Wesley Clark Didn't Dump Clinton, Campaign Says

Reports surfaced soon after Hillary Clinton's slim win in last night's Indiana primary that one of her chief surrogates, General Wesley Clark, had called the senator telling her to drop out of the Democratic race.

Those reports, the Clinton campaign said on Wednesday, weren't true. "Wes Clark was on a plane out of the country last night," emailed Howard Wolfson. "So no [they didn't talk]." He did not elaborate further.

A spokesperson in Clark's office also denied that he had spoken to Clinton, TPM Election Central reported.

Clark has been one of Clinton's staunchest backers. A fellow Arkansan, he served as NATO commander during Bill Clinton's administration. His run for the White House in 2004 ended with a sputter. But since then, he has been viewed as a behind-the-scenes power broker within the Democratic Party. Indeed, his name has surfaced as a possible running mate both for Sen. Barack Obama or Clinton. In short, his defection from the Clinton campaign - or his telling the New York Democrat Senator to drop out of the race - would constitute a serious blow to her dwindling chances at the nomination.

But while Clinton may, for the time being, be holding on to Clark, she did lose a prominent supporter from her ranks. Former Senator and Democratic nominee George McGovern announced on Wednesday that he was changing his endorsement from Clinton to Obama and urged the former to gracefully exit the campaign.

Comments

[watchingthings]

Too much water has passed under Clark's bridge. I think it would be a mistake for Obama to even entertain the idea of putting Clark in his cabinet. Clark may be a brilliant millitary strategist but in politics he seems to "zig" when he should "zag"

[nton]

One thing is sure
And that is change
When the water's rising
You can't remain
Move to dry land
Move to dry land
You've got to move on(TTD)

[Independent_voter]

Is this moment of truth brought to us by the same clinton campaign that told us that hillary raised $10M in one day after the PA election?

Try something new clintons. Try telling the truth - it may hurt at first, but it has it rewards.

[condieshoes]

Truth 789,

You are so correct about needing someone like Wesley Clark. He is an asset. Many, many people would feel comfortable with him in the Vice President slot. Clark is not a jar head military type. This is a Rhodes Scholar....graduated top in his class.......HEADS ABOVE MANY IN THE MILITARY....and by the way, I'm a liberal Democrat.....

[newshawk14]

condieshoes, I've long felt that Obama should look at someone for VP with either strong
national security credentials or outstanding economic credentials. General Clark looks
pretty good to me, and hopefully has become a little more politically savvy, since his last
outing. The idea of Hillary for VP strikes me as a bad joke, who needs the baggage and
the braggadocio.

[funnyguy]

Clark would be a very good choice for Obama's VP. He is smart, attractive, has tons of national security credibility and he knows not only the uses of military power, but also the limitations. He is a true liberal and we can forgive him his support for HRC, which is explained mostly by the support Bill gave to his career. Loyalty is not always a bad thing.

[RJII]

Agreee for potential VP. I thought he was backing Obama. I'll forgive him.

[SethandRay]

Hillary... it's over. Listen to your friends, your enemies, whoever. For goodness sake, Bill speak up!!! Tell her to get out of Obama and the Democrats' way to win this November! http://sethandray.wordpress.com

[JulieinVT]

Maybe tthey didn't "speak". But you can bet there was an email OR a representative of Clark calling.

[laksa]

That's why I am surprised by talks that Obama should pick him as veep. From the very onset, Clark is for Hillary and Clark's son came out and said his father would not be any body's veep. Yes, Obama should start thinking of veep but contrary to all the talk, I don't think Hillary, Clark or Rendall are good choices. They are too involved with Hillary to really work for Obama.

[08timefortruth]

I think he should choose Chuck Hagel.

[punditpolice]

In my opinion, Clark will be the selection since it will 1- appease
HRC's supporters since he's been on her team for so long; 2- shore up
Obama with Clark's military and foreign experience; 3- deliver
Arkansas (where he's from) and possibly other southern states.
Richardson will be Sec. of State and much more effective in that
role. If Obama's team is as smart as I think- they will also consider
a couple of Republicans for other key cabinet posts like Defense or
AG- a great choice for AG would be the prosecutor in the Libby case-
Patrick Fitzgerald- he's a Republican, but totally non-partisan as far
as I can tell. If Edwards had any cajones, he would have endorsed
Obama weeks ago and secured himself a cabinet position as AG or head
of HHS or Labor. Or maybe some poverty czar, but his voice now is not
likely to carry much weight.

The only other possible choices are either Ted Strickland (OH) or Sen.
Graham of FL- both for obvious reasons.

[Independent_voter]

I would pick a woman as the VP. Somebody like Kathleen Sebelius or Janet Napolitano might be appropriate.

I believe that this would broaden Obama's base and would allow the radical fems and the poor working white women to support the ticket.

[newshawk14]

I don't disagree, but whoever he picks, has to be able to step up to the
role of CIC, which is a heavy load to carry, and simple ticket balancing
might not produce the right answer.

[Testtubebaby]

Well thank you!

I"m so sick of the Media trying to run things. 99 pundits talk sheesh as if they run something.

1) No, he shouldn't pay her bills.
2) No, he should not pick her people to work on his campaign.
3) No, he should not pick anyone HER campaign or the Media suggests for VP.

He is his own man and it's HIS campaign. And if sour grape eaters don't like it... too damn bad.

[Independent_voter]

Right on!

GO-bama

[ProgressiveNotLiberal]

I think Clark made a deal to take out Dean four years ago so that he could be Hillary's VP this time around. So if he says give it up Hill, thats have the ticket.

Obama needs to consider someone like Gov. Phil Bredesen for Veep. Look him up on Wiki if you need convincing to see why.

Of course, he could pick Kucinich for assassination insurance. ;-)~

[drkazmd65]

Interesting guy that Bredesen - we could do worse as a VP.

I like the Kucinich idea though,....

[Truth789]

Don't alienate the Moderates or you will lose.

[mntnguy]

well he will soon! lets get together kiss and makeup and go on with this take Mc Cain down.

[KillTheMessenger]

If he does not talk to her it's because he knows she won't listen. Why waste good advice on someone who is desperate to ignore it?

[rjean]

weasley.......................just go away

[Truth789]

You better watch it when you talk about our General Wesley Clark. Do some research about him first before you call him inane comments or you just go away

[Truth789]

You better watch it when you talk about Wesley Clark. Do some research first or you go away.

[EuLupu]

OK, I did.
"Since the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia, General Wesley Clark has not answered any in-depth questions about his targeting of civilian infrastructure in Yugoslavia, his bombing of Radio Television Serbia, the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranium, the speeding-up of the cockpit video of a bombing of a passenger train to make it appear as though it was an accident and other decisions he made and orders he gave as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander."
Good enough?

[AtomicPunk]

Over the past three months...

Hillary has called Obama a plagiarist, a right-winger, a liar, a left-winger, an elitist, a snob and not white working class. She sold her soul to Richard Mellon Scaife, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. She played the race card, the gender card, the hick card and the gun card. She alienated the black community, the activist base, economists and about half the United States that "didn"t matter". She ran ads featuring ominous 3am phone calls, the great depression and Osama bin Laden. She threatened to obliterate Iran and name dropped 9/11. She gulped beer, pumped gas and took shots of whiskey. She loaned herself $11 million dollars and racked-up an additional $10 million in debt. She offered her base an (at best) $30 gas tax holiday while simultaneously begging them for $50 donations.

And what does she have to show for it?

A 2 delegate loss.

Please Hillary, stop the insanity.

www.imperfectunion.com

[Truth789]

Hillary's aggression has in a way helped Obama because Republicans will come at him hard and his speech after NC was good at addressing some of those issues that Hillary brought to him...

Wesley Clark is an asset to the Democratic party in more ways than one. He is like our Ace. He should AT LEAST be our Secretary of State .....because he can handle foreign affairs especially IRAQ.

For the liberal democrats on this post.......I wouldn't alienate your moderate democratic friends because you will lose in November. I wouldn't alieante people who respect the 4 Star General. Don't think Democrats don't have to show our Military Might if needed. This election is not a game.