The General's New Stripes- Clark A Quick Study (Newsweek 1/12)

[KittyWampus]

The General's New Stripes

He had a rough entry. But Wes Clark is a quick study. A rookie finds his stride
By Evan Thomas and Daniel Klaidman

Gen. Wesley Clark has never quite learned how to behave like a politician. Before Christmas, he was asked at a town meeting in Derry, N.H., how he would respond if President Bush or Clark's own Democratic rivals questioned his patriotism or military record. Failing to see that he was being followed by a television camera, he answered, "I'll beat the s—t out of them." Clark's aides later joked that the candidate should have put out an apology, acknowledging that he had misspoken—that what he really meant to say was, "I'll beat the living s—t out of them."

The political professionals who handle Clark are learning that sometimes the best thing to do with the candidate is to let him be himself. After all, Clark's mantra is "I'm a leader, not a politician." If he lacks a seasoned candidate's carefully honed skill to say nothing well and to avoid controversial answers, then so much the better. Not long ago, a Fox News anchor pointedly asked if Clark was putting down U.S. troops by suggesting that Iraq was a "sideshow" to the more vital war on terrorism. Clark angrily lit into the newscaster for "playing politics with the men and women in uniform." Aghast, Clark's media adviser, Chris Lehane, took him aside and warned him that a national politician could not afford to fly off the handle that way, that the general's diatribe had been "too hot" for TV. Then the Clark campaign noted a sudden spike in campaign contributions. Voters apparently liked his righteous outburst.

In a campaign where boldness and "authenticity" may be the Democrats' best, if not only, hope of beating Bush, Clark's amateur standing in the game of politics could be a virtue. Clark is widely reported to be improving on the stump, to be less long-winded and more polished in his answers. With his impressive fourth-quarter fund-raising surge (between $10 million and $11 million), he may have positioned himself to be the Democrats' "Un-Dean." But Clark doubts that he is doing better because of any new-found political skills. Rather, he suggests, people are gradually recognizing his essential worth. "Voters have to learn who you are," he says. "It's a new experience for Democrats to learn about generals."

snip

Clark has learned to be a little less lofty. This week he will offer up a plan to overhaul and simplify the tax code. But his best role remains soldier-statesman. At a speech in Exeter, N.H., in November, he literally wrapped himself in the flag and called on veterans in the audience to stand with him against the politicos who would question their patriotism. Clark's embrace of flag, faith and family plays very well in Red State America, where the Democrats are hurting. Last week, as he traveled through eight Southern states on a two-day "True Grits Tour," wavin' the flag and droppin' his g's, he seemed exuberant.

There's a bit more on the page... Clark fans (especially) might want to read it :)
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3869799/

[KittyWampus]

1. On IWR Question On Clark's First Day Of Campaigning

"The day after he announced in September, he told reporters that he would have voted for a congressional resolution backing war in Iraq, then the next day seemed to reverse himself. Clark suggested that he had been trapped into answering a hypothetical question. "I don't have off-the-record conversations," he said, as if unscrupulous newsmen had somehow taken advantage of his virtue"

Note- we never did get to hear what Clark's actual quote was, who the reporter was who asserted Clark would have voted for IWR nor do we have any idea what context he was speaking in.

In fact, WE NEVER SAW ANY CLARK COMMENT WITH QUOTATION MARKS AROUND IT.

[democratreformed]

3. Thanks for pointing this out

[Rose Siding]

4. Yes we did

"Mary, help!" I believe that was the same conversation. I always wondered why he wouldn't have known to just cut off the interview and excuse himself to confer with staff. He's obviously media savvy, that's been his job. If he was flummoxed by a hypothetical or confused by a barrage on the IWR, that's something else, but calling for help really hit me wrong.

[KittyWampus]

8. No, It Wasn't And No, We Haven't

Again, we NEVER saw a statement by Clark saying he would have voted for the IWR, AS IT WENT TO CONGRESS, with QUOTATION MARKS.

All we were given were some anonymous reporters assertion given with no context.

[QC]

9. I think it was a joke.

Unfortunately, that kind of joke doesn't come through well in the printed word, kind of like when we try to be ironic online and people don't get it.

[sfecap]

5. Yes we did. Here's the quote:

Published on Friday, September 19, 2003 by the New York Times

Clark Says He Would Have Voted for War
by Adam Nagourney

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 18 — Gen. Wesley K. Clark said today that he would have supported the Congressional resolution that authorized the United States to invade Iraq, even as he presented himself as one of the sharpest critics of the war effort in the Democratic presidential race.


General Clark also said in an interview that he would probably oppose President Bush's request for $87 billion to finance the recovery effort in Iraq, though he said he could see circumstances in which he might support sending even more money into the country.

(snip)

General Clark said that he would have advised members of Congress to support the authorization of war but that he thought it should have had a provision requiring President Bush to return to Congress before actually invading. Democrats sought that provision without success.

"At the time, I probably would have voted for it, but I think that's too simple a question," General Clark said.

A moment later, he said: "I don't know if I would have or not. I've said it both ways because when you get into this, what happens is you have to put yourself in a position — on balance, I probably would have voted for it."

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0919-01.htm

Seems pretty clear to me. He would have voted for it, quibbling notwithstanding...

[Clark4Prez]

2. Thanks for that

Unlike the couch pundits here on DU, its nice to hear something positive about the General.

So much for the non-sense about him not being a "real" Democrat or dissecting for 18 millionth time exactly how against the Iraq war he was!

General Clark as real as real can be, deal with it!

[jpgpenn]

6. good article

thanks for posting.:toast:

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. Niiiice article!

Thanks for posting it!

Go Wes!

[maddezmom]

10. thanks for posting

got to read it earlier, someone pointed it out on another thread. :)

[JPJones]

11. As Clark would say...

Wes has the mass*velocity. And a positive dv/dt.

[Lefty48197]

12. I'll beat the living sh*t out of them

Hilarious. I'd pay to see that.