Reply #23: Wes Clark [View All]

Wes Clark has a collection of life experiences that make him at least as qualified, if not more so, than any candidate in the race. Besides the obvious military experience, he was one of the chief negotiators of the Dayton Peace Accord, he's got a masters degree in economics with experience in investment banking, as well as at least some experience as board chairman of a clean energy technology development firm. His military career has left him with a significant amount of experience in social service administration, and his record is notable for improvements in education and family well-being in his commands.

Clark is solidly in the democratic camp in our core values. He supports reproductive rights, supports reform or repeal of the Patriot Act, supports the goal of universal health care, and quality in education. He's filed briefs in the USSC supporting affirmative action. He opposes ANWR drilling, supports energy conservation programs, and believes global warming to require action. He believes gun ownership is best left up to the states and people, but thinks that those who really, really like assault weapons ought to join the Army.

In foreign policy, he has a track record of working against genocide and tyranny, while supporting multilateralism and a return to America's traditional foreign policy. While he sheds no tears about Saddam Hussein's loss of employment, he opposed, and opposes, the lack of truth and zealotry by which the government went to war. With 60-70% of people still supporting, at least retrospectively, the war with Iraq, Clark can provide criticism tempered with impeccable credentials of working for national security, as well as a track record of fighting evil-doers and other beasties. And even Karl Rove is going to have to work hard at smearing the patriotism of a general of full rank.

Clark is also , the candidate most likely to have the right combination of qualities to be able to both win the election and win the bully pulpit. While I realize that this is subjective, Clark seems to be making the most effort to pawn off (correctly) moderately liberal stances as being representative of the ideals of mainstream America. This, in combination with the partially-correct perception of Clark coming in as an outsider, would lead to him being able to push hard at a Congress that at best will be closely divided. Charisma is also subjective, but the guy's worked as a television personality.

All that, and he's a Catholic from a swing state.