Do you think that Clark will be considered for VP?

[PlanetBev]

I was at a number of Clark Meet-ups and Republicans and Independents were at the meetings and were very interested in him. I think he's Kerry best chance to scare the Rove machine to death. Anybody here know anything about Clark on the VP list?

[JHBowden]

1. Maybe if the Bush v Kerry foreign policy numbers don't change.

The idea supporting a Kerry-Clark ticket suggests Clark beefs up the ticket militarily. Detractors claim this wouldn't make a significant difference and Kerry should focus on a major swing state.

The #'s from Arkansas look close, though, so why not?

[montanacowboy]

2. If he isn't he should be

No. 1

anyone else will just bring down the ticket - Kerry needs Clark

[mzmolly]

3. I honestly dont.

I don't think he is ready for the intense pressure of the debates. Granted he's been under immense pressure in his work, obviously, but a different kind of pressure.

That's just my humble opinion.

[dogman]

10. Odd opinion

He was on the debate team at West Point. The Des Moines Register said he won the first Iowa debate that he was in. The main thrust was Foreign Policy and the Iraq War.

[mzmolly]

16. I had heard that ... but he performed poorly in the debates IMHO.

I'd be glad to see him for VP as Kerry needs some *fire* but I didn't think he debated all that well personally?

[carpe diem]

18. re: debates

it depends on how the media chooses to spin the debate performances...4yrs ago they had bush actually winning a debate and tieing in others and the idea that he beat al gore in a debate is laughable but they set the bar so low for him that the fact he formed a couple of coherent sentences made him the winner...Clark started of poorly but got better but in the NH debate on Faux, there was clearly a hit on him regarding Michael Moore and previous voting history and the spin affected the perception of course...I certainly think he can put up a better fight than the Lieberman-Cheney make-out sessions from 2000.

[mzmolly]

19. I am judging for myself actually. I thought the media was kind to him.

He was not prepared perhaps? He was thrust into the position of candidate so I'll cut him some slack.

[KittyWampus]

24. You Thought The Media Was KIND? Like When Fox Did A Bit

suggesting Clark gave lectures to terrorists just before one of the debates, then asked him if he was a republican TWICE during the debate and then ended the debate coverage early so they could literally continue to assasinate him?

Meanwhile, Dean got a do-over on his Osama statement....

[mzmolly]

30. Kind regarding his *debate* performance. They were not kind to him

in *general* (pun intended) :P

[Bread and Circus]

27. Ok, enough with the jokes.

[Bread and Circus]

26. No, he was setup in the debates time after time....even when

he did well, the RW sympathizer pundits made a concerted
effort to belittle him.

He should have done better but every question of him seemed
to be a cheep "when did you stop being a Republican" charge.

It's like Dean's "scream" - once the media was against him,
he couldn't catch a break.

Would he do well as a VP?

Theoretically he would be the best choice at the moment.

However, in reality, I see him being hung out to dry by
the media as well as "lifer" Democratic Politicians.

It's too bad for the Country.

Oh by the way, Clark attracted huge numbers of R's and I's to
meetups that I went to here in my home state.

[mzmolly]

31. I love the idea of Clark as VP. Clark or Dean. Dean more of course

but he doesn't have a southern drawl so??? Clark it is! Or uhm, Edwards. Anyone to wake Kerry up and jazz up the campaign.

[Sparkly]

33. It wasn't his best forum

I think Clark did fine in the debates, but he really shines when given a longer opportunity to talk. He wasn't at his best in a competition of short soundbytes and catchy answers, I thought. (In a sense, these were hardly even debates.) A one-on-one debate would be entirely different. If he were given the VP nod and debated Cheney, he'd mop the floor with him, with grace and dignity.

[Dinger]

37. He wasn't the one getting the questions

Other "more deserving" candidates were.
This country lost a chance at the best Presdient we could have had.

[Mobius]

49. Yeah how many times did they try to hammer

the Shelton "Issues of honor and integrity" crapola (that was proved false many times over, yet was used over and over again) into people's heads? It would have been nice to see some coverage of Clark WINNING Oklahoma, instead of a minor speeding ticket that Clark's motorcade received. :eyes:
Also, asking Clark a QUESTION like " How would you proceed in Iraq", and not cutting him off as soon as he says "We need to get the UN more involved". They usually gave him about 3 seconds, before they move on to "Are you a Republican, Mr Clark?" or " Didn't you almost cause WW III?" :eyes::mad::eyes:

Rove would have a hard time putting a bad spin on Wes Clark's Military record and/or service medals. Clark running with Kerry would help Kerry put that protesting crap they keep beating us over the head with, in it's proper perspective. Bush will lose any debate with Kerry, because it will be child's play for Kerry to confuse Shrub. All he needs is a shiny object, really.

As for Clark debating Cheney? Clark is a shrewd debater, especially one on one. He's a 4 star General for Pete's sake! The thought that he never had to try to get a world leader to see his side of things is more than laughable.


ON EDIT: NICE SIGLINE BY THE WAY DINGER :yourock:

[Dinger]

25. Clark vs. Cheney? Lickin' My Chops!

First question: (To Clark) Givve a brief history of your time in the military, and explain how that qualifies you to be POTUS. (more than your asshole opponent)

[Qanisqineq]

4. I sure hope so

but I heard Gert doesn't want him to accept the VP if offered to him. I couldn't give you a source for this, but I heard it somewhere. :shrug:

[Adelante]

7. No

Gert has said she never said that. It was just something on CNN. But she denied it.

[Qanisqineq]

15. thanks for clearing that up

one more reason for me to avoid CNN

[MidwestTransplant]

5. I didn't think it would be possible at first

but given how the situation in Iraq isn't helping Kerry because of Bush's, ahem "STRENGTH"....I could bearly bring myself to say it....on terrorism, etc., I think it would be a possibility.

[freetobegay]

6. Wesley Clark is the silver bullet for Democrats

Now only if the right one's realize this...

[Qutzupalotl]

8. I sure hope so.

He'll bring in a lot of the crossover vote that Kerry wouldn't get otherwise. He has a moderate image that belies his very liberal stances. Very intelligent and honest. I liked his "sunshine" policy. I hope he gets to be President in 8 years after Kerry.

[scope]

9. Anyone but..

Lieberman. Besides, I don't know how he could take any time off of his long standing battle with the game Grand Theft Auto.

I hope Clark gets offered and accepts a position in the cabinet, regardless of what it may be.

[newyawker99]

32. Hi scope!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[girl gone mad]

11. God, I hope so.

And I think he would kick Cheney's ass in the debates. Cheney is very unlikeable, he would come off like a popsicle next to the open and friendly Clark.

[LandOLincoln]

12. Not to mention the differences in their...ahem...

appearances. :evilgrin:

[Piperay]

14. I'm with you on that...

Clark is hot :9 cheney is hideous. :puke:

[Mobius]

50. hehe

<---- Fuck you mr Cheney!

[Piperay]

13. I hope he is considered

I guess it depends on whether the focus is on the War or the economy but I think Clark would be the best pick in either case. :-)

[wasichu]

17. god, I hope not

I want to beat Bush.

[angryinoville]

23. Who would be better?

[Leilani]

44. Thanks for that deep insightful analyisis!

EOM

[MoonRiver]

20. I really hope so. He's the best person to give Kerry national security

credibility. Slam dunk.

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. If we want to win in November

Clark WILL BE the VP choice. If we consider the Iraq quagmire, Wes Clark is the man to have on the ticket.

[emulatorloo]

22. I really hope so

personally I feel Kerry already has natl security cred.

But I would really love to see Clark as VP - It would be so great to have two really smart sharp intelligent savy people in the two top spots in gov.

[fujiyama]

28. Kerry is still

lagging on terror, defense, and Iraq.

I think Clark would help. That Arkansas poll showed it to be quite competetive.

[Padraig18]

29. As a matter of courtesy, he will be 'considered'.

I seriously doubt that he will be selected as VP, however. I do think he will be tabbed for an important spot in the Kerry cabinet, most likely NSA. :)

[Sparkly]

34. I've heard speculation

that he could also run for governor of Arkansas. A talking head the other day said if he chose to, the job would be his. I'd much rather see him on the national scene, though.

[Dinger]

36. No Wes= No Win

Sec. of State?

Whatever . . . .

[Padraig18]

38. I don't agree.

I think any of several people would make excellent VPs. Wes Clark is not ten-feet tall and Teflon-coated, my friend; he has as many vulnerabilities/liabilities as do any of the other potential VP choices.

[citizen snips]

40. "Wes Clark is not ten-feet tall and Teflon-coated"

I agree statements like "No Clark=No win" is seriously overrated.

[Padraig18]

45. Yes.

They're just as ridiculous and the 'anybody but Clark' statements. He has positives and negatives, just like most of the other serious contenders do.

[Mobius]

51. So tell me the negatives.

I will refute every one of them, and enjoy doing so.
:waiting:

[AP]

53. If there were no Edwards, I might be hoping Clark were the VP nominee.

However, if you wanted to know Clark's negatives, I think they are, basically, that he's not all that electrifying as a candidate, I don't imagine that he'd be a great sheppard of legislation through the senate and house, which is one of the big things a VP does (he just doesn't have the connections in or experience with congress), and I don't think he could win a presidential race in 2012.

Furthermore, I think he has a passionate base, but I think it's very small.

I aslo think that the idea that he's a soldier for dangerous times cuts both ways. It may be good for dangerous times, but I think there's a reason that even Democrats with extensive military experience rarely run on their military experience the way people want Clark to run on his (Carter, McGovern, even Kennedy, in some ways). It's because Democrats don't try to scare people into thinking times are dangerous and we need people in uniform running things. Democrats win on hope and optimism and appealing to people who work for a living.

I think when you run on military experience, you're basically conceding that the Republicans' world view is right, and many voters will vote for any Republican over a Democrat once they're convinced that national security and safety are the most important issues. It's playing on Republican home field advantage. Democrat's home field advanatage is the idea that political, economic and cultural power should flow down to the people (ie, that the power pyramid in the US should be short, with a very very fat base). So, the Democrats win when they run candidates who make people think of things like that -- things that are Democratic home field advantage. Even Democrats from privileged backgrounds like Kennedy, Carter and FDR won by running on that message, and Democrats like Johnson and Clinton won by not only running on those messages, but by being living symbols of those issues.

So, I'd much rather run a democrat who plays on the Democrat's home field than a democrat who practically abandons the Democrats strongest issues just to make a statement which essentially says the Republicans are right about the world.

Oh, also I think Clark's connection to NED is, to say the least, problematic, as is the way he's making his money right now (but I doubt many democrats really appreciate those two issues).

[democratreformed]

35. I'm afriad AG Mike Beebe has "dibs" on the next governor's race

He already has the support and is being promoted by many of the state party's dignitaries (Dale Bumpers, etc.).

[WI_DEM]

39. I don't think so

he may be considered, but I'm not sure he would scare the Rove machine as much as some think. His showing in the primaries and performance on the stump wasn't overly electrifying--but who knows?
I personally think that Gov. Richardson of NM would be the strongest choice and the only one who could deliver a swing state as well as help in neighboring states and excite a huge consituency which Bush targets--latinos. He also has what Kerry is said to truly desire in a running mate--a ton of experience--governor, congressman, UN Ambassador, Energy secretary and diplomatic trouble-shooter. Now I think Richardson would leave Rove shuddering more than anyone else.

[MrSlayer]

41. He should be considered. He really should have been the President.

Clark would have been the best President we've had in 75 years.

[WI_DEM]

42. better than FDR?

[ssingam]

46. If he could pull us out of the debt we are in

then Clark or Kerry will be better a president than FDR. FDR pulled us out of the mess that republican Herbet Hoover put us in called the Great Depression.

[newyawker99]

57. Hi ssingam!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Leilani]

43. Hear! Hear!!!

Dems have been doing the same old thing, election after election, year after year.

Wes Clark was a unique gift: a LIBERAL 4 star General.

If a General had been the nominee, the entire status quo would have been turned upside down. The Dems could have run on foreign policy, national security, & made the Repubs look like wimps.

But it did not happen. Now we have a liberal senator from Massachusetts, as our nominee.

I sincerely hope it will work out & Kerry will win.

[Spazito]

47. I am imagining Clark and Cheney in a debate...

Clark, looking very healthy, in great shape, a 4 star general versus a sickly, sneering old man who avoided Vietnam. It would be a replay of the Kennedy-Nixon debate, visually alone, never mind what Clark has experienced versus Cheney!

[LandOLincoln]

48. BTW, did you know Cheney is just under 4 years

older than Clark? and looks like his grandfather, IMO.

[Mattforclark]

52. Yes

[Justice]

54. Clark Should Be Considered

I heard a poll yesterday that says something like 2/3 of Americans think the adminstration botched the war in Iraq. Yet, (inexplicably) 49% think Bush is better able to resolve things (to Kerry's 38%). Not sure how people could think this way, but if true, Kerry needs to demonstrate how he would get out of Iraq. Maybe it is to have Clark as VP - to show the man who brought together a coalition as head of NATO.

[yelladawg]

55. Clark is looking better

Since Clark fired some of his trouble makers on his staff, I feel he is looking better for the VP slot. I for one and I know of many other Vets who are still pissed off about the Veteran hating staff members Clark had.

[Adelante]

56. What do you mean?

"Veteran hating staff members Clark had"

[democratreformed]

58. I was wondering about that too. n/t