Is Clark Even a Real Democrat?

[DJcairo]

From the WP:
He told us in an interview the other day that he is new to the party -- it's not that he'd been a Democrat all along and kept his affiliation private for reasons of propriety. Asked whether he had voted for Republicans along the way, Mr. Clark said, "I don't even remember." Had he voted for a Republican for president? "I imagine that I voted for Reagan at one time or another," he said. It will be interesting to see how that plays with Democratic Party activists.

The more fundamental concern centers on Mr. Clark's inexperience in elective politics and domestic policies. In the interview, Mr. Clark cited his "broad background beyond national security," but voters will have to decide whether it's broad enough: He cited a stint as a camp counselor in addition to a mid-career tour as White House fellow and post-Army experience as an investment banker. On a number of key issues, he sounds like a work in progress. On Social Security, for example: "I'm not prepared at this point to address a specific proposal" but "I'm not particularly in favor of raising the retirement age." On school vouchers: "We've got to protect public education," but "there may be times and circumstances on an exceptional basis where vouchering makes sense." On capital punishment: "In exceptional cases you might use the death penalty."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22452-2003Sep17.html

[joeybee12]

1. I don't have a problem with his views on issues evolving BUT

I have a problem with him taking so long saying he was a Dem. Either you are or you aren't? Is he just being an opportunist and would have declared as a Repuke if we had a Dem president right now who was in as much trouble as Dumbo?

[ant]

6. books, covers, etc.

Let's try to get over the label and examine the substance. If his views are sincere then that's what matters. There's no way he could run as a Rep with some of his views, so I doubt the opportunistic charge. If he's taking these positions just to be the Dem candidate - if he would reverse himself on the issues, not just the label, to run on the Rep ticket - THEN we'd have a problem, but I don't think that's the case.

[disgruntella]

14. my view is exactly opposite

I couldn't care less how long it took for him to say "I'm a Democrat." My only problem with Clark at this point is having to wait for his views on issues to evolve. But I'm not holding it against him at this point.

[ant]

2. well....

...he seems to have thoughtful, nuanced positions on some very complex issues, so he's definitely not a Republican.

Whether or not he's a Democrat depends on what the Democrats want to be.

[babzilla]

3. clark, clark, clark, clark, clark

n/t

[Nashyra]

4. Yes he is a Real Democrat

with this kind of rhetoric it will hurt in the nomination process but if he manages to get the nomination it will help with swing voters and independents. Also if he does well, but only well enough to be Deans VP if Dean get the nod from the Dems, then hopefully he won't be crucified in the primaries so that precious time and money won't have to be spent defending what other "Dems" had to say about him in the primaries.

[diplomats]

5. I don't care if he voted for Reagan

At least he's being honest. BTW, I think there are some DU members who used to be Repukes and saw the light :)

[carpetbagger]

18. And I care less that Reagan voted for FDR.

Except that it might mean that Clark will do to Reagans legacy what Reagan tried to do to FDR's legacy.

[burr]

22. I do!!!!

I hope Clark shares more of his past, present, and future views on politics. Supporting any primary candidate who voted for Reagan is just as sane as backing Democratic candidates who say they voted for Shrub.

If they don't remember or even care who or what they are voting for, how much thought could they possibly put into their agenda as officeholders?

[wes_clark_for_pres]

7. and Hillary was once a Goldwater fan!

is she a "real-enough" Democrat?

[HereSince1628]

8. Triangulation devastated the remnants of Democratic ideology

Although democratic ideology was never very uniform across the country, triangulation became a behavior that supported what pragmatists argue as "whatever works to get elected." Consequently, it isn't that big a deal if Clark, like most of the candidates is made of a cloth that includes reddish and purple threads as well as basic blues.

"Democrat" in the age of triangulation is as much a convenient label for politically ambitious people as it is a pronoun that can be associated with a well developed belief system. Having the label locates a person's name on a ballot, perhaps affiliates it with the party machinery looking for a winning personality, but it doesn't locate those personalities' policies within an ideological framework.

Nowadays, democratic candidates with strong ideologies are termed radicals and termed unelectable, while candidates whose persona can "neutralize opponents issues" are considered mainstream.

[sandnsea]

9. Good centrist response

It could be taken that he's voted Democratic his whole life and doesn't want to turn off those 'Independents' either. I know I've used that hedge a time or two with Republicans and Independents when trying to convince them I'm 'objective'. "I've probably voted for Republicans along the way, I don't remember every candidate in every race". Ha ha, right. Well, there was that one time, only because he happened to be a personal friend! As Clark makes his positions clear, we'll figure it out.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. How, exactly, is Clark better than Graham?

I don't yet see Clark's allure to the Democratic party, unless he's been a democrat all along. But this article suggests otherwise.

[markus]

11. He is an opportunitist

The only questions, is he "our" opportunist (that is, of benefit to us).

Do we really want to win at any cost? Do you want a candidate who doesn't know what he's going to do versus one where you know what he'll do on any given issue.

I think Clark has to flesh out very quick, or he will be masaccared in the caucus states.

On the other hand, I think someone with no real spine and a lot of money could do well in the early sweep of primaries, unless he is stopped.

I say, let Clark come out and say what he stands for on key issues like Choice, tax cut, etc. If he won't I say beware.

[CoffeePlease1947]

12. "let Clark come out and say what he stands for on key issues"

He has. He is pro-choice, he said that a long time ago. He was against the Bush tax cut.

Mike

[kang]

13. He's a Democrat alright

his past statements were collected on the DraftClark website (his own seems to be still developing). He's pro-affirmative action (w/perhaps some accounting of socio-economic background), he's pro-choice, and he's against the Bush tax cut for the wealthy. He's also critical of the Iraq war because it was premature and badly handled, damaging long-standing int'l relationships and putting our soldiers in harm's way without proper back-up.

As I understand it, he wouldn't have been allowed to be a CNN military analyst if he was a declared Dem. That's what I thought the whole hub bub was about before. Could be wrong.

[renie408]

15. He 'doesn't remember'??

What does THAT mean? He can't remember how he voted? He 'may have voted for Reagan one time or another'?? It's not that I mind that he voted for Reagan, but that he thinks he can hedge like that.

[kang]

16. Actually, I think that might be an honest response

Edwards once was asked who he voted for in the 1992 Democratic primary and he couldn't remember whether it was Clinton or Bob Kerrey. It happens I guess. I don't think Clark was hedging though by answering Reagan...hedging for what? His positions and his background would have made it nearly impossible for him to be a Republican even IF that was what some people suspected.

[renie408]

17. Please

Please don't do that. Don't do that thing where you start to support somebody and then think the sun shines out of their ass and they can't screw up. He should have just said, "Yeah, I think I voted for Reagan. At the time, I felt he had the best policy for this country." Look, I have done some truly weird shit in my life that I would never do again. Everybody has and most people will forgive you for it. At least he was voting. But it sounds like he is hedging when he says he can't 'remember' who he voted for and that he 'may have' voted for Reagan. You only vote for President once every four years....is it THAT hard to keep track of?

[carpetbagger]

21. Did you cast your absentee votes 20 years ago?

It sounds like he's saying that if he voted, he would have voted for Reagan during the 80's. It sure sounds like he's saying he didn't remember if he voted at all. In his defense, I voted absentee in several elections, and it's a painful experience of paperwork. Combine that with moving around constantly, and it's even harder to keep track.

I didn't vote in the 2000 primaries because I was in the middle of a move. If you ask me who I voted for in the 2000 primaries 15 years from now, I might have said "I think I voted for Gore". Also, if you ask me who I voted for in 1988 in the primaries, I would have also said the same thing. Why? Because damned if I can remember at this point whether my party affiliation change from GOP to Dem went through by then. Maybe I voted for Gore, Maybe I voted for Dole. My thoughts at the time were 'is this all there is left of the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, that the only preference I have is candidate X wasn't involved in the Iran-Contra scandal?' I'm pretty sure I voted for Gore, but if my faulty recollection would create a scandal, I'd say I wasn't sure. I've testified a number of times as a material and/or expert witness. Under oath, I answer a lot of questions like that.

[genius]

19. He just announced and already the Deanbots are after him.

Good luck to his supporters. I welcome them to the club of those whom the Deanbots love to attack.

[goobergunch]

20. DJcairo is one of the biggest Kerry supporters on this board (n/t)

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

23. And he loves to post flame bait and not return to the thread

It's getting old. Glad to know he hates anyone who threatens Kerry, and not just Dean. :)