Went to a Wes Clark Event tonight

[DaveinMD]

He was having an event in DC in Dupont Circle. A free event and it was a good time. Wes had a horse voice, but it was still a great time. He said he isn't ruling out running again.

Afterwords, a few of us had dinner together. And get this Dean people. We all agreed that Dean should be party chair. I think that article in Washington Monthly about Shrum and the other consultants is having some impact.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Here's another account of the same event....

Hope she doesn't mind....
Date: Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Subject: Clark said "I haven't ruled anything out!" (at tonight's DC event!!)

And the crowd went wild!
(Here's my read-out.... This is a somewhat short version, but I know Dom and others will post a more detailed one in the coming days. )

General Clark appeared at a meet/greet/thank you/fundraising event tonight in Washington, DC. I was there along with many other bloggers, including Dom (KnightRider), Howard Park, John Hlinko, et al. It was so great to see everyone, it really was a great time. But it was very bittersweet because everyone was reminiscing about where we were this year last time. There was a bus trip traveling up to New Hampshire from Virginia, and well, you all know where the campaign and everything was at this time last year.

The event started at 6p.m., and Wes showed up around 6:30ish. He had just taped Hardball a bit earlier. (So those of us at the event didn't get to see his Hardball appearance.)

We met at in a private dining area upstairs in a restaurant called Childe Harold's in the DuPont Circle area of DC. Very cool place -- Bruce Springsteen and some others got their start performing there! Anyway, the General worked the room, and it was a great turn-out --not sure of the head count, but it was enough so that the room was very full, but yet many of us had plenty of time to chat with General Clark individually.

Unfortunately, General Clark had just about LOST HIS VOICE earlier this afternoon!! So he was drinking tea and doing as best he could to chat with all of us.

Howard Park gave an introduction, Chris Ambrose (who is VERY active in Virginia) said a few words, and then Clark spoke. At one point he got so frustrated with his voice he pounded a fist on the banister where he was standing and said how frustrated he was! It made it even more sincere and, frankly, inspiring that he would stand up there and talk to us about making our voices heard, even though he could hardly speak! But his voice did come back stronger after a bit.

His speech was great, as usual, and he spoke about most things that we'vealready heard and that have been posted here already, but he emphasized again HOW IMPORTANT it is to make our voices heard by writing letters to the editor, making phone calls, etc. He said that we might not always get responses, but he said you better believe that they get READ. He then moved on to assessing "where are we now" - he noted that Iraq is a mess and this administration keeps
blaming it on the military, and we've alienated potential regional allies with our actions, etc.

He said we have to stop the name-calling and divisiveness in our country, and noted that CNN's removal of Crossfire and Tucker Carlson (to which there were a lot of hisses and boos) is a major step in that direction.

He also talked about his Hardall appearance and how Chris Matthews was asking him the wrong questions, such as "do Dems now need to move to the right, or more to the left" -- Clark said we need to show the country what our values ARE, and NOT let us be labeled by the Republicans.

And then he gave us an update on what's going on in the rest of his life, and he said his family's doing great -- Gert didn't attend this, but he said she's working hard as usual, helping him, etc. He said they were in L.A. over the holidays visiting his son, and little Wesley the Third was walking by 10.5 months, and at 12.5 months, he took a tangerine out of the General's hand, threw it on the floor, and said "BALL!" ...Very cute!

Wes also said he's very busy with his business ventures -- AND THEN, without any prodding, he paused, and then said, "As for the future, well - just know I haven't ruled ANYTHING out." To which the room exploded with applause and hollers.

To have him standing there right in front of us, saying it so bluntly, it's very clear that, well, he just hasn't ruled anything out!!

It was a great event and the General was fantastic and inspiring!

[DaveinMD]

2. Maybe I met you there

but there were a ton of people. The energy in the room was amazing.

[FrenchieCat]

6. No....I'm on the WestCoast....

(although I did go to NYC for the opening of WesPAC)....
This is from a Clarkie at the UnitedforClark group. I just stole it.

[davidwparker]

3. If Dean gets DNC chair and this man starts running now,

I'm going to support him. I contributed to his campaign. I felt he would have done better IF he had announced sooner. He needed to be in Iowa.

[DaveinMD]

4. that's what a bunch of us said tonight

that was bad advice and listened to it. He'll be smarter next time.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Here is a transcribtion of Wes Clark's speech there

From another Clarkie who attended.....
Great message!

Clark was suffering from laryngitis today; and his voice ws dramatically strained. The following transcript was based on what i picked up as audible,...;

After an introduction by Howard Park and Chris Ambrose, Clark approached to everyones loud, real loud cheers (certainly lot's of women present, not that should mean anything else heh heh ;)
-----------------------------
Clark:
"It's great to see everybody, I'm really sorry,... but I got laryngitis, but I want to thank Howard Park and all who contriubuted to the campaign. I loved every minute of it!..

First, your voices,....indiviudual voices,....never underestimate the power of the email or a letter to the editor! Never be discouraged, because eventually they'll all read it. It makes a difference!,... so continue to have a voice.

So, where are we in the country right now,....

In Iraq, they're going to have an elections that in all probability will only deepen the conflict,...(yet) we have an administration that persists on blaming the military,...

We have to support the military,... they're doing a great job!

(Instead) this is due to the specific policies of this administration for refusing to talk to the Syrians and the Iranians, ...refusing to engage in diplomacy in the region, ...and refusing to a policy platform to engage the Sunni muslims.

This has been a faliure, NOT of the military, but of the vision of the leadership! We must remember to always hold them accountable! (clapping) ...and NOT the military. There are more problems that exist from ((((international?, inaudible))) security risks that will be like a roller coaster ride in the coming months... at home.

Second, Where are we (economically)? The truth is that the job creation machine is still sputtering ...

See, today on Hardball, CM asked, " Does the Democratic Party need to move to the right or should it to the right? "

It's the wrong question!! The Democratic Party is not about where it is on the spectrum,.. it's has to have real answers based on "Convictions" and "Values"...

We have to,...(Clark then pauses as he struggles to speak).. "this is so fustrating" .. (followed by cheers to support and encourage him on)...

We don't have an answer, we know that free trade is a good concept..., but it's not so ggod when you have China taking ALL our manufacturing output, we know we have to protect some American manufacturing base,..it's good fiscal policy,...it makes sense!

We know education is important, but we don't know how to fix public education from "no child left behind"...

We know the medical system needs fixing,..

We know what Americans thirst for, ...is their identifcation with their own values,
we believe in the values of spirit, ...
we believe taking care of people, ...
we believe in helping them be all that they can be, ...
we believe in lifting people up and inspiring them to do more, ...
we believe in not discriminating!

WE don't write people off! ...
WE don't diss people off! ...
WE don't put people down ...
WE Lift Them Up!

There are no greater values, but somehow that message has to resonate with the American people

We got to come together around simple clear cut answers on issues Americans are worried about. Jobs, Health, Security, Immigration, ...and we got to show our values!

Do you know what CM said was most important thing Bush said in the elections, "You know where I stand",..but do you know where Democrats stand?"

Of course CM, wants me to say "No",...

Truth is, we've been branded by the Republicans. They think we stand for ..."higher taxes," ..."more federal control", ..."more litigation", ....

What we got to do is start "branding" like the Republicans!

We (Dems) stand for what's important!

Now, in addition to getting our message right, we've got to get our message machine right,.. so I encourage you to think about, (pauses), then emphasizes deliberately,...

The--Way--that--Ideas--Are--Expressed!

----------------------------

(For example),...now, at the start of this campaign, somebody said, "don't use the term "partial birth abortion",..because that feeds into the Republican mindset,...in fact 'tax relief' supports the Republicans.

What we've ought to talk about is, for example, that, "God loves a cheerful giver", ..that's what my minister says every week in church. We've got to do our share!

We've got to stop the name calling in politics,... Now Tucker Carlson on CNN as you've heard has moved away from Crossfire,..(grins and laughter, while someone made farting sounds, sound effects only) now that's an impotant trend-setting step, but...

Now we want to support Air America,.. and we've got to tell our journalists to use the "F" word A-LOTl more often, ... "F Word?", my friend asks,..

I said,.."FACTS!!" (laughter)

You're all wonderful,..I really appreciate seeing you, ..it was great seeing you all, and I'm sorry my about my voice ...

---------------------------------

Clark then took off his political hat, then talked about his family at this point, he joikingly boasted that grandparent brag about their grandchildren,.. and he did, ie) moderately humble about Wes III, of course.

Clark also spoke about getting his business interests in focus, keeping WesPAC alive...

----------------------------------

In closing, Clark adds;

It's not the politics, it's policy, ...It's whats good for America! It's what, we, as American represent!

It's not "Who",...It's "What" and "Why', those are the key pronouns.

What we want to do is help shape that policy (inaudible)...

As for the Clark's, who knows,...like I said, ...

I haven't ruled anything out! :)

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