Wes Clark, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Me........

[FrenchieCat]

I had Tax Class all day today starting at 9:00 a.m. I also left my cell phone at home, and decided I didn't want to be late on the first day of my course, and so didn't turn back to fetch it.

After class, I headed to my husband's storefront. I repainted a sage Blue stripe around the small kitchen of the store (on a kahki background) a deep chocolate rust....cause I didn't like the blue (which I had painted when I redid the kitchen a couple of weeks ago).

Afterwards, I sat at my husband's computer, in his office to look up a particular tax law..... and just happen to see an email from Wes Clark in his in-box........with the title.... "I'm proud to endorse Hillary Clinton".

Normally, I would have gotten on the boards as soon as I heard....but I couldn't comment on my hubby's computer cause I don't remember my logins at any of the sites anymore, as they are memorized on My computer at home....and so I was stuck with reading comments without being able to participate. :(

So I have finally gotten home, and I am at my computer, and as a Die-Hard Wes Clark supporter, here's what I think of this occurrence that happened without me having a clue that this would happen, and happen today:

1. Clark is his own man, as I am my own woman...meaning he can endorse who he sees fit, and I can campaign for who I choose as well.

2. I will always respect and support Wes Clark. His endorsement does not diminish what he has stood for in my eyes, period....and if it did, this would make my past support faux, and it has never been that.

3. I don't dislike Hillary (although I didn't believe that she was going to run till she announced it--maybe I subconciously understood that if she ran, Wes Clark would not) and never really have, and I have I never said that I wouldn't vote for her. In fact, I posted this thread on August 21st! http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3465866

4. Endorsements are good, but endorsements aren't everything (see Al Gore endorsing Howard Dean, circa 2003)

5. Hillary Clinton, if she was to get Clark's endorsement, needed it now, due to the attacks against her in reference to the whole Gen. Bretrayed Us smear that was currently in the headlines...so I understand the "timing" of this....and it is admitly a good move on the part of the Hillary campaign as it shut that obnoxious Rudi guy up pretty quick. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/

6. Although Clark was reported to have previously advised Obama...and Obama Foreign Policy sounded quite a bit like Wes' the last I heard, there were prior "hints" as to who Clark actually "agreed" with on certain Foreign Policy issues- http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2007/08/clark_subtly_sides_with_clinto.html

So to conclude, I've not been changed by this endorsement. As I was yesterday, I'm still shopping while leaning Obama, although I wouldn't have a problem if Hillary got the nomination.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Oh yeah........and

I don't believe that Wes Clark was promised anything for his endorsement....and No, I don't believe that Hillary will name him Veep ....although it would be a smart move on her part considering the times that we live in.

[rusty quoin]

2. Personally, I think it is all too early to tell

[illinoisprogressive]

3. Frenchie, i still have not figured out what all the fuss is about with clark today.

The man endorses someone and the boards have gone nuts. why?
Endorsements really have no sway or power over voters. they just think 'okay' and go about their business.
it is more like some well known person is publicly announcing they support so and so. but, that is it.
Famous people say everyday who they are supporting. no big deal.
so why is everyone going crazy????

[FrenchieCat]

4. Well a lot of his supporters didn't necessarily like Hillary Clinton

that much--for a lot of their own reasons (and I can respect that)....while others don't have a problem with her....while others still actually like her, and have been supporting her for some time.

The craziness on the boards come from Clark having done what isn't necessarily "popular" with his netroot base.

Hillary isn't called polarizing for nothing you know.

[dmosh42]

5. I sort of agree with your position......

Having also waited to see if Clark would commit. Now that he has gone his way, I will go there if Hillary wins the nomination. But my feeling is in agreemwnt with many who see her negatives, plus a tie to the 'old' way of doing government. I really feel Americans want some real 'change' from the corporation control of the WH and Congress. Maybe Kucinich, Obama or Edwards are those types, but they don't seem to connect, or the trust factor is blocking that process. We'll see how it plays out, but I think whoever gets the Dem nomination, will roll over any of these Repubs big time.

[Clark2008]

19. Because we wanted him to run.

His endorsement solidifies the fact that he won't.

It's not about her, it's about him.

[earthlover]

6. I have similar thoughts

I had been hoping that either Clark or Gore would do it. For two reasons: 1) elect-ability in the general election and 2) the only two I could get excited about in a positive way.

I don't dislike Hillary, but my primary fear of her was elect-ability.

Clark endorsing, and probably especially all the talk about Clark being VP, has shown me a way Hillary could be elected. Clark as VP would be perfect. It would shore up many of her perceived weaknesses, make her less likely to be Swift Boated, prevent the Reps from winning on national security issue--could actually turn this around in the Dems' favor, is a fatherly figure to compliment a candidate who is a woman, would be a great attack dog VP if need be, would be of great help with moderates in key battleground states, is a progressive but is perceived moderate....and maybe even the nicest thing would be to be able to see him in the VP debate eviscerate his opponent!

I can think of noone who would do a better job for a Hillary nomination. It is so logical. And Bill Clinton himself called Hillary and Wes the two rising stars. So maybe it even coincides with the stars.

Without Wes as VP (or at the minimum, a pre-announced Sec of State) I still think Hillary is the one candidate most likely to lose in November. I also realize that it is not even close to a sure thing that Wes would get the nod as VP. But, if he were to get VP it would at least give me a reason to smile about her candidacy. He would add a progressive voice to her advisors.

[calteacherguy]

7. Good post, Frenchie.

I just watched the CNN interview with Blitzer this morning. Clark laid out his reasons for supporting Clinton very well. As I recall from the interview they are:

1) Strong character demonstrated by years of standing up to Republican attacks

2) We need a President who will be ready to deal with a crises from day one

3) Clinton has expereince in how foreign policy and diplomacy work; she was deeply involved in the Bill Clinton White House. She was, "there in the Balkans with us" he said.

4) It's not as clear that Obama woud be ready to deal with a crises from day one, nor that he really understands how international dipomacy works in the real world...the Utube debate controversy was brought up by Blitzer, and Clark agreed with Clinton on that.

I haven't decided if I'll be voting for Clinton or Obama yet. Obama gives me hope (that must be sounding rather cliche by now) but I'm still not clear on what an Obama Presidency would be like and what it would accomplish. There are things I like and don't like about Clinton as well, but right now I'm leaning a bit more toward Clinton if I had to vote today (which I don't). Clinton is more of a known, and Obama is still a little too much of an unknown. We are living in dangerous times, and we need a win this time around for sure.

[Adelante]

8. Clark didn't actually speak to Obama, as I heard Wes

Your fourth point is overstated, I think.

Wolfie was doing his best to get Clark to go there, but Wes kept the ball on Clinton.

[jenmito]

11. I agree with your assessment of cal's 4th point.

I saw the interview and heard it the way you did. Wolf was TRYING to get him to "go there."

[Colobo]

9. Obama is precisely what we need at this moment.

Someone who can heal this nation from the inside. Someone who can restore America's dignity and respect. Someone who is not afraid to talk to the rest of the World. Someone who had the vision to oppose the Iraq War from the start.

Think about it, cal. More divisiveness and internal warfare or true change? You decide.

[jenmito]

10. He also said she does her research (or something similar) but my question is...

why didn't she read the NIE before the IWR and why did she vote against the Levin amendment allowing for more diplomacy before invading? To me it sounded like he was endorsing BILL Clinton rather than Hillary Clinton.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Same goes for me. I still like Clark a whole lot; still don't like Hillary much.

Unless something changes drastically in the next few months, I'll be supporting somebody other than Hillary in the primaries -- just not sure who. OTOH, if she does get the nomination, Clark's endorsement might make having to vote for her (obviously I'll vote for any Democrat over any Republican) a little more tolerable.

[imlost]

13. I feel your pain. Upon reading my email from Clark..

yesterday, I didn't want to accept it. It is what it is.

I like Mike Gravel but he doesn't stand a chance.
I'm not a big fan of Hillary given the IWR and other. (I would love a female president).
Obama has yet to inspire me. (I would love our first non-Caucasian president).
Edwards is the least of my favorite.
Kucinich I love but has no chance.

I will probably vote for Gravel or Kucinich. It won't matter because Hillary or Obama will win in CA.
Then I can support whoever is our nominee.


Frenchie, I respect your opinion a lot. Why are you leaning toward Obama?

[FrenchieCat]

14. I expressed myself about Obama

In this thread.....not just my opening OP, but what is conveyed in the entire thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3504434

[Bread and Circus]

15. First off Frenchie, you are one of my favorite DU'ers!

Secondly, even though I don't like him endorsing Clinton (I wish'd he'd either run, draft Gore, or endorse Obama) at least he proved he's a real Democrat party type of a guy.

Although 4 years later, I'm not really a Democrat party type of a guy anymore.

I can only hope for Gore.

[FrenchieCat]

16. Thanks for your compliment.......

I appreciate it!

I would certainly love to see Gore getting into it.....although I'm not sure it will happen.

Politics is interesting, draining, and certainly doesn't always turn out as we hoped.....as we have all witnessed for quite some time now.

We will have to see what happens......because I'm not so sure that we can "affect" it as much as we should be able to.....unfortunately!

[Bread and Circus]

18. To be honest, I was more disappointed when Kerry passed over

Clark for the VP nomination. I don't totally blame him but at the time I felt very helpless to affect anything. I worked my buns off and gave a lot of money to Clark.

[karynnj]

17. I suspect that some of the confusion on whether he was backing Obama

is because Richard Clarke is.