The BIG Reason McCain Dreads a Clark VP Pick

In "If Clark is the VP-choice, Here are Some Contrasts with McCain" (August 16, 2008), there was a list of contrasts to John McCain, each one of which could have been elaborated upon to fill an entire article. Some were military, others character, still others "civilian." By all those accounts McCain pales in comparison to Clark.

It could have been added that Clark had several appointments that required Senate approval. McCain never did. Clark was approved by a voice vote of the Republican-controlled Senate to be Supreme Allied Commander Europe. John McCain was part of that Republican-controlled Senate.

But, the selection of Wesley Clark as Barack Obama's VP running mate will have another consequence that the McCain camp could not survive.

Inevitably, inexorably, indubitably the military records of these two men will be opened, examined, sliced and diced and compared by the press. Enormous pressure will build on McCain to sign a release form that allows access to all his military records, a step he has never taken.

Even George W Bush was pressured into releasing his records, and shame on the Kerry campaign for not pointing out, for example, that Bush checked the "no" box when asked if he would volunteer for overseas duty; that Bush decided for himself not to take a physical, the first airman in military history to determine which regulations he would, and would not, follow, and so on.

The pressure on Bush came from his opponent being a war hero himself.

Despite his imprisonment in North Vietnam, there is reason to believe that McCain's entire military record will not look very good compared to Wes Clark's. Included in such documents will be the planes McCain crashed, his overall behavior and demeanor, comments upon his leadership potential by commanding officers, his temper and other events we can only surmise.

The Republican 527s will, as they did with John Kerry, feel compelled to bring down Wes Clark. After all, he was shot in 4 places while he continued to lead his troops out of harm's way and defeat the attacking Viet Cong contingent for which he was awarded a Silver Star. Clark rose in the ranks to become a 4-star General and, as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, conducted the entire Kosovo war without a single US casualty.

Democratic groups will have no choice but to insist that the sun shine on McCain's record as well.

As McCain's military record is shown not to match up to Clark's, his only appeal for the presidency will fade into the shadows.

Comments

[Questinia]

Obama's a poker player. He can bluff. I think Clark's the card he's holding.

[tomjones44]

don't worry, it'll be Clark.

[bujeeboo]

This is very dismaying. Clark has no plans or even an invitation to attend the convention????

WTF is wrong with Obama????

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2008/08/obama_to_genera/

[VSM]

with Clark as VP and Biden as Attorney General, I have no doubt in my mind that Obama and the Dem's will prevail against the evil Rethugs!!!!!!!!!

[RIPRNC]

Oh, man. I hope so.....

[JUSTME]

I know the money's on Biden at the moment, whom I love, but Clark would be my ideal running mate for Obama. He is uber intelligent, experienced, articulate, educated, intellectual, sophisticated, authoritative, thoughtful, and really, really cute. Plus he's married to a girl from Brooklyn. Plus he's a Southerner.

Clark, Clark, Clark.

[NounverbPOW]

I think the really big reason mack fears a Clark VP is that he would have to salute him....

[TheFobster]

If Obama picks Clark as VP I will donate to the campaign for the first time.

[Dreamers101]

I have blogged about this extensively and I believe that Cla"rk is the only VP selection that can put the fear of GO D in the GO P and John Mc"Cain.

Now it would seem if the O camp is seeing things the way this article is pointing out then what the hel l else could be a better argument then making General Wesley Cla"rk the VP selection.

We need to take it to the kn"ees of the GO P and John Mc"Cain and select Wesley Cla"rk as the VP there is noooooooo other choice in my book.

Obama/Clark 08/12 THE OC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AtTheMoon]

OBAMA/CLARK!!!

Clark is supposed to not even be invited to the convention...I hope that's a trick to keep the big news a secret.

[Buddhabman]

Please, Please, Please!

Obama/Clark 08

[warisa4letterword]

My money's on General Clark. He's been extremely quiet and busy lately working on his Securing America's Future website at http://securingamerica.com, which by the way is Wednesday's convention theme. As a Vietnam Veteran, I think he outshines McBush on every level except being a POW. But as Clark has stated eloquently, since when did being shot down in an airplane qualify you to be Commander In Chief? My wife made an extremely important point about McBush yesterday, "McCain's experience as a POW makes him a survivor. And a survivor will almost do anything to survive, even lie and deceive." At a time when most Vets are uneasy about McBush turning his back on them time and again and then taking credit for passing the latest GI Bill, we need a Vice-President who will garner the support of most veteran's groups. And with General Clark on the ticket, it will also send a very clear message to nations around the world that Obama is serious about regaining our respected leadership role that Bush has squandered these last 8 years.

[Dreamers101]

Co-sign AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pilgrim7]

Sounds like a no-brainer.


Obama/Clark '08.

[suigeneris]

I agree with this article 10000%.

Clark is and has always been the best pick for Obama.

But I doubt it's gonna happen. I suspect he'll pick Biden, or a relative unknown. Which is too bad, because he's gonna need the bump this month.

[ryanf1088]

I really hope he picks Clark. No one has been talking about him lately but he really would be the smartest choice. Out of the potential VP picks, the only one that actually stands out popularity wise is Clinton, and she is basically being ruled out for many other reasons. All of the other possible contenders for VP would be around the same popularity wise but choosing Clark would make a complete mockery of McCain's foreign policy credentials.

[armstp]

I attended a recent talk with Mike Murphy argueably one of the most successful Repubican campaign organizers. He said there are two trains of thought in picking a VP.

1) a VP running make has a skill or expertise or experience that the Presidential candidate does not have, so the VP adds some strengthen to the skill set of the Presidential candidate. Clearly, Wes Clarke fits into this camp.

or

2) the VP candidate is a purely political choice that can help the President win a state or region. ie. win Virgina, or Colorado or is from the South. Clarke clearly does not fit into this category.

It depends on all the dynamics of the campaign on who will help to win more, but most agree that the purely political choice of helping to win a state such as Virgina is the better way to go in a close election.

So although Clarke is a great add for military experience, he will not necessarily bring any electorial college votes, which is really what the election is all about and not popular vote.

[Dreamers101]

Thanks and no disrespect but a Republican strategy is best left in the dust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RRK70]

I disagree on your second point. Just because Clark does not have a geographic base does not mean he would not bring in voters. Clark, IMHO, would be a huge demographic bump for "security" voters and independents.

[longbeachmike]

Gotta say, although i like Webb better, one thing that Clark as a pick would mean is, a Senate seat would not be threatened, so it does make some sense.

[martinspringfield]

Clark is to the left of Webb on every issue, although Webb was much more decisive on the stupidity of the Iraq War. Otherwise, Webb is a good deal more to the right than I think most people here realize. Such is the power of Bush to turn even staunch Republicans into Democrats.

Clark brings much more to the table than that. Unlike Webb, he was wounded in battle - something McCain can't say. He was also leading decisively when he was shot and continued to do so until his men were safe and victorious. Again, something neither McCain nor Webb can claim.

Beyond that, McCain says he knows how to win wars, but he never has, the only war he was involved in we lost, and he himself showed no aptitude for anything but getting unwarranted career advancement and wrecking planes. Clark won a war and in a Phelpsian fashion - a marathon of diplomacy and strategic planning, no casualties, and it was the only war in history fought to stop genocide against a third party (that is, a war even peaceniks should have embraced).

[martinspringfield]

If we're talking electoral vote attractiveness, I think you underestimate the ability of a Southern military man to help out in the South and West.

But if that's what's most important, then Brian Schweitzer is the man. And Joe Biden is the worst pick possible since the Northeast is more solidly blue now than the South is red.