Wesley Clark for VP!
The long delayed Wesley Clark for VP echo chamber has finally begun. On June 15, 2007, I made the first noise on the McLaughlin Group: "The Democratic presidential nominee, no matter who he or she may be, will choose General Wesley Clark as the vice presidential nominee." The first echo occurred today on Meet The Press when Bob Shrum said Barack Obama will pick someone with a military background "and I think Wes Clark might be it."
I'm not counting my own echo of myself in last week's New York Magazine where I laid out the rationale for Clark's inevitability -- Obama needs military experience on the ticket to counter McCain and, as a strong Hillary supporter, Clark provides something of a unity ticket for the Democrats.
The silly season of TV talk about Obama-Clinton, Clinton-Obama tickets is almost over. There was general agreement on Meet The Press today that Obama will consider military experience in choosing a VP. James Carville foolishly suggested Anthony Zinni and other politically untested generals. That will continue now that the conventional wisdom has settled on the military angle for VP. But no former general other than Wesley Clark will make it onto the short list in the end.
Yes, Clark was a bad campaigner in 2004. So was every other Democrat who lost the nomination to John Kerry. Clark has learned enough since then to survive a two-month, one-debate vice presidential campaign.
An Arkansas Democrat with a good smile, a great looking family, and career military experience -- that's what VP inevitability looks like. It seemed so obvious to me ten months ago that I rushed to get my prediction recorded before everyone else was saying it. Turns out I had more time than I thought.
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Clark, great idea. Won't bring back the crazy left McKinney/Nader supporters or the neocon blinded rightwingers, but he's a military person who knows there is a limit to what our military can do. Provides a strong defense posture without being a mentally deteriorating nutball like SOME party's candidate I could mention.
Jim Webb is another good choice who would bring in enough of the center and near-right to offset anyone lost from the far left (he did serve in the REAGAN administration).
Not sure that either are my favorite ideological choice, but they are strong without being slimy and we really have to win this one.
Why was Gen. Clark "retired" early from his NATO Command?
You really think this guy is qualified?
He received the Medal of Honor from President Clinton.
Bush gave Paul Bremer and George Tenent the Medal of Honor as well, doesn't mean they actually deserved it.
Medal of Freedom, not Honor. Huge difference.
Yes, indeed, Jim Webb is the best choice.
Clark may be played out. Webb is fresh with a strong resume, and is very electable.
Hillary '08
Webb yes, Clark no. Obama is showing himself to be quite a smart ass when when chance arises. Clark is no different, he's just a little to sure of himself on issues that are not so cut and dried.
Webb is more human, less elite and more in touch.
Hillary '08
O'Donnell has generated a lot of comment with his rank speculation about Obama's running mate. Is this the only reason for his posting? It seemed bereft of logic, quoting only what he thought might become the conventional wisdom, as if that meant anything. He also seems inordinately proud of being first off the mark. If Wes Clark becomes the VP, what difference does it make who first speculated about it? Is O'Donnell in a position to influence Obama's choice? Perhaps on a slow news day you have to expect this sort of thing but personally, I prefer to read for content and I find none here.
Now, now, be nice to Lawrence. He's been pacing around, wondering what to do next ever since West Wing ended. Whatever his motivations, If Mr. O'Donnell wants to fantasize that "he got it first and got it right" about Clark, let's just let him do it. For the reasons that have been amply detailed by other posters here, Clark won't be the Dem's Veep candidate this fall.
"on a slow news day" ???
Actually there is a lot of news, like John Yoo's terror memo & Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rummy ... ADMITTING THEY BROKE THE LAW.
Lawrence,
Glad to see you are now backing Hillary for Pres, since Wes Clark has endorse her, not Obama.
He did endorse her. Before she lost the nomination. I'm sure he would be honored to serve with Obama.
Clark wants it.
He thought Hillary was the shoe-in so he came out early in supporting her.
I havent heard him say anything negative about Obama.
I hope you're right, he would make a great VP
What if he has simply avoided negativity about the other candidates
About the objection that Wesley Clark is a 'Clinton supporter'. Screaming zealot nutcases aside, a Clinton supporter presupposes he's a democrat and would be a supporter of final nominee. There's far too many people on this board who say "I've vote for Obama but NEVER for Clinton" or "I'd vote for Clinton but NEVER for Obama". Its talk like that that's guaranteed to fill the supreme court entirely with Scalias and Thomases!
Clark sounds like the best choice possible for VP for EITHER of them.
Sorry, but I DON'T TRUST Hillary to appoint liberal judges. She is Republican Lite. She is funded by MSM (Murdoch) and corporations.
Kathleen Sebelius would be a better fit. Jack Reed would be interesting too, though he hasn't endorse Obama... Clark possibly as Secretary of Defense perhaps though the baggage he's carrying is a touch hefty.
Kathleen Sebelius? Obama/Sebelius 2008? Judgement is one of Obama's main campaign themes and picking whoever that is would be his first major mistake as a nominee. Sebelius? Enough said, ain't happening.
What baggage is that? I would actually tap him as secretary of state given that his experience in NATO was heavily diplomatic work and he speaks about four languages fluently, including Russian.
No way. You don't put a strong supporter of your opponent in the VP spot. For one, there probably is video of Clark saying not so good things about Obama. There are other strong candidates who have supported Obama and they should be rewarded. Unless Wesley Clark comes out soon with extremely strong support for Obama. Don't think its going to happen.
Mr O'Donnell,
Just love your "fair and balanced" views on the Keith "Bash Hillary Hour" Olbermann show.
Don't care for her Republican Lite views regarding NAFTA, the one which you tout as helping all Americans. Much to knock about the Repub Lite views of the Clintons, but, to spend almost 75 percent of a program devoted to that? While you knock her and defend NAFTA.
Oh, and thanks tons for telling the good Senator Edwards, that as a white southerner, he should step aside for Senator Obama. Perhaps you should step aside on the cable "Knock Hillary" shows. You helped put together NAFTA for the Clintons. Fair and balanced, indeed.
Either Wesley Clark or Jim Webb would be good choices.
Count me in.
Jim Webb all the way. He's awesome.
But we need him in the Senate. I'd really hate to see us lose a powerful voice for real democracy and progress in the Congress by Obama choosing any sitting member of such. Take a Governor - nobody'll miss one of them!
Jim Webb would be a ball-biter on the campaign trail. Semper Fi.
Why hold out for Webb? I think there's a real good chance you can get Cheney.
Have these pundits forgotten that Clark has endorsed and is a strong supporter of Hillary? Of course that doesn't necessarily bar him from taking the position of VP with Obama, but it does seem highly unlikely.
It would also seem to be a very bad choice for Obama, making him seem even more junior, naive and inexperienced than he already seems. Obama needs someone like Bob Graham who can help him carry FL.
That's the point, being a strong Hillary supporter will help bring unity to the party.
Clark would be an excellent choice.
Wesley Clark of course, her foreign advisor, military expert...b
What about JIM WEBB for VP.
1. Senator
2. Former Sec of Navy -- appointed by Reagan
3. Son served in Iraq.
4. Plain spoken
Honest.
Intelligent.
Veteran.
I only regret he couldn't debate Cheney - I'd pay to see that.
You STILL trying to pin Waco on Clinton? Give me a break! I seem to recall that Bush #1 set the ball in motion and then left Clinton holding the bag. I also recall The right-wing religious gun nuts set their own compound on fire and shot their own children in the head rather than submit to the laws of the nation. Sounds like more the fault of Evangelical lunacy than anything else. Wasn't another Texas religious nut community raided just recently?
"this General...
northcan = LIAR
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