Will the General Run?

[Sugarcoated]

Anyone know the chances of Wes running? Has he dropped any hints?

[Quixote1818]

1. Their was a thread a month or so back that suggested he would run

He kept using words like "next time" and talked about the mistakes he made and how he would do things differently. Their were a lot of freudian slips in it that suggested he was going to run. Seems he may have actually hinted that he would as well.

[Sugarcoated]

5. Thanks Quixote

I just hope he can beat out Hillary for the nomination. For all the media hype, she doesn't seem all that popular around here, or with the Dems I know here in the Philly area.

[capi888]

7. The GOP wants Hillary to run and

have the Media running with it. When a poll is given, they recognize Hills name...thats it. They know Kerry, Edwards, Clinton...most people are familier with those names and its all in how they ask the questions...like If condi and hillary were running on the ticket who whould you vote for....misleading questions....so to much going on now to decide WHO is going to be out front...in 2008...not the time..we have a constitutional crises going on right now to pick a candidate. Gen clark is working to get a new Congress in right now, and talking to the sheeple that will listen to the Dems instead of the RW blabber...he is working it....

[Sugarcoated]

12. Quixote -

do you have a link to that thread?

[Quixote1818]

14. No, but read this

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/010395.html

Sunday :: April 17, 2005
Looks Like Wesley Clark Is In For 2008
The California State Democratic Convention took place this weekend. CVCobb01 live-blogged Wesley Clark's speech and sat next to Clark's media advisor. He reports that Clark all but announced he is running in 2008 - enough so that he feels comfortable presenting it as fact:

I was going to put a question mark in the title after talking with General Clark's media advisor Eric. But I didn't hear the question mark. None of us did. I believe Clark announced his candidacy.

Ezra Klein is very enthusiastic about a Clark 2008 run:

Looking back, there's little doubt in my mind that, had Clark entered the primaries when Dean did, he would've won them. I'm also convinced that Kerry/Clark rather than Kerry/Edwards would have taken home the presidential bacon. Kerry thought his resume enough to prove his national security cred; he was wrong.

....Happily, Clark oozes military. It's impossible to imagine the guy anywhere else. And that's the key thing for a Democrat right now. We've got a persistent advantage on domestic issues and the credibility we've built there is attached to the party, any nominee can use it. What we don't have is a party-wide credibility on national security issues; that needs to be brought my the nominee. Luckily, Clark brings it.

I'm a big supporter of Wesley Clark on domestic issues. He's far more enlightened than most Democrats on criminal justice issues (Kucinich excepted, but Kucinich has no chance):

I'm concerned about the lock-up policy, the 3-strikes policy, putting people in jails and the way we've treated people in prison. We've got to look seriously at the American penal system and what it does when it returns people.to the streets." Source: WBUR Public Radio interview Jun 19, 2003

Here's how he would amend the Patriot Act, in his own words:

I will suspend the portions of the Patriot Act that have to do with search and seizure law, and we'll go back to old way with probable cause and judges and warrants, and then we'll take the whole act back to the Congress for legislative review. We will have all the authority we need to protect the country from terrorists, but you can't win the war on terror by giving up the very freedoms we're fighting to protect.

On the death penalty: He's as close as we're going to get to an opponent of the death penalty. He's in favor of a moratorium and he's opposed except in extraordinary cases.

He's open to medical marijuana, although not a supporter.

On the military front, Clark said in 2003 that he'd fire Rumsfeld. He had a three point plan for catching Osama.

And for those who doubt his passion or ability to move a crowd, see my account of the reaction to his speech at the Democratic Convention in Boston last summer.

Posted Sunday :: April 17, 2005| Elections 2008

[Sugarcoated]

15. This gets my hopes up, thanks again!

Besides all the accolades and obvious pluses about this guy, my gut tells me he's "the one"

[niyad]

2. why would anyone want him?

[Quixote1818]

4. Why would anyone not want him? nt

[RagingInMiami]

9. I'll take him

[KT2000]

16. Have you listened

to him speak? He hits the marks and has an inspiring quality that makes you believe this country does have ideals we can work for. This is what this country needs more than anything. We have it within ourselves to be better people and a better country.

I am on board with him!

[capi888]

3. He Said,

He doesn't rule anything out! Said it many times, as everyone is asking. Draws tons of people and is very active helping other candidates for the 2006 elections. Lots depends on the 2006 election...getting rid of the corruption in the Congress! He is stumping for many of the State congressmen running on the Dem ticket in 2006!

[Sugarcoated]

6. I used to debate silly ass Repubs

deep in the heart of the south (online) and he was the one candidate they had little or no smear to work with.

[enid602]

8. combination

How about Clark as President (to figure out the foreign relations mess) and Hillary as VP (to solve the healthcare crisis)?

[RagingInMiami]

10. Great idea

And a great way to sell the ticket.

[Sugarcoated]

11. Hillary is so polarizing but

that could be a very powerful ticket. National health care was one of the things I liked about the Clintons - not a big fan of them mostly.

[enid602]

13. polarizing

Don't forget that one of the most polarizing things Hillary did (and she was lambasted for it) was to point out a 'vast right wing conspiracy.' How many people are laughing at her now? I daresay (in retrospect) that she underestimated the danger.

[roguevalley]

17. everyone who comes to my house sees a sign in the front window

that says Impeach Bush, Clark in 2008. :)

[Centrism]

18. ?

Didn't get it

[shenmue]

19. I hope he does

I liked him.

[democrank]

20. I supported Clark in `04

and hope he runs in `08.

I remember how stunned I was when I first heard him speak because I wasn`t expecting his combination of military experience and populist leanings. The extent to which he grasps international and domestic issues is impressive and his willingness to give straight answers on tough topics is refreshing. His wife, Gert, is a gem.