CLARK on MSNBC Fri 10:15 a.m. EST, Anderson Cooper CNN 8:00 p.m.

[cosmokramer]

Friday night...and Hardball, 7:00 p.m. EST Friday night.

Message from a Clark pal:

"Got a message from WesPac that Wes Clark will be
making appearances on MSNBC Friday, at 9:15 AM central
time, Hardball on Friday at 6:00 PM and Sunday on
Anderson Cooper at 7:00 PM on the handover of Iraq.
Thought you'd be interested in tuning in to hear what
he has to say."

[xultar]

1. Wesley K. Clark is my President! n/t

[TacticalPeek]

2. Thanks for the coattail pull.

VCR time.

[Scoopie]

3. Clark, Clark, everywhere Clark!

So much better for the United States when he IS everywhere, too!

Whadda man!

[cosmokramer]

4. Delightful, ain't it?

:toast:

[LandOLincoln]

5. Cosmo, your headline's a leetle confusing.

It makes it seem that Wes is going to be on Anderson Cooper's show on CNN Friday night instead of Sunday night.

Here's the relevant part of the email from WesPac:

"First, Wes Clark will be appearing on MSNBC for a live interview Friday morning at 10:15am ET / 7:15am PT.

"Then he will be a guest on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews Friday at 7pm ET / 4pm PT, which will also be rebroadcast at 11pm ET Friday night and 4am ET Saturday morning.

"Finally, Wes Clark will be appearing on CNN Special Report with Anderson Cooper: The Handover of Iraq on Sunday at 8pm ET / 5pm PT."

[cosmokramer]

6. Crap...got ahead of myself! Anderson Cooper is SUNDAY night.

Sorry.

:dunce:

[LandOLincoln]

7. No problema--and this way we have Friday AND Sunday to

look forward to... :bounce:

[cosmokramer]

31. BIG thanks for the heads up on the mistake!

:hug:

[Auntie Bush]

8. Don't forget to watch! Clark on 10:15

:kick:

[MoonRiver]

9. Thanks so much!

I rely on DU to give me these tips!

[Auntie Bush]

10. Going to talk about security concerns in Iraq.

Could John Edwards answer those important questions better?
I think not! How can there be any better person to take over as Commander-in-Chief than Clark? Should that person be a cute handsome nice young lawyer or a distinguished handsome retired General with executive experience and a thorough knowledge of running a war?

[LandOLincoln]

13. Could John Edwards answer those important questions at all?? n/t

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. Let's not get carried away

Edwards is a bright man who is paying attention, of course he could. And they would be reasonably good answers. Hell, I can give better answers to those questions than Bush would. But Edwards would have to be slightly more vague, almost all politicians would, since few really are expert in this area. Clark however is, and it shows. He really is The Man

[Jai4WKC08]

17. Maybe the more important question is

Would John Edwards ever be asked these questions?

I also don't agree that his answers would be "slightly" more vague. Sorry, but I don't think he could answer anything about the tactical situation, and very little about the stratgic, much less tie them together. He might come up with something intelligent to say--he is intelligent and fast on his feet--but I don't think it would answer the questions.

[cosmokramer]

18. Have seen him answer such question before....actually, he really

couldn't answer them. He fumbled over his words, and got it all wrong.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. I accept that distinction. n/t

[Darkamber]

20. Also..Kerry is putting his best people in the best places...

Of course, Kerry would request that Clark speak to the press regarding this issue and not Edwards. Clark is on his military advisory committee. And I'm glad that Clark is there advising Kerry on these matters. I don't think there is any doubt that Kerry will have Clark in his administration most likely in a position to speak on military or foreign policy or security matters.

Edwards is working for Kerry to in the areas that he will be most effective. He's in Iowa today and tomorrow for the DD dinner and then the State convention.

[RafterMan]

47. Yes -- incorrectly

The problem is that Edwards has said he believes Iraq was a threat to America and we had to deal with it, even without UN approval. Clark used the key -- and accurate -- phrase "strategic blunder" several times.

It is absolutely vital that Americans take the second of these two conclusions as the lesson of this enterprise. The first may appear more comforting ("Yeah, we were right, but..."), but it leaves us open to the same kind of scaremongering that pushed us into this flawed adventure in the future. It dramatically lowers the threshhold for US intervention and keeps us chained to a small-scale view of threat and response that actively undermines broader sources of US power.

I would love to see Kerry call the Iraq adventure a "strategic blunder" too, but it may be that he feels constrained by his pro-war vote on the resolution. At the very least, I would hope that he removes the advocates for this fiasco from consideration for the vice presidency.

[Auntie Bush]

11. Ahhhhh! He is so presidential!

Swoon! We need a swooning smiley.

[Qutzupalotl]

25. You're right, we do.

The closest thing we have to swooning is the vertigo or airsickness vomit smiley. Probably not what you had in mind.

But I guess this would work, too:
:loveya:

[Adelante]

30. Swooning smilie

[Auntie Bush]

42. Hey...Thanks WesDem! Where do you get these guys?

[Tom Rinaldo]

12. They are using him as an expert, not as a partisan politician

That is really striking to me, since everyone knows Clark is highly partisan this election year. Still, Clark so clearly knows his stuff and is so good at framing complex issues in stark clear terms, and actually answering difficult questions with real specifics, that they have to call on him as an expert commentator when things get dicey. Clark is a calming presence even when he is saying alarming things, because it is nonetheless reassuring to know that at least someone understands exactly what is going on.

[Spazito]

15. Exactly, that is how I feel after listening to him...

a sense of comfort and of being reassured that, given the chance, he can change what is happening and do it with expertise, diplomacy and knowledge of the facts. No matter what the issue he is being questioned about, his tone and detailed response is very reassuring. As a Canadian, one might wonder why it matters to me but the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan affects the world not only the US and we are all concerned with what is happening and listening to Clark gives me hope that it can be made better.

[Gloria]

21. I'm glad others are recognizing the Clark "Comfort Factor" which

arises from what I discussed in the "Charisma of Competence" post I put up a few days ago...

People have been stuck in "fear mode" for the last 3 years thanks to the Bush manipulation of the press and the public. Clark's clear, enumerated, rational discussions, reflecting his highly organized and disciplined mind, bring ORDER to what is a very chaotic period.

Just listening to him...calm, direct, clear...can't help but create a feeling of reassurance. Definitely in contrast to Bush, and even in contrast to Kerry, who continues to produce some pretty muddled news whenever he opens his mouth on foreign policy.

While an effective attack dog, Clark could be use very well as more of an "explainer" of the current messes we're in...and educating the public in a rational way could be incredibly effective, as people can make up their own minds. That would create a more solid voting base. We need to win big, can't just finesse around the fringes, hoping Bush really implodes, because Rove hasn't pulled ads off just for the stated reasons.
He's loading his arsenal to really blow Kerry out of the water...I'm sure he's got even more Senate votes up his sleeve.

Clark is the best hope to counteract the impending onslaught. If Kerry really thinks he's won the battle of foreign policy "stature" at this point, he's mistaken. The battle hasn't even begun.........

[Jai4WKC08]

16. I wonder how much is "non-partisan"...

By that I mean...

Starting right after Kerry clinched the nomination, we know that most if not all of Clark's tv appearances were orchestrated by the Kerry campaign. Fox made a point of announcing that, and several of the others alluded to it.

But now, I'm not as sure whether Kerry's still behind it all, or whether the cable news programs are inviting Clark on their own. I tend to think it's still the former, and I know for a fact that the Kerry folks are kept read-in on his schedule in either case.

IF the news stations are doing the inviting, it could well be that the news networks suspect Clark might be VP, and just aren't willing to say it out loud. Or it could just be his obvious expertise and communications skills. Even when Clark was just starting as a CNN commentator, he was widely regarded as the most effective at explaining things in words "normal" people could understand, handling the unexpected questions and breaking news, getting the right level of detail and not missing the key points.

In either case, or maybe some third alternative I haven't thought of, Clark has done nothing to hide that he is partisan in his support for Kerry. He usually brings it up, and always if the questions lead that way. But I do seem to hear his toning down the direct attacks on Bush himself, and I do think that's from guidance directly from John Kerry.

Except when the prisoner abuse comes up--on that one topic he still give Bush hell (and the Repubs in Congress too). I think Bush's responsibility for and complicity in that debacle really pisses him off, because of what it has done to military morale, discipline and respect from civilians, not to mention increasing the threat to the very lives of the soldiers themselves.

[cosmokramer]

22. I know for a fact all the appearances are orchestrated by the Kerry...

...campaign. Even have the 'people to contact' to get him to appear, and they are Kerry's people.

[Jai4WKC08]

23. I sort of thought that was still the case

But I wasn't sure. Thanks for the update.

[graham67]

24. Video Uploaded!

Video from today's MSNBC appearance has been uploaded in Windows Media and Real Media formats at:

http://www.us4clark.com/mediaclips.html

So sorry for the poor audio quality, I'm having some device conflicts that I haven't worked out yet. :(

[Jai4WKC08]

26. Clark was just on FAUX news

And I missed it, dammit.

Don't suppose anyone here happened to catch it? Didn't think so...

sigh

[graham67]

27. Nope, missed it....

I didn't have a clue he was going to be on Fox. :(

[LandOLincoln]

28. Dang....looks like even the WesPAC people can't

keep up with him.

[Jai4WKC08]

29. Might have been a target of opportunity

Well, maybe not. But the MSNBC appearance earlier today was a live satellite feed from the studio in Little Rock. It would be fairly easy to make a relatively last-minute scheduling.

[cosmokramer]

32. This man is EVERYWHERE....all over the networks and the

airwaves. It's gotta be him, and the presstitutes are too stupid to see it.

[LandOLincoln]

33. Oh, they see it all right. They just hope if they don't mention

him, he'll go away... :evilgrin:

[cosmokramer]

34. He will never back down!

:evilgrin:

[chimpymustgo]

35. I just heard him say, he's not interested in the job.

Which is going much farther than saying, "Kerry wants to keep this confidential".
It was an unnecessary admission.

[LandOLincoln]

36. He says that every time he's asked. It's the perfect

non-answer answer.

Don't get your hopes up. ;-)

[chimpymustgo]

37. Nope. It's pretty definitive. And it's not the perfect answer.

It's saying "I'm not interested - they're looking at other people."

Look, Edwards is my guy - and I'm not so sure about his chances at this point. But for Clark to rule himself out - continuously - means, he's out.

[Jai4WKC08]

38. LOL -- As the Sundance Kid said

Just keep thinkin' like that, it's what you're good at.

Those of us who've paid some attention to Clark's same, invariable reply to the same, invariable question, know exactly what he means.

[cosmokramer]

41. Edwards, when asked if he would accept an offer for VP...

...flatly stated "No, I will not".

Guess your outta luck too then, huh?

It is how the game is played...PERIOD.

[cosmokramer]

40. Funny, cause that is exactly the same thing...

...he said when asked if he would run for President.

Try as you might to justify he isn't a contender, he IS a contender, which is why he is being vetted (no secret that he IS being vetted--to which he wouldn't have consented were he 'not interested').

The game is played like that, chimpy--as I recall, Edwards has said the same, except his was a flat denial to the question: If you are asked, will you accept? To which he replied: Absolutely not.

It's all a game.

[Gloria]

43. After seeing him answer the VP question AGAIN today (twice) I

wondered: Have you seen ANY OTHER "potential VP" asked this question so often on TV?????

And the answer is always the same. I broke it down today...that he always said "he isn't interested" but quickly says he wants to help elect Kerry in any way possible. Which leaves the door wide open, of course....wouldn't taking the VP spot "if offered" be a way to help Kerry????? LOL

[cosmokramer]

44. No other potential VP has been on TV as much, so no, I haven't...

You know how the game is played. I know how the game is played. Clark is actively participating in the game. Some other folks (perhaps it is just their youth) don't understand the game.

Why would they put any other potential VP out there, criticizing the Bush administration, when they have Clark?


:evilgrin:

[Carolinian]

39. Why is it that Gen Clark's

hat is ALWAYS way too big.

[Justice]

45. On MSNBC Hardball - Just Caught the Repeat

Clark is really on his game. Campbell Brown asks him do you think Iraq is the issue for election? Clark says no, thinks issue is credibility, honesty of Bush. In a time in our history when facing enormous issues, administration drags us down in outing of Plame, prison scandal etc. Very good at bringing up lots of issues.

Does he think Cheney swear at Leahy is a sign of partisanship at its worst - says thinks that it is more a reflection of the tremendous stress Cheney is under due to scandals and problems.

Very solid appearance.

[SW FL Dem]

46. Clark was awesome as usual! n/t