He is sounding more and more like a candidate.
Bush best beware…
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/08/17/sprj.irq.clark.comments/index.html
While he hasn’t said which party he is affliated with I think he could give Bush a run for his money as a republican.
He is one many the pubbies can’t call soft on military matters.
Let the pubbies be on their toes.
I don’t know if he will run, but I have the feeling that none of the current contenders will be the actual nominee. Someone will come from left field at the end of the year.
He was often rapped for being a “political general”, but this may serve him well in a campaign for nomination.
My guess is he’s really running for a Cabinet job, or possibly VP.
Yep. I think he’s positioning himself for VP. And he’d make a fine one - just the thing that a Democrat needs to go at Bush.
I think the ‘nightmare ticket’ that Bush would really have to sweat about would be someone like Dean/Clark. Dean’s biggest flaw is his lack of foreign policy experience and his shrill criticism of what a lot of the people in the red states see as Bush’s sincere attempt to protect the country.
For Dean to have any chance, he needs someone like Clark. Someone who can reassure soccer moms that defense is well cared for, and who can bring aboard independents.
Dean sounds far to the left right now, because he’s smart enough to realize that you have to portray yourself that way to win the nomination. My prediction: the shrill attacks on Bush will continue right up to the Democratic nomination, which Dean will win.
As soon as the convention is over, Dean will move right back to the center. He’ll emphasize things like his fiscal conservatism, his pro-gun rights positions, and other things that will appeal to the center. That will help, but it will still leave him very weak on foreign policy, at a time when security is THE issue.
Enter Clark - a minor run at the nomination makes him a household name, and the emphasis on his military expertise and management skills during the campaign positions him as the strongest candidate on foreign policy. He joins the Dean ticket, and you’ve got the whole meal deal.
Bush is still a favorite to win. A heavy favorite, in fact. Americans don’t like to change presidents in the middle of a war, and most people think he’s been doing the right things. His approval ratings are a solid 60%, and they have stabilized at that and don’t seem to move. So you’ve got to call him the heavy favorite.
But Dean/Clark could give him a run.
Wesley Clark strikes this particular Australian is a fine and honourable man. I’ve seen him interviewed on a number of occasions in documentarys on things like the Serbian/NATO campaign of 1999. He appeared to myself at least, as an unusually worldy, and compassionate man - given his vocation and field of expertise.
“His approval ratings are a solid 60%, and they have stabilized at that and don’t seem to move”
http://pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm
Actually Bush’s approval ratings have levelled in the 55-60 zone which strikes me as being distinctly mediocre.
I don’t think he is remotely close to being a “heavy favorite”.
http://pollingreport.com/wh04gen.htm
His numbers against individual Democrats are very good but they are largely meaningless since the field is large unknown right now. Against a generic democrat he scores 48-40 and 43-38. Both the Bush numbers are below 50 and such margins could easily be wiped out during a campaign. In fact IIRC Bush had a bigger margin against Gore early in the last campaign.
I agree that Clark is the top choice for VP for the Dems ( though Graham would also be good if he could deliver Florida). I think Dean, Kerry and Edwards would all have a good shot at beating Bush with Clark as VP.
While I agree that Dean/Clark would make a good ticket, I’m not sure that they could win with Dean at the top of the ticket. I don’t think that Clark would enter the race just to get a VP spot.
I saw the interview with Clark on CNN yesterday (starts about 40% down the page). This was the first time that I have seen him really fired up instead of his usual calm, measured demeanor. After seeing the interview, I’m fairly confident that he will enter the race for president. I think that Clark has the best (and perhaps only) chance of beating Bush. Clark would be the perfect candidate to take the wind out of Bush’s reelection rhetoric. He would definitely run as a democrat and could even get some crossover votes from republicans who are disappointed with Bush.
The draft Wesley Clark campaign has already gotten pledges for $600,000 and is running TV and radio ads for Clark even before he is an announced candidate. If Clark announces soon, there should be enough time for him to raise plenty of money for the primaries.
Wesley Clark has absolutely no chance at the Democratic nomination for President. The first primaries are less than six months away and he has very little organization, no name recognition and no money. His adversaries are months ahead of him in the race, plus huge advantages in name recognition and money. He has no experience in running for office and has not even decided if he will run. Al Sharpton has a better chance.
As for Clark for VP, no VP candidate has made any difference in the outcome of an election since maybe LBJ in 60. My personal theory is that he is running for Secretary of Defense or State. I think the Dem nominee will do a Mondale and pick some underqualified woman or minority for VP.
I still think Clark is waiting for the proper strategic moment to formally announce his candidacy. Right now he’s getting a fair amount of exposure through his lecture tour and his CNN gig–and through the waves of speculation which his lack of an announcement is generating.
In the meantime, Clark’s free (to him) grass-roots movement has assembled enough funds to air commercials in support of his potential candidacy in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Arkansas.
The California recall hype will be over in October. Clark’s personal friend, Bill Clinton, didn’t announce his own candidacy until October of 1991. Normally I would guess Clark will do the same, but just the other day he [url=http://www.msnbc.com/news/953102.asp?cp1=1]said he would make his decision in the next few weeks.
Clark said he’d make his decision in the next few weeks, but that doesn’t mean that he’s going to instantaneously announce it. I seem to recall Joe Biden saying something similar on Hardball about a month ago.
As far as Clark as a presidential candidate… meh, he’d be dead in the water. Not many people know who he is. He certainly can’t run as a Republican (although that’d be fun 
) and he’s already at a disadvantage if he joins the Democratic Circus.
I do, however, get excited about a Dean/Clark ticket. After Dean gets the Democratic nod, he’ll start heading back towards the right, and so issues like defense and homeland security will be discussed to death. A general and NATO Supreme Allied Commander (which is a kickass title, BTW) would go far in silencing any critics. Plus, he’s nominally Southern, which is where Dean is weak (although I’ll grant the caveat mentioned earlier, that no one votes for a campaign because of a VP. Still, Clark couldn’t hurt Dean there).
Add Biden to the mix, and I don’t know what to do. He’s got Dean’s brusqueness coupled with smooth politickin’ skillz, he’s got gonzo foreign policy experience, and he’s moderate enough to soothe the DNC. Could be interesting…
I need to read more about Dean I guess. But I ask who would Bush least want to run against. My guess is that Clark is that person.
Sure, if the economy stays horrible and nothing happens to give Bush a boost, Dean or some dem could beat him. But regardless, Clark has shown me that he will take Bush to task, win or lose. And that may be the most important thing IMO to wake up America.
We don’t need sheep anymore.
I note that this is a slow thread. I think that the consensus is that Clark will probably run for something.
Until we hear for sure, I would like to ask the hard core liberals who have been absent from this thread (except for the OP who has not returned) what they think. Do you want someone who is as far left as you, or someone that can defeat Bush?
The way things are going…people are waking up. Small town editorials are calling Bush to task. Jobs disappearing left and right. The rich reaping tremendous benefits from his tax cuts. Programs being cut to the bone. Deficits growing larger every day. Our brave soldiers suffering from lack of planning in Iraq. More and more casualties every day.
Bozo the clown could beat bush.
Last I heard, Bozo the Clown is not running. Y’all big “L” liberals have to make your chioce.
The General: Is Wesley Clark the one man who could make W’s political life interesting?
From page nine.
I don’t know why people call me a liberal. I don’t see myself as a liberal. Nor am I a conservative. I see what I think are wrongs. I see people hurt, I see our country hurt. Usually for monetary gain. And it bugs the hell out of me.
How can any one, conservative or liberal look around and say…Things are great! Don’t change a thing!
It’s sad.
If the Democrats go in with that attitude, Bush is going to win. Bush is beatable, but this is going to be a close race.
Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and throw your hat in the ring? It would be interesting to see if you are up to Bozo standards.