Obama probably needs Wesley Clark
Wesley Clark for veep
Obama probably needs Wesley Clark
It seems like today is Veep Day -- a lot of people out there are weighing in on who Obama and McCain should pick for their No. 2s. The only things I know for sure is that a) I honestly have no clue who McCain should pick -- the most interesting name I heard was ex-Hewlitt-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who unlike McCain knows at least something about the economy and who would help pick off a few disgruntled Clinton backers (although wasn't she fired?) and b) I just don't think Clinton works for Obama, not only because of the inevitable bad chemistry between them but because Bill Clinton would just hover over everything.
So who should Obama pick? Well, vice presidential candidates are a little like the presidential candidates -- they're all flawed, only slightly more so. I once thought that Obama should maybe pick a woman, but the field of non-Hillary females is kind of lackluster and -- given the way some voters are reacting to Obama -- he may need to play it fairly traditional.
I think the ideal Obama veep would be a Clinton supporter, to unite the party, and someone who's not just a senator, who has some experience running something. But what I think he needs most is somebody with a miltary background, because the campaign has shown this to be Obama's greatest weakness, that he just seems like someone who doesn't "get" the military. That's not a fatal flaw -- remember the military exploits and non-exploits of the last two commanders-in-chief? -- and I think it's a little silly for McCain to chide the 46-year-old Obama for not enlisting for the Great War in Grenada. But Obama clearly looks more comfortable around community organizers than in military settings, and to defeat McCain he's going to need to send a strong signal that an Obama administration would be military-friendly.
Virginia Sen. Jim Webb could send that signal -- the fact that he was Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan is too perfect, and he's a Vietnam veteran with a son serving in Iraq. from a key battleground state. But he's also got liabilities -- at times hotheaded, or accused of sexism -- and is fairly new to the national scene. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark would be better. He's a former commander of NATO, a Clinton supporter, from a Southern state (Arkansas), and he's popular with the Democrats' liberal base. He's got flaws, too -- remember his brief 2004 presidential campaign, which was a kind of weak effort? -- but I think his expertise and standing on military issues is something that Obama can't afford to pass up.
By the way, I do think our own Ed Rendell is in the Final Four, perhaps, but his well-known foot-in-mouth disease is probably a fatal flaw.
SPECIAL BONUS "WHO SAID IT": Who said in 2004 that Wesley Clark's involvement with the Democrats was a matter of "political convenience, not conviction"?
Comment removed.
Agree on Wes Clark. Have long admired him and thought he would bring decent military and foreign relations experience - a good balance to Obama's lack therein.— bjps1353- Most of the military hates him
I'm sure you have some evidence to back up that claim? Because, Lord knows, you'd never make an unsubstantiated or non fact-based comment.
— Talking point sleuth - Although I agree that Clark ran a poor campaign, I'm beginning to come around on him as the #2. The Clinton connection is good --- Clinton's help without the Clintons attached to it. Rendell would be terrible --- for PA. Can you imagine Catherine Baker Knoll as our Governor? God help the Commonwealth!!!— yobill626
- Clark would be a very good choice. All those hillary supporters who want her as veep should ask themselves "Where would she be better suited: running the Senate with little to do or working in the Senate doing something?"— mike l
- Why so cavalier about McCain's choice ?It's not like the next VP won't be important. I believe the quote about "convenience" should be attributed to Joe Lieberman.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- Wesley Clark? You're kidding, right, Will? Clark almost provoked war with Russia on two occasions during the Kosovo campaign. He wanted to blockade Russian ships and ordered Nato troops to attack Russian troops landing at Pristina airport (an order refused by the British Nato general, thank goodness). He also was on the board of Axciom, a rather shadowy Arkansas company. He was added specifically to get more government business for that company, which deals in providing information services and was part of the Jet Blue scandal where traveller information was provided to the government without their consent as part of a database test. There are plenty of old-school Dems such as Sam Nunn who have good exposure to military matters. Clark is an unstable nutcase.— db_cooper
- Two longshots I've heard are Zinni and Hagel. Probably just pipe dreams though.— RG
- "Clark is an unstable nutcase." Based on the last seven years, one might think that's a requirement for the vice presidency. :-) I like Zinni -- he's from Conshohocken! -- but I don't know about his lack of any political experience. Not so big on Hagel -- too conservative -- or Nunn, who's been around forever. Why not pick Clark Clifford, assuming he's still alive (too lazy to check).— will
I'm convinced it will be Sebelius. She's popular in a very red, middle American state, and she also has her roots in Ohio. Obviously she mitigates the bitterness of Hillary's feminist supporters, and she also can appeal to Catholics who aren't too concerned over abortion. Most importantly I think, she doesn't carry the baggage of coming from inside the beltway, but she brings executive experience to the ticket.- Zinnin's lack of political experience helps push Obama's "change" message while giving him some national security/military cred. Hagel and Obama have worked together on multiple occassions. He seems like a smart, non-partisan guy, and is retiring from the Senate. If Obama wins, I'd bet he serves in some capacity in the admin.— RG
- It'll never happen, but if McCain chose Hillary (two centrists, one leaning right - one left) as his running mate he'd captalize on the wedge which has been driven through the party during the primary process. Hillary has already repeatedly claimed that McCain is more qualified for the presidency than Obama. She been quoted as saying:
"I think that since we now know Sen. McCain will be the nominee for the Republican Party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. And I think it’s imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold. I believe that I’ve done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you’ll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy." Calling McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee a good friend and a “distinguished man with a great history of service to our country,” Clinton said, “Both of us will be on that stage having crossed that threshold.” The pro-McCain comments were quickly and widely panned — so Clinton repeated them. She said, "Sen. McCain has a lifetime of experience, I have a lifetime of experience, Sen. Obama has one speech in 2002".
— legatus - Comment removed.
- "and she also can appeal to Catholics who aren't too concerned over abortion" Unfortunately for that theory, she is deeply associated with the notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller. That will be a bit much for even most cafeteria Catholics.— db_cooper
- THIS WESLEY CLARK????Clark says he probably would have voted for war By Joanna Weiss, Globe Staff, 9/19/2003 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Retired Army General Wesley K. Clark said yesterday that he probably would have voted for the congressional resolution that authorized President Bush to wage war in Iraq, taking a position on a key campaign issue closer to that of Senator John F. Kerry than Howard Dean's strong antiwar stance. "On balance, I probably would have voted for it," Clark said. "The simple truth is this: When the president of the United States comes to you and makes the linkages and lays the power of the office on you, and you're in a crisis, the balance of the judgment probably goes to the president of the United States."— mookie
- As time wore on, Clark's reservations seemed to give way. Clark explained on CNN (1/21/03) that if he had been in charge, "I probably wouldn't have made the moves that got us to this point. But just assuming that we're here at this point, then I think that the president is going to have to move ahead, despite the fact that the allies have reservations." As he later elaborated (CNN, 2/5/03): "The credibility of the United States is on the line, and Saddam Hussein has these weapons and so, you know, we're going to go ahead and do this and the rest of the world's got to get with us.... The U.N. has got to come in and belly up to the bar on this. But the president of the United States has put his credibility on the line, too. And so this is the time that these nations around the world, and the United Nations, are going to have to look at this evidence and decide who they line up with."— mookie
- THE WAR OF BUBBA AND WESLEY CLARK AT THE BATTLE OF WACO THE ONLY BATTLE THIS LITTLE PUNK EVER WON.Michael McNulty, an investigative journalist and Oscar nominee for his documentary, Waco: The Rules of Engagement, tells Insight that, "From the standpoint of what went on that operation had military fingerprints all over it. The chain of command being what it is, Clark had some responsibility, but to what degree we really don't know. My military sources tell me that Clark and his second in command got the communication from then-governor of Texas Ann Richards, who wanted help with Waco. At that point Clark or [Gen. Peter J.] Schoomaker should have asked themselves, 'Religious community? Civilians, they want our tanks?' and hung up the phone. Why weren't the guys making the decisions debriefed and questioned by the committee?"— mookie
- When's the last time you voted for a ticket because of the Veep? Posted by Xi Jah This time Xi, it will be about people staying home if they don't like the VP's. People that hate McCain and Obama are looking for excuses not to vote and I don't blame them. A solid VP for either that bridges the gaps will get peole to the poles.— MichaelZoe
- WILL suggested "Clark Clifford" (December 25, 1906 – October 10, 1998) I guess Will sees the dead among the living like Obambi did at memorial day with "as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes—and I see many of them in the audience here today"— mookie
- "or Nunn, who's been around forever." Seems that would be a good political experience balance for Obama. Plus, Nunn would put a centrist on the ticket, and would provide geographical balance and put Obama in play in southern states.— db_cooper
- Let's see -- something slipped past the old editors desk on this one. Story is about Wesley Clark. Link to the blog says "Ramsey Clark" I guess Will is too busy playing Phillies GM to worry about the accuracy of his story. When is the big call-up of Osvaldo Ramon Jesus?— shoeshineboy
- Was I right about Lieberman ? What's the bonus ?— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- Jim Webb should be the choice. Activist feminists will not vote for a Republican. He has a military background. His message is consistent with Obama's. He would be a popular choice in the geographic regions where Obama is weakest.— Talking point sleuth
- Comment removed.
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