Clark/Obama 2008

[beaconess]

Discuss

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Gore/Clark or Gore/Obama

Neither Clark nor Obama has enough experience to understand how the White House works. It takes years to learn that, and would come with missteps.

[DesertRat]

3. I agree. Gore/Clark or Gore/Obama

As long as Gore is re-elected President.:bounce:

[eallen]

4. That has been true of most US presidents, good and bad. I don't see it as issue.

Except for those who previously were VPs, few US presidents knew "how the White House works." I don't see how that is much an issue. That's placing concern with in-place bureaucracy over policy. We have had several presidents who previously were highly-ranked generals: Washington, Grant, Taylor, and Eisenhower come to mind.

[beaconess]

6. What kind of background trains anyone on "how the White House works?"

except previous experience as President, Vice President, Cabinet Secretary or White House staffer?

[rocktivity]

8. Gore/Clark would mean two southerners

Which the GOP could take advantage of. I could go go Gore if he ran with, say a Feingold.

:headbang:
rocknation

[beaconess]

27. It worked for Clinton and Gore

[FrenchieCat]

20. Oh, I don't know about that. Clark was a White House Fellow

in the Budget office.

CLark also did an awful lot of his own executive work.....so in terms of management, he has more experience in that arena than most senators who's only executive work would be managing their relatively small senate staff.....which compared to what the executive branch has is barely anything.

I think you overrestimate what "experience" to understand the White House and "How it works" really means....and who truly possesses that experience.

[LeighAnn]

2. Yes, that's the ticket I want. eom

[rocktivity]

5. Been there, done it

and made the banner as my first official act after my Election '06 gloating!

A perfectly balanced ticket, with Clark providing military knowhow and real leadership qualities, Obama bringing in minorites, the young, and ALL religious moderates, and both appealing to women. Most important, neither will put up with any right wing/right wing media crap!

:bounce:
rocknation

[wellstone dem]

7. This ticket could give us 16 years in the white house

I could retire with Dems in the White House. Now there's a life goal.

[dmosh42]

9. Clark is the most accomplished of any candidate!

Having served as 'supreme commander of NATO' and directing the effort on Kosovo and Bosnia was a tremendous logistical undertaking, and most important, he was successful!

[Southsideirish]

10. Gore/Kaptur. (Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Ohio.)

[wndycty]

11. Obama/Clark or Clark/Obama either way I'm happy

:kick:

[greenman3610]

12. Definitely - Clark is the dark horse that the talkers don't talk about

He has the experience to be a Democratic
Eisenhower.
VP is the right step for Obama.

[MeanBone]

13. Don't put the charisma on the bottom of the ticket.

A lesson we should have learned from 2004: Charisma belongs at the top of the ticket, in the spotlight. People might be reassured by an impressive resume on the bottom of the ticket, but ultimately they're going to vote for the presidential candidate whom they connect with more.

[Bombtrack]

14. There's nothing to indicate an Edwards-at-the-top ticket could have done even as well as Kerry

I love when the "one thing to be learned from 2004" always happens to be the utterly baseless/unprovable notion you happen to need to use to discourage an idea you don't like.

[Jai4WKC08]

15. My neighbor's golden retriever connects with people well

I don't think they'd vote for him.

Obviously the guy at the top of the ticket can't be aloof or unreachable. His (or her) charisma is important. But it's not enough by itself. It's an even bigger mistake to have the knowledge and experience in the #2 spot. That's the Bush/Cheney model. It doesn't work.


Clark has plenty of charisma for the top spot. And the ability/knowledge/experience to be the best damn commander-in-chief we've had in over 50 years -- something we'll need with the mess that Bush will leave behind.

[wellstone dem]

28. You must never have heard Clark speak.

The man is amazing. See him live if you have a chance. He says what needs to be said, with passion, with clarity, with gravitas, and with charisma.

[bigriver]

16. NO.

One is inexperienced, the other's never been elected.

[Jai4WKC08]

17. Never having been elected is a plus

Clark is not a politician and he doesn't act like one. I like that. Most voters like that.

Most people place a helluva lot more faith in military officers than they do in elected officials, and for very good reason.

[bigriver]

21. "Most people place a helluva lot more faith in military officers than they do in elected officials"

Don't believe that's the case. Otherwise Tammy Duckworth would be elected.

[Jai4WKC08]

26. Duckworth ran in a heavily Republican district

She did better than any Democrat had previously.

There are plenty of polls that show people have more respect for and trust in the military than in any political institution (such as Congress). Google is your friend.

[Tom Rinaldo]

32. Here is a relevent survey: "Overall Confidence in Leadership by Sector"

This is taken from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government's Center for Public Leadership Report:

"National Leadership Index 2006"
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/leadership/nli/

"A year ago, in the first national study of confidence in leadership, two-thirds of people across the United States said that there is a leadership crisis in our country, and nearly three-quarters said that unless our leaders improve, the U.S. would decline as a nation. A year later, this second study finds, confidence in American leaders has deteriorated even further: now some 70% believe there is a leadership crisis in the United States today. The pages that follow chronicle an unhappy moment in our national life. Just look at the National Leadership Index for 2006, a ranking of the public’s confidence in the leadership of the 11 major sectors of society. Americans say they have more than a moderate amount of confidence in only two of the 11 sectors: the military and medicine. All other sectors of leadership fail to win even a moderate amount of confidence."

The Military is top ranked for "Overall Confidence in Leadership" in this survey. Local Government comes in at number six, the highest rating for government at any level. State Government ranks seventh, Congress ranks ninth, and the Executive Branch ranks tenth out of the eleven categories presented.

And who occupies the basement? The Press.

[jen4clark]

19. one of the problems

in our government is too many "professional" politicians. Clark has all the experience necessary to excel at the position, and after 8 years, Obama would be ready to fill the seat.

[jen4clark]

18. I see this ticket.

As someone upthread said, that would put Dems in the WH for 16 years!

[Odin2005]

22. Gore/Obama, with Clark as Secretary of Defense

Appoint John Edwards to be the Attorney General

I would like Bill Clinton to be the Sec. of State, but I highly doubt that would happen.

[Sparkly]

23. I could see Clark/a LOT of people.

He's strong enough for any number of VP picks, and I do like Obama.

What I'm sick of is "A LOT of people/Clark," on the excuse that he makes up for their lack of gravitas in foreign policy, military, diplomatic, national security areas...

(So the supposed domestic 'experts' are Commander in Chief, while a commander runs the Senate...!)

Clark/Anybody He Wants.

[Schema Thing]

24. Clark/Anyone = best potus ever

ok, not really anyone, but you get the idea.


A Clark/Obama ticket would probably get more votes than any other ticket I can imagine right now.

[election_2004]

25. Clark/Sebelius or Clark/Napolitano

Or would Clark/Feingold be asking too much?

[Tinksrival]

29. Butter

I would melt.....

[fuzzyball]

30. Hillary/Bayh will be the ticket...

you heard it here first.

[NV1962]

31. Clark/Ficus

Say yes to leafy green plants for veep! Heck, you can kick a sack of potatoes onto the ticket with Wes Clark and still make mashed potatoes of whatever is run as the opposing team... Chuck Norris had better say his prayers!

(Sorry, I'm getting a bit silly 'cuz I'm sleepy. Have a good one all!)

[dae]

33. Clark/His Choice; could be Bayh, or Bill Richardson, or

whoever looks best at that point in time. I just want the General in the top slot"."