Huffington Post- Clark Keeps Up Attack On McCain As "Untested"

[ErinBerin84]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/26/clark-keeps-up-attack-on_n_109366.html

Clark Keeps Up Attack On McCain As "Untested"


Last month, in an interview with the Huffington Post, Gen. Wesley Clark called John McCain "untested and untried" as a potential commander in chief. The charge raised a few eyebrows in several quarters, including the Morning Joe team over at MSNBC.

But Clark is not backing down from his analysis. In a Q&A session following his address to the Johns Hopkins School of Strategic and International Affairs on Thursday morning, he repeated the line and expanded on the difference between the value of military service -- which he admits McCain can justly tout -- and the substance of charting defense policy as president, which the retired four-star general claims is not reflected by McCain's military record.

"He represents a wonderful, valued tradition of America: the idea of public service," Clark said. "But what I've said before and what I stand by is that in terms of the stuff of national security -- of making decisions, of weighing alternatives, being confronted with risks -- he's untested, largely, and untried. He hasn't been in the executive branch; he hasn't walked into a meeting and have his boss his paper."

Clark also burnished his own standing to make such distinctions between service and strategic responsibility, saying, "I've ordered the troops to go in. ... He hasn't lived through those decisions." Still, Clark seemed to concede that McCain is nevertheless likely to be viewed as strong on national security. "In the way that politics works, John McCain will always be associated with the military," he said. "But I hope the voters in the election will be able to discriminate between a man's honorable service in the Armed Forces and experience in the tasks associated with becoming the commander in chief. I think those tasks require judgment, balance, a certain temperament of mind and a willingness to learn from the past and from the current experiences.

"And so, in those qualities, I don't think that his service as a POW is especially commendatory, or his service in the Armed Forces answers the requirements of the commander in chief position, particularly."

When asked whether Barack Obama has the appropriate resume, Clark said the Illinois Democrat is "running on the basis of judgment, not experience," adding: "So far, I think, if you look at his judgment, you've gotta say he's got pretty good judgment."

At the close of the session, the moderator asked Clark how he would respond to a future phone call from Obama about the vice presidency. "Oh, come on!" Clark exhaled with mock weariness, eliciting laughter from the audience. "That's a totally hypothetical question. I want to try to help the country. ... I'm not going to be presumptuous about this, and I hope no one else will be. ... There are a lot of people out there who can help him."

[saracat]

1. Not a really great argument but it is creative! It would work better is Obama had executive

experience but it is an intersting spin. he is attacking them first which is usually a good strategy but in this case, it might not work.

[truebrit71]

4. Um...I think it's a GREAT argument...sort of like that Hillary bullshit about "ready from day one"..

...McCain's "EXECUTIVE" military experience is the same as mine...NONE. He has, however, crashed five more planes than I have....

[saracat]

8. I never liked that argument either. My point is Mccain may have "Some"

exec experience as an officer but Obama has "none" not a great thing to bring up! JMHO.There are better arguments.

[speedoo]

11. McCain probably has less executive military experience than I do.

And I was in the Navy for only 3.5 years, much less than McCain, if you include his POW years.

In other words, for purposes of being qualified to be C in C, McCain's military experience is basically irrelevant.

Clark's attack on McCain is a very important one, and relevant.

[CTyankee]

19. Exactly! It's why I suspect he's being "auditioned" for Obama's Veep.

Maybe Obama's people want to see how his attacks on McCain are working. If he is a highly effective counterweight to McCain's big claims on foreign policy experience, I think they'll go for him. He certainly wouldn't be a minus (I'm assuming he'll pass the vetting test with flying colors!).

[anonymous171]

6. delete in the name of unity

[saracat]

7. I thought Clark was talking about "excecutive experience" NOT legaslative.

He is talking about "governing".

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. I think it's a great argument, because it takes on McCain regarding his supposed strength

Any coherent argument that allows Democrats to point out to voters that McCain's military service, while honorable and heroic, was not of a sort that really qualifies him to be commander in chief is extremely valuable to press. Most Democrats sort of tip toe around McCain's P.O.W. years and never challenge a public assumption that McCain has a strong resume of executive leadership and military command. But he doesn't. Bravery is a wonderful quality but there are plenty of brave people who still show poor judgment, and being patriotic doesn't increase your analytical skills.

The public often assumes that McCain's military background bestows on him the mantle of seasoned leadership in National Security matters. Clark blunts that head on with this argument, and he is the man to deliver it since Clark got shot up in Viet Nam, was awarded medals for heroism, and came home on a stretcher himself. But he also commanded NATO. Clark can make this case without seeming disrespectful, and it is important that Democrats don't concede that McCain has an advantage over Obama in National Security.

Now if Clark ended up as Obama's running mate, the argument he is making here would be especially effective.

[speedoo]

2. Good job, Gen. Clark.

We need you to bang away at this subject. You are very well qualified to do so.

[CTyankee]

3. Hmm, sounds like Clark is "ready for his closeup" in the Veepstakes!

Ilove Wes Clark. I'm hearing more from him which means to me that he has more than a good chance to get the VP nod from Obama. God, I love to see him do his thing, which is just excellent!

I hope I'm not being overly optimistic, because I see Clark as being a perfect counterweight to lots of McCain's stuff on foreign policy.

A great team: Obama and Clark!

[Adelante]

12. I would love it, but he would be doing what he's doing

Veepstakes or not. There was never any question that Clark would come out strong for the Democratic nominee. He was the same way with Kerry in 2004 and 95 congressional candidates in 2006. He's a dynamo when it comes to Democrats. I would be thrilled with VP for Wes, but at the same time, I mostly want him in an important position in the administration where he can make a difference for the country. He has so many talents, great intellect and broad experience, he can do just about anything Obama needs him for. So if Obama had to come down differently for whatever reasons on VP, I can live with that, it's his choice to make. Obama and Clark have a very similar world view, though, and I can really see them working well together.

[CTyankee]

18. Do you suspect that Wes's recent media appearances have a direct connection

with his being considered for Veep? That was my gut instinct as a (really) old Dem...

[flpoljunkie]

5. Clark would be a classy and very efective VP "attack dog."

[bluedeminredstate]

9. I think more Dems should do this.

Why should McCain get a free pass on national security and foreign affairs just because the conventional wisdom in the beltway is that he's far superior to Obama in these categories? I think it's a great attack on McCain: commend his service and question his leadership and judgement. I'm glad Clark brought up the fact that POW experience doesn't automatically give you more credibility as a potential C-in-C.
Clark always makes his cases so well and never comes across as angry or partisan. Plus, who wants to nitpick at a four star general?

[Coexist]

13. good on you, Geneal Clark

[LaPera]

14. Cheers to Wesley Clark our future Vice President - He's great, loves to articulately pound back at

republicans like a great General should!

Clark is a brilliant guy, well spoken, with a smooth charismatic demeanor, a well informed & knowledgeable democrat!

[JoFerret]

15. It's a great line

that he probably borrowed from Hillary. It's still true however.

[woolldog]

16. Clark has been impressive lately.

[Schema Thing]

17. Yes. I hated how he's had to be so silent for these past several months

[BeyondGeography]

20. I love this line of attack, I agree with it plus he's FUCKING with McCain

I'm sure few things get Gramps' short fuse burning like being told he's a wannabe.