Reply #84: will or can? [View All]

[Donna Zen]

This thread is devoted to the premise that General Clark can win.

First, I think we must face what will be coming at us by next Spring. The regimes friends will be hiring, if only for the short term, to move the numbers. Also, they will do everything they can to make the economy look like one on the rebound. They have the money and they can do it.

The corporate media can not be taken too lightly...not at all. Iraq could be in flames with 50,000 dead Americans lying in the streets and they will avoid reporting the fact. Shit, they are hardly talking now. Oh sure, we will know...but then we are just a focus group.

Top that with the political pulpit.

That means perception is everything. Will a General take your guns away? Who is better on national security?

Read the Prospect article posted in the thread re: Clinton's advice on how to win.

By taking national security off the table, the electorate is free to look at our issues. Clark is liberal on our issues as is the electorate.

Clark makes bushco fight for many states, especially those in the heartland that he now takes for granted. The South? While it is hard to say for sure, we could put up a good fight for Arkansas and Tennessee.

My experience with moderate reps has been that they don't appreciate the rightwing, religion-driven social agenda. It scares them. They are aware that we are now hated world wide. That creeps them out.

Clinton talks about the "sweet spot" of American politics, that 10% of the swing voters. Both parties will be fighting for it. I was also reading about this same demographic in Miller's "The 2% Solution." We need that vote to win. The question is who can take it? Personally, I think Clark is the only Dem in the race who can both hold the blue states and get enough of the swing voters to put a D on the White House door. I believe that even knowing what will be thrown at us, because perceptions are going to be very important in this race.

BTW, I do not dismiss a few of the other candidates as being able to make the right moves to change my take, but I'd prefer to hedge my bets. Also, I've looked at the policies and history of the major players, and I am perfectly satisfied with Clark's liberal credentials.

Last, it is important that whoever gets the nomination and then the win, be able to govern. They need to understand the inside moves and have the allies they will need to make something happen for the progressive movement. I give Clark the nod on that count as well.