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Edited on Fri Oct-22-04 12:02 PM by DancingBear
Wednesday night Mrs. DB and I (along with friends) attended a fundraiser for James Socas (running for Congress in VA District 10) - Wes Clark was the guest speaker. Here is my report:
The event was held at the former home of James Madison in McLean, VA. Food and drink were provided, and it was held under a large heated tent. Despite rainy weather, about 500 people attended.
First off, James Socas is a fabulous candidate. He gave a short speech on the war on terror, and equated Bush's response to how the U.S. responded after Pearl Harbor. Three years after Pearl Harbor, Socas said, the United States was able to generate a booming wartime economy, and working almost solely with Great Britain was able to engage and (eventually) defeat two world powers bent on world domination. He then asked, "In the three years after 9/11, what have we done under George Bush? We've arrested Cat Stevens at the airport." Nice.
Then it was time for Wes. For those of you who remember Wes from the primaries this is a different man up there now. All those months on the road talking in front of people and answering questions has fine-tuned his message now into laser-sharp focus. He spoke eloquently of the three pronged tool kit that a President needs to carry (political, diplomatic, and military components), and spoke of how Bush has failed miserably on the political and diplomatic side. He addressed the “why change horses in the middle of a stream” Repug argument beautifully (“because if you don’t – you’ll drown”). He told a story of an officer friend of his living in Alabama, and how some people just personally like George Bush (“I don’t understand why that is, but they genuinely like him, and the more you speak ill of him the more they like him"). The officer’s wife was also fond of Bush, but Wes relayed that she said that if Bush wins again “he’ll have to get rid of that Rumsfeld fellow – he’s no good!” (laughter) Clark used this story to tell the crowd to not try and change these folks – it will do more harm than good. Do not, he says, look to solely engage those with yard signs or bumper stickers. Instead, find those who show no outward support for Bush, and talk with them. Do not preach, but have your facts at the ready. He spoke a bit as to how he engages these folks, and all I can say if we could get Wes to speak to every undecided voter in America Kerry would carry 100% of their vote.
Clark then turned his attention to September 11th. What he said next was what we have been waiting to hear for months. As best as I recall, it went like this:
“Mr. Bush talks all the time of protecting us from another 9/11. Many people out there are afraid to say this, but I’m not. John can’t say it, but I can. 9/11 could have been prevented, and with the right administration in place it would have been”.
The room erupted. Wes then continued on for about 10 minutes and gave the most forceful denunciation of this administration that it has been my privilege to hear. When he finished, the roar was deafening, and the spirit in that room was enough to make you walk on air. Everyone stayed to shake his hand, and I was lucky enough to have him sign a copy of “Winning Modern Wars” that I brought along.
Friends, don’t worry about Wes Clark. He is doing exactly what he said he would – working like hell to bring America back home. What you saw on Paula Zahn yesterday is but a glimmer of what he is doing every day, for candidates half of us have never heard of. He is running at full throttle, and just because you don’t hear of him on the news does not mean he is not out there.
He is.
Is he ever.
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