Wesley Clark: I Was Victim Of 'Right Wing Freak Machine'

Late Thursday night, General Wesley Clark cast himself as a victim of the "right wing freak machine" after his comments on John McCain's military service caused a bout of political pandemonium.

Speaking to an adoring crowd at Netroots Nation in Austin, the General said that he "was taken out of context" when, on CBS' Face the Nation, he remarked that McCain's time as a POW did not serve as a qualification for the White House

"There is just no other way to say it," said Clark. "Someone said to me 'This is a playbook operation by the right wing freak machine, the great freak show where they take a statement, distort it, blast it out of context and make it personal. They are so good at it they did all three steps in three hours and you fought back and I'm grateful for you from the bottom of my heart.'"

Putting aside the descriptive words, Clark's remarks were clearly used as campaign kindling for McCain, whose campaign held three straight days of press conferences to hammer both the general and Barack Obama on the issue. The presumptive Republican nominee and his surrogates said Clark had belittled McCain's service for political gain. In the process McCain trotted out a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to not only defend the Arizona Republican but also attack Clark's record as well.

The irony continued soon thereafter, when the McCain campaign (after insinuating that military service was not fodder for a general election) put out a campaign commercial that focused greatly on his time in Vietnam.

Comments

[ohiomark]

Another liberal Democrat doing what liberal Democrats do best. Play the victim card.

Phill Gramm was right. We do have alot of whiners here and most of them have a "D" after their name.

[omahkohkiaayo]

What General Clark said was exactly correct and it is what all real veterans know. When one goes into the military, they not only go into a MOS or Military Occupational Specialty, they go into specialized venues and conditions that do not represent the diversity of venues, conditions and challenges a CIC must face.

In my own case, I am "proud" of my service only in the sense that I kept faith with those with whom I served, and also, surrendered my own freedoms supposedly for a transcendent cause beyond my own personal pleasures and safety; that is the "service" one can be proud of. But I am most certainly not "proud" of any direct or indirect support my "service" gave to another illegal, undeclared war, founded also on lies and phony pretexts: Vietnam.

What is also interesting is the swiftboaters who attacked Kerry are generally supporting McCaine, while very conservative Vietnam Veterans at VVAJM or Vietnam Veterans Against John McCaine (some of whom served with him and were POWs themselves) have made and provided some evidence for charges the MSM has not picked up on and that are far worse than anything Gen Clark said or suggested. And Gen Clark graduated first in his class at West Point not 6th from the bottom of his class at Annapolis and had no family name or wealth to get him into West Point as he came from modest roots.

[RTOTrainer]

GEN Clark; (Speaks) Up and (Leaves Stuff) Out
(Crossposted due to complaint that Signaleer won"t load for some people.)

But it wasn"t important stuff, I"m sure.

I mean, if I were to make the statement that GEN Clark"s service in Vietnam didn"t amount to much because all he accomplished was to step in front of a bullet and get evacuated on a stretcher, that wouldn"t be a fair characterization of his service. In fact, his Silver Star Medal citation uses phrases like "although painfully wounded" and "with complete disregard to his personal safety."

So you"d think there"d be at least a little honor among professionals.

Not so much.

[RTOTrainer]

Shortly after, newly promoted Lieutenant Commander McCain was assigned to a new squadron on the USS Orisskany. Rather than work his way into the hazardous missions as newcomers were usually allowed to do, LCDR McCain volunteered for regular duty with everyone else.

It was as early as October when his Navy Commendation Medal citation read this way:

For meritorious achievement in aerial flight on 18 October 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 163, embarked in USS Oriskany (CVA-34). As a section leader, Lieutenant Commander McCain participated in a twenty-two-plane strike against the Lac Trai shipyard and repair facility in Haiphong, North Vietnam. Although violent evasive maneuvers were required to avoid enemy surface-to-air missiles and an intense barrage of antiaircraft fire along the flight path to the target, he maintained flight integrity and expertly positioned his section for attack. In the face of heavy enemy fire, he led his section in the attack and placed his bombs directly on target, thereby inflicting major damage to his assigned area. By his aggressiveness and skillful airmanship, Lieutenant Commander McCain contributed substantially to the success of the mission and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

He has ordered the bombs to fall. Literally.

[sink]

And how has that helped him be a better leader? He's supported a war with no end, been part of the leadership that can't find any other solution but "more troops forever!", and supported clear, internationally defined torture.

Sounds like any lessons he may have learn were forgotten long ago.

[RTOTrainer]

Many people aren"t aware that Senator McCain was still in the Navy until 1981. Before that time, he commanded the larges Squadron in the US Navy" a training squadron in Jacksonville, FL. GEN Clark is dismissive of this as "not a wartime formation." Big deal. There wasn"t a war on in those years, so that"s a crummy charge to level. But the reason the General doesn"t want to talk about it is because this is precisely executive experience in the broadest sense.

He dealt with personnel he thought ineffective, had to improve morale and productivity and deal with post-Vietnam defense budgets and parts shortages. He is credited with turning around a mediocre unit and improving its aircraft readiness; for the first time, all fifty of its aircraft were able to fly and the pilot safety improved; zero accidents. The squadron was received its first Meritorious Unit Commendation in twenty-three years and McCain received a Meritorious Service Medal. He later stated that being commanding officer of VA-174 was the most rewarding assignment of his naval career. But in the General"s estimation, none of that matters.

[sink]

Exactly! Any job with management experience and duties is a one-to-one comparison to the duties of the Office of President of the United States of America.

I once had a job managing a church bake sale. It was the highest sales record in the church's history, and my volunteer staff of 15 are all willing to testify to my abilities of bake sale leader. Clearly this proves that I'm ready to assume the role of POTUS!

Or not.

I'm not knocking McCain's experience, but Clark is absolutely right that his military record, and more specifically, his time as a POW doesn't give him immediate qualification to be the POTUS. Last I've heard, the history books don't talk much about a POTUS, any POTUS having been subjected to torture as part of the duties of the office, right?

[RTOTrainer]

CPT Jon Soltz, GEN Clark"s tag team partner from Yearly Kos where they accosted a young NCO, writing at Huffington Post, can"t even back GEN Clark for what he said and instead must put a generous spin on it in order to remain supportive.

Not even SEN Obama is able to get behind the General. More than understandable really. This is the last conversation that the Obama camp should want to have. (Maybe, GEN Clark is still more supportive of Hillary?) No matter if you put a Soltzian, bad judgment, English on it or take it at face value, SEN Obama has nothing to put on his side of the ledger sheet.

[Iam4thiscountry]

You have to remember that it is McCain that keeps trotting out That he is was a POW as if it to prove that he is qualifed to be president. Clark was only saying that being a POW does not make you qualified to be the Commander in Chief. There were a lot of POW's, But it doesn't mean that they would make a good president. Noone is belittling the fact that he was a POW and served his country. We honor him for that. But that does not necessarially mean he is qualified to lead this country.

[RTOTrainer]

Is that really it, or is it that it s a significant and formative part of his biography? Can he really avoid mentioning it?

I have not argued that anyone has belittled that the Senator was a POW. GEN Clark, however, does demaean the character of *the rest* of SEN McCain's service.

Will you argue that there is nothing in the rest of it that is indiciative of the character and qualities that a Chief Excecutive should possess?

[runnerin1]

You know I'm not a McCain fan, but what he did for his country cannot be understated. He was flying a mission for the U.S. period. We should all appreciate his sacrifice.

[jaglon]

I think it is time for a 527 commercial pointing out McCain's service irresponsibilities. Graduated near the bottom of his class, only got into the naval academy because of father and grandfather (lagacy admission), crashed 2 naval jets while hot dogging around, got into fights. It could continue with his post-POW shennagans; running around on his wife, open affair with his present wife before they were divorced from their spouses (they love to present themselves as the 'traditional American family'). If we are going to talk about judgement, I think McCain's judgement is fair game.

Of course, the republicans will really hate this but what can they say? It is all there and on the record.

[Average]

Actually, you were a victim of your own arrogance and stupidity.

[lexnekst]

No, I think Clark had it right. Why don't you crawl back over to Lars Larson or TMZ and feed with the rest of your right wing trolls.

You have the left so bad that you go outta your way to type huffingtonpost in your browser? gimme abreak. You conservatives have turned into a sad bunch, propping up your Manchurian candidate.

You're really gonna hate it next week, when Obama is recieved like princess Di in London.

[Liberoservative]

Actually, YOU are a victim of your own arrogance and stupidity...
your moniker says it all... you are AVERAGE...

You can't see that military service does nothing to guarantee qualifications for CIC... nor does being a POW mean that you know how to "WIN WARS" or be qualified for CIC.

General C had it absolutely correct.... and, since he was actually the Supreme Commander... I think that more than qualifies him to give critique.

[jaglon]

What Clark said was true, it was the media who did not listen to what he said and pounced on it and then spoon fed it to the republicans who got all falsely indignant. The media thrives on controversy and loves to keep the pot stirred.

McCain says he does not like to talk about his service but he allows others to do it for him and he has used it as campaign fodder in the past. It was just 8 years ago that the republicans were questioning McCain's sanity and mental abilities. I wonder what happened in the 8 years since to change their minds. It doesn't really matter because the republicans support any dimwit that they put up for president. This year at their convention they will probably trot out all the Vietnam-war-hero stuff (remember how they blasted Kerry for doing the same 4 years ago) and wrap themselves up in the flag. No one questions McCain' heroics in Vietnam but that is not a qualification for president nor does it mean that he is better at making diplomacy or military decisions.

[meltingpot101]

What a waste of time to bother commenting and it never gets posted....hours later. Here is yet another attempt becouse I strongly support General Wesley Clark and believe it is disgraceful the way he was treated and misreprsented. He was NOT wrong.

He is Obama's best and strongest candidate for VP.

Hopefully Obama will STOP apologizing for the truth and make Wes Clark his VP.

OBAMA/CLARK 08

[TekBoss]

I admire McCain's war record but he was never a General (nor an Admiral).

Clark was a 4 star and commander of Nato. He also ended a war by using a combination of negotiation backed up with force and never lost a serviceman or woman in his command while doing so.

I think Clark has the better credentials in this fight.

[RTOTrainer]

Of 42 Presidents 35 have had some military experience. Of those, only James Buchanan was never an officer. Of the remaining 34, only 12 were General Officers and none of those were Admirals.

The only Navy officers have been, John F. Kennedy (Lieutenant, O-3), Lyndon B. Johnson (Lieutenant Commander, O-4), Richard M. Nixon (Commander, O-5), Gerald R. Ford (Lieutenant Commander, O-4), James E. Carter (Lieutenant, O-3), and George H.W. Bush (Lieutenant, O-3).

McCain is the highest ranking Naval officer to seek the Presidency (Captain, O-6). Admiral George Dewey ran for President in 1900, but did not gain the nomination of the Democratic Party. The only other Admiral I am aware of to have sought national office was James B. Stockdale, Ross Perot's Vice Presidential running mate in 1992.

[kissmygrits]

I really want Clark as VP. Is it a no-go b/c of his statement of a completely innocuous fact?!?!

[XME]

Couldn't agree more. Yet McCain can make jokes about women enjoying getting raped, and the MSM doesn't even report it!!!!

[macintoshsauce]

MSNBC reported it on Countdown with Keith Olbermann yesterday.

[XME]

True, but he leans left. I'm talking 6 PM news that those "low information" voters watch.

[sink]

Countdown is a good show, but certainly not MSM.

[AtTheMoon]

Clark isn't even on the Zogby poll of possible VPs. Why the hell not?

[BillKen]

Because Honor and integrity have left the stage. Semper Fi

[Felicty]

Not to worry.

Those who really matter know what you meant, General. Meanwhile, let that old fa rt continue his slanderous attempts. It amuses us.

[barackobama4prez]

LOL...they definitely do freak out in a large way. But in no way can Gen. Clark be a victim. He was actually a mouthpiece for what millions of Americans were already saying and thinking.

[Ramirez]

Upon reflection I think that "Under The Bus" list I posted earlier was trite and snarky.

I'll be okay if that doesn't get posted.

[incontempt]

Don't play the victim general! PLEASE

Now get up, dust off and come back

With a HUGE left hook.... kaapow...right in their kisser..

You can do it.

[NotMcCain]

He never used the word "victim" at all.

He said, "Someone said to me 'This is a playbook operation by the right wing freak machine, the great freak show where they take a statement, distort it, blast it out of context and make it personal."

And, to prove his point, someone at Huffpo wrote this headline.