of a paper bag.
Maybe a glitch caused you to miss the recent televised Iowa debate.
Sep 18, '07
Not at all. However it is pretty clear that idiots like Alex Davies need to go fuck themselves gently with a chain-saw.
A dazzling confutation, lestatdelc. And such vivid imagery! Of the metro-area public restrooms you frequent to solicit intimacy and literary inspiration, is there one in particular where I might encounter more of your scintillating stall-wall scrawlings?
8:49 a.m.
Sep 19, '07
Hey Alex - I think you've got the wrong political party. Lestatdelc isn't a Republican; soliciting gay sex in bathrooms isn't his thing.
Insofar as your attempt to recruit us to the joy of
still living in your mother's basementbeing a Ron Paul fanboy, you've got the wrong audience. You should be inflicting your idiocy on NWRepublican and Coyote, not us. Your cellar-dweller looks like he's never going to scrape himself out of the single digits in the GOP.Sep 19, '07
Hey...Ron Paul delivered my sister. I guess even though he's almost as big a nut job as the other Repub candidates I'll give him a pass. ;)
Sep 19, '07
Interesting assertion, Mouth -- that homosexuals cruising for romantic bathroom encounters predominately lean Republican rather than Democrat in their voting patterns. I'm not sure the evidence would support it, though. Maybe after Hillary gets elected she'll order her new Ministry of Safe Sexual Conduct to weigh in on the issue -- and, of course, promulgate new federal regulations as warranted.
Regarding my man Paulie and the poll numbers -- you might very well be right. The odds look long indeed. Of course, if enough truly antiwar liberals would wake up and leave your crappy, warmongering party, so that they might vote for a real peace&freedom candidate in the Repug primaries...well, who knows. Tall order, I understand: American Progressives worship at the alter of state-sponsored violence no different than your standard Freddy McRomnianicrat.
But frankly, Garrett, if Ron Paul's central Out-Of-Iraq-Now, No-More-Wars-Of-Aggression message makes him "almost as a big a nutjob as the other Repubs," then wtf do you have to say for all these Democraps who want to bomb Iran and continue the occupation of Mesopotamia? Are they, you know, bigger nutjobs, or merely nutjobs of similar order and magnitude?
<h2>Btw, Mouth, I actually prefer spending time in your mother's basement to my own...hee hee</h2>