Does Wes Clark Owe His Supporters an Indication of His Intentions?

[David Zephyr]

Consider:

1.) The first televised debates are this month.

2.) Money not raised now will require near impossible catch-up money later.

3.) The primary season next year is heavily front-loaded with California and others holding their delegate-rich contests by March 1. Because of this monumental change, one could make the argument that the contenders are essentially already where those in past contests were in the summers of 1996, 2000, 2004, etc. Accordingly, this is not the time to be "waiting" anymore.

4.) The one thing that Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson have in common is that they have all run and won elections before. Wes Clark would be the exception in the crowd. What does he know that they don't?

Wes Clark took a pass on Iowa in 2004, a fatal mistake that he himself acknowledged. I keep hearing that he's a stalking horse who will endorse Hillary Clinton.

Shortly, there will be only one candidate who can still enter this late and immediately raise the cash, soar to the top of the polls...and it's the man who already won the presidency by nearly 600,000 votes: Al Gore.

Does the good General Wes Clark owe his supporters a little more than a wink, a nod, a cryptic comment here and there about his intentions?

[WI_DEM]

1. my feeling is the only candidate who can get into this thing at a later date and actually win it is

Al Gore.

[David Zephyr]

3. It's looking that way.

I think that Clark has about two weeks left and then it will be obvious to me that he's planning to endorese someone else. Who? I don't know.

[blm]

16. I see it the same way.

I like Clark alot and have for many years - but, if he proves the skeptics right and gets behind Clinton without trying himself first, then I will be immensely disappointed.

[high density]

21. Clinton? Where is that coming from?

I hope that doesn't happen anytime before February 2008 (and God help us if it even happens then...)

[blm]

22. Clark has been dogged since he first ran with the rumor that he was acting only as

a stalking horse for Hillary. That he was in place to disrupt not help Kerry. so Hillary could run in 2008.

I am a solid Kerry supporter and always respected Clark since I first heard of him in 1993, so it is difficult for me to believe there is any truth to that rumor. And i planned on supporting Clark if he jumped into the race and Gore did not.

[Bucky]

28. One desparate Republican smear is not the same as "dogged by a rumor"

Sorry, but Clinton are Clark are on two different planets as far as policy goes. If he ever supports her, it'll be an alliance, but a vasselage.

[blm]

37. I was referring to how the rumor has been used, including here at DU over the last 3 years.

A rumor combatted by many of Clark's supporters here every time it has popped up - and I have often jumped in to support those Clarkies in that effort, because I just don't believe it is true from everything I have seen from him over the years.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. No; I don't think he owes us that,

but I sure wish he'd decide soon so he has a fighting chance.

[David Zephyr]

4. I agree.

His time is quickly running out. Quickly.

[nickinSTL]

5. I'd like him to get in...and I agree that time is short

I know he seems to think that there's no need to get in early...but he did that in '04 and it sunk him.
(bad grammar)

Also, I know he was close to the Clintons when Bill was in office, but I'd be disappointed if he supported Hillary.

[David Zephyr]

8. Thanks for your voice.

It did sink him in '04.

[Ilsa]

6. I'm a Clark supporter, and I say it is time.

I want to know if I need to be looking around for another candidate, and I've been avoiding that until I have to.

I dunno, maybe I just don't want to think seriously about this campaign until it gets closer.

[David Zephyr]

9. Thank you, Ilsa. I hope that people around him might see this thread.

You represent the voice of too many Clarkies who are simply frustrated and who have sucked it in, but are now saying, as you wrote: "it is time".

Thanks for weighing in.

[Ilsa]

14. If he waits too long, I'll feel like I'm throwing my money away,

and I don't have much to give to a campaign. He needs to be in on a timely basis. I hope he is seriously considering running. He'd make a truly great president.

[Clark2008]

7. No - but if neither he nor Gore runs, I have no clue who I'll

be voting for.

I really think the current crop is lackluster.

[Bucky]

32. I could learn to like most of them. I can pinch my nose for the rest.

[KT2000]

10. Yes

I believe that it is Hilary who is tripping him up. Bill Clinton supported Clark's run last time and maybe Clark feels that without that this time - he will not go against them. He would likely be competing for the same money too.

Still wish he would jump in now!

[David Zephyr]

13. Thanks. Hopefully he's listening.

He still could get in, but it is really late in the new, accelerated game.

[Bucky]

33. Clinton did not "support Clark" last time. It's inappropriate for an elder statesman to play faves

That's partially what bothers me about Mrs Clinton now. She's riding her husband's coattails. He's not acting like a party elder when she's in the race.

[KT2000]

36. Clinton was supportive

of Clark then. He did not endorse him as the candidate - he spoke well of him on many occassions.

[Eurobabe]

11. I don't think he is going to run in the end...

I was a grass roots coordinator for him in 2004, and this is my gut feeling.

[David Zephyr]

15. He's a great American and would make a great leader.

I now have to agree with you that he won't run. It's America's loss.

[Eurobabe]

35. Yes, but I think we will see him in a cabinet position when a Dem wins

:hi:

[PhilipShore]

12. No, this election he is up against...

The Military-Industrial-Complex; so he has to plan his campaign strategy carefully. I hope he does run -- if Gore does not run -- he is one of the only qualified liberal Democrat, that will be able to win in 2008.

[SoCalDem]

17. He's not going to run.

he has been very low-key for too long, and he did not do all that well last time.

If he had planned to run, he would have made himself more front & center, long before now.

I don't think he's interested.

I think he'd make an excellent cabinet appointment though :)

[renate]

18. I don't think he *owes* us an indication

But it'd sure be nice.

I suspect the race will, or perhaps I should still say "would," be mixed up when Chuck Hagel decides to run. (I haven't heard anybody say he needs to hurry up and declare--but I don't watch every single hour of Hardball, MTP, etc.) I don't know why I feel as though that'd be a great time for Clark to enter the race too, but it just sort of seems reasonable. A new entrant on the Republican side would make a new entrant on the Democratic side seem not so late, for one thing. And even their physical similarities--older, silver-haired, attractive men--make them seem like they're each other's counterparts.

I've been assuming for three years that Clark would run again... it would break my heart if he doesn't. It's unimaginable to me. So I'm still thinking in terms of "when." I hope he's just waiting for the high expectations people have of Obama to fade a bit (I'm not saying they should--I like the guy--but nobody could live up to that image forever) and for Hillary's star to dim a little.

[Hatalles]

19. Come on, Wes! Hurry up!

I just saw an official Obama '08 sticker on a car, on my way to work. I was thinking about ordering one but if Wes runs, I think I'd rather sport his sticker. =)

I'm beginning to worry that he won't run... judging my some of the comments he made over the past few months, I thought it was going to be a sure thing. But time... it just keeps rollin' on...

[bigwillq]

20. I think he owes it to himself

if he's planning on running to announce soon. I think he joined the race too late last time and he should avoid doing that again.

[pigpickle]

23. It's too late now, even if he wanted to run.

Maybe he can leverage his way into a cabinet position but not the Presidency.

[sniffa]

24. but wiLL it kiLL the cLarkies if he does

and he's not running?

[Bucky]

31. I'm guaranteed not to die before Bush slinks out of office. I must live to see that day

It won't kill me, but I'd rather not wait to get the disappointment.

[ThomWV]

25. Wes Clark Has Already Paid America More Than Any Man Could Be Reasonably Asked

He owes us nothing but if there is any truth that we honor our protectors it is us who owe him.

That said I do not believe he is the best man to be President of the United States. I do, however think he should be both Secretary of State and a principal advisor to the next President.

[JeffR]

26. I like Wes Clark. He owes me absolutely nothing. n/t

[Colobo]

27. Clark should be Obama's 1st VP choice

If not him, Richardson.

[gravity]

29. I would like to at least see a exploritory comittee

I'm tired of waiting on the fence for him to join in. If he isn't going to run, he just needs to say so now, so I can move on to someone else.

[David Zephyr]

34. Hopefully, he will hear more from people like you.

This is not the time for Hamlet. I agree with you.

[Bucky]

30. Lots of no's above in this thread, but I'm saying yes--he owes it to us if (and only if) he's not.

He's said in the past "You won't be disappointed" when asked if he'll run. But that was before astronomical numbers came into the news headlines. My thinking is this will scare lots of would-be Clarkies into picking a candidate now rather than waiting for Godot. The gates are closing. June 30th is probably the last moment anyone serious can jump into this fray.

I'm treating his ongoing silence as a hesistant yes on his part. But I'd give even odds he won't do it now.