IN going from peace to war - especially a high peace where half the country was invested in stocks and thought the Dow would go up to 35,000 - it requires a difficult and lengthy transformation. I always felt when the country was finally ready to face the seriousness of Iraq, Iran, Al Queda, and the deceptions of the neocons & the incompetence of the Bush/Cheney administration, we would turn to Wesley Clark. I still think that.

None of the other candidates gets my attention the way Wes Clark does.  I'd love it if he'd just jump in there and run.  This was a terrific segment and really puts to rest the ridiculous argument about why the fight should remain in Iraq. 

He was a little bit coy about this earlier when asked about a Clinton-Clark ticket saying it sounded like a "great idea" -- or something to that effect.  Personally, I'd like to see him as the headliner and not just a VP candidate.

What if we came up with the infrastructure for the Gen. to win? I think it's possible -- and not just in Va. While it starts by finding 8 challengers to the clowns in the Va delegatiion that currently "represent" us, not including Messrs. Scott, Moran, and Boucher, there is a way to get to 50.1% of the Democratic Party nominating delegates that involves the backroads of the South, Midwest, and Mountain West that the current frontrunners will have a hard time matching. But it will take an entirely different type of campaign.

Hillary, Barack, and John are all great people, but they lack the experience to deal with the world that will great the next President after eight years of an American nightmare. Moreover, each has big, big warts. For as much as Bill/Hillary look great in retrospect compared to the worst American Presidency since (take your pick) of Richard Nixon, William McKinley (my pick), Andrew Johnson, or James Buchanan, the Clinton years were not some Utopia of American leadership -- in fact, the Iraq War has its genesis in large part from the conventional wisdom that that Presidency generated. Hillary needs to be brought to some task for that, if she wants the credit that comes from Clintonism generally to be the reason for we, the people, to elect her to the highest office in the land.

I want to believe in both Edwards and Obama, but neither really passes the smell test for me. Whoever gets the Dem nomination will be the next President, but I myself am hoping that that person is Wes Clark.

Not only would General Clark carry the South - he has been working hard to carry Southern states in '06, but he would help create the permanent change or rebuilding of a Democratic Party that would institutionalized a new Democratic attitude; and attitude which speaks to Mark Warner as well as Jim Webb. It would be the winning party which Mudcat and Steve Jarding write about. This is necessary for our country. The current crop of Democrats are an ad hoc group of individualists who are looking to formulate a temporary winning strategy dancing around the South or ignoring the South and strategizing a "Northern" win by including only one or two Southern states. This will again drive the South to Republicanism, Ron Paul-ism or something else; already Richard Viguerie's formidable network is supporting Ron Paul. I would like to see what you say happen and I would like to see it start in Virginia because Virginia is at the awakening energies with Warner and Webb. Listening to Wes here and in his recent MSNBC commentary I find his voice has not changed since he first entered the NH primary. His analysis and insight are brilliant - I have never seen this in a man of action & I have been around politicians for 30 years and have never found one like Wesley Clark. 

We have been planning for a Clark run and still believe he may decide to do so. There are grassroots coordinators in each state, including Virginia.  He has said explicitly that he wants to run.  All the factors that he said would happen when he testified in 2002 at the HASC hearing with Richard Perle, have materialized, and they all serve to point out that he is the best man for the job in this very complex and dangerous time. As for forcing him to run, I really doubt anyone could do that, and I certainly don't want to try.  He'll decide on his own, knowing the conditions are right for him to jump in.  We've heard all the poo poo about money and timing, but it's not having an effect on his supporters.

The same day he was on the Diane Rehm show, he also appeared at the HASC Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Iraq War Policy. (see http://armedservices... or http://hascaudio.hou... for the audio). During this hearing, he took apart another neocon, Max Boot.  Even though it's long, its well worth the listen!  At this hearing, a questioning Congressman made a comment about Clark giving out honest answers since he wasn't a candidate.  (I'm paraphrasing here).  He responded "I haven't said I'm not running!"  A slideshow of photos taken during this hearing is here http://securingameri...

After these two excellent appearances by Wes Clark on Thursday, he was featured on Countdown that evening, for the second night in a row.  He will attend the Young Democrats of America Convention in Dallas this week, and will keynote the Yearly Kos Convention in Chicago in early August.  To see videos, audios and transcripts of all Clark appearances, go to www.securingamerica.com.  You'll enjoy hearing what he has to say!

These are the factors that will push Wes Clark into a run.  We know there is not a shred of doubt about his patriotism, and if he feels that he can make a difference, and that a presidential candidacy is the best thing he can do for his country, he'll run.  He will not run for the glory of being a candidate.  I also have huge doubts that he has any desire whatsoever to be a vice president.  He knows where he can do the most good.

I'll add to what Bernie said about a Southern strategy.  There is no doubt that Clark can bring over states to the blue column that won't be possible for other candidates to do.  He won't have to stick to a 17 state strategy in the general election because his appeal is very broad.  Just think of all those Fox viewers that got to know him and respect him for the last two years!

My political activity between now and November is focused on getting as much of the Virginia legislature out of the hands of the Repugnant party as possible.

After November's general election, I'd like to get involved in a Clark campaign.

The Virginia Clark grassroot supporters would love to have you join us, snolan.  This website is one we're using for grassroots activities should Clark make his intentions to run known:  www.fourstardems.com

It's a story set in the context of a teacher discussing with his class all of the evidence that the Bush administration is as corrupt as it is incompetent. I wrote in celebrities to play the students, so it's very funny despite how infuriating it is. A soldier who read it said he wants to shake my hand. And a WWII vet said, "You made me feel guilty for not paying closer attention to Clark in 04!" I'm just sending it out to everyone I can in the hopes that it'll find its way into the hands of the people of notoriety in it so that they can help publicize it.

Just go to http://www.clarkvsbu... and click on download to pull up the word doc or ask me to email to you via afanofwesclark@yahoo.com

This was amusing and maybe even encouraging.  One of the HASC members was about to ask General Clark a question, and before he asked he said (something like) "Because you are NOT running for President this time around I feel confident about your true answer to the question I am about to ask you."

Clark broke in and said, "Well, I do need to let you know that I haven't said I'm not running."  (Laughter)about whether we should reinstitute the draft.

Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO