Reply #196: Where to begin? [View All]

There are so many reasons that Wes Clark is the right choice I don’t know where to begin.

It would be a ticket of extraordinary substance (and quite frankly I think many Americans are coming to realize what happens when you elect a moron to office). However, unfortunately for many Americans it still comes down to which party does the better job of marketing its ticket. From a marketing standpoint , it would be one heck of an inspiring ticket. The battle between the war heroes and the chicken hawks, between two guys that have served their country for many years (they just took two different paths of public service) versus two guys who have shamelessly used their positions as elected officials to raid the U.S. treasury for themselves and their cronies. (Clark can really hammer this home. Soldiers - husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers - have died in Iraq because they didn‘t have the necessary protective equipment, while Halliburton has reaped millions in illegal profits and Bush’s brother has made millions from selling educational software as part of the “leave no child behind” mandate. Clark can sell this outrage to the American public better than anyone because the Republicans won‘t be successful in alleging that the accusations are nothing more than politics as usual. In addition, Kerry’s own outrage against the Bush administration will also be viewed in a more “genuine light” and not just politics as usual.)

Kerry and Clark both have heroic Vietnam stories (in addition, at 53 years old Clark rappelled down a cliff, under fire, in an attempt to aid those whose vehicle had rolled over a cliff). The Republicans try to paint Kerry as a boring, aloof, rich, liberal guy from the northeast. It will be hard to carry that off with this type of ticket. When Clark says a guy like Kerry didn’t have to go to Vietnam (but he did), he didn’t have to spend years trying to pass legislation for working Americans (but he did) that really means something. It rings true because it is coming from a non-politician like Clark.

It will turn the old “Democrats are weak on national security” meme on its head. National security concerns are going to be a major election issue for years to come. Yes Bush shamelessly uses fear to garner votes. However, Americans have reason to be afraid (even many Democrats are on record stating it is not if we have another terrorist attack but when). The Democrats have got to be able to own this issue. They have a golden opportunity to do so with a Kerry/Clark ticket. By putting Clark on the ticket Kerry demonstrates that he gets it - that national security is a major issue - and that he will do something about it. As Rove plays the fear card it will be the war heroes who reap the electorial benefit, not the chicken hawks.

Clark can close the deal for Kerry. They always say that you can judge a man by the company he keeps. I think many people on the fence will look at Kerry’s VP pick as evidence of the type of man Kerry is. The Republicans want to use the VP to reinforce the negative images they have tried to attach to Kerry. Clark reinforces the positives about John Kerry. When Clark compares his record of service and dedication to the country to Kerry‘s service in the senate, stating that they took different paths but fulfilled the same objective, it casts Kerry’s senate service in a whole new light. They become two patriots, who truly love their country, dedicating their lives to public service.

The Republicans favorite defense seems to be “you’re just engaging in politics as usual.” With Clark this argument won’t work. Furthermore, by tapping Clark Kerry will demonstrate that he truly wants to be a “uniter” and not a divider. Clark can make this argument for Kerry because of his past non-partisanship as demonstrated by his voting record (and praise of the administration for doing the right thing in going after the Taliban in Afghanistan). I am sick of partisanship. Our country is in crisis domestically and abroad. As Americans we have got to come together to get this country back on track (I keep thinking of the old saying “A divided country cannot stand.”) Clarks dedication to this country is without question and by association Kerry’s dedication will also become evident. “Country before party” is a theme a Kerry/Clark can sell to many of the fed up republicans and republican leaning independents (and doesn’t have the many downsides of a Kerry/McCain ticket). During the primaries I often argued - are you going to put your blind allegiance to a political label ahead of doing what is best for this country?. At the risk of sounding immodest - this is a good argument to use.

The populist theme has never worked for the Democrats because the Republicans have always successfully portrayed the Democrats as engaging in class warfare. I remember when Clark was discussing his tax proposal during the primary. The interviewer asked General Clark something along the lines of “Shouldn’t the middle class be required to pay it’s fair share of the cost of fighting terrorism.” Clark replied they already paid their fair share because it was their sons and daughters and loved ones who were required to pay the ultimate sacrifice in fighting the war on terror. Let Rove try to counter that argument!

Once elected, I believe a Kerry/Clark ticket can rally public opinion to push their agenda through Congress. “Country before partisanship.” That’s what its going to take if we are going to have a prayer of getting out of this mess we are in. Unfortunately, I don't think your typical politician/politician ticket will be able to rally Americans around this concept because this country is so bitterly divided. However, a Kerry/Clark ticket can and it's a ticket that I can be darn PROUD to support.

On edit: It will also be hard for Rove to do an all out, no holds barred assault against a Kerry/Clark (war heroes)ticket for fear of voter backlash.