If Clark enters the race, will Lieberman get smart and drop out?

The scuttlebutt I've been hearing, both on DU and elsewhere, is that General Clark will soon be announcing his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. I think he would be one of the strongest candidates, and would certainly gain a lot of instant support, especially considering his military background (since Dems are usually portrayed by the RW wingnuts as soft on defense and anti-military, often from those who couldn't have been bothered to serve in the first place) and his strident criticism of Shrub.

Given that Mr. Repuke-lite Holy Joe has a very weak base of support to begin with and isn't doing nearly as well as he'd hoped and believed he would by this time, do you think he'll finally see the light, give it up, and do the right thing for the party and the country by getting the hell out of the race? And if he doesn't, with Clark in the race, will he sink like a stone in the first primaries? And what do you think the effect of a Clark candidacy will be on Dean's candidacy (A Clark/Dean or Dean/Clark ticket sounds wonderful to me)!

still trying to claim that he has the best national security credentials. A Clark campaign should send a few of the candidates fleeing. Lieberman included.

Holy Joe should just make it official and switch parties, he's already a repuke in name only anyway.

Wouldn't you love to hear Lieberman standing on a stage with Clark... still trying to claim that he has the best national security credentials.

Lieberman, as a senator, had a the opportunity to change the direction of foreign policy. in contrast, Clark, as a general, is/was supposed to carry out orders. of course, we all know that generals do more than that. but if you use that argument, then Clark also has to take partial responsibility for the mistakes in direction that were made. he can't simultaneously claim credit for successes in foreign policy, while hiding behind the excuse that he was only carrying out orders, in regard to the failures.

for all Lieberman's faults, at least he has the guts to openly declare his candidacy, debate the other candidates, and generally put his beliefs out there for better or worse. unlike the primadonna Clark who has played a months-long campaign of coy teasing. that wishy-washy behavior is not becoming of one who wishes the public to believe he has strong "national security" credentials.

at any rate, i don't agree with those who see the election as being all about national security. many polls show the economy as being the more pressing issue, and the one on which bush* is most vulnerable. what is clear is that "national security" is bush's strongest issue. the GOP would love to make the election about national security. but it would not be smart for the dems to play along with their strategy. attack in the area of the enemy's weaknesses, not his strengths.

but national security will be as well, and we need to have someone who's strong on that.

because there is no other logical explanation. So, no, he won't pull out. The way he has been talking, he will run as a third party candidate if he doesn't get the nominiation.

Lieberman is first and foremost a party loyalist. As far right as Lieberman has been sounding latelty, I still trust that he will drop out before the convention for the good of the party, unlike someone like Dean who is going to take his "mission" to the convention floor.

is good for the party and for the good of the party, and the country as well, unlike Holy Joe's repuke-lite fascism-and-war-with-a-smile bullshit.

out after he loses a few primaries. That will happen with or without Clark.

I haven't heard anything to suggest that Clark is definitely running. It would make my day if he were, but until he actually holds a press conference and announces I will just have to wait and see along with everyone else.

MzPip
:dem:

candidate he might have too much pride to drop out. But he might also have too much pride to take a drubbing in the early contests.

primaries and finally drop out then. At least, I hope!

Someone posted an article from the British paper the Telegraph, and I saw Wolf Blitzer ask Dean about it, but I wonder where else it's being said he'll run?

Newsweek said he's in.

I hoep they're right.

And a new strategy for Clark will be more difficult since Joe's campaign staff is dwindling by the minute.

Dropping out would be the smart thing to do but Joe believes that he is entitled to be the Dem nominee.

kinda reminds you of Shrub's belief, and that of his family, that he was somehow "entitled" to the presidency as well, doesn't it? And I'm getting real tired of his constantly trashing other Dems, as if that makes him look any better. Makes him look worse and even less presidential than he already does, as far as I'm concerned.

appearance of being noble, but we see now what an ambitious, tiresome politician he turned out to be.

If Lieberman drops out of the primaries, it will not be because he wants to do the right thing for the party or the country. He would only drop out of the primaries if he felt certain that Clark's presence would reduce his already weak base of support, and if he felt he couldn't win in any of the early primaries.

Graham and Edwards are already looking at holding on to their Senate seats, and the lack of support for their campaigns in their regional primaries reflected in polls. Graham may drop out even if Clark doesn't run, and Edwards would be more likely to also take this avenue if Clark does announce.

southern, foreign policy and Bush bashing thunder.

He seems so stubborn that I think he might actually take it to the very end.

Perhaps he will eventually drop out, but I don't believe it will be due to Clark. If he does, it would be IMHO because he will have such a poor showing in so many primaries that he'll drop out and cloak it in some B.S. about caring more about the party than about himself.

Of course, I could be wrong - I'm just saying ...

:thumbsup: :hi: :kick:

IMO, Dean, Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt, Graham -- the moderates in this race -- would be most affected by a Clark run. Clark is a moderate and would probably run from the center of the party. Lieberman has chosen to position himself to the far right of the party (I'm sure he'll thank Al From for that "great" advice after his campaign fizzles out).

Dean and Kerry would be hurt the most, IMO.

Dean because of the anti-war stance.
Kerry because of the military credentials.

the FIRST Gulf War.

He was smart enough to see that the Iraq invasion was BOGUS!

The reason many in the DLC are pushing Clark to run is they now believe Lieberman cannot win the nomination. They want a Democrat who will run without an agenda, and who will be their backup candidate to the failed Lieberman campaign.

This is another reason I think Lieberman would dropout if Clark ran. Many of Joey's DLC financial backers would abandon him for Clark, making him another obstacle in their hopes of controlling the party. He would drop out just to avoid pissing off his wealthy friends.

Otherwise, his financial backers would continue to back his campaign until they are sure he is losing.