Clark likens Presidential run to a Parachute jump at YearlyKos

[calteacherguy]

video here: http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/12921

Rush transcript

Clark: And, you know, when my (inaudible) put a noose around my neck. But when you’ve got 70 or 100 thousand people out there online, screaming for you to get in the race and run, you have to ask yourself at that point, don’t you have an obligation to answer them.

And then party leaders started calling. People like Charlie Rangel and President Carter and others. And then the policy people, like Sandy Berger and others began to call. I began to feel like it was, I was, there was not only an opening but I was being pulled into it. It’s exactly like when you go through jump school. You put that parachute on and get into that plane. I think I was the 8th man in what they call the stick of 10, at Fort Benning for my first jump. We were in a C-123 and they give you a set sequence of commands. Stand up! You stand up. You’ve got a reserve on your front and a big parachute on your back. You’re packed in. Face the door! You face the door. HOOK UP! You put that thing up there on the hook and you’re checking your neighbor. Buddy check! And all that stuff. And all the sudden, the light, see the light up there, about 7 or 8 people in front of you, goes red to green, showing the order. And in the plane people were going like this (stamps his feet on the ground.) And you’re going like this (stamps some more.) And you’re going out that door. They are pushing you on the back. And that’s the way it was when I ran, the last time.

Interviewer: But no buddy checks.

Clark: Huh?

Interviewer: But no buddy checks.

Clark: There were a lot of buddy checks.

Interviewer: Oh, were there?

Clark: And there were a lot of people who helped. And I’m very proud of having had the support. And I’m proud of the run. We came very, very close. We made one crucial mistake. We weren‘t in Iowa. And given how late we started the campaign didn’t have the inherent flexibility and depth to be able to pivot off the changed circumstances, as it were. But. So. Politics is a great thing and it’s a wonderful thing for people to do. But these people made it possible. And they are changing the American political dynamic because they ask intelligent questions. They are not in it to sort of say, gee next year if I work real hard can I be the central committee man. They’re in it for the ideas. They’re in it for the people. They’re in it for the passion of this country. And there has always been people like this but they never had the way to form a community before. Now they do. It’s incredibly impressive. There are people out here who took a second job so they could support me. There are people out there who spent three months in New Hampshire for me. There are people out here…a woman said she sold her house so she could give money to my campaign. It’s unbelievable. The passion. These are people who just want good government in this country. So, I mean I love them. I think it’s a great community. And I think they have to be taken very, very seriously. If you look at the people out there, this is not like…people have the idea that somehow…remember the little football game people used to play back in the 80’s. Somehow that became blogging and there is this attitude that these aren’t serious people. These are really serious people. They paid to come here. And they paid because they love this country.

[brentspeak]

1. Edwards/Clark for 2008!

May it be so.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Tell it Wes! .....cause you clearly know what many don't seem to want to get!

"It’s unbelievable. The passion. These are people who just want good government in this country. So, I mean I love them. I think it’s a great community. And I think they have to be taken very, very seriously..... there is this attitude that these aren’t serious people. These are really serious people. They paid to come here. And they paid because they love this country. "

:patriot: