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WAAAAHH! Wesley Criticized Me!
Poor John. There is someone out there that isn't kneeling in his presence and kissing the feet he walks on. Am I missing something here? I've listened to that interview a couple of times and find nothing unreasonable. As a matter of fact similar statements by Wesley Clark were examined in an interview he had on the Morning Joe show recently. Here is a clip of that one.
I thought Clark did great on that show. He was making the same point in the Face the Nation interview yesterday. The point is that John McCain has not showed the judgement that is necessary in a CIC. McCain happily singing Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran is just one of the things Clark points to in his explaination. I didn't hear any major outcry there. He was very effective. But suddenly everyone is up in arms using terms like "ridicule" or "attacks his military record".
Clark in no way attacked McCain's record as a soldier. He acknowledged McCain's heroism. But McCain is now crying bully. McCain is playing the victim. All the media is falling in line. Didn't Clark get the memo? NOBODY, BUT NOBODY CAN SPEAK OF JOHN MCCAIN AND THE MILITARY IN THE SAME SENTENCE WITHOUT PUTTING THEIR HAND OVER THEIR HEART AND SINGING GOD BLESS JOHN MCCAIN.
Wesley Clark is a four star General, former NATO Supreme Commander, wounded in action and a hero himself. If there is anyone who can look at McCain and dispute his claims about how his military experience makes him the best choice for president it's Wesley Clark. He makes a good point and is pretty effective. But the moment Johnny whines the media runs to lick his wounds and cry foul at Clark.
I'm not going to criticize Obama and Axelrod for poo pooing the comments. Obama doesn't have a military background and as such should avoid any argument that makes a point about McCains record as it relates to CIC credentials. But I'm getting tired of the teflon that the media keeps painting all over McCain. The guy's got plenty of flaws. This isn't a Hollywood movie.
Oh, BTW, did you hear McCain confused Somalia with Sudan today? Didn't think so.
Comments (12)
You mean just like Bill Clinton being a small time Gov. from Arkansas.Or how Bill went overseas to avoid going to Vietnam.So yes McCains Military Record is impecable.That does not make him President!!!
July 1, 2008 3:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
"But I'm getting tired of the teflon that the media keeps painting all over McCain."
They do that to make this race look like a close contest, so the media can make more money whipping up "horse race" BS.
July 1, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely they do that but I think it goes beyond that to the point of favoritism. McCain knows how to woo the media. There is an interesting article in the Nation about it. Can't find the link to that but here is another post about it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/25/free-ride-inside-the-med_n_93285.html
July 1, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
`Loving John McCain`
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080707/alterman
A deeply depressing article. I'm going to try sending it to SNL
July 1, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup, I hope Clark keeps pressing his argument and Obama keeps defending McCain - this li'l routine is like turpentine to those coats of teflon that McCain's benefited from ... folks might complain about the stink at first, but once it sinks in, they might be impressed by how easily the ol' varnish strips away.
July 1, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. Clark needs to be more artful with his wording, he did a better job on Morning Joe, but he has a valid point and is qualified to make it.
July 1, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
The MSM is 'sold' on McCain war time hero credentials so that's why Obama had to "agree" with McCain and the MSM.
Anything to put Obama on the defense and negative light is more more than understood by Obama and his campaign. During (and after) the primaries between Obama and Clinton, Clinton could and do almost no wrong while any gaffes, blunders, or missteps by Obama, was/is front page news, and since the MSM can't directly smear Obama, they instead try and use his gaffes and mistakes to discredit him (a good example was the incident with those two head scarf Muselim women).
July 1, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is terrified. If people believe what General Clark said about him, then he is essentially powerless. None of his other positions make any sense, and he hasn't maintained a consistent position on just about anything, but he can run on his war record and people will think he keeps us safer because of it than Obama can. It's a fallacy, but it's his only bargaining chip.
So he's in abject fear that people will believe it. You know what cornered animals do - they fight for their lives. That's McCain, backed into a corner and coming out swinging. Poor John, indeed.
July 1, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am not always impressed with Clark--unfortuntely the military leadership is all too much about kissing up and bowing down and less about leadership excellence and innovation. But Clark is really a standout. Took four bullets in Nam but it didn't slow him down. Also was Commander of the Southern Command and the European Command. Extremely intelligent and knowledgeable. And as we see from this--taking on the brass totem of John McCain--he is still a courageous and public spirited man as well.
Still, I don't know how much longer Clark will be able to hold up to all the withering attacks.
For what its worth--I think that John McCain is a courageous and public spirited man too. I was impressed every time he said that he places the nation above the Republican Party. But we don't need a Patriot--we need a competent and moderately liberal and visionary leader. And that's not John McCain!
July 1, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder whether John McCain realizes that if he is elected president, al Qaeda and Ahmadinejad and all those other very very scary people he keeps telling us about REALLY WILL demean and insult him. And all Bud Day's and Orson Swindle's whining won't make them stop.
July 1, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great blog. Recommended. Clark was great on Morning Joe. Two of neocon pundits couldn't keep up, and he didn't even break a sweat doing it. Formidable guy.
Harold Ford is a waste of space. He sat there and let Clark handle the tag-team, sipping coffee and not bringing any sort of pain. Reminds me why I distrust the DLC's motives and explains why he lost his senate race. What a tool.
This will be a net positive for Barack. Conservative voters of all stripes need to know that people they respect don't think McCain's military experience gives him an inherent ability to be president.
This will become a slow-motion coup de grace between now and November.
July 1, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Either McCain is actually lilly-livered and cannot stand any questioning of his credentials (which ought to BE questioned-Hey John, you are running for President, remember?) or is pulling that simply because he suspects (correctly, unfortunately) that Obama will recoil at anything that smacks of negativity coming from his camp. My question is: how many times can McCain cry wolf and when will Obama get sick of disowning?
July 1, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
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