What makes Wesley Clark "tick"?

[xray s]

Here we have Wesley Clark. He gives his entire life to service in the military. He is very bright, and could have made multi millions in the private sector his whole life, but instead he accepts a military salary and military lifestyle of constant uprooting, going to war and being shot at and getting severely wounded. He climbs the chain of command, and ends up as head of NATO, making him and his family a prime target for terrorists. He stops the genocidal plans of a dictator against 1.5 million Muslims. He retires and accepts speaking engagements. He is making good money now. He is doing some consulting and lobbying for the defense industry. Not with weapons systems, but in intelligence gathering. He knows the US faces real threats. He has a budding lucrative career with the corporate media. Then, he decides to throw it all away to run for President. It will be an up-hill battle because he is starting late. There is a real risk he will lose. But he doesn't take the safe route and try to be Lieberman with four starts, keeping his options open. No, he talks about PNAC and 9/11. Writes a book about it. Putting the spotlight where the MIC and the BFEE doesn't want it shined. A spotlight shined from the perspective of a four start general, someone the general public will take very seriously.

A lucrative consultancy/lobbying/media career abandoned for good, bridges burned to a crisp. The look on Chris Matthews face when Clark walks onto the stage for his first Hardball interview tells the story. As the old saying goes, “your never gonna’ work in this town again”.

Why? Is this the behavior of a selfish money grubbing lobbyist, or a selfless patriot

[mmonk]

1. Democracy

He sees problems if bushco stays in our institutions.

[KittyWampus]

2. Intelligence Gathering

You know Kerry himself said that the current challenges in National Security require INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.

The Hart Rudman Report and Gore's Report on Airline Security as well as 9/11 support this.

Thank Goodness someone with as much knowledge, expertise and integrity as Clark is in the Loop.

[bowens43]

3. a neural implant.....

[RandomUser]

4. Five sentences

I was asked on another thread to post a short summary of up to five sentences for why I trust my candidate. I'll repost that piece here since it seems relevant to this topic.


I Trust Wes Clark:

The measure of a person's character and integrity is how one reacts to temptation when no one is looking, and when self-sacrifice is against one's own interest and holds no public glory or acknowledgement.

After Vietnam, Clark could have joined his peers and left the military for private life, leveraging his prestigious West Point and Oxford degrees to make tons of money.

Instead, during a time when the military was unpopular and held in low esteem, he chose to live with constant relocations, sometimes crappy living conditions, and serve his country at low pay, a pittance of what he could have made in the private sector with his prestigious degrees, analytical intelligence, and leadership skills, continuing to turn down lucrative offers from outside the military over the years.

And after he left the military, he could have done what most retired generals do and work for a lucrative weapons firm contracting with the military, but he refused to sell weapons systems, despite the fact that such a position is extremely financially advantageous.

If Clark were a money grubbing power hungry opportunist, he would not be where he is today or made the choices he did in his life at great personal cost to himself and his family, when no one would have cared or faulted him for doing otherwise -- I trust Wes Clark's intelligence (just look how far he's come in a fraction of the time it took the other candidates!), integrity, and character.

[ArkDem]

5. I wish it was...........

[democratreformed]

6. What Wes Clark Gave Up

These are things we asked him to give up - and he agreed after much contemplation:
1. His first "home" - the place he chose to finally settle down and quit moving every year or so with the army.
2. His job - large speaking fees, a successful consulting firm, etc.
3. His online forum - Leadership for America - and participation in conversation with a variety of Americans.
4. His privacy and that of this family members.
5. The ability to focus on the birth of his first grandchild without any interference from "other matters".
6. Whatever alternate dreams he may have had for his future.

[dfong63]

8. what a "sacrifice" - not

if Clark really thinks of his run as a "sacrifice" rather than an "honor", then he really should bow out now and go to a shrink. he's competing for the most powerful office in the world. the pay and perks, the fame and chances for later enrichment are enormous. don't try to sell me on this "sacrifice" bunk. OK you can call it a "sacrifice" if you want, but there's not exactly a shortage of takers. he wouldn't be missed.

[democratreformed]

9. Gee, I don't see any words up there that came from Wes Clark, do you? n/t

[cally]

7. Clark wants what's best for the country

He gave up money and fame many times in his career to do what he thought was best for the country. He believes that peace can only be achieved through multi-national organizations. He believes in work, discipline, and self-sacrifice. He also believes that national security depends on a strong economy, a healthy populace, and environmental protection.

He also is ambitious and arrogant. Anyone who wants to be President is also.