Reply #8: My reply to "The Fix" regarding Wes Clark (I just had to write them) [View All]

[Tom Rinaldo]

It's well past time for you to update your basic talking point on Wes Clark. Sure he has a strong Internet following, as you point out, and yes he doesn't have millions piled up sitting in the bank for a 2008 run, which you also point out. That states the obvious with about as much insight and nuance as a science reporter revealing that planet Earth is mostly covered by ocean.

The impression I get from your summary is of General Clark hunched over a keyboard in his personal office, corresponding with supporters over the Internet. It's true, he does do that, but actually Wes Clark is seldom in his personal office because he is much more often on the road, keynoting State and Regional Democratic gatherings and campaigning for a host of candidates now running for election in 2006.

Wes Clark may not be a fixture on the Sunday morning Washington TV circuit, but he is a frequent traveler to States and Congressional Districts where new and talented Democrats are fighting to unseat Republican incumbents.

Clark's support isn't just an Internet phenomena. More and more that aspect of his base is being eclipsed in enthusiasm by Democratic activists from districts and States that the National Democratic Party usually writes off during the 4 year Presidential election cycles. Clark is out there fighting for them, and they have taken note and they appreciate it.

Clark's PAC can't keep up with all the requests he receives to campaign for Democrats fighting for the very upset victories it will take for the Democratic Party to regain control of Congress this November. And Democrats in those States and Districts choose Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in 2008 just as surely as do those in Maryland and Illinois.

Wes Clark consciously chose to throw his heart and soul and the wallets of his potential contributors into the Democratic fight to retake Congress in 2006, and that takes him to a lot of unglamorous places speaking on behalf of Democrats who are by no means yet recognized power brokers in the Party. It may not do a lot for "Presidential Buzz" but it does a Hell of a lot for the Democratic Party, and it seems shoddy for you to not have even noted the strenuous road schedule Wes Clark is keeping appearing before Democrats across the nation. There is a lot more to report on than just Clark's "active and loyal web "following".

And when you wrote: "The depth and acuity of his foreign policy knowledge is unmatched among the Democrats considering a 2008 bid and he presents his disagreements with the Bush administration in clear and concise language" are you sure there wasn't some mistake? I could swear you were describing General Clark, but that text somehow got inserted next to Joe Biden.