Why I'm a Clarkie

Top ten reasons why I supported Wes Clark for president in 2004 and will support him again in 2008 (crossposted at Clark Community Network)

10. He's got policies I agree with.
From affirmative action to the war in Iraq, General Clark articulates well the positions I hold dear, even when they are controversial. When other Democrats came out for a deadline for Iraqi withdrawal I had grave misgivings. I'm not a vet, but I know enough military history to know that setting a deadline for withdrawal is equivalent to handing the country over to civil war and/or terrorists. General Clark was able to explain that to other Democrats, and get them to accept it, much better than I could. And of course he was against the war to begin with, he's just savvy enough to realize that once the war starts the situation is different.

9. I trust him to handle novel situations.
Politics in a republic (and this is still a republic more than a democracy) is not so much about the people choosing the policies directly as it is about choosing office holders we trust to make the decisions for us. I trust General Clark to make those decisions far more than I trust any other Democrat likely to run for president. Bush isn't even in the running there.

8. He's a centrist
This may sound strange coming from a former DSA socialist, but times have changed. The country doesn't need another polarizing figure, from the left or the right, in the midst of two wars (one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq - don't buy that Bush bull about it being one big GWOT or G-SAVE or whatever they're calling it now). We need someone who can pull us together while we confront our enemies abroad.

7. He knows a lot about foreign affairs.
He's lived overseas, he's fought overseas, he's worked with foreign leaders. This is an exceptionally erudite presidential candidate with exceptional theoretical and practical grasp of foreign affairs. In today's increasingly interconnected, globalized world that's more important than most Americans realize. I live overseas and it's very important to me.

6. He understands long term issues like global warming.
He's not just narrowly focused on military or even diplomatic aspects of national security. He realizes that securing our life together on this planet concerns the environment just as much as it does our military. He's not afraid to pick the best minds in the world to get the best advice and he's got the brains to understand what the problems are and what the possible solutions are.

5. He's not afraid to dump his supporters if he has to.
This may sound strange coming from someone who put his name on the original Draft Clark website, but it didn't faze me that General Clark dumped the founders of the Draft Clark movement and picked up the best available advisers from the failed campaigns of other Democrat candidates, especially Bob Graham, A good leader needs to get the best people he can. I've had enough of loyalty and cronyism to last me a lifetime from the son-of-a-Bush administration occupying the White House now. Abe Lincoln appointed his Republican rivals to his cabinet, and even a Democrat as Secretary of War, because they were the best people he could get. I hope General Clark appoints his rivals, and even honest Republicans, to his cabinet. If he ever appoints me to anything I plan to ask him why he thinks I am qualified. He better have a convincing answer, but I'm sure he will. I trust him that much.

4. He's not a politician.
This is part of being a general, I suppose. They're the only other types we elect as presidents. Other politicians come out of state houses and make a big deal about not being Washington insiders, but they're local politicians just aching to get into the big leagues. They've been bought and are beholden to local special interests in a way real outsiders like General Clark are not.
The press jumped on a lot of General Clark's early misstatements in the 2004 presidential race, but to me they simply proved that he was really being honest and taking positions that he thought were best, consequences be damned. He's shown that same ability to learn quickly in his campaign, and overcame his rough start. In 2008 he'll be more than ready.

3. He's really smart.
Clark was a Rhodes scholar, and can think on his feet. He's obviously extremely intelligent, and his knowledge base isn't limited to military affairs. He's informed himself about economics, social policy and other matters, and what's most important in these changing times, he's shown that he is a very fast learner.

2. He's not afraid of people with brains.
This is a bit of a corollary with number 2, but it's not the same thing. Everyone thinks FDR was really smart because he had all these brilliant ideas. He didn't really come up with those ideas, though. He had a "brains trust" to feed him ideas. They were flattered to be around the president and he really enjoyed being around brilliant people and being stimulated by them. The results were great.
I am not one of those who thinks W is dumb. I think he's dyslexic. He can't read, so he is short on information. He knows people think he's dumb, so he resents well-read, intelligent people. His disdain for such people shows through. Anti-intellectuals love him for it, but he deprives himself of the best thinking in the nation and the world. Two heads are better than one, and there is no leader anywhere in the world or anywhere in history who doesn't need to get the best advice he can, from the best people available. Bush isn't getting it and I think Clark would.

and the number one reason I support Clark is:

1. He's a general.
I've been shouting for a general since getting sick of watching all the sleazy Republicans at the 1976 Republican national convention. "POLITICIANS ARE ALL CROOKS!" I shouted "WE SHOULD HAVE A MILITARY PRESIDENT!"
"Wha, what are you saying?" a friend gasped.
"OH SHUT UP!" I said "WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF MILITARY PRESIDENTS, FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON TO DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER! AND SOME OF 'EM WERE PRETTY GOOD!"
"Hey, what's the matter with you?" other friends chimed in "What? Are you against Andy Jackson now?"
"Oh." the guy calmed down. "Oh yeah. What about Grant?"
Well, he had us there. Being a general doesn't always guarantee a great president, but that just brings us back to all the other points.

So what am I hoping to get out of a Clark administration? More funding for foreign language and area studies for one thing. Even Republicans in the military have been in favor of that. The military were the only thing that saved NDEA Title VI FLAS funding during the Reagan years, and McCain was the only one of the final four in the 2000 race who talked about "English plus" (one of my pet issues.) I expect even more support for it from President Clark when he moves into the White House in 2009.