Wesley Clark Drops Out

[Nation]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/10/elec04.prez.main/index.html



About time.

[12th Doctor]

Well, he stayed in just long enough to kill the Edwards campaign.

[MAS117]

finally.... props go out to the general for winning the OK primary

[MarkDel]

Mas117,

If it's none of my business, I apologize in advance for the question, but how old are you? Just curious...

[opebo]

Well, he stayed in just long enough to kill the Edwards campaign.

Hah, at least he did something useful!  Maybe he was a Republican plant.

But seriously Edwards would be only slightly more trouble than Kerry.

[Ben.]

It’s a shame of on two levels…

Firstly my personal preference as far as tickets where concerned was Clark/ Breaux as I was pretty sure that such a ticket would be big trouble for Bush/ Cheny…

Secondly I think it is a shame that Clark did just well enough in Oklahoma to denie Edwards the “Big Mo” he needed… a proper horse race between Edwards and Kerry would have been the best outcome for the party as in my view it would have strengthened both of them while keeping the Dems in the news….

On a side note if you split up Clarks support in VA and TN with about 2/3rds going to Edwards and the rest splitting to Dean (antiwar) and Kerry (“mo” and war record)… this is what you get…

VA:
Kerry- 53%
Edwards- 34%
Dean- 8%

TN:
Kerry- 43%
Edwards- 46%
Dean- 5%

You cannot know for sure now but had Clark not bean in the race after Feb 3rd I think Edwards could have done much better last night and you would have had a real horse race…but JE needs to hope Dean’s last stand in WI reduces Kerry’s numbers (unlikely) and so long as the Clark supporters flow overwhelmingly to him he can perhaps make the race close… if you do what I did with the VA and TN numbers this is what you get by the way…

WI:
Kerry: 46%
Edwards: 21%
Dean: 13%  

Edwards had better hope that he can have the media concentrating on this as two person race otherwise even if the Clark support splits as I’ve suggested Kerry will have the nomination essentially wrapped up before  “Super Tuesday”.  

[Michael Z]

Clark reportedly had thoughts about dropping out immediately after NH, so I guess this was bound to happen sooner rather than later.

Btw, would be there any room for Clark in a Kerry administration? I can see him as Secretary of State or Sec. of Defense...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sec. of Defence or Sec. of State? Hmmm... tough one there.

[© tweed]

Well, he stayed in just long enough to kill the Edwards campaign.

Yep.  If he was out before Tennessee, Edwards would still be alive.

[Gustaf]

Why haven't Edwards dropped out yet? It's clearly over now, I mean Kerry won over 50% in VIRGINIA!

[opebo]

Sec. of Defence or Sec. of State? Hmmm... tough one there.

God, what a frightening thought - but I think he'd be worse at State because then foreign leaders might have to speak to him.

[Gustaf]

Sec. of Defence or Sec. of State? Hmmm... tough one there.

God, what a frightening thought - but I think he'd be worse at State because then foreign leaders might have to speak to him.

Does an American SecState really need to care about foreign leaders, in your opinion? What about being the envy of the world and ignoring the UN?

[opebo]

Sec. of Defence or Sec. of State? Hmmm... tough one there.

God, what a frightening thought - but I think he'd be worse at State because then foreign leaders might have to speak to him.

Does an American SecState really need to care about foreign leaders, in your opinion? What about being the envy of the world and ignoring the UN?

Thats all well and good, but the Sec of State is just a glorified messenger boy, so you want someone stable, well spoken, and controlled.  Not a half-cocked gaffe-prone nut.  After all, we have to get along with some people (the powerful ones).

[Gustaf]

Sec. of Defence or Sec. of State? Hmmm... tough one there.

God, what a frightening thought - but I think he'd be worse at State because then foreign leaders might have to speak to him.

Does an American SecState really need to care about foreign leaders, in your opinion? What about being the envy of the world and ignoring the UN?

Thats all well and good, but the Sec of State is just a glorified messenger boy, so you want someone stable, well spoken, and controlled.  Not a half-cocked gaffe-prone nut.  After all, we have to get along with some people (the powerful ones).

Who, China?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

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Like Rumsfeld?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

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Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

[opebo]

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Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

[Gustaf]

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Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

You like Powell??? You're full of surprises...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I never said he was...

[opebo]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

You like Powell??? You're full of surprises...

No!  Not in the sense that I'd want him making any policy - just that he's better suited to State tempermentally than Rumsfeld would be.  

[Gustaf]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

You like Powell??? You're full of surprises...

No!  Not in the sense that I'd want him making any policy - just that he's better suited to State tempermentally than Rumsfeld would be.  

OK...

[opebo]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

You like Powell??? You're full of surprises...

No!  Not in the sense that I'd want him making any policy - just that he's better suited to State tempermentally than Rumsfeld would be.  

OK...

Ok, what I meant is he is as you might expect way too moderate for me, but he does his job well - communicating with hostile but powerful leaders, reassuring Europeans, etc etc.  More of an emissary than any source of policy.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

The Great Seal of the United States has an eagle holding an olive branch in his right talon and in his left, the arrows of war.  As each talon plays a separate role, so do the positions of Sec of State and Sec of Defense.  AKA – Good Cop, Bad Cop.

Just like the old US flag of a coiled snake that read, "don't tread on me"....just like Bush's position against nation building in a time of peace but aggression in a time of war.

[Saratoga2DM]

Hey All:

If Kerry does become the nominee then will need to balance the ticket, and I think Clark would be perfect.  
With a General on the ticket the issue of national security will not be a problem for the Dems and Clark will attract a lot of Southern and Midwestern voters.  I may be jumping the gun but if Clark is on the ticket Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana could go for the Dems.  

Personally I don't think the Democrats will have a chance against Bush unless Clark is on the ticket, regardless of what the polls forsee.

[Gustaf]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Like Rumsfeld?

I didn't know Rumsfeld was Sec of State?!

Precisely!  I like Rumsfeld a lot but he's definitely in the right job, and Powell's in the right job.

You like Powell??? You're full of surprises...

No!  Not in the sense that I'd want him making any policy - just that he's better suited to State tempermentally than Rumsfeld would be.  

OK...

Ok, what I meant is he is as you might expect way too moderate for me, but he does his job well - communicating with hostile but powerful leaders, reassuring Europeans, etc etc.  More of an emissary than any source of policy.

OK then. But it seems weird to me. Why not nuke whoever opposes you, that seems to be the easiest way to solve most foreign policy problems, as I have stated before.