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-typemoment 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!
http://www.vberryhill-soulvoice.blogspot.com
Vivian Berryhill, founder of a national service organization, is a renown speaker and travels extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She has addressed audiences in Thailand, Nigeria, Honduras, Peru, Chile, and has traveled to Kenya, Uganda, Camaroon, Zambia, Rawanda, France and the U.K.
She was selected as one of the premier partners for Walden Media's internationally acclaimed movie: Amazing Grace, http://amazinggracemovie.com/_pdf/ag_faithguide_uk.pdf and the worldwide movement Amazing Change, www.theamazingchange.com/music2.html, lending her voice and talent, along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Right Reverend Patrick O'Donoghue, and other notable world leaders, to end modern day slavery.
Mrs. Berryhill, a 2007 Jefferson Public Service Award winner, also received the prestigious Presidential Service Award in 2006. She is married to Rev. C.L. Berryhill, Jr.
Wes Clark was correct about McCain and should not shrink or bend to the “My God, My Country” crowd; these are the same people that largely put Bush in office.
Exposure is the best sanitizer and this group of “low-information voters”, the belligerent flag-waving, bible-clutching Neanderthals, cannot be allowed to dictate the outcome of another election.
America, when it comes to guns and religion, is truly a bastion of ignominious fools.
by
Frank J. Ranelli (66 articles, 143 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 378 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 2:24:02 PM
I do not think General Wesley Clark gave Mccain the keys to the White House. He merely stated an obvious fact--being a veteran does not qualify you to be President. It shows courage and character but it does not demonstrate good judgement, caution, wisdom, vision, self control, all qualities a President needs to make decisions.
I see none of these qualities in Mccain--just like Bush, he's shown terrible judgement on Iraq and is not going to move an inch about it, he is a hothead with a hairtrigger temper so well known that nobody in his right mind would even let him get near the red button , his foreign policy vision is pretty much summed up by the words he put to the Beach Boys song ''bomb bomb bomb'' and he made abundantly clear that, if we chose him, we are gonna live in a country at war for the rest of our lives.
Blinded by the mindless hero worshipping, will American voters overlook Mccain's many shortcomings, and support his endless war program? I don't think so; if they do, then all is lost and we can prepare for the worst, knowing full well we have committed suicide by stupidity.
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francine (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 332 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 2:44:28 PM
I am getting really angry about the over-reaction to Clark's statement about military service not necessarily making someone the best candidate to become commander in chief. In no way did Clark disrespect McCain's service to his country. In no way did Clark question McCain's patriotism or try to minimize the price McCain paid for service to his country. I can't even imagine how anyone could interpret what Clark said in this fashion.
This has got to be the worst "election season" I have ever experienced. The media and pundits have been playing gotcha political games for more than a year and words have been skewed so many times it is difficult to even recognize what was originally said and what was meant. Everyone is sitting around and waiting for comments to be made that don't even resemble what was actually said.
I don't think General Clark needs to apologize to anyone for what he said. He didn't do anything wrong and in no way was trying to swift boat McCain or his service. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and step back for a minute and LISTEN. Let's stop putting words with totally different meanings into the mouths of our candidates and others who are commenting on the issues.
By the way, Clark was NOT a surrogate for Obama. He had been a Clinton supporter all along and I don't think he has officially even endorsed Obama yet. I apologize if I am wrong on this point.
by
And the beat goes on (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 2:57:38 PM
Not only do I agree with the 3 comments above, but it's not Clark's fault that the Democrats were too stupid to get him to run this time (let alone smart enough to nominate him last time) so that McCain's war-hero status would be nothing compared to Clark. Hence, it's Clark's job to debunk McCain's claim to being more prepared to be commader in chief merely because he served in Vietnam.
Do you really believe that there's something wrong with what Clark said, or are you just feeling this way because there are so many stupid babies who will make it into something it's not?
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Jay Foster (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 23 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 4:01:13 PM
it failed to promote him to Rear Admiral. This is all B.S. McCain is not a Washington, Grant, or Eisenhower. It is a disservice to treat veterans as "heroes" or plaster saints.
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John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1203 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 7:11:06 PM
I don't believe General Clark gave McCain the keys to the white house. In 2004 John Kerry was swiftboated so badly and they didn't hand him the keys to the white house. In 2002, in my home state of Georgia another true war hero was disparaged by Saxby Shameless. The honorable Max Cleland who lost his limbs in Viet nam was "swiftboated" by Saxby Shameless in the most terrible way. He was compared to Osama bin Laden! I think that by those standards (the republicans own) that McCain is fair game in this election. I applaud General Clark for his candid comments and I'm so disappointed that those comments were denounced by Senator Obama.
I agree with all the above posts---it's ridiculous to think that Gen Clark's statement did anything to help McCain. Not sure what the author of this piece is thinking. This country is really begining to hurt-----economically people are in a great deal of pain. I somehow doubt that when you're sinking under the weight of wages that won't cover necessities, folks are looking for a "war hero" who admits economics is not his strong suit, to find solutions. General Clark is point on right and most folks know it.
If McCain wins it will be because Diebold rigged another election.
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Char Stellamaris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 35 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 8:51:42 PM
May I make it unamous again. Good God, what pap. This is equivalent to swit boating the GENERAL -- that's spelled G E N E R A L. Ugh, what a swift boating submission -- shocking irrationality!
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W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (232 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 541 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 10:34:59 PM
I'd like to smoke whatever it is that you above guys are hitting. Make it UN-unanimous. The author is right. Clark's comments are a boon to McCain because they actually underscore his status -- rightly or wrongly -- as a war hero who withstood 5-1/2 agonizing years of torture when he had a "get out of jail free card" having been an Admiral's son.
Wes Clark was not just questioning McCain's executive experience. He belittled his sacrifice as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton. That's a big no-no to the political right of center. The left, however, seems nonplussed. Go figure.
Clark is nothing but a Clintonian creation whose only claim to fame is bombing the Serbs into submission over Kosovo, an act of questionable legality under international law, as was our involvement in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other theatres of combat. So Wes Clark's hands are not clean even if you take the Commie view and call McCain an "air pirate" for his bombing of North Vietnam.
The last thing Obama needs is his own advisers highlighting his lack of military experience by dismissing the service of his opponent. It was a brain dead move that almost seems to have been deliberate sabotage at the behest of the Clintons. That may seem unlikely to many here, and if not true it just makes his statement all the more intellectually challenged. It was a gift to the McCain campaign at a time it badly needed it.
It was so incredibly stupid, in fact, that Obama would be wise to dump Wes Clark as an adviser and certainly from the short list of running mates. Otherwise, if Clark continues to make such comments, I see McCain running dead even by Labor Day, if not pulling ahead in the polls. This is the kind of red meat that conservatives love to chew on. Does it substitute for actual thinking? Yes, it does. But voters are more emotional than rational. And the more you criticize their God and guns, not to mention the military sacrifices of their leaders, the more motivated they become to vote against your guy.
And this is coming from a Moderate who is considering voting for Obama. I'd love to hear what some conservatives around here thought of Clark's comments.
And don't Bogart that doobie.
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Sam Adams (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 81 comments)
on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 11:29:47 PM
Listen to the entire interview, not just the last line
Clark's statement did not stand alone. When I first heard it, I also felt it was unnecessary and out of context. McCain's experience in service did not relate to the decisions he will have to make as President, as is evident by the fact that he won't begin to acknowledge that the surge in Iraq, regardless of how much it may have reduced violence in Iraq, has been, to a great extent, responsible for our not being able to take care of the growing problem in Afghanistan. A president has to look at the big picture.
Without that context, the statement by Clark was wrong and insultiing. But if you listen to the entire interview, that is exactly the context iin which the statement was made. It came after a follow up question following a longer conversation, where the reasons that McCain's experience was not appropriate to the job as President was discussed. The problem is, that the entire interview is almost never played.
Lleon
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Leon (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 28 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 1:04:16 AM
Yep, only here in the stars and stripes swaddled world's largest lemming colony could you find enough morons to actually buy into the swill that John McCain is some kind of hero - war criminal (and he himself admitted it) is more appropriate. Not only does it not take any particular skill to hit a missile with a plane the arrogant ass that was the young McCain played a part in the flight deck fire that killed 132 military men aboard the USS Forrestal. Not only is he not qualified on the basis of that war hero pap but his history of judgement quite frankly sucks and is dangerous as hell. If Bush and Cheney and their neocon shadow government doesn't start World War III before they slither out of office you can bet that the hotheaded, half crazy McCain will.
Yet in our Idiocracy the truth never matters, only the propagandistic narrative of American exceptionalism and militarism and we will continue to suffer the decisions of fools living in a television induced torpor in which reality never intrudes.
EE
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Ed Encho (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 56 diaries, 391 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 5:41:13 AM
the gift is coming from the media who are distorting what Clark did and said.
Clark was the perfect person to say what he said. McCain is a fake, hypocrite and coward for allowing HIS surrogates to say what they've said, and to use the whole process as an excuse to say that this shows Obama is untrustworthy.
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Rob Kall (808 articles, 3922 quicklinks, 332 diaries, 1703 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 5:49:51 AM
Seems like only last year the same media was trying to sell Fred Thompson to the masses of asses as the New Reagan until he he was exposed as a lazy old oaf who talked like he had mouth full of marbles and whose main talent was to speak in monosyllables and glower.
God did they eat it up until Fred laid an egg and they turned to the war criminal McCain who should have been washed up for good when the armored version of the straight talk express rolled into Baghdad with air support and half the freaking army to tout just how well that things were going.
I feel like I am living in a real life version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
EE
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Ed Encho (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 56 diaries, 391 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 6:20:36 AM
.....it didn't in 2000 or 2004 when being a deserter seemed to be the "ticket" ....
Wesley Clark is correct in what he said. He should have gone further. They are trying to make McCain's experience as a prisoner the basis of him being a true patriot and war hero, thus the only candidate with experience to lead us in keeping us secure.
His comments (Clark's) were his opinion and were based on the fact that McCain was, indeed, a pilot who was shot down. His comments were not anything near those made, falsely, against John Kerry during the 2004 campaign yet no apologies were asked for, but were actually promoted by the corporate media propagandists.
The fact is McCain not only lost a plane when being shot down during the war, but crashed two while training. Maybe, just maybe, McCain was a reckless pilot. After all, his record at West Point was not a stellar one, graduating 892 out of a class of 899, and having a rather dismal behavior record while there. There must be something to the poor behavior of youngsters born of privilege as I believe George W Bush's youth was marred with misbehaviors as well. At any rate McCain's past does not reveal anything to show him as a leader. In fact, had he not been a youth of privilege he may have wound up going through life as most of us working at rather normal jobs, not bidding for the presidency of our nation.
I concur with Wesley Clark, being a pilot does not necessarily make one qualified to be President nor does it necessarily provide the experience needed for being strong in foreign relations or in keeping our nation secure. In addition, being a prisoner provides neither as well. One can be extremely grateful for the service provided by the pilot and prisoner, but one can also be realistic in viewing these for what they are – a pilot and a prisoner, neither providing the “experience” for the job at hand.
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Dennis Kaiser (14 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 229 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 7:02:57 AM
Vets deserve our respect, support, including financial support, gratitude, admiration, etc. In my view, being a vet should be a plus on a CV if applying for a job, any job, including Prez.
But can it substitute for adequate professional skills, suitable psychological profile and experience? Of course not--any idiot would know that.
For reminding us of that, the MSM is trying to crucify General Clark, and brainwash voters into thinking that uttering this simple truth is an insult to veterans. And an attack on our troops and a boost to AL Qaida that will precipitate our defeat in Iraq while they are at it.
If you fall for this, you are falling in line with the very Republican herdthink that brought us two terms of Bush in the first place. There should be no sacred cows in politics, specially when it comes to electing a President who is gonna take charge of a mess like the one we are in now.
The fact that Mccain is a vet should not equate with a ''no questions asked'' pass to the White House; not only we have a legitimate right to question his skills and assess his personnality and presidential credentials, but it is our duty as concerned voters trying to make an informed decision.
Mccain insists that he has unspecified qualifications in terms of foreign affairs that Obama is lacking. This coming from a man who can't tell the difference between AL Qaida and Iran! When he was a young pilot in Vietnam--wrecking his planes more often than average by the way--his job was merely carrying out orders, not assessing forces, planning operations, designing strategies. In short, contrary to General Eisenhower, he was not involved in any way in the military process as a top decision maker.
The reaction in this article is a sad comment on the state of affairs in the US of A. When Galileo stated the earth was round, he was pilloried, not that much for the statement itself but because it was seen as an attack against the sacred authority of the Church/Pope, who were supposed to never err and remain above scrutiny by definition. That's pretty much what this article us telling us--some people in the US are and should remain above scrutiny.
If that's what most voters think now, it indicates that the neocons have managed to erase 200 some years of Enlightment thinking in 8 years. And if we have indeed gone back to religious/tribal group think, we should get ready for the authoritarian regimes that inevitably go with it.
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francine (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 332 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 7:29:44 AM
All the focus is on the Game.Clark gave McCain the keys to the city. Obama is moving to the right. These guys are so sold out and horrifying under any circumstances. Maybe the truth will affect your candidate negatively. The truth needs be spoken anyway. Why underestimate the American people. If indeed the yahoos gun totin rascist knuckleheads are indeed America then progressive people are going to Cuba anyway. So why in the hell do progressive Americans get caught up in this idiotic game. If you'ire going to go down at least represent the truth. If Americans are that whacked the keys are already handed over to a drunk. So get outa the way and grab your children. Don't be so eager to sacrifice the truth for the game.
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robert braunstein (26 articles, 0 quicklinks, 13 diaries, 98 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 7:33:45 AM
Thank goodness we still have people who will stand up for the truth and Wesley Clark is one of them.he has constantly spoken out on the lies of the Republicans.you have to realize the conservative news media will twist anything the Democrats and their supporters say and this is what happened to Mr. Clark.Do we get rid of Obama because the news media twist what he says,and they will.Wesley clark should be given the position of secretary of war for his courage in standing up for the democrats not riducule
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liberalsrock (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 117 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 8:13:32 AM
What unmitigated bull. Articles like this are like window-dressing on a burning house. Another "who is more patriotic" idiotic piece placating to those that still think it matters which one of these clowns becomes the next POTUS.
Outside of divine intervention nothing is going to stop this country from careening into a Hell-on-Earth. We have a prefect storm of a collapsing economy, a coming "false flag" attack, an attack on Iran and instigation of a full-blown Police State. But don't let any of that bother you, just question who's wearing a flag-pin on their lapel.
Instead of asinine articles like this we should be reading about how to handle the for-mentioned and how we ourselves will become insurgents within our own country against a government hell-bent on killing us. And if any of you think this statement a bit much may I suggest you take your head out of your ass and look around.
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Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 1436 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 8:55:55 AM
"A lot of people don't know ... that McCain made a propaganda video for the enemy while he was in captivity," Aravosis wrote. "Putting that bit of disloyalty aside, what exactly is McCain's military experience that prepares him for being commander in chief … Getting shot down, tortured and then doing propaganda for the enemy is not command experience."
By Col. David Hackworth
John McCain is being hailed by the press as a "genuine war hero." But is he a war hero in the conventional sense like Audie Murphy and John Glenn?
Or is his "war hero" status the creation of a very slick publicity campaign that plays on flag, duty, honor and country?
For sure, McCain has the fruit-salad -- a Silver Star, a Legion of Merit for Valor, a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Bronze Stars , two Commendation medals plus two Purple Hearts and a dozen service gongs.
On a purely medal count basis, he out-weighs Murphy and Glenn, who both for years repeatedly performed extraordinary deeds on the ground or in the air against an armed enemy.
McCain's valor awards are based on what happened in 1967, when during his 23d mission over Vietnam, he was shot down, seriously injured, captured and then spent 5 1/2 brutal years as a POW.
In an attempt to find out exactly what the man did to earn these many hero awards, I asked his Senate office three times to provide copies of the narratives for each medal. I'm still waiting.
I next went to the Pentagon. Within a week, I received a recap of his medals and many of the narratives that give the details of what he did.
None of the awards, less the DFC, were for heroism over the battlefield -- where he spent no more than 20 hours. Two Naval officers described the awards as "boilerplate" and "part of an SOP medal package given to repatriated (Vietnam-era) POWs."
McCain's Silver Star narrative for the period 27 October 1967 -- the day after he was shot down -- to 8 December 1968 reads: "His captors… subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly towards the eventual abandonment…" of such harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese.
Yet in McCain's own words just four days after being captured, he admits he violated the U.S. Code of Conduct by telling his captors "O.K, I'll give you military information if you will take me to the hospital."
A Vietnam vet detractor says, "He received the nation's third highest award, the Silver Star, for treason. He provided aid and comfort to the enemy!"
The rest of his valor awards -- issued automatically every year while he was a POW -- read much like the Silver Star. More boilerplate often repeating the exact same words. An example: "By his heroic endeavors, exceptional skill, and devotion to duty, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces."
Yet McCain's conduct while a POW negates these glowing comments. The facts are that he signed a confession and declared himself a "black criminal who performed deeds of an air pirate." This statement and other interviews he gave to the Communist press were used as propaganda to fan the flames of the anti-war movement.
Accounts by McCain and other writers tell of the horror he endured: relentlessly beatings, torture, broken limbs. All inflicted during savage interrogations. Yet no other POW was a witness to these accounts.
A former POW says "No man witnessed another man during interrogations… We relied on each other to tell the truth when a man was returned to his cell."
The U.S. Navy says two eye-witnesses are required for any award of heroism. But for the valor awards McCain received, there are no eye-witnesses, less himself and his captors.
And they're not talking.
Our POWs in Vietnam were treated appallingly. The Viets would either break a POW or kill him. POWs provided info beyond name, rank and serial number or they didn't come back.
Based on these stalwart men's horrific experiences, the Code of Conduct has been changed. A POW says, "Now the training is to give them something… don't risk permanent damage to health, mind or body."
McCain refused an early release. An act of valor? Three former POWs told me he was ordered to turn it down by his U.S. POW commander and he "just followed orders."
McCain certainly doesn't appear to be a war hero by conventional standards, but rather a tough survivor whose handlers are overplaying the war hero card.
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Jason Paz (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 72 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 9:17:05 AM
Clark is absolutely correct. Being shot down, being held prisoner does not qualifications to be pres make.
Instead of carping on this inane crap, how about writing something about McCain crashing his jet into the U.S.S. Forestall and being mysteriously wisked away to another assignment before an investigation was completed.
None of us know the 'real' circumstances of McC. being shot down. For all we know it was 'unfriendly' fire by a 'friendly', because McCain is a son-of-a-bitch.
George the First was shot down very early on in his service; Georgie Two avoided being shot down by hiding for his last year (probably in rehab) for his last year in the Texas Air National Guard.
Do we really want a third president with a dubious flying history?
Better they should fly desks in some non-threatening industry like porn, than fly a desk in the White House, putting us all in harm's way.
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Sandy Sand (143 articles, 0 quicklinks, 198 diaries, 1385 comments)
on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 1:24:12 PM
