Clark Backtracks on Presidential Debate

[stickdog]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=694&e=2&u=/ap/20030919/ap_on_el_pr/clark_debate

Clark Backtracks on Presidential Debate
27 minutes ago

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Wesley Clark's presidential campaign said he would participate in a Democratic presidential debate Thursday, then quickly backtracked, angering party officials and drawing criticism from his primary rivals. "I hope I'll be there," Clark said after a campaign stop Thursday night in Hollywood, Fla. "I'd like to do it."

But campaign spokeswoman Holly Johnson said Clark has a contract to give a paid speech in Texas next Thursday at the same time the nine other Democratic candidates plan to debate economic issues in New York. The campaign is refusing to say who Clark, a retired four-star general who entered the race Wednesday, is supposed to address. Johnson said they are trying to reschedule the speech and have offered several other dates for Clark to fulfill his speaking obligation.

Earlier Thursday, Clark aide Barbara Leyton called the Democratic National Committee and said the retired general would participate in the debate and the party's fund-raising dinner afterward, said DNC spokeswoman Debra DeShong.

Clark aide Donnie Fowler later said Leyton is one of many people who are working for Clark, but she didn't have the correct information when she called the party to accept the debate invitation. Fowler, who ran Al Gore's field operation in 2000, said he doesn't have a title with the campaign, but officials speaking on a condition of anonymity said he would be its manager.

[joeybee12]

1. Note the headline and the use of the word backtracks

This was a mistake by Clark--hope he doesn't make more. There never should have been any question about his participating. This will be spun negatively.

Reminds me of the Giants on monday night--they were so busy celebrating they forgot to win the game!

[hippiechick]

32. sounds like they're getting ready to "Gore" him ....

setting him up for discrediting just like they did every time Al opened his mouth. They must be seriously concerned about a Dean/Clark - Clark/Dean ticket.


:hippie:

[LightTheMatch]

2. What does this mean???

"The campaign is refusing to say who Clark, a retired four-star general who entered the race Wednesday, is supposed to address." HUH?

[DS1]

3. If the people he was scheduled to give this speech to

are real Clark supporters, they'll let him slide on the reschedule and happily watch him debate. If it's some college or whatnot, expect some asshole winger that works there to raise a stink and refuse to allow a rescheduling.

[hang a left]

4. just PR folks, he will be there

betcha 10$

[stickdog]

6. I don't know.

From what I've heard, the Illuminati don't take kindly to speakers who try to reschedule.

[hang a left]

11. No they don't, and that is a fact!

so are ya gonna bet?

[diplomats]

8. I hope so

gotta reschedule that speech!

[Donna Zen]

5. glitch

I do hope they can work this out...and get one voice out there.

[Demobrat]

7. This is so weird it can't be true.

He's going to duck the debate to make a paid speech to somebody he can't name? Nahhhhh.

[diplomats]

10. It does sound odd

[Demobrat]

9. Sorry double post

*

[StephNW4Clark]

12. He's already rescheduled the speech...

...according to a press release by the University.

http://216.87.159.49/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=2906

WESLEY CLARK LECTURE CHANGED TO MONDAY, SEPT. 29th
Thursday, September 18, 2003

Ticket holders who plan to hear democratic presidential candidate
Wesley Clark speak at MSU will have to wait a little longer than
expected. The retired general, who just announced his candidacy for
president was scheduled to speak next Thursday as part of MSU`s artist
lecture series. Instead, he`ll be in Wichita Falls on Monday
Septemeber 29th. Tickets are sold out, but you can get on the standing
room only list by calling 397-4223.

[diplomats]

13. Good

Maybe someone should tell the AP.

[Orangepeel]

15. The AP story is nutty

why would the campaign "refuse to say" that Clark was speaking at a University?

The reporter probably got pissed off because he was talking to a harried intern who didn't know what was going on and couldn't answer.

[SharonAnn]

14. Who or What is MSU?

And where is it?

[thinkahead]

16. Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Tx

http://web.mwsu.edu/

Has a picture of Clark on front page of website and mentions his speech.

Event Description:
(Change of date from Sept. 25 to Sept. 29) Retired General Wesley K. Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, retired as one of the nation's most highly decorated military officers since General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Clark uses his expertise to offer insight into current military conflicts around the world and their implications. As American business is increasingly sustained by the global market, international political and military strategy occupies a role of vital significance. Clark is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated first in his class. He holds a master's degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

[WilliamPitt]

21. EVERYONE SEE POST #12

He's gonna be there.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

Fuck, This Feels a Little Like Amateur Hour at the Apollo

He needs to get his message straight. He's under a microscope right now, and he can't afford any conflicting stories.

C'mon General! I have faith in you! This is just ironing out the kinks in a new venture. :-)

DTH

[DoveTurnedHawk]

17. Fuck, This Feels a Little Like Amateur Hour at the Apollo

He needs to get his message straight. He's under a microscope right now, and he can't afford any conflicting stories.

C'mon General! I have faith in you! This is just ironing out the kinks in a new venture. :-)

DTH

[dfong63]

18. heads should roll for this one

... in the Clark campaign. he's looking like a complete flake.

[davidinalameda]

19. now if this were to happen like a month or two into the campaign

then I would call for heads rolling, but not just yet

[dfong63]

23. reminder, it is ALREADY several months into the campaign

the other candidates have been getting their acts together, while Clark was playing primadonna. for months now, Clark supporters have been trying to excuse the delay by saying that the general was busily preparing for a campaign that would hit the ground running on announcement day. instead, their candidate has done an immediate face-plant.

i thought generals were supposed to be masters of planning, coordination, and setting up organizations. those qualities are not readily apparent in Clark's campaign so far.

[Democat]

20. Right wing media smear "backtracks"

When's the last time Bush "backtracked" on anything according to the media?

What about Arnold?

Fuck the "liberal media".

[RevolutionStartsNow]

22. Yep, this was totally unfair

They could have said "Clark plans to reschedule, attend debate" or something more positive. Sheesh.

[dfong63]

25. please, AP is not "right wing media",

... and reporting on Clark's blunders is not a "smear" anymore than it is a "smear" of Bush when they report on his blunders.

hmm, i see now that AP is now reporting that Clark will definitely participate in the debate. glad he finally got that straightened out.

[truebrit71]

31. A-frickin'-men

i am Sooooooooooooo sick of the "liberal media" smearing the Dems...

TB

[dArKeR]

24. Waffling? or 'Backtracking'? or 'Changes Gears'? or 'after all'?

Clark Changes Gears, Will Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/16/politics/main573562.shtml


Clark to join debate after all
Clark to participate in debate
http://msnbc.com/news/968716.asp?0cv=CB10

Well we can see who the Whore Democratic Media wants to be the nominee.

Any type of chane with Dean or Clinton, Hillary or Bill, is called 'Waffling'.

[dArKeR]

35. 'Flip Flopping', I forgot. Which the Media Whores use for Dean when

gathers new information and makes a new conclusion.

Why don't the Media Whores use these words for the Corporate GOP CEO Whores when they change a product line, fire employees, close a factory...?

[radfringe]

26. not good

took him months to declare his party affiliation, then more time to officially declare himself as a candidate... now not going to the debate?

repugs are going to have a field day with this, I can alrady hear the whispers of wishy-washy

Hope Clark can get it together fast or this will be the shortest run for the whitehouse in years

[lazarus]

27. hey

read the rest of the posts. He's going to the debate. This was a snafu, probably helped by the friendly "liberal" media. :D

[union_maid]

28. He's gotta get his sound bites in a row

Rearranging a contractual obligation probably takes a little time. Stating that you'll be there before you've got that rearranged to everyone's satisfaction is a mistake but someone in the campaign probably felt pressured to release the information. It's all good, though. He's going to have to figure out how to deal with the press in the new, sharklike, feeding frenzy mode that any candidate has to deal with.

[booksenkatz]

29. Jesus Christ

this is so minor, this is on the level of "Al Gore's makeup was the wrong color," but it's being blown into the level of "Clark does about-face, changes mind about Iraq war." Scheduling conflicts happen, so what. Guess I'm one of these weirdies who pays far more attention to the issues rather than this blithering minutiae about scheduling...? I just do not understand the brouhaha over this, apart from Clark not wanting to miss the debate. Sounds like they fixed the problem, anyway, so why is everyone still yelping about it?
:shrug:

[DemNoir]

30. Another huge "So what?"

I'm not a Clark supporter (yet anyway) but this is meaningless. One month from now no one will remember this. It's silly anyway for the Dems to be having so many debates so early.

[tsipple]

33. Netting it Out: Clark Needs to Be There

Arnold is getting killed in California because of his debate no-show.

Clark needs to be at the next debate or have a darn good reason why he won't be, such as his child's wedding. If he can't make it, he should emphatically state that he's 100% certain to be at the next debate.

Otherwise the press is going to (rightly) roast him. So will voters. If you're applying for the big job, you have to show up for a job interview.

[diplomats]

34. He' ll be there

He has to be.

[KoKo]

39. Well it sounds like some of you all are going to drag him there kicking

and yelling......I hope so.....he should be there!!

[KoKo]

36. OMG........this is really waffling......I know Clark supporters will

explain this away, too.....but he's got to get into the debate if he's running. The others have toted water for too long to have this "Johnny Come Lately" say he's running but he won't join the rest of the candidates.

What is going on here? :eyes:

[DoveTurnedHawk]

37. This Is an Older Story

But he's going to be there, and the problem was a lack of communication between his fledgling political team and himself.

I can understand that misstep. This was a small one compared to the war thing yesterday.

DTH

[Ivory_Tower]

38. Let me get this straight

Clark says he'll debate.

The campaign says "he has a scheduling conflict, and we're working to re-schedule his speech so he can be at the debate." (Which, in fact, they do.)

And this is called "backtracking" and "waffling"? Funny, it used to be called being thorough and accomodating. I wonder, if the campaign had said nothing about the debate until the speech was re-scheduled, would the headlines have said that Clark was "stonewalling"?

Sheesh, it's gonna be a long campaign season....