Someone in the Clark campaign PLEASE READ THIS!

[CShine]

That right-wing hack Matt Drudge has published something HE THINKS will hurt Clark. He could not be more wrong.

Here's the lowdown from his little story.

GENERAL CLARK PRAISED CONDI, POWELL, RUMSFELD AND BUSH: 'WE NEED THEM THERE'

**World Exclusive**

Democratic presidential hopeful General Wesley Clark offered lavish praise for the Bush Administration and its key players in a speech to Republicans -- just two years ago, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal!

MORE

During extended remarks delivered at the Pulaski County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 11, 2001, General Clark declared: "And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice... people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there." A video of Clark making the comments has surfaced, DRUDGE can reveal.

MORE

Clark praised Reagan for improving the military: "We were really helped when President Ronald Reagan came in. I remember non-commissioned officers who were going to retire and they re-enlisted because they believed in President Reagan." Clark continued: "That's the kind of President Ronald Reagan was. He helped our country win the Cold War. He put it behind us in a way no one ever believed would be possible. He was truly a great American leader. And those of us in the Armed Forces loved him, respected him, and tremendously admired him for his great leadership."

Clark on President George Bush: "President George Bush had the courage and the vision... and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and statesmanship."

http://www.drudgereport.com/clark.htm


OK, here's my take.


Drudge seems to be missing the obvious advantage this story gives to Clark.

If he's smart, here's how Clark will respond....

1) He'll say, "Look, way back in May of 2001 I loved the President's support for the military."

2) He'll still say, "I continue to believe that Bush made the wrong choices about going to war with Iraq. That happened AFTER my comments in 2001."


In all their glee over this supposed bombshell, Republicans seem to have missed the fact that Clark has always been a vocal supporter of a strong military, but he disagreed with the specific choices made by Bush regarding Iraq.

No other Democrat has taken this stance. No other Democratic Presidential candidate can say that his public stance before 9/11 was always for a strong military, but that he STILL believes that Bush simply botched it on Iraq. This story BACKS UP that position. This plays directly to the sentiments of a great many Americans who think we SHOULD maintain a strong military, but who also think that our postwar Iraq policies have been failures. This is potentially the biggest opening for Clark so far. It can allow him to separate from the Democratic pack. It can allow him to show with 100% certainty that he has ALWAYS been for a strong defense, but having a record of strong support for defense does NOT mean that he thinks Bush has handled postwar Iraq in a competent manner.

This is a GOOD thing for Clark. If he and his political team recognize the opportunity here, it can be used to really separate him from the other Democratic Presidential candidates. It will show that he is the ONLY Democratic candidate with a history of strong support for defense. The fact that these statements came WELL BEFORE 9/11 means that he can still stand by his statements of strong criticism for Bush's Iraq policy and also show that he has always had strong pro-defense bonafides.

Take it for what it's worth.

[PATRICK]

1. Not from the Clark camp

myself but, here is what is tells me. There are two obvious conclusions here. Drudge takes the one that this is a hypocritical turnabout. That spin MIGHT be the normal media one except that number one analysis overwhelsm this. Namely that it customary for the guys in the establishment- or any crowd of pros- to praisse and grease one another- and just about everyone plus the top candidates was to one degree or another doing the same thing. Had we not been through his before with Reagan's Bush I's "team" even people who disagreed with and hated them would have given begrudging credit. No one expected massive failure or such dangerous world threatening extremism in a criminal power grab for everything. And even the spinmeisters might not want to imply Clark was duped and the guys in office therefore ARE clowns and crooks.

So the worst thing you could say applies to most everyone, that Americans don't get the wolves in their midst, have ceded too much judgment and respect. We fear our candidates, despite their harsh words NOW, STILL don't get it. I hope Clark redefines who he trusts from hereon in, but I am leery of reformed politicians who show great capacity for continuing in their weaknesses and error. Man, he is not the obny one. That is what discourages me at times. One would hope a leader can see what we Cassandras see. Or Troy will burn.

[Kahuna]

2. Big deal. He trusted them and NOW he doesn't.

he's not afraid to harshly criticize them either. So just what is your point? At the point that Clark made those statements he had no reason to know how treasonous and diabolicle (sp?) they are. NOW he does. And he's running to get those treasonous fools out of office and to hold them accountable.

[maha]

3. Same message in two places

You posted this in Editorials and in General Comments. Ain't that against the rules?

[Uzybone]

4. Sorry

but if all Clark wants to run on is that Bush mishandled Iraq, but was good on everything else then he CANNOT be my man. Im hoping this isnt true becasue I really like the guy. But offering lavish praise to GWB2 is a deathknell. I can overlook praising and voting for Repukes 20 years ago. But after the shenanigans in Florida and the radical right wing agenda Bush forced down this countrys' throats since he took office, there is no way I can see ANYONE saying "And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice... people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there."
It must have been one hell of an epiphany to get from there to where he is now.

[jayfish]

5. Tweety Said Somthing Very Insightful Last Night To Peggy

Noonan in reference to Clarks speech. This is paraphrased; "If George Bush* looses this election it will be because of people like Gen. Clark. People who changed their minds." Would you throw away a vote from a former Bush* voter?

Jay

-On Edit-
The question is not directed to you CShine, but to the group as a whole.

[dfong63]

6. i welcome clark and all other switchers to vote for the dem nominee

[dfong63]

7. LOL - if this doesn't hurt Clark, then

... why have there been half a dozen threads all vociferously proclaiming, "This won't hurt Clark," and then giving lengthy instructions for how to spin-doctor it.

[Clark Can WIN]

8. That is where the RNC video came from in this thread ( I believe)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=410709&mesg_id=410709

I stand by my assesment firmly. The RNC can choke on it.