How The Media Completely Distorted Wesley Clark

CJR:

The latest round of mock outrage--in a presidential race that has turned the tactic into an art form--now comes in response to comments made by General Wesley Clark.

The McCain camp, sensing an opportunity, complained that Clark had "attacked John McCain's military service record." Of course, Clark had done nothing of the kind. He had questioned the relevance of McCain's combat experience as a qualification to be president of the United States. This is a distinction that you'd expect any reasonably intelligent nine-year old to be able to grasp.

But many in the press have been unable to.

Read the whole story: CJR

Comments

[Terriac]

03:05 PM on 07/01/2008

I completely agree. Clark in no way disparaged McCain with his comments. He simple said that being a POW doesn't qualify him to be president. McCain's qualifications to be president, or lack thereof, have absolutely nothing to do with his having been a POW or serving in the military. This is just another example of the right wing and the media latching onto something like a pit bull and not letting go until its bled it dry. Much like the farce of the Iraq war and Bush and company's unbelievable ability to convince an entire nation that terrorism is his strong suit. Shame on America for buying into this crap. It's time people in this country woke up and really looked at the issues, not allow themselves to be led around by the nose by a bunch of nuts.

[Myshkin57]

01:28 PM on 07/01/2008

I wonder if the misrepresentation is calculated or the journalists are really just dim-witted. I've met plenty of aspiring journalists and I think it's a little of both.

[meltingpot101]

12:01 PM on 07/01/2008

The msm almost never reports the entire story, this is how they manipulate most people. general Wesley Clark has been making the point for weeks. A valid point that is not untrue.

McCain's camp knows that General Clark debunks what McCain's strengths are. They needed to discredit him and the msm are doing exactly what McCains people want, spinning and distorting.

I still think Clark should be Obama's VP, hopefully Obama is still considering him.

OBAMA/CLARK 08

[ebanks84]

11:57 AM on 07/01/2008

"When moderator Bob Schieffer interjected that “Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences, either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down”, Clark responded: “Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”

Those words spoken by General Clark are absolutely TRUE, no matter how the "Mass Stupid Media" wants to use them to crucify the General. It does NOT downgrade McCain's honorable service or POW statis. It says that that status does not make you a President.

That means that the female PFC who was prisoner for a short while and rescued by the military and given honors for her courage and bravery does not have the President qualifications either. She received her awards and was noted accordingly. However she never organized or was in charge of a platoon, battalion or other military group that would give her the experience and credentials of being knowledgeable enough to run for President.

Anyone who don't understand that is very unknowledgeable of the qualifications required to be a President. I praise and honor the courage General Clark has in sticking by his guns and NOT allowing the Mass Stupid Media to strike him down and make him look like the idiots that they are.

[ebanks84]

12:14 PM on 07/01/2008

...platoon, battalion or other organizational skills......(I meant to say).

[mediawatcher1975]

11:20 AM on 07/01/2008

I was flipping past Fixed News and I heard their talking head chastizing Obama for condoning this type of "attacK" (which he did not) and they could even say it with a straight face. James Car-vile was laughing and snickering as he tried to condenm the rhetoric. They don't believe what they are saying. They just hope that people are dumb enough to believe it anyway.

[MACS]

10:58 AM on 07/01/2008

.
No one has demonstrated a FACTUAL error in the Clark comments. FACTS sure ruin the repub-LIE-CON rantings and mantra.
.

[kenyaw]

10:34 AM on 07/01/2008

Umm. That is not how it works. Sen Obama rejected the comments because they had been taken out of context and spun by the media.
You have one of two choices, either run the risk of giving more sound-bite. Spin your wheels trying to use reasoning to explain what Gen Clark said, or you reject the comments, because the "mock outrage" is now the only truth and reality.
So in essence you reject what people in this soundbite world find "offensive". Because alot of people do not think critically.

[LAWTON]

11:13 AM on 07/01/2008

Perception and manipulation in American politics are the only things that matter . Truth has no place in today's media circus. People do not take the time to educate themselves on positions and believe only the propaganda spewed at them by the corporate media.
I think Obama is well aware of this as John Kerry apparently was not!

[ebanks84]

12:01 PM on 07/01/2008

I wish the American people would become aware of this and then the mass stupid media would have to stop if no one pays them any attention and their ratings drop to the cellar where they reside.

[speakingtruth2power]

10:30 AM on 07/01/2008

"MSM" should be a the 'bad word, not it's apt description.

[speakingtruth2power]

10:25 AM on 07/01/2008

The MSM is the who RE of corporatism.

[fev08]

10:07 AM on 07/01/2008

Finally a damn democrat with a back bone. This is why democrats lose they have no idea how to stand up to the rethugs.

[kfdan]

10:01 AM on 07/01/2008

The only way that this type of sniping will find it's relevance is if Americans begin to stop grasping for lolly pops as their politicians spout garbage about who they want you to think they are! Obama is not going to be a radical President ... don't expect him to produce miracles but he's a sight better than McCain. Having bee in the military by the way does not qualify anyone for the Presidency! There is no qualification for the office except, in my opinion, to have the basic gut honesty to provide the vision that moves the country in a positive direction on all fronts! This war business is doing little but fill the pockets of the industrial war machine and that must stop!

[ebanks84]

12:04 PM on 07/01/2008

Thank you. I love hearing the sounds of an informed public. I just hope the media is listening.

[portchester]

09:28 AM on 07/01/2008

If the media wants to base military experience as a qualification to be president, then i'll prefer general Clark over Pilot McCain. General Clark fought hand to hand combat, while McCain dropped bombs on inocent people.

[SpoxLogic]

09:02 AM on 07/01/2008

Missing in all of this is Bob Schaeffer's lead in to Clark's comments. It was Schaeffer who said that Barack Obama was not riding around in a jet and didn't get shot down. Clearly implying that Obama is somehow less qualified because of that.
Clark responded by saying that the mere fact of riding around in a jet and getting shot down does not qualify you to be POTUS.
That is what everyone seems to be forgetting. All are focused on Clark as if he brought up the "riding around in a jet and getting shot down" comments, when it was Bob Schaeffer.

[NHGranite]

09:34 AM on 07/01/2008

Thank you for clarifying that part for me; that was the only jarring part when I heard about this tempest in sound bites in other places. Other than that statement, which is cleared up for me now, Right On Wes Clark!

[okayigive]

08:41 AM on 07/01/2008

What a bunch of dim-wits! Geez, are those representing MSM afraid they won't be invited to the next BBQ if they did their job, or do journalism schools just pass out diplomas to anyone that can talk? Please note that those with critical thinking skills, a soul, ability to do research and a passion for truth need not apply.

Like a deer caught in your headlights the reps and MSM are seeking sympathy and creating a controvesy over the truth. They wanted to sublimally tout Sen. Mcc as the super hero and POW as credence for his abilty on foreign policy and national security, but when questioned have no answer. Don't get me wrong I respect Sen. Mcc military service, as I do all that serve, I just don't hold him up as being better than any other POW or hero, who should get special privileges while others are sleeping in the street.

Gen. Clark didn't say anything that many voters haven't thought or said. Note to MSM, you no longer control the masses by thinking for them. I thank God for the internet (able to seek the truth) and the ability to read (able to understand content, not just read words) and listen (able to hear and process what has been said, rather than told what I heard).

[Nonamnesiac]

08:41 AM on 07/01/2008

This is now Pelosi's and Reid's occupation, not just Bush's. All who voted or supported these budgets knowingly funded war crimes. But deluded progressives, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, still claim the Dems are the lesser of the evils and we must vote for them. They received over 90 votes in the Senate for funding, meaning if the people elect 67 Democrats in November, they'd still fund the murder and maiming of our young and claim they're supporting the troops. The Dems would still lie that immediate, safe withdrawal will cause a calamity of biblical proportions.



But these Dems have nothing to worry about because Pavlovian, so-called progressives will salivate votes for the Democrats when they ring the Nader-baiting bell.



Dems and progressives are so removed from the impact of this occupation that they simply give Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass for consciously funding war crimes.

[JohnTalbutt]

12:55 PM on 07/01/2008

Actually you are giving Bush, Cheney and those directly responsible a pass by making such a broad accusation about complicity. It's the same defense some of the Nazi's tried at Nurember. We didn't buy it then and we are not buying it now.

[Nonamnesiac]

07:16 PM on 07/01/2008

You guys really are self-deluded. So long as it is a "D" funding the war crimes it's OK with you. Bush and Cheney could not have done this on their own. They needed Reid and Pelosi (and Obama) to act as if they couldn't stop him from getting everything he wanted, even though they controlled Congress. Funding the war crimes without restrictions required Democrats to vote for Bush's budgets. Each time the vote came up there were over 90 Senators voting in favor, meaning that even if 67 Democratic Senators were elected the war crimes would still be funded.

The only responsible way to handle Iraq is immediate, safe total withdrawal of all US troops and contractors. This BS about we have to keep troops and contractors there or there will be a calamity of biblical proportions is a lie created by the same liars who lied us into Iraq and aimed at the subconscious colonialist instincts of Americans, including progressives and Democrats.