If the Arizona Senator, and presumptive Republican nominee does not appoint General Wesley Clark to any cabinet post he chooses in a McCain Administration… it won't be because McCain doesn't owe him, as he has given McCain the keys to the White House. General Clark, a surrogate for Senator Barack Obama's campaign, opened a 'huge' Pandora's box with these statements about John McCain, shared recently on Face the Nation:

“I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”

Now them's fighting words to the millions of bitter, flag-waving, gun-loving, bible-clinging U.S. citizens!

And that 18-word statement uttered by Clark... either purposely or not, now places the conversation about "qualifications" smack-dab in the middle of the Oval Office room. The problem is... a conversation about "qualifications" is not one team Obama wants, or needs to have center stage at this juncture in the election process.

Talk about a gift to McCain! Surely Clark, a highly decorated military man, must have understood–– as those fateful words fell from his lips–– that America's fascination with... and love for "heroes", be they fictional or real-life characters, would prompt national rally-'round-the-flagpole support of war hero John "Wayne" McCain... in every small-town across these United States for the remaining 125 days of this election. Heck, if I were McCain, I'd go on vacation to Mexico for a week too.

What was General Clark thinking––shooting off his mouth with those explosive "Ready, Aim, Fire" divisive comments? Did he not know that as a representative of the Obama camp, to publicly challenge McCain's vaunted POW status and literally discount his universally-respected service and sacrifice to this country... 5 DAYS BEFORE the biggest flag day in America: Independence Day ... and a month before the 2008 Olympics (where U.S. athlete hero stories will be spun and chimed across the airwaves daily) would be tantamount to an official declaration of war? Now, you talk about a gift to McCain.

Yes... those 18-little-words have formally ushered in, and brought to the forefront, that which has been brewing in the undercurrent and in cyberspace for months now: a virtual war for the 'soul of America'. Albeit a 'silent, non-confrontational war, but a war just the same.

Although it's not politically correct to talk about it... both sides have already staked out their positions, and was merely awaiting a Wesley-Clark-type moment to officially move into places: the left-wingbats versus the right-wing conspirators; the blue collar, mom-baseball-apple pie middle Americans facing the latte-drinking, jazz loving, arugula-eating metropolitans; and the anti-war peaceniks against the give-'em-hell patriots.

This orderly class war commences every four years around this same time and culminates on the first Tuesday in November at the local ballot box near you.

Thanks to General Clark's precipitous words, McCain will have the clear "qualifications" ammunition advantage!