Wes Clark running in 2008?

[Bread and Circus]

I got this email today...seems weird...anyone know anything

---

Dear Friend,

As you may have heard, Wesley Clark recently gave a speech in Los
Angeles which all but announced his intention of running for
President in 2008. All of his efforts now are toward positioning
himself for a run in '08, and he will need our help. Grassrooters,
it's all systems go !! Please check in at the new Clark Volunteers
center as we put this train on the tracks..
http://www.clarkvolunteers.com/index.php

There is also a new Yahoo discussion board being organized by the
original Clark drafters from 2004. This will be the main epicenter of
all discussion regarding 2008.. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clark08

Don't forget that Wes Clark has started his own PAC.
http://securingamerica.com Please consider giving a contribution
https://secure.ga3.org/01/wespac as we need to help Wes fund his
efforts until an official Presidential Exploratory Committee is
formed.

Also, please participate in Wes' blog http://www.forclark.com We need
your ideas and input, this is a great place to share. Also,
Democratic Underground has a Clark blog which you may want to
participate in..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?
az=show_topics&forum=235

Best wishes, and hope to see you on the trail.

Barb Corson

Salem, OR

---

I'd be interested in a Clark run. I actually started and owned michiganforclark.com in the '04 cycle (it was the one linked from his site). I'd like to see a Feingold run...anyone else know more?

[NicRic]

1. Have no idea what his intensions are ....

however ,except for a lack of politicial exprience ,he seems to be so far the best thing us Dems have going for us in 08 ,plus I think his being a unexprienced politician is a big plus ,Iam sick of professional politicians .Isnt that what bush is ,just a dumbed down version of one !!! The only professional politician that had the smarts to still keep in touch with the people was President Clinton ,the rest just become a victum of some adviser whispering in their ear do this and dont do that !

[Clark2008]

2. Well, that email you received was accurate

Basically, he said that he's been asked if he's going to run in 2008, but that he'd need our support via http://www.securingamerica.com (WesPAC) before he'd make that decision.

[Totally Committed]

3. As far as I can tell...

Feingold has said he is not running in 2008. Wes still hasn't declared his intentions. As far as I know, this seems to be a bunch of people who are readying for that eventuality, should it come about... just as those of us who drafted him for 2004 did.

I do object to posting a personal e-mail in a public venue, complete with the sender's name and locale -- especially a venue where the contents will not be met with a guaranteed level of positivity. If you can still edit this, I would ask you do so to remover her name and locale, at least.

If Wes runs, he has a large base of support, as do other candidates who have already nodded toward a run.

TC

[Donna Zen]

4. Feingold

TC_I hadn't heard that Feingold had said that. Actually, I suspect the opposite.

I do agree with you about posting of personal e-mails.

Hope you're having a great and wonderous day!

[Totally Committed]

6. I read it the day after...

the news was released about his impending divorce.

Doesn't matter, though... I twice-divorced Liberal in the "Values-voter" times would be the kiss of death to a Democratic ticket, and I think Feingold knows that.

TC

[Bread and Circus]

7. eh...you are probably right...I can't edit the email...

but the person sent it to me unsolicited so what does she expect? Furthermore, it's not personal email and she probably wants the enthusiasm to grow for Clark.

She'd probably thank me for posting the email.

But hey, my sphincter tone is just not that tight.

[Totally Committed]

8. Whatever...

to each his or her own...

(On edit, after thinking about this... I still would have X'ed out her name and locale. This is a public Venue where anyone can read. This could open her up to harassment from anyone, not just the negative opinions of the anti-Clarkers here. Just a thought.)

TC

[Adelante]

5. Clark is working for 2006

Hitting the circuit for the Dems. He's not ready for '08 just yet, although if he senses the support is there, he is likely to run.

This is obviously a supporter testing out the waters with his mailing list.

It's just what's going on around any other potential candidate, but nothing official. Clark's only running for other Dems and the Party until after 2006 and he will come to a decision.

[Jai4WKC08]

10. Exactly right

Clark supporters in all the states are getting excited about 2008 and starting to contact the folks on their '04 mailing lists to get as many involved as possible, and to keep them informed of what's going on. As are the supporters of every other potential candidate who has indicated the slightest interest in running next time. And there's not a damn thing wrong with that.

I went to a DFA meeting in KCMO last nite that I got involved with because of a friend on the steering committee who was instrumental in the Clark '04 campaign across the state line in MO. He's forming a "Progressive Media Task Force" to (among other things) bring Air America Radio to the KC market. Of course, he and I are both on board for a Clark '08 campaign, if such is to be, but we're not just going to sit on our hands in the meantime. Hopefully it's needless to say that Wes Clark would be the LAST one to expect us to.

The only exception I take to the Oregon e-mail in the OP is the line that says, "All of his efforts now are toward positioning himself for a run in '08..." Nothing could be further from the truth. Almost all of Clark's efforts at this point are oriented on rebuilding the party (what isn't totally non-partisan work for the good of the nation).

His precise words from the CA speech that the OP referenced:
"There's a game going on. And it's called, you know, it's called, 'Keep the Democratic candidates, potential candidates down.' And, what we're doing is, we're building up... (So) let me tell you where I'm going. And I'm gonna ask you to do some things for me. First of all, we're gonna try to build a stronger Democratic party that can service the issues across the spectrum, not only education and health care, but also national security... And, you know, I don't think there's any choice for the Democratic Party any longer. We can't... got to get over Vietnam, we've got to get over the idea that America turns to strong Republicans to keep this country safe. We have to keep this country safe, and we've got to make the American people understand it. That's Job One."

[Adelante]

11. Thanks, Jai

I was wondering how it went last night.

[Crunchy Frog]

9. This is the link to the video clip of that event

from which some people deduced that Clark was running.

http://www.u-wes-a.com/vidclips/Wespac_041605.WMV

You may want to watch it yourself and reach your own conclusions.

There is also an unofficial transcript of the event if you want to read it, possibly in conjunction with watching the video. You can find that at this link.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=235x6540

The PAC site and the blog are both good places for keeping track of Clark's activities, and any activities people are involved in concerning preparing for a possible '08 run.

Right now, Wes is focused on strengthening the party as a whole, and will certainly be very involved with various '06 races.

A good place at DU to get specific information or ask specific questions about Clark's activities is at the Wesley Clark Supporters Group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=235

[FrenchieCat]

12. He might as well run,

since everyone else is running too.

But the media will only fixate on Hillary, Kerry and Edwards. Clark is not to be mentioned, even if he announces officially. That's why the Clark grassroots has a job to do, and the Lord knows that we will do it.

Charlie Cook mentioned Clark in his most recent piece....but Hotline didn't mention Wes when discussing the same polls on one of those 30 minutes Msnbc (or another 24/7 cable no news station)Presidential '08 discussion. So the plan, as it was before, is to leave Clark out of the conversation...for the most part, when possible. Cook couldn't skip over Clark...cause he had to get to the other Dems below Clark.

I have said this before, and I will say it again...polls are tools to be used by the talking heads to promote what they want promoted. It's the question of which came first....the public discussions that lead to poll results, or the poll results that lead to the public discussion. I would offer that the public discussions lead to poll results, which are heralded to continue shaping the public opinion of the unsuspecting. That's why our media is disgusting and dangerous. They tell us; we don't tell them.

Here's Charlie Cook's piece:
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0505/050305op.htm
Early national polling shows Clinton with around 33 to 39 percent of the Democrats' support, followed by Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, last year's Democratic presidential nominee, with around 20 percent; former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, Kerry's running mate, with about 15 percent; and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who ran unsuccessfully in 2004, with 5 to 10 percent. Everyone else is bunched in the asterisk-to-5-percent range.
>snip
The one thing that Wes Clark had working against him last time won't apply in 2008: He had never run for anything before and was making the kinds of mistakes that other candidates had learned from many years and many races ago.

Indeed, for Kerry, Edwards, and Clark, their most valuable asset will be that they have been around the track and have had the chance to learn from errors. At times in 2004, Clark was an accomplished speaker and candidate. Other times, he simply wasn't.

Presumably, Clark will grow more consistent and will be aided by the view of many in the party that the Democrats lost in 2004 in part because too few voters trust Democrats on national security.
-------
Notice that Edwards is shown "with about 15 percent" with no range.....so maybe he was steady while everyone else variated?....while Clark is shown at 5 to 10 percent...which would place him only 5% behind Edwards at times(that would be publicity guy--Edwards vs. who's that guy?--Clark)

2006 will give us the information that we need on how strong Repugs will continue to be. I read a piece recently, and it's a doozy! It's talking about the 2006 and 2008 election and the Rethug plan. Read it and make notes....always remembering that the WH will be establishing the climate and calling the shots along with it's corporate media.

An important post from Democracycellprojet.net
http://www.democracycellproject.net/index.php
(but I couldn't locate this at Demcracycellproject.net, because their archive order stinks and their search engine is non-existent. But I was able to find the post elsewhere....

ALL of these domestic items are placeholders. As long as the Republicans keep the national political conversation focused on domestic issues, the Republicans are perfectly positioned to stomp/tromp/romp over the Democrats again in 2006.

Why? Because the Democrats, being on the defensive on domestic issues, are not devoting a single minute to developing a homeland security/national security agenda.

And guess what trumps everything else at the polls? Security.

So the Republicans will be happy to talk about domestic issues until the cows come home, about the end of August 2006, when the Democrats will be surprised (not again....although Charlie Brown never learned anything either) when the Republicans suddenly pivot onto security issues and the Democratic candidates are left floundering in the dust (of Iraq, etc.) For more of this story go to http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/3/2126/88867 -- located the comments as a comment posted at by oncall on Tue May 3rd, 2005 at 20:22:14 PDT

[Totally Committed]

13. I agree.

Wes was born to be POTUS, and everyone else is tippint thier hats early this time out, so....

I will be patient and wait until he announces. >tapping foot<

LOL!

TC

[shireen]

14. Wes needs more visibility

Wes in '08 would be incredible. But in many parts of the country, he lacks name recognition.

Not long ago (past week or two), a guy called into the Thom Hartmann show to say that he really liked Kucinich and Clark in '04, and he thought they should start a national dialog about issues, holding town hall meetings all over the country to openly discuss the issues. I think that is a totally inspired idea! Thom suggested that the caller contact Kuchnich and Clark about it.

Now, wouldn't Clark and/or Kucinich townhalls be amazing?! Not only would it give them even more national exposure, it would stir up real dialogue in the country again, engage people who feel shut-out by the political process, it would expose people to the things that neocons and their main-stream media minions are not talking about. People will see intelligence, insight, and wisdom in these men, and realize that those are the very qualities missing from Bushie.

Yesterday, the Daily Show had a hilarious segment that compared Tony Blair's town hall meetings with the ones conducted by Bush. Blair was greeted with boos, and grilled by angry UK citizens about a variety of topics. Chimpy was surrounded by adoring glassy-eyed devoutees who sang his praises. It was sad and funny.