Clark’s Clunker

In response to those who defended Clark's comments as being taken out of context, Rick Klein says: "I would also add that Obama and his campaign do not seem to care about that particular nuance, in its tough denunciation of Clark’s sentiments."

This is more evidence that Obama directed Clark's comments to establish a false foil in advance of his patriotism speech. Is it not curious to anyone else that Obama did not even try to at least explain, mitigate or contextualize in any way Clark's statements -- which were made in his capacity as an Obama surrogate? He could have done so -- but instead seized the opportunity to distance himself from Clark "full stop" -- on his terms, in his way, in the comfort of his own scripted speech. Just the way he planned it.

Clark has no desire to be VP -- he is loyal to Hillary. So he would be quite willing to throw himself under the bus to facilitate Obama's attack on McCain.

When will the media wake up? You are being played!! And we all will pay the price for your collective ignorance.

On wonders if the right to blog should be extended to the political director of a news organization when he issues statements like:

"Find me a single Democrat who thinks it’s good politics to call into question the military credentials of a man who spent five-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war."

Objection, Your Honor. The question calls for inadmissible opinion. testimony (or inadmissible speculation) on the part of the witness... and he, a bona fide journalist for a major network.

Mr.Klein responds to General Clark's statements with a pounce on their political acuity rather than examining them for accuracy. Mainstream media should be above this destructive pattern of trying to create controversy rather than analyzing a statement on its merits.

nice post Dr. zoon.

also, Hoosier sue makes some good points.

if we look at the two posts together, maybe it indicates that another dialogue about what constitutes patriotism is trying to emerge. i.e. the historical trend of well known american social progressives--most of them martyred--that fought for higher principles embedded in the Constitution.

the flip-flop percieved is perhaps the price to pay to the "shut up and salute" brand of patriotism that has seized the electorate for quite a long while.

Perhaps after a little flag waving, a socially progressive president (Obama?) calculates to take "the presumption of the strong executive" and the rest of the war-mongering masses into an entirely different, but esteemed version of what constitutes national service.

But it is certainly an open question as to whether the americans are emotionally and intellectually mature enough to 1) remember their history and in so doing, 2)recognize the United States history of progressive and populist political movements has been an engine for innovation in the past when this nation has been in crisis.

my god folks...

seriously, how in the world does being shot down and doing five years as a POW translate into a Commander In Chief promotion?

It doesn't say he isn't a patriot... but its not informative to us as voters.

i mean... seriously... have we forgotten that he voted for this war... and still thinks its a good war for us to fight? THAT ALONE should tell us that being a POW might actually be a warning sign!

Obama supporters seem almost unanimous in their assertion that Clark said nothing wrong, didn't attack McCain's military service, and only spoke the truth.

So tell me please how you can support a man who folds so completely and quickly at the whiff of an unpopular stance? If Clark said nothing wrong then shouldn't Obama support his statement rather than make political hay out of it by throwing Clark under the bus? Where exactly is the "bottom line" for Obama, that point at which he stands firmly and strong? We certainly haven't seen it yet - all we've seen is FlipFlopFlipFlop... "that's not the (fill in the blank) I knew"... "I reject that statement"... and on and on.

Who is this guy? He's just another politician who'll say and do anything to win. Time to wipe the stars out of your eyes and face facts. Before this is over, he'll throw you all under the bus if that's what it takes to win.

Clark is a good politician, though. He still managed to NOT answer the first part of the question "Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences, either"... in other words what are Obama's experiences that qualify him to be the commander in chief?

The silence is deafening!

That last bit where Schieffer starts with "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down" is pretty darn important context, don't you think? It's kind of a shame that the original story ran without it, making it seem like Clark came up with the phrasing himself.

Didn't get past the first line, nor did I get past the second comment...Did Klein or comment poster #2 even read what Clark said? He asked if McCain's suffering qualified him to be president? He complimented the man, then asked an obvious question during a presidential campaign. Use facts, Klein. And if his service is his sole qualification comment boy #2, why'd you vote for Bush?

Westley Clark is some kind of hero. He spent one month as a Captain in combat in Vietnam was wounded and never exposed to combat again. He was barley in combat long enough to get the Combat Infantryman's Badge he wears so proudly.
A man's military record speaks volumes about his character. John McCain is so much more a soldier than Westley Clark. This Westpoint reject has ruined any chace he had to be a VP. Just goes to show you how much character he has.

First of all, I'd say that Lt General Wesley Clark outranks Capt. McCain and can say he anything he damn well pleases.

Secondly, I'd like to know how crashing 5 airplanes qualifies you to be President of the United States.

McCain crashed five U.S. Navy
aircraft as Student, Pilot
and Combat Pilot.

He doesn't inspire enough
confidence to be considered
for POTUS.

Not what anyone wants to say out loud, but it's true. getting shot down will not help him figure out this awful ecomomy, the falling dollar or energy problem. it's not at all relevent and mcCain has admitted himself he doesn't know how wallstreet works and the economy is not his strong point. Why is this man the republican nominee?

“Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” ....it's one of those things that nobody wants to bluntly say, but it's 100% true.

Clark's comments were right on the money,.although I like, admire and respect John McCain very much, his war time experience, although very honorable and impressive, does not in my opinion, make him better equipped to be commander and chief. After all we have learned about the reason's for going into Iraq, he still thinks it was the proper decision to go into Iraq. In my opinion , he, as most Republicans do, has bad judgment when it comes to foreign affairs. He is liable to get us into another extremely costly and unnecessary war, much more so, than Obama. Wesley Clark also said the following "n the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk," Clark said "It's a matter of gauging your opponents, and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war." . Wesley Clark was not disrespecting John McCain, he was stating that his experiences do not make him better qualified to be commander and chief. I for one totally agree with Wesley Clark's statements, and I hope he does not apologize, he did nothing wrong. I want somebody in the White House that has good judgment, and in my opinion, Obama fits that criteria much better than McCain.

Being a failed NATO commander didn't qualify Wes for president.
He wrongly supported Hillary (oops, guessed wrong, poor political instincts) and has now ended any chance he had in an Obama administration.
However, he won't be alone. He has his ego to keep him company.

Being a failed NATO commander didn't qualify Wes for president.
He wrongly supported Hillary (oops, guessed wrong, poor political instincts) and has now ended any chance he had in an Obama administration.
However, he won't be alone. He has his ego to keep him company.

Make room for one more under the bus!
It's a general this time, mind you.

"Yes, his military service is part of his stock campaign biography, but McCain is not running on that record nearly as much as he’s running on his service in Congress."

Well, it's also part of the stock footage he uses in his campaign ads! Haven't you seen them? Black & white footage, McCain lying on a stretcher, giving his military id number? Or how about the most recent one where McCain says he hates war and he should know since he's been there, done that.

McCain is running on his war hero status! It's really all he has since he's reversed himself so many times on so many issues: taxes, immigration, torture, offshore drilling, overturning Roe v. Wade, etc. etc. and supports this war based on a lie.

I have requested to have my email address removed from Hillary website. I could not stand to read what she asks for: Unity! and vote for Obama???? HELL NO!

So Republicans can Swiftboat John Kerry, but Dems can't do the same thing to John McCain? Stop whining, you hypocrites. The fact is, John McSame had the opportunity to shut down this line of attack in 2004, when Swiftvets were smearing his friend John Kerry. But McCain chose to remain silent and sell out his fellow veteran, so frankly I have no sympathy for the guy. He deserves all the criticism that comes his way and then some. He's a creep.