Obama Rebukes Clark

Playing not to lose. This bodes ill.

I'm disappointed in Obama on this. Caved in to the Beltway Chattering Elite who continue to fluff McCain.

In other news:

June 30, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- The former Air Force general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Myers, helped quash dissent from across the U.S. military as the Bush administration first set up a brutal interrogation regime for terrorism suspects, according to newly public documents and testimony from an ongoing Senate probe.

In late 2002, documents show, officials from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps all complained that harsh interrogation tactics under consideration for use at the prison in Guantánamo Bay might be against the law. Those military officials called for further legal scrutiny of the tactics. The chief of the Army's international law division, for example, said in a memo that some of the tactics, such as stress positions and sensory deprivation, "cross the line of 'humane treatment'" and "may violate the torture statute."

Myers, however, agreed to scuttle a plan for further legal review of the tactics, in response to pressure from a top Pentagon attorney helping to set up the interrogation program for then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/06/30/richard_myers/index.html?source=rss&aim=/news/feature

Florida, Agreed. I think that's a great story by my old colleague Mark Benjamin. Def. worth the read.

If I was a cynical person, I'd say that was a perfect set-up by Clark to allow Obama the slam dunk. Sister Souljah moment? You know Obama defending McCain will make all the newscasts this evening making Obama look like a great guy....

Clark spoke a simple, mild, basically unassailable truth, and the McCain camp and the MSM have have gone around crying "the sky is falling! the sky is falling! General Clark attacked McCain's military service!" General Clark did not attack McCain's military service. He gave an assessment about whether his particular service was of a sort that made him qualified, in and of itself, to be president. Obama had no choice, in the face of this irrationality, to say what he said. McCain was out there saying "if this is the sort of campaign he wants to run..." Now McCain is saying he "doesn't know" if Obama is being hypocritical for saying something different from Clark!!!!! This pains me. It makes me want to cry. Can't we please just have a little honesty?

That warrior patriot McCain sure gets offended a lot.
And I say that more in sadness than anger.

Teresa, that would be a nice angle, but ain't gonna happen - or if it does, it will be in the context of Obama "having to rebuke a surrogate once again," making him look weak, rather than like a great guy. See other comments in this thread for preview.

Obama's a pretty brilliant pol. This time he snatched McCain's victim card right out from his hands. That must be frustrating.

Okay, so McCain is a patriot. Obama says McCain is a patriot. By the Obama definition then Clark is a patriot. Clark the patriot said McCain the patriot isn't necessarily the best choice for President just because McCain is a patriot.

Is Obama still a muslim? Can muslims be American? Can patriots be muslim? Is McCain a muslim? What kind of muslim name is McCain? Did Clark invent the candybar? I like candy. I think I'll vote for Clark.

If Senator Clinton had taken the vapors as much as McCain it would have ended any chance for a woman to run again for 50 years.

Yay! Scored another one for the village!

Michael will you ask McCain why he and his wife don't pay their taxes? This is a much more important issue than what Clark thinks about McCain's military service.

The idea that getting shot out of plane qualifies you to be POTUS is so illogical on the face of it that Schieffer's obvious consternation over Clark's suggestion should be what we regard as appalling. Also, I never noticed the right being shy about criticizing Clark, who had far more responsibility and authority than McCain ever had.

Yeah, but STD, Clark's a democrat. That's different.

Did Phil Gramm ever get shot down? If so, I guess that would prove he's qualified to set US economic policy.

Look into that for us, won't you, Michael?

Oil prices continue to skyrocket, there was a lethal truck-bombing and a near-miss suicide bombing in Bagdad yesterday, Mitt Romney says nuclear proliferation is a "liberal" issue, the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate....

But the big news is that Wes Clark hurt the feelings of John McCain and his Beltway Fan Club.

I see that McCain is using Bud Day now as one of his surrogates. You remember him, don't you? He was one of the original Swift Boaters.

I'm sure the Beltway Elites will take no notice.

But the big news is that Wes Clark hurt the feelings of John McCain and his Beltway Fan Club.

Aaawwooooooogggaahh!! Aaawoooooogggaaahh!! Dive! Dive! Dive!

I am also disappointed by Obama here. He could have started a line of attack that of course being shot down does not automatically give you national security cred.

But I also see why he has to do this. The media is so stupid and inane that it would be the only way out and this stops the conversation early.

Argg. What I wouldn't do for a better press corps.

I'm a big Obama fan, but his campaign has been listless and out of control of the narrative since the primary ended. He needs to wrestle it back under control.

He shouldn't reject Clark's comments, because what Clark said was true. Iraq is a ground war and an occupation. McCain was a Navy pilot. I think it's perfectly valid to point out that his service and sacrifice don't AUTOMATICALLY make him qualified to be commander in chief.

As other Army and Marine men of distiguished record if McCain's time as a pilot and his prisoner-of-war ordeal mean he's definitely qualified to be commander in chief. Off the record, they'll tell you he has no more qualifications to lead a ground war than Obama does.

You have to understand what the McCain campaign's strategy is here. They want to make it so that no one can even raise the question of whether or not he's truely qualified to be CiC. They want to completely short-circuit the debate and make it 100% off limits for opponents and press alike.

I fear that journalists like Michael S. will be all to willing to cooperate, instead of asking a simple question: why experience does he have leading a war like Iraq, or even the war on terror? The answer is none.

Very very disappointing. The Obama camp is being played. This is how Democrats lose, by not being tough.

This is so inane. Look, McCain features being shot down in his campaign commercials. It's fair game for criticism and is NOT anti-veteran.

And, why does the right wing not get criticized for going far, far beyond?
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/

Clark's a democrat. That's different.

Oh yeah. Allow me to rephrase. Why does Wesley Clark hate America so much?

And Michael, please tell you me you didn't read the e-mail from the Obama campaign on your Blackberry, cause ya know, this sounds like another case of Blackberry politics to me.

Obama got it right on this one. Clark was off base.

"So much for Vice President Clark."

Wish you guys would pay half the attention to JIndal's screwed-up June as you do to an honest warfighter telling it like it is.

I guess it's not OK to talk bad about Bobby Jindal - a prime McCain Veep pick who has signed a creationism bill, promised not to veto a legislative pay bill, then flip-flopped and vetoed it anyway. All this on top of last week's insane comments regarding guns and death penalty for rapists. And he performs exorcisms. No, I guess JIndal's too crazy to criticize, hunh?

Jayack: Playing not to lose.

I don't begrudge him that. He does need to win.

Still, Josh Marchall has it right:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/202142.php

Obama needs to not only defeat the right, but defeat the right's myths--and the biggest one is that the Democrats are weak on national security. The truth is that the Republicans are the ones whose harebrained militarism got us to where we are today...

I am seeing things so differently from every other Democrat here today! Obama was absolutely right to say what he did. Clark was refuting an argument that no one is making.

Hopefully Clark continues the campaign against McCain.

Obama should play it just like Bush did when they were swiftboating Kerry. Many of the military who served with McCain dislike him for being a showboat and undiciplined. Many of the Repblicans from Arizona dislike McCain because he flip flops and doesn't really deliver for them. McCain's personal life is all about him and it is ugly at times.

It has been said by some that the more you get to know John McCain the less you like him. America needs to see the wrinkled up prune for what he is - just a more successful George W. Bush.

Both Bush and McCain were average students. They both were hell raisers. McCain is poorly schooled on current events and not well read, just like Bush. Bush relied on his family connections to succeed. McCain relied on his second wife's money to succeed. The only difference is that McCain was a prisoner of war. If you love Bush you'll love McSame, because you will get the same thing for the next four years.

"Clark was refuting an argument that no one is making."

Except for the McCain campaign. See his campaign commercials.

Would you expect any other outcome in this situation? We would have 24/7 of the McCain fluffers (aka MSM) feigning outrage over Clark's statement. (As Joe Klein showed in his post, the fluffers don't care about reporting Clark's actual words.) It's the narrative, stupid!

It doesn't matter how many times McCain mixes up Shia and Sunnis or sings "Bomb Bomb Iran" or talks about our glorious 100 year occupation of Iraq. Because he suffered horribly as a POW, he is an expert of foreign policy.

Rose,

From my viewing of the video it seems to me that Schieffer himself was making the argument pretty explicitly, and not in a "
But your opponents might argue blah blah blah…" Schieffer was making the argument for McCain all by himself, which I find to be the most disturbing aspect. And Clark was making a very simple argument that McCain's military experience did not include excutive experience.

"So much for Vice President Clark."

Wish you guys would pay half the attention to JIndal's screwed-up June as you do to an honest warfighter telling it like it is.

That would require work and stuff.

Nobody in the McCain or Obama camp has a ready made release for Michael and others to regurgitate.

McCain was a stand up guy as a POW, as far as I can tell. Endured a great deal and toughed it out. Makes him a heroic guy and I'd gladly shake his hand and thank him. Does that make him a good resident?

If crazed raghead terrorists ever broke into the White House and took the President prisoner, we could count on McCain refusing to talk.

(slaps head)

This is what Clark said "I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president."

Michale, if that is an insult, does that mean that EVERY brave pilot who has ever been shot down and captured is automatically qualified to be President?

The pool of people pre-qualified to be President just got a lot longer.

Still waiting on McCain's foreign policy experience credentials..

WHAT FLORIDA SAID,

Here is what REPORTING LOOKS LIKE MICHAEL!

Be that as it may, on the call, the McCain camp rolled out a leading surrogate named Bud Day -- who was described merely as a fellow POW of McCain -- who blasted such attacks. "John was slandered and reviled in the 2000 campaign in a way that denigrated his service enormously...it was absolutely important to face this issue right off the bat."

But guess what -- it turns out that this very same Bud Day was featured in the Swift Boat Vets ads attacking John Kerry in 2004!

To make matters even better, recall that McCain himself condemned the Swift Boat Vets. Yet now the McCain campaign is cheerfully enlisting someone who did what McCain claimed to decry -- attacks on Kerry's credentials -- and using him to defend McCain against the same sort of attacks.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/mccain_surrogate_condemning_at.php

Stop pandering and kissing Maverick tuchus and DO YOUR JOB!

Someone else already mentioned it, but in 2004, McCain said his solution to Iraq was to get the top Shi'as and Sunnis into one room and tell them to "cut the bulls**t". I would think this, along with his repeatedly demonstrated inability to explain the political-sectarian realities in Iraq, would suggest that Wes Clark was right.... a hundred years.... Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran.....

On that same Face the Nation show, McCain's top foreign policy surrogate repeated the same demagoguery about "al Qaeda and Iran", and repeated the despicable lie that war in Iraq is a response to 9/11.

Why isn't Lieberman's flat out lying more offensive to the Villagers than Clark's impolite declaration of a pretty much inarguable truth?

(to his partial credit, taking him from "F" to "D", Joe Klein says something, but not enough, about Lieberman, whose war-mongering dishonesty Klein finds less offensive than Wes Clark's "bad manners". Sadly, it is still true that Joe Klein remains the Beltway Bigfoot the most willing to question St McCain's credentials and clueless rhetoric.)

J.J.--

Republicans don't play not to lose. They play to win. It's very disappointing seeing Obama behaving weakly, in fealty to the Village when he should be exposing and attacking them. They're the only chance McCain has.

Wes Clark is a good guy and should have been defended. This is shameless. Will Obama ever stick up for anyone?

Wouldn't it be nice if our two candidates could just talk about who they are, what their priorities are, what their skills are, what specific policy proposals they have, and what their vision is for the office they're seeking and the country they want to lead?

I'm so tired of both sides constantly having to put out fires started by surrogates and hangers-on.

That said, I believe Obama said & did 100% the right thing here. I don't care whether it was politics or heartfelt, it was the right statement to make.

The only reason it was wrong for Clark to say what he did is not because it's an invalid argument - it's a very valid argument, especially when one makes his military service and POW status and centerpiece of his campaign. It was wrong because it was politically stupid. And it was politically stupid because our media is stupid. Of course, the GOP and McCain are going to attack Clark for this - they should, that's what campaigns/political opponents do. I don't begrudge them this - have at it. But the media should address the actual arugment - does military experience better qualify one to be president? - rather than paint this as a, "Clark demeans McCain's military service, McCain says Clark is wrong and his comments are inappropriate", story.

It's sad that Obama had to "reject" what Clark said, but thanks to the media - not the GOP, the MEDIA (see Klein's recent post on this..he's aghast at what the general said, although he at least provides a reason why he thinks McCain's military experience may qualify him to be president) - he had to. Remember, the Swift Boaters said that Kerry was free game because he made a big deal about his service in Vietnam. Well, if you've visited his site, listened to his surrogates, or seen his ads, you know that McCain is doing the same thing. The big difference is that the Swift Boaters called Kerry a liar and a traitor. Clark called McCain a hero but said that doesn't automatically qualify one to be President. In 2004, the media played the Swift Boat business as, "he said, she said," even though it was clear that one side - the Swift Boaters - was lying and crossing the line. No, "he said, she said here", though - General Clark said a horrible thing and he Obama must get on their knees an apologize profusely to the Maverick or else the media will continue to publish unflattering stories about Obama and his patriot-hating surrogate Clark. (who, um, happens to be a decorated veteran with much more executive/combat experience than McCain)

Mr. Scherer, you are a member of the media. Any value is doing a story on the actual argument being made here? Or does that not push paper?

rebuked MoveOn as well for General Betray Us.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/obama-criticizes-moveon.org-in-patriotism-speech-2008-06-30.html

Clark said nothing wrong at all. He offered an honest opinion. The press wails and gnashes its collective teeth about the lack of pols (and I consider Clark a pol at this point in time) to make honest comments and when someone does, the MSM has a hissy fit.

McCain is running as McCain. Yes, he might be charming and engaging in town halls but he also offers very little substance. He's running as a war hero who suffered a horrible six years in an enemy prison camp. That's a big part of his brand.

There is nothing wrong with someone pointing out that just because McCain suffered after his plane was shot down does not make him qualified to be president.

I understand that Obama has to play the game, though, so I don't hold it against him for using Clark's honest assessment of McCain to try and score some points.

"Wes Clark is a good guy and should have been defended. This is shameless. Will Obama ever stick up for anyone?"

Honestly, is there anyone left to rebuke? I hope Obama is not under the impression that now this goes away. McCain will continue to hammer on it and the media will assist them in doing so. Just watch.

Also in other news, I thought this was an important story, perhaps THE important story of the weekend:

L ate last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh

When vill Obama grow a backbone? If he can't stand up - and be slightly controversial - even in a matter like this, why should we think he will be tough and force through necessary reforms as a president?

"The McCain campaign would love to keep talking about Wesley Clark's weekend comment"

Leading indicator to determine if Scherer is going to post about a topic.

McCain will continue to hammer on it and the media will assist them in doing so. Just watch.

Exactly! I find the notion that this "scandal" has not yet been given it's full due in the village. There's definitely more to come.. and it's definitely going to be aided & abetted by the BBQ sauce w/sprinkles crowd.

I really wish the so called "washington press corps" would rise up in unison like this when something, ya know, actually fragging mattered.

I was really naieve to think things were slowly changing..

I am getting the sinking feeling that Obama has hoodwinked us long enough to get the damn primary; now that he has it, he thinks we don't have anywhere else to go and he should nail McCain.

Not if he keeps "rebuking" his supporters the same way he did Wesley Clark. They will all go home and stay there - say hello to the man who should not be POTUS, but will get it because Obama doesn't have the cajones to stand up when it counts.

Michael, you're Cindy Adams without the talent. Congrats on your 'career'.

Well, its apparent that there is no way on God's green earth to ask the question, does John McCain's military service qualify him to be a better CinC than Obama, and or does he have sound foregin policy and national security judgment? Obama and the American people must cede this question because the media will simply not permit it. To ask these questions or challenge the narrative is to attack a war hero.

Any way you ask the question it is going to end up in the same result.

McCain showed character in captivity.

McCain was offered to leave after three years of getting beat up and refused.

McCain had his teeth knocked out. McCain had his arms hung and tied so hard behind his back they were repeatedly broken.

To this day McCain can't lift his arms up to comb his hair.

McCain while injured and his injuries were never allowed to heal helped save the life of a comrade in captivity who was badly injured.

McCain lead his comrades as a chaplain.

Does Obama really want to go there. Obama said during this time he was doing drugs. Obama's comrades have been wright, father pfleger, and rezko.

Obama has gone beyond the pale. Obama has said McCain doesn't care about the families of troops in iraq. When in fact McCain's are one of those families. McCain's own son 19 year old son served in Iraq.

Clark also has a habit of doing this.

In February Clark knocked McCain's service. Obama camp didn't do any vetting and still used him as a surrogate.

In 2004 Clark knocked Kerry for only being a Lt and Clark said Kerry can't compare to him becase he was a general.

Clark has a long history of doing this.

MS: It sure sounds to me like this line from his speech rebukes Clark's comment.

Funny that you see it that way, Mike...To me, that section you quoted looks like Obama is chiding Clark for the attack itself, not the substance of the attack which is a valid criticism of McCain.

Plus, it's not the first time Clark expressed that sentiment:

In a March conference call with reporters while he was still backing Hillary Rodham Clinton, Clark said: "Everybody admires John McCain's service as a fighter pilot, his courage as a prisoner of war. There's no issue there. He's a great man and an honorable man. But having served as a fighter pilot – and I know my experience as a company commander in Vietnam – that doesn't prepare you to be commander in chief in terms of dealing with the national strategic issues that are involved. It may give you a feeling for what the troops are going through in the process, but it doesn't give you the experience first hand of the national strategic issues."

Other than the obligatory, "Why didn't you guys bring up Clark's similar remarks back in March when he was rooting for Clinton?", I think it's a great bit of manuvering on the Dem side.

McCain's greatest strength as a candidate is his past service; now, thanks to Clark and the media's willingness to hype - real or imagined - controversy, the idea that past military service isn't the prime criteria of a good President is open to discussion and Obama gets to look like he's doesn't support attack politics, isn't beholden to the left, blah, blah, blah.

So much for Vice President Clark.

More like, "thanks, Wes!"

This was awesome:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5bYzL2y7xQ&hl=en

June 24th 2008
"When Mr. Wenner asked how Mr. Obama might respond to harsh attacks from Republicans, suggesting that Democrats have “cowered” in the past, Mr. Obama replied, “Yeah, I don’t do cowering.”

"Also in other news, I thought this was an important story, perhaps THE important story of the weekend" - Florida, I completely agree. I know Wes Clark's lack of message discipline is fascinating, but war with Iran is also important...

Did anyone see Seymour Hersh on CNN yesterday? That was probably the most interesting thing on cable news in months.

The only way Obama can lose this election is by playing not to lose.

First FISA, now this. He is being timid and overly cautious, and it looks insipid.

It's as though the DLC establishment got ahold of his campaign strategy.

One of the main reasons I've supported him is because he seemed to be throwing that awful playbook out of the window.

JayAck is correct, this does not bode well.

Man, the press is really circling the wagons around their BBQ master McCain.

Contrast with their skewering of Kerry.

Rose, I saw Hersh on CNN. Amazing interview. And props to Candy for doing such a good job.

Another thing on the Face the Nation post-mortem. Joe Lieberman essentially predicted another Al Qaeda attack on the U.S. early in 2009 because Al Qaeda was going to "test" the next president. Of course this was a reason to vote for McCain in Lieberman's twisted mind, but my point is that Lieberman was making the exact same point Charlie Black made to Fortune. And nobody seems to notice.

With Obama, there is one and only one constant. It's not his fault. He will toss anyone under the bus. Obama supporters will tell you how great a campaign he's run but this brilliant campaign didn't discuss what Wesley Clark would say on Face the Nation? According to Clark, McCain isn't qualified because he had never had executive experience, or when he had led a navy squadron, it wasn't during wartime. If that's so, then how in the world is Obama qualified? Nevermind, it's over. Obama distanced himself from another controvery this brilliant campaign didn't see coming. Just like he did with Rev. Wright. Just like he did with Trinity. Just like he's done every single time his association with someone proves politically sticky for him. I'll say this for McCain, he was offered freedom from the Hanoi Hilton but he stayed out of a sense of duty to those who were still there. Obama runs for cover at the first sign of trouble. I don't know who will win the election but I do know which one of these guys I'd want next to me in a fight.

Sounds like I need to find the interview with Hersh on CNN's site. Thanks, Rose and Southern Bell!

Does Obama consider Michelle "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country" Obama the picture of "patriotism"? What about his best friend for the last 20 years, the vile, race baiting, America hating Jeremiah "God d@*# America" Wright? What about his dear friend William "The Terrorist" Ayers? Also, why is Obama now wearing a flag pin on his lapel when he earlier called it a sign of "phony patriotism"?

God, this is so indescribably frustrating! I'm so sick and tired of helplessly watching the Village rush around to propagate their narrative irrespective of the "truth".

Why does the Village hate America? Seriously. Does anyone know the answer? Aren't we all in this together?

NY Nick: According to Clark, McCain isn't qualified because he had never had executive experience, or when he had led a navy squadron, it wasn't during wartime. If that's so, then how in the world is Obama qualified?

That's kinda the point, Nick - military service isn't the only qualification for becoming President, despite what McCain's campaign would like you to believe. I know plenty of former soldiers who wouldn't be good Presidents.

I do know which one of these guys I'd want next to me in a fight.

I'd want McCain next to me if we were being attacked by a bear. I can run faster...

...then again, the bear just might mistake McCain for a dead guy and come after me anyway.

So, of course, the McCain camp attacks Obama for HIS statement. What a crude lot of thugs, devoid of substance and able only to practice the same old game we've tolerated far too long.

Yeah, he has experience to find a suger mama.

McCain showed character in captivity.
McCain was offered to leave after three years of getting beat up and refused.
McCain had his teeth knocked out. McCain had his arms hung and tied so hard behind his back they were repeatedly broken.
To this day McCain can't lift his arms up to comb his hair.
McCain while injured and his injuries were never allowed to heal helped save the life of a comrade in captivity who was badly injured.
McCain lead his comrades as a chaplain.

All true. He also, after all this time, doesn't understand the difference between Sunni and Shi'a, and doesn't see how that matters.

Obama gaffed here. He will have to take on the war hero baloney sooner or later.

Obame was a fool and a poltroon for rejecting Clark's statement. He's enablins this kind of foolish fake umbrage.

Grape_crush,

Wes Clark was making a point about executive experience here:

"Clark said that McCain lacked the executive experience necessary to be president, calling him “untested and untried” on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” And in saying so, he took a few swipes at McCain’s military service.

“He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn't a wartime squadron,” Clark said."

He appears to be saying executive experience is important. Where's Obama's executive expertise?
If McCain isn't qualified, where does that leave Obama?

This whole "General Clark disrespected Senator McCain's war record" coverage is simply more proof that the mainstream media has dumbed itself down to the point of being completely useless. The media may as well be covering a shopping mall argument amongst twelve year-old girls.

Each and every writer on this Time "Swampland" site - Ana Marie Cox, Joe Klein, Karen Tumulty, Jay Carney, Jay Newton-Small, and Michael Scherer - should be fired for heinous and utter incompetence.

For the record, "journalists": the issue is not General Clark's criticism of Senator McCain's war record - he did nothing of the kind, unless the words "I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war" can be considered critical of one's war record. The issue brought up by General Clark was HOW Senator McCain's war record adds to his qualifications for serving as our president, assuming it does so in the first place. THAT is the very valid question on which the media should be focusing, not on the Republican National Committee-initiated "who's calling-whom-what" kindergarten crap that the media thinks will generate higher revenue. It is quite telling that not one mainstream media outlet thus far has made an accurate comparison of General Clark's comments yesterday to the months-long "Swift Boat Veterans for 'Truth'" attacks on Senator John Kerry's Vietnam service during the 2004 election. Rick Sanchez of CNN called General Clark's comments an attempt at "Swift-Boating" Senator McCain; if any of you alleged journalists did what you were you supposed to do, you immediately would point out that the two cases are ENTIRELY different.

But why would we expect anything of substance from the Six-Headed Fool of Swampland, a creature that has a track record of near complete vapidity. With journalists like you, I might start reading US Weekly to get the smart, insightful and relevant political news I need to make an intelligent decision come Election Day.

ny nick: If McCain isn't qualified, where does that leave Obama?

Doesn't matter; Obama hasn't based his qualification for the job on his experience in the military as McCain has..."Don't question me, dammit! I'm a war hero!" is not a substitute for good judgment, intelligence, or sensible policy positions.

McCain's political raison d'être rests solely on his military service, which he uses as both a weapon against political opponents and a shield against criticism. Take that away, and there's not much to McCain.

his campaign has been listless and out of control of the narrative since the primary ended. He needs to wrestle it back under control.

Posted by BrendanB | June 30, 2008 1:14 PM

Totally agreed. It's as if they decided to coast out the rest of June. Meanwhile, McCain is doing stuff like a large media buy in Missouri.

You could even make a credible argument that they've been coasting since winning NC and almost winning IN.

---

The only reason it was wrong for Clark to say what he did is not because it's an invalid argument - it's a very valid argument, especially when one makes his military service and POW status and centerpiece of his campaign. It was wrong because it was politically stupid. And it was politically stupid because our media is stupid.

Posted by OGLib | June 30, 2008 1:45 PM

Couldn't agree more. That said, as others have been opining, what a wasted opportunity. The Obama camp had a real chance here to say, "now wait a minute, Clark wasn't disrespecting McCain's service, he was simply saying McCain's military record doesn't give him a free pass. He hasn't earned the job simply because he was a POW."

That simple.

Obama has impressed me several times in this campaign with his ability to peel back the media-generated narrative and talk directly to people. He could have done that here, but for the reason OG states above, he chose not to do so. Not good, not at all. He not only could have made some points with voters by DEFINING McCain, but he could have taught the media a lesson about pushing a false narrative. With enough effort and the right language and framing, it's a battle they could have won, and should have engaged in. It was the right time. Instead, they played safe (or not to lose, as JayA said).

If he's not careful, one of these days he's not going to be able to bounce back from one of these stupid surrogate outrages. He's got to seize one of these thing, flip it around and impose HIS narrative on top of it. He's letting the media and McCain define this situation. Too passive, Barack! He's lucky this time, I don't think it will be a prolonged kerfuffle, but it's getting to be thin ice.

A very disappointing move on Senator Obama's part! There is a difference between disrespect of service and simple statement of fact.

This would have been a great opportunity to call both the media on their blatant misrepresentation of the comment, and Senator McCain for his blatant embrace of that obvious lie.

And, what about respect for General Clark? Was his service somehow less deserving than that of Senator McCain? It is unconscionable that he was thrown under the bus for this.

This whole thing is stupid, and I am so frustrated with Senator Obama and his campaign's rapidly developing habit of pandering to stupidity. GROW A SPINE, PEOPLE!

Is Gen Clark wrong?
Does getting shot down qualify/annoint one to be president of USA?

Is it cheap non-presidential stuff to fly in combat for many hours and NOT get shot down?

How about the POW issue?

Can one say that Iraq is teeming with presidential stuff?
Afterall, hundreds/thousands of them were shot at and/or severely tortured and some even gave information ....

Schieffer stated the offending phrase, posed as a follow-up. Clark repeated it in order to emphasize the simple point he was making. Honorable service should be honored, but it DOES NOT automatically qualify someone for Prez.

Clark gets blamed for it, and also gets the credit for coming up with the phrasing.

huh?

need to hear from Schieffer on this.

M4V Converter free download center- ALL M4V conversion tools which help you feel free to convert M4V to MP3, AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, 3GP, WMA. And useful Guide on How to Deal with M4V files.
m4v converter
convert m4v
Ultra Quicktime M4V converter currently is the best M4V converter which can convert Quicktime movie M4V to AVI, MPEG, MP4, MPG, WMV, ASF and Vob. As we know Quicktime movie usually has the video formats of M4V, MOV, QT, MP4, and M4V, With this M4V Converter, you can feel free to Convert them all with fast speed and high output quality.
m4v to avi
m4v to wmv
With the fast and powerful QuickTime video decoder inside, Ultra QuickTime M4V Converter supports almost all MOV, QT, MP4, M4V files, even QuickTime Player has not been installed. Integrated High-speed MPEG-2 encoder which let you convert M4V to DVD-Video files(VIDEO_TS, AUDIO_TS) and VCD/SVCD image(*.bin,*.cue), so you can burn VCD/SVCD/DVD disc easily from QuickTime files by using third-party buring tools. It is a software program for converting video formats at fast speeds and high quality. Very user-friendly interface and Quality Profiles.
m4v to mpeg
m4v to mp4

MPEG4 Converter for MacAVI to MPEG4 Mac OS XFLV to MPEG4 Mac OS XMPEG4 Converter for Mac is the best video Converter for Mac that supports various video formats. Such as iPod Video MPEG4, iPod Touch MPEG4, iPod Nano MPEG4, iPhone Video MPEG4, iPhone Video H.264, Apple TV MPEG4, M4v-MPEG4 and so on. MOV to MPEG4 Mac OS XVOB to MPEG4 Mac OS XDat to MPEG4 Mac OS XConvert FLV to MPG Mac OS X Convert FLV to MP4 Mac OS XWith it, you can watch videos on almost any portable devices including iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, Zune, PSP, Video capable MP4 players and so on. Convert FLV to AVI Mac OS X Convert FLV to DIVX Mac OS X AMV to MPEG4 Mac OS X

اناشيد طيور الجنة
ريجيم ورشاقة
طبخ
ازياء
ميك اب ومكياج
اتيكيت
ازياء محجبات
اكلات
حلويات
الطب البديل والاعشاب
صحة المراة
العروس
اكسسوارات
ديكور
العاب بنات
توبيكات
صور للماسنجر
العاب تلبيس
عالم حواء
مصارعة حرة
برامج
اناشيد
تحميل العاب
يوتيوب
مسجات
العاب
العاب طبخ
العاب بنات
العاب ميك اب
العاب باربي
ماسنجر
برامج مجانية
مسلسلات ومسرحيات
خلفيات
غرائب وعجائب
حكم وامثال
سياحة
افلام وثائقية
القران الكريم
اخبار
برامج موبايل
العاب بلاى ستيشن ونينتندو
العاب جوال
نوكيا
جوال
nokia
برامج فوتشوب
نغمات
ثيمات
العاب
صور سيارات
نكت
برامج حماية وانتى فايروس
افلام اجنبية
برامج صور
قصص
العاب اطفال
برامج ماسنجر
برامج
العاب
بروكسي
برامج الجوال
برامج بورتابل
برامج الشبكات
تحميل برامج
العاب باربي
مصارعه حره
برامج كمبيوتر
اغانى اطفال
افلام
صور
اغانى
فيديو
hguhf
فيديو
صور

اسلام تيوب
افلام
افلام و مسلسلات كرتون وانمى
افلام وفيديو العاب
دروس و شروحات فيديو
عالم حواء المراة
فيديوهات رياضية
مقاطع فيديو
يوتيوب

اعلانات افلام
اعلانات طريفة
اعلانات ميلودى
اغانى المسلسلات و الافلام
افلام اجنبى
افلام عربي
افلام وثائقية و تاريخية
مسلسلات

اغانى واناشيد اطفال
اناشيد طيور الجنة
توم وجيرى القط و الفار
كرتون كوكب زمردة سبيستون
مسلسلات كرتون mbc3

ادعية
القران الكريم
اناشد مشاري العفاسي
اناشيد احمد بو خاطر
اناشيد و اغانى اسلامية
برامج دينية
قصص الانبياء

اغانى
حفلات
سياسة و اخبار