What are the negatives that Bush could use against Clark?

[Emillereid]

I admit my first choice among the leading candidates is Dean, but I know that Bush would use the so called 'lack of foreign policy experience' on him. Bush would probably use Kerry's liberal voting record against him as well as his anti-vietnam war activities. But what would he use against Clark? On paper he really does look like an extremely strong candidate -- how would Rove attack him?

[windansea]

1. I had a great cartoon for this

see if I can find it...

[NoMoreRedInk]

2. He would use the lack of "character and integrity" bit...

that's been floating around as to why he left the Army. I don't think there's anything to it, but it's been in the news so much that you know it is at the top of their defamation strategy list.

[Emillereid]

3. Come on -- those of you who don't like Clark --

help me see Clark through Rove's eyes.

[Dark Star]

4. He'd definitely criticize Clark's poor

strategery.

[corporatewhore]

5. Mladic, he praised bush and blair in april for doing a good job

[bowens43]

6. We'll hear this a million times....

" 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."

[boxster]

8. Why? There is no reason why Bush would use it. Think about it.

Let's look at this logically, shall we? Why would a Republican president who thinks that he's God's gift (literally) to the American people criticize ANYONE for saying he's part of a "great team"?

Think about it for a minute. Do you really believe that's going to happen? That would do little but show that Clark can work with people from both parties, exactly what Bush doesn't want.

The only people making a huge issue out of those comments are people who don't like Clark in the primaries. Don't expect Bush to use it against him, because from Bush's perspective, he doesn't want Clark to look like the uniter Bush himself claims to be.

[robbedvoter]

7. Is this a suggestion box for Karl? Let's see:

[fujiyama]

9. They would use...

various flip flops (or what might appear to be flip flops) Clark has done.

For example, Clark first slipped and said he would have supported the use of force resolution, then he corrected himself...Then recently he made a comment about how there would be no more 9/11s under his watch, or how he's confident bin Laden would have been caught, or a recent minor mistatement about abortion.

Clark's main problem wouldn't be as much a matter that these charges would be serious (most of them are really quite frivolous), but rather his lack of political campaigning experience in responding to these attacks. It has certainly hurt him in these primaries.

They would also use smears by Shelton and Schwartzkopf, claiming Clark has "character and integrity issues". Of course, Rove will get hacks to attack all of our candidates, so I wouldn't take them too seriously.

[Emillereid]

10. Does anyone know what these so called "character and integrity" issues are

[Qutzupalotl]

11. Clarked called Shelton on it

and asked him to be more specific. He backed down.

Nothing to that one, IMO. Except they can use Shelton's original quote, although it's so vague it could backfire.