Wesley Clark targets John McCain, then takes return fire

Some Democrats have been known to complain that the party's last two vice presidential nominees -- Joe Lieberman in 2000 and John Edwards in 2004 -- shied away from the "attack dog" role often assumed by the politician holding down the second spot on a party's national ticket.

If Barack Obama is looking for combativeness in his pick, retired Gen. Wesley Clark signaled today that he's up to the task. Then again, Clark may have pursued a critique of John McCain that Obama and his aides would just as soon stay away from.

Appearing on the CBS chat show "Face the Nation," Clark -- who has rated prominent mention as a veep prospect both because he was a strong Hillary Clinton supporter and his credentials on the national security front -- backed off not one bit from his previous characterization of McCain as "untested and untried" as an executive leader.

Pressed on that quote by moderator Bob Schieffer, Clark said that "in the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk, it's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. ... He hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. ..."

Pressed further by Schieffer, Clark then delivered perhaps the day's marquee quote:

"I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."

The McCain campaign responded quickly, teeing up Clark as a surrogate for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and blasting away:

"If Barack Obama's campaign wants to question John McCain's military service, that's their right. But let's please drop the pretense that Barack Obama stands for a new type of politics. The reality is he's proving to be a typical politician who is willing to say anything to get elected, including allowing his campaign surrogates to demean and attack John McCain's military service record."

For a wrapup of some of the other back-and-forth on the Sunday shows -- including independent White House contender Ralph Nader pressing the assault he unleashed last week on Obama -- see this posting on the Chicago Tribune's Swamp blog.

And The Times' Evan Halper recounts the needling California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took from NBC's Tom Brokaw during a "Meet the Press'" appearance. As Halper notes in his story, Schwarzenegger generally gets fawned over by the national media, but that wasn't the case in this encounter.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Christopher]

Two words that have just in the past week changed the course of this election. We may not see it now or in the coming weeks, but this turkey's cooked.

North Korea.

[ghostcommander]

I simply cannot get out of my mind the picture of John "Baghdad Bob" McCain standing in the market in Baghdad with body armor and surrounded by a large group of heavily armed American soldiers telling his fellow Americans and the world that everything was peaceful and wonderful in Baghdad. How many of our brave young soldiers have been killed since that lying statement. Can we really trust what he says or should we check out his voting record and see what he really does?

[Greenjeans]

John McCain deserves credit for his wartime service. That was thirty years ago. Today, McCain is an empty suit without the courage to stand for any principles. This is borne out by his complete abandonment of virtually everything he said he stood for before his presidential campaign began succeeding as his rivals' campaigns imploded. A vote for McCain is a vote for warrantless wiretapping, endless war, torture, opposition to Roe v. Wade, immigration back and forth, radical right wing judicial appointments, no economic plan, coziness with the lunatic fringe of the evangelical movement, and anything else his neocon advisers tell him to do to consolidate power for the corporate elites. Vote no on McSame.

[brkdckdawg]

in this time of hero worshipping gone mad from the clerk at the supermarket to the pizza delivery person all being classified as real American heroes gen. Clark speaks what many of us are thinking the same as when it was pointed out that Rudy g was just a noun a verb and 911 as much as we all empathize with McCain for what he went thru he was not the only pow in that war who suffered at the hands of his captureers but being a pow doesnot give one national security credentials nor does empathy or sentiment replace commonsense RIGHT RUDY G?

[Kevin Keller]

I would like to hear from General Clark where he thinks Obama's Executive and "bomb dropping experience" comes from?

If Clark wants to help Obama, he should go away.

[Scott]

I don't seem to recall Senator Mcain spending any time referencing his military record. As for Clark, apparently he doesn't realize that his failed career as an on air miltary pundit doesn't qualify hin to be a political analyst.

[Patriot]

It's about time somebody called McCain on this! He graduated 894 out of 899 from Annapolis. He became a Navy pilot in deference to his Admiral Father and Grandfather. He lost 4 planes before being shot down in the fifth. He spent most of the Vietnam War i the Hanoi Hilton doing who-knows-what (not helping the war effort, for sure). He has ALWAYS been a liability to our government and has never collected a non-government paycheck. Hero my ass! McCain is an flip flopping warmonger who needs to retire.

OBAMA 08

[sarantx]

This, from the man who once said he's have been a Republican if Karl Rove has just asked him.

No one - and I mean no one - has the right in any form, to question John McCain's service to this nation. Not now - not ever. I am a John Edwards voter. I was trying to reconcile Obama. Not anymore. He should never have allowed this.

[Michael Day]

I disagree, perhaps not respectfully, but certainly with total conviction, to the yapping little Yorkies that are going after J McC on this one.

First, it does count, and it is germane. Just as John F. Kennedy's wartime service in the second world war counted, JMcC's service in VIetnam counts. It counts to know that when it is REALLY tough, you know that this person is tough. It counts that when it was easier and considerably less painful for him to take the easy road out, JMcC took the road that was right-but very painful. Most who have served would know this, which is where most of these who attack him come up a little short I suspect. General Clark auditioning for a role as VP does not withstanding, I doubt that many vets are going to go after JMcC on this. They may disagree with him on policy, but not on a matter as basic as the value of honor.

Obama fanatics recoil from this like darkness recoils from light. They recoil from it because BO will throw anyone and anything he believes at the moment under the bus the moment it becomes more hurtful than helpful, and the comparison between the candidates on this is stark. This has value today because, unlike when he was in the Senate, PRESIDENT Obama would not be able to vote "present" 100 times plus when tough decisions needed to be made. By contrast in recent years JMcC has stood for immigration reform when the entire Republican party was against it, told voters in Michigan that not all the auto jobs were coming back, and told the voters in Florida (when he REALLY needed them) that he didn't think that Federal hurricane insurance was a good idea. In all those cases, whether it was standing up to his captors when he had an offer to go home or telling voters the truth instead of what they wanted to hear, courage and conviction are absolutely important factors in the consideration of a President.

The second reason that his service was germane was the concept of service itself. I suspect that the more fanatical of the "O-Zombies" recoil from this concept for the the same reason that Obama never served. Whether they were "too good for it", or whether service was something that "the little people did", either way, the selfishness of those who live under the cloak of freedom provided by others and then attack those who volunteer to provide it has a unique and repugnant stench. When JMcC is around them they are reminded of their civic failure in comparison, so the only thing for them to do is to try and reduce the value of his honorable service.

Ultimately, the choice of a President is far less about specific policies than it is about the character of the individual. JMcC, whether you agree with him or not (and I do disagree with him on many things), has proven that he will take the tough road, while Obama will take the easy one. Those who are attacking JMcC ought to be ashamed, but shame must be another thing reserved for the little people. I guess anything is permissible when your cause is so noble, right O-Zombies? Lord help us.

[X Herrera]

Clark thinks Obama could make better strategic decisions for our country, oh yeah like bombing Pakistan, over someone whom practiced honor while held captive by our enemies. Obama practices courage only when it becomes apparent it could interfere with his political goals. Clark lacked moral courage he waited until his pension began before speaking up. He’s a loser yet again.

[Johnsy]

General Clark should have been the nominee in 2004.

[Jack]

Will all respect to the LA Times...This article does not state how the exchange happened on Face the Nation and somewhat distorts what Clark said and how he said it.

Schieffer noted that Obama did not have any of those experiences, nor had he "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down."

"Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," Clark said.

Which his a perfectly fair statement. He responded to a Schieffer comment. Period

[E.D]

Wesley Clark is a piker. If he wants to help Obama...he should shut-up.

[volunteer]

When is the media going to vet wesley Clark ie. why was he removed as European US services command

He was seen as a back slapper in the military and did something that caused the military to remove him

Do your job media

[volunteer]

Why people are so impressed with a community organizer fro Chicago with questionable relationships is beyond me

Wake up people your being conned by a con-man

Look at his inconsistencies and get your heads out of the clouds

[HELEN SABIN]

To patriot and other Obama supporters: John Mccain has years more experience in EVERYHTING than Obama. OB has NOT stated anything substantive on ANY issue except raising taxes!!

Further OB uses a FIRED AF general as his surrogate and who was fired by CLINTON!! can you imagine how bad Clark was if Clinton fired him? Ask folks in the AF and they say, Clark was NOT a good general! My Colonel husband is one!

OB has NO experience in war, little in politics, doesn't know the economy, is against the second amendment, will raise taxes on us ALL - and he gives one million of our tax money to his wife's hospital!! NICE GUY HUH?

Who else will he enrich with OUR TAX MONEY??

[mtn2top]

It is a stupid political ploy and huge mistake to question the heroic nature of John McCain's military service. This can only backfire on Obama.

[primarywatcher]

McCain's response to Clark's comments are about as lame as they come. Obviously Clark's impressive authority was beyond reproach as the McCain camp immediately unleashed their peevish assault on Obama. What a pathetic spin. Clark would be a FANTASTIC VP! Would love to vote for an Obama/Clark ticket!!!!!

[MSG R. Moore]

General Wesley Clark is the most brilliant military man alive today. General Clark is 100% correct. John McCain has no military ground combat experience and isn't qualified to make decisions related to ground combat operations. Getting shot down doesn't give a person ground combat experience.

[primarywatcher]

Posted by: Jack | June 29, 2008 at 07:11 PM WROTE:

Will all respect to the LA Times...This article does not state how the exchange happened on Face the Nation and somewhat distorts what Clark said and how he said it.

Schieffer noted that Obama did not have any of those experiences, nor had he "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down."

"Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," Clark said.

Which his a perfectly fair statement. He responded to a Schieffer comment. Period
----------------------------------------------------------------

XCLNT!! Thanks for that important clarification.

[Bill M]

Kudos to Michael Day; excellent commentary!

If the fired-from-his-military-command Wesley Clark views John McCain as an inexperienced, unproven "empty suit," where does that leave Obama and his almost total lack of relevant experience?

O made a good speech at a convention, served as a part time Senator for a few years, and sat in the pews of a rabid preacher for a few decades (without hearing a word).

What does that qualify him for? Perhaps a TV talking head the likes of Wesley, but surely not the US presidency.

[Robin B]

I don't remember Clark making these arguments about John Kerry during the last election. If heroic military experience doesn't qualify McCain, then neither did it qualify Kerry. But of course Clark is selective when it comes to applying his standards. He's a Democrat, after all.

[jackstpaul]

Everyone should know that McCain himself has referred to himself using the "just getting shot down” phrase as a way to diminish put in perspective his own military record, that is to say--as I've heard him--tot he effect what sort of military leader does it make you to get shot down and what sort of hero does it make you to get shot down? It doesn’t, as McCain has noted.

Clark is right on - and right off, as some interpret his words.

His point is that being in the military doesn't make one qualified to be a military leader--as Prez is as Commander-in-Chief. McCain was of a rank in the military matched or outranked by how many tens of thousands at any given time (across all services)? McCain wasn't a military leader of a y weight - at all - was Clark’s point. Ike was a real military leader, so was Clark--there are something like 1-2 Army 4 star generals at any given point in time. Clark led a whoel swath of military forces. McCain at best led a squadron of pilots. That’s not policy-making, decision-making, that's not weighing political interests, that's not weighing military interests other than on a very small scale.

But people have made McCain into some sort of military/national security/foreign policy God. He was a run-of-the-mill officer and his notoriety comes from being a POW.

[MowTin]

You know that kid who just barely graduated and almost failed every class? Well that's John McCain. He graduated nearly last in his class. I guess that qualifies him to be president.

I though we were done electing C students to the presidency.

John McCain keeps claiming he has experience but as Clark correctly pointed out McCain has NO EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE...NONE. He's just old...and dumb.

[Chuck Cardiff]

Um, does anyone think that Wesley Clark's piddling command in Kosovo qualifies him as military genius? The scary think is that Clark apparently thinks it does.

[sayah]

Just the Q that everyone is asking. Apart from beinh POW what EXPERIENCE DOES MCSAME HAVE????

[Jenna]

If McCain has no "executive" experience what does Obama have? This is a very dangerous line of criticism that has the potential to backfire. Clark should really leave this alone if he genuinely wants to help Obama get elected. There is no way anyone could evaluate both men head to head and think that Obama has comparable experience to McCain. If McCain is unfit for the job due to his lack of executive responsibility, Obama is grossly unfit.

[Phil Fry]

“Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”

I agree with this statement. For someone like Wesley Clark who HAS been in multiple wars, consistently within the top 5% of class and held multiple positions within the military his statement is hard to dismiss.

This isn't degrading McCain's record in fact if you listen to the interview he honors it. What it is doing is breaking the illogical idea that being a POW somehow should be on your resume for president.

And for McCain's camp to try to turn an experienced general's assessment into a statement about Obama not standing for a new kind of politics is insane. This is not even something Obama said AND it is not an attack on someone's character. While McCain just a few days attacked Obama's character and said he can't be trusted.

So what's dirty politcs? Realistic assessments or character assassinations?

[Diana in California]

I agree with Wesley Clark's comment about John McCain, "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president", however, how many servicemen or human beings would have been able to go through all the physical and mental torture that Senator John McCain went through at the hands of his captors? Zero, nobody. Any POW would have understandably accepted the offer of being released ahead of his fellow POWs to free themselves of the hell Senator John McCain must have gone through, but he opted for remaining a POW because his captors refused to release the other POWs who were taken captive before him. Senator John McCain courageously displayed character, conviction, why not be more blunt balls, and resilience for his sense of dedication to duty and honor for his country and to not shame his father. Senator John McCain's brave act speaks very highly of him. Nobody has the right to question Senator John McCain's patriotism or qualifications to be president of the United States unless they have endured the physical and mental torture he went through! No Democrat or Republican senator or congressmen/women can measure up to future President John McCain!

To all those Obama supporters, your Obama is an emptly piece of you know what, inexperienced at age 46. Since when is age 46 young to have experience? At age 46, I retired from the Air Force with 23 years of service. What has Obama done for Illinois or for his country? Obama was a community organizer, big WOW. He should be ashamed of even saying it. Obama attended a racist Church for twenty years, and associated himself with racists, corrupted politicians, criminals, and terrorists while future President John McCain was working with his party and Democrats to pass legislation. You Obama supporters must be on the same drugs your Obama is for thinking he is qualified to be POTUS. We all need to thank President George Bush because we have not been attacked since 9/11!

[Jack13]

And Obama got his command experience..........where?
And his experience in any sort of leadership position?
He is an attorney and junior senator from Illinois. He has a very recent history, as we all know, of making choices of advisors that makes him look like he has not a clue as to what he is doing. Does he have any advisors that are not prone to say and do stupid things? As far as Clark goes he is disgrace to the uniform he once had the honor to wear, but not in combat. He could have participated in the First Gulf War, Somalia, etc. The stupid Democrats defended Clinton for evading the draft and now criticize a man who was a POW for seven years and say he has no leadership experience. I love the Dems because they take what should have been an easy win and make a total mess of it.

[Will Jones]

In his autobiography McCain recounts his being shot down. Typical of a USNA "anchorman," it was due only to his incompetence and dull wits...by his own admission. He threw away his taxpayer-supplied airplane.

His grandfather was relieved of his command during WWII. His father served a corrupt president in another false war predicated on GHWBush's, Nixon's, and an element of the Knight of Malta-led, Roman Catholic CIA's assassination of John Kennedy, six weeks after we had been ordered home by NSAM263.

McCain went on to betray the wife who faithfully waited for him. The adultery he committed was with the woman to who he is now married...a Mob frontman's daughter.

Wesley Clark can never repair the Ft. Hood commissary line unmasking he did of himself...disqualifying himself for any elected office...but he nailed McCain properly on this matter.

McCain is no hero. He is a serial incompetent married to the Mob without grace, dignity or honor.

[steve kindel]

I don't much like John McCain, because he has become a hypocritical flip-flopper on many issues, but his war time service did teach him one thing, and that was how to forgive. It was John McCain, prisoner at the Hanoi Hilton, who led the way to the re-establishment of normal relations with Vietnam -- along with John Kerry -- and that alone would seem to give him a lot more foreign policy management experience than Obama. As for wartime cred, it is a President's job to keep us out of war. One of the reasons this election is so critical is that the current President failed so miserably at that task.

[MissouriBoiler]

That is class.

A former executive military officer of our country belittling a fomer Junior military officer and Hanoi HIlton POW
.
That throws all my respect for Clark out the window. I guess because he got to send in orders he has the right to dictate to the United States People what is good and bad.

McCain has issues no doubt about that but please, The obama campain are being silly even going down this direction as they don't have a leg to stand on in the subject.

[JP]

Kevin Keller: You didn't read the transcript did you?
http://securingamerica.com/node/2993

"GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: But Barack is not, he is not running on the fact that he has made these national security pronouncements. He's running on his other strengths. He's running on the strengths of character, on the strengths of his communication skills, on the strengths of his judgment. And those are qualities that we seek in our national leadership."

[JCUSMC]

Clark is a fool. "Gauging your opponents"? Like when Clark almost started a war with Russia over the use of an airfield? And everyone around him, including his own advisors, were telling him to chill out? That's just one of the reasons this dimwit was fired as the European commander. He's insane and not a capable leader. He is also in no position to question anyone's military experience, especially a fighter pilot.

As with anyone in the Obama camp, just look at the paper trail. If the media would do its job and look at facts instead of the trumped up "aura", real information would be made available. And then I think a lot of O. Hussein supporters would realize their candidate is a joke, an empty suit.

Clark, along with his ilk, needs to just fade away. He was a failure as an officer, a failure as a media face, a failure in his presidential bid and now he's chained himself to a losing candidate. Please, general, just go away. And O. Hussein better wise up. If he keeps surrounding himself with morally questionable people, despite the media's best efforts to hide it, the truth will come out.

[cjc]

somehow lost in all this questioning of obama's qualifications to be commander in chief is any mention of the man many of you elected to that position TWICE. this man had absolutely NO experience whatsoever unless you consider being a failed oilman, general manager of the Texas Rangers and 2 time governor of texas relevant experience. talkin' bout the w. yeah, he was incredibly qualified. lol

[rusty]

Wow! i remember reading an interview with Clark where he couldn't deny under his command, bombs were dropped on civilian targets in Serbia...a market...a passenger train...a radio station,,,which resulted any many innocent deaths. i don't think Clark's disgraceful command in the Balkans really qualifies him to make some of his statements.

[Lee]

It's not just the fact that McCain's plane was shot down, resulting in McCain spending 5 years in a prison camp ... it's the fact that McCain, being the son of an Admiral, could have gotten early release ... but, being a man of 'real character', McCain chose to spend addition years as a prisoner, in order to be fair to his fellow prisoners. This depth of character, honor, and commitment to America is what separates John McCain by a country mile from weak men, who are all talk, like Barrack Obama, or Wesley Clark.

[jim sell]

I am a McCain supporter and I think General Clark’s comment is the usual kind of “silly season” stuff we get in campaigns. I think in retrospect even General Clark will admit that he’s dismissive way in answering the question was not very diplomatic.

Of course Senator McCain’s experiences in the military do not in and of themselves qualify him to be a good commander in chief. Nor has he ever claimed this.

But surely they attest to the character and sense of some one who will have to make decisions as commander in chief. And that is relevant to my decision in supporting him.

In fact two of our greatest leaders in war time- Abraham Lincoln and FDR – had little military experience.

FDR had none except for a contrived stint in Haiti with the New York National Guard.

Lincoln’s experience was more substantial as a commander of a volunteer company during the Black Hawk War which probably gave him useful insights into the feelings and attitudes of the majority volunteer forces in the Union Army.

Despite the dearth of military experience, both men -based on their total experiences in life, their characters, and whom they surrounded themselves with -made outstanding commanders in chief.

Given the trials and anguish they felt in those roles, I believe they both would see the value of Senator McCain’s proven courage in combat and faithful discharge of duty as a POW in helping to prepare him for that role as well.

I doubt they would casually dismiss it.

[Wils]

I'm a retired USAF enlisted man. I totally agree with Wesley Clark. McCain military record does not qualify him as having presidential experience. Is being shot down in a fighter jet is a good thing or a bad thing. If he was a great pilot maybe he would have not gotten shot down. Maybe he was a great pilot and STILL got shot down. I do know one thing no one wants to be shot down. A good thing for fighter pilots is shooting down others. Now about spending time as a POW, this is more about one's own will to survive. Now does being a POW make someone a hero or is he being rewarded for his being captured, and surviving. I'm thank/greatful for McCain service and sarifice however there nothing here that qualifies as having presidential experience. It's just a unique military experience.

[Gene McPhail]

Gen. Clarks statements about Sen.. MCCAIN military record are correct assessment of how they
prepare MCCAIN for PRESIDENT.
THEREFORE, why does Sen. Obama reject them?

Clark said that "in the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk, it's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. ... He hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. ..."
... "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."

I want to pass on that a good friend of mine also been making this point and I never had a good counter argument.
There were many POWs 40 years ago.
How does that experience prepare any of them for president?

I do not think he is questioning MCCAIN military service. How does it question it?
I don't understand this - I do understand how it is sensitive but I don't think anybody should be
able to ride their war record into the WHiteHouse. unless they are like IKE, WASHINGTON or GRANT.

Look at it like this:
What is the qualification for becomming a pilot POW?
Getting shot down - how is that a good thing?

Sir Gorpster

[George J. Lujan]

Three things need to be said about Wesley Clark's comments about John McCain: (1) there is a distinction between military service and presidential qualifications and Clark said that he honored the former but doubted the latter with regard to McCain; (2) Clark did not personally 'attack' McCain but questioned McCain's qualifications, which was both relevant and on target; and (3) those who pivot and either suggest that Barack Obama is allowing surrogates to impugn McCain's service record or himself lacks a sufficiently comparable military background comparable to McCain's are simply changing the subject: (a) Clark raised points relevant to the public debate regarding just who's directly qualified to be president AND he is eminently qualified to do so; (b) some of the best wartime presidents have not had the requisite military service background but relied, instead, on the sound advice of qualified advisors and used sound judgment to develop that advice into actionable policy (think Lincoln and F.D.R.); and (c) we, as a public who must choose what is actually best for our country, must be willing and able to separate the policy wheat from the demagogical chaff and congratulate Clark for putting things in their proper perspective. I was planning on voting for Obama this November, but his unthinking willingness to distance himself from Clark's exceptionally astute observations and remarks is somewhat daunting!

[Tom J]

The McCain camp twisted what Wesley Clark said. I watched it 'live' on Sunday mornign, and just watched it again now to make sure I hadn't 'misremembered' it. I hadn't:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4217703n&channel=/sections/ftn/videoplayer3460.shtml
2:30 is when Schieffer asks the question that triggers Clark's response, but watch the whole thing - it's not that long.

I trust Clark's military perspective on Obama more than John McCain's, much as I consider McCain a military hero (and ftr, Clark said McCain was one of his heroes as well).

McCain's camp is clearly desperate.

[Tom J]

'Diana in California' should apologize NOW for insulting all the other POWs in the Vietnam War (and others) by making ridiculous claims that only McCain went through 'physical and mental torture'. What the h--- does she think, the rest of the POWs were at some country club?! She's a disgrace to her unioform (if indeed she actually is a veteran, as she sure doesn't sound like one to me).

[Katie]

4-Star General Wesley Clark was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he earned a Masters Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. During 34 years of service in the United States Army, Wesley Clark rose to the rank of FOUR-STAR General as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.

In his final military command, General Clark commanded Operation Allied Force, NATO's first major combat action, which saved 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, and he was responsible for the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.

In previous duty, General Clark was the Commander-in-Chief, US Southern Command, where he was responsible for all US military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. And from April 1994 through June 1996, he was the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, in the Joint Staff, where he helped negotiate the end to the war in Bosnia. His previous assignments include a wide variety of command and staff positions, including Command of the 1st Cavalry Division.

General Clark's awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The State Department Distinguished Service Award; the US Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal;(five awards), The US Army Distinguished Service Medal(two awards), The Silver Star, the Bronze Star (two awards), the Purple Heart, and Honorary Knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments.

[marshallRed Horse CES]

Katie, why did you not list the reason for Clark's demotion from his NATO commander role. Why is Wesley Clark's approval rating from those who served with him and over him in the 30% positive percentile. If you own men and equals in rank despise you, that speaks volumes. Or was it just jealousy because he is so good looking or just so brilliant? By his reasoning JFK was no hero or qualified to be president. After all "being on a boat that gets sunk does not qualify one to be president". Clark talks about the innocent civilians killed on bombing missions by McCain and others. Who ORDERED the bombing raids that killed civilians in Bosnia?
Isn't the one who issues the orders to destroy worse than the foot soldier or aviator who job is to follow orders? You speak of one Wesley Clark but leave out the messy remnants of the other. That's politics!

[Stephen Siefferman]

Attacking John McCain is truly pathetic, mean thing to do to a man who did his duty for his country, and suffered for years in captivity for his efforts. I respect him even if I don't always agree with him. Most of his critics couldn't get accepted to the Naval academy, much less survive the program. He has years of experience in the senate and is a fiscal conservative that we desperately need to reduce over spending in this country. He recognizes many of the energy needs in this country and that supply side of the problem must be addressed, we can not conserve our way out of our current situation and we should not be beholden to the middle east of all places..

[charlie]

How much is Wesley Clark getting paid this time?

Obama's campaign is being run a la Clinton mafia.

I'm not surprised. Wesley Clark's is Obama's new reverend.

[thescheels]

This is stirring up some controversy... Frank Keating, the former governor of Oklahoma, fired back today with his defense of McCain at therelevantelephant.com. Check it out: http://www.therelevantelephant.com/blog/entry/keating_shoots_down_general_clarks_comments_on_mccain

[Lee]

It's outrageous how the liberal democratic bloggers are trying belittle and discredit a patriot like John McCain. The main point regarding John McCain's military service goes to CHARACTER. Admirable character is when a POW, surviving in miserable conditions, chooses to remain in prison additional years, because an early release wouldn't be fair to his fellow prisoners. I know that Wesley Clark, Obama, and these criticizing bloggers wouldn't have the heart to do it ... they can't even recognize the importance of such an honorable commitment... even though their very freedom of speech, to complain on this blog, was won and protected by the same people with the courage to walk the walk ... not just talk the talk!