General Wesley Clark Eyes 2008

Posted on April 3, 2006

General Wesley Clark appears to be testing the waters for a 2008 Presidential run. Clark was a lifetime Republican, until Karl Rove blew him off when he mentioned that he was interested in politics and would like to get more involved with his party. He became a Democrat and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, losing out to John Kerry. Clark had never run a political campaign before and he got in the race too late to really have a chance. His poll numbers were quite favorable.

As the Democrats do their best to look strong on national security issues, Clark is emerging as a major player.

Last week's unveiling of the Democratic Party's "Plan to Protect America" turned out to be a showcase for Clark -- and his diplomatic skills in helping get badly divided Democrats behind a single message. Clark, who ran against Kerry in '04, stepped to the microphone to condemn President Bush's "incompetent" leadership, while Kerry's 6-foot-4-inch frame was crammed in alongside dozens of other lawmakers standing on risers in the back; even Hillary Rodham Clinton, widely thought to be the 2008 frontrunner, was barely visible in the last row.
That Clark was the one presidential prospect allowed to speak owes much to his role alongside the Senate Democratic leader, Harry M. Reid of Nevada, and the House Democratic leader, Nancy P. Pelosi of California, in crafting the national security plank in which the party pledges to "eliminate" Osama Bin Laden, better equip the US military, and ensure that 2006 "is a year of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty."
Iraq was the most difficult point of agreement for party lawmakers. Over the past months, Clark spent hours on the phone and in meetings with lawmakers ranging from centrist to leftists. Last fall, he urged Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania not to make his famed call for immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. And while Clark calls the Iraq war a "strategic blunder," he continues to disagree with such lawmakers as Kerry who propose specific reductions of troops. "No Democratic should put numbers" on an exit by American troops, he told the Briefing.
Asked about his '08 plans, Clark was coy, saying that this year's midterm vote is "the moment of decision," an election that deserves all-out focus. But doesn't the retired general's visit to New Hampshire last month suggest some presidential water-testing? "I went up there to get my batteries recharged. The people in New Hampshire really know the issues," Clark said, before pointedly mentioning that his two favorite sports teams are now the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots

Clark held the Star Wars-worthy title of "Supreme Allied Commander of NATO" during the Clinton administration, which wins the award for Coolest Job Title Ever. He is also a decorated Viet Nam veteran. If Clark is really going to run in 2008, he needs to get his money machine going now.