Posted on 11/18/2003 8:10:44 AM PST by areafiftyone
Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, the former Air Force chief of staff who endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, has left the Republican fold and is backing Democrat Howard Dean in the 2004 race for president.
McPeak, who lives in Lake Oswego, joins a small but growing list of top military veterans who have parted ways with the president at least partly because of the war in Iraq. McPeak's decision could be an important boost for Dean because critics have accused the former Vermont governor of lacking the experience and knowledge needed to be the nation's commander-in-chief.
On Monday, Dean also picked up the endorsement of U.S. Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., during an event sponsored by the Asian American Action Fund, a Democratic political action committee.
McPeak, who headed the Air Force during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, criticized the Bush administration's policy toward Iraq before the invasion in March. He also said he has become disenchanted with the president's economic policies.
"I don't think the younger Bush has put a foot right since he entered the White House," said McPeak, who changed his registration from Republican to independent in April.
When it comes to Iraq, "we couldn't have sat around a kitchen table and designed a policy that was stupider," McPeak said. He argued that there was no evidence of a connection between Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida, "absolutely zero evidence of weapons of mass destruction, and the planning of the formation of the coalition (to support the war in Iraq) was very clumsily done."
Tracey Schmitt, a Bush-Cheney campaign spokeswoman, said campaign officials would have no comment on McPeak's endorsement of Dean. But she said, "We do enjoy the support of a dynamic and active group of veterans."
Dick Klass, a retired Air Force colonel from Virginia who is working with Dean's campaign to attract former military officers, said endorsements from McPeak and other veterans could play an important role in the race.
"This is basically an exercise to let people know that Dean isn't a wild, lefty, antimilitary" person, said Klass, adding that he wouldn't be surprised to face such attacks from Republicans if Dean becomes the Democratic nominee.
Klass also said the endorsement might help in the primary, since retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, the former military commander of NATO, has become one of the nine candidates in the Democratic race.
Klass, who also helped find former top military officers to support Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential race, arranged for McPeak to spend two days with Dean last month while he campaigned in Seattle and Boise.
McPeak said he spent several hours talking with Dean on his campaign airplane and in vans traveling to events. Although Dean did not have a "deep understanding" of national security issues, McPeak said, "his intuition is right, (and) his gut instincts are right."
In addition to McPeak, Dean has been endorsed by retired Marine Gen. Joseph Hoar, who once headed Central Command, which is in charge of all military operations in the Mideast. Klass said that retired Adm. Stansfield Turner, who headed the CIA under President Carter, also supports Dean and that several other retired military officers are informal advisers and might endorse him.
Former Oregon Congressman Denny Smith, who was co-chairman of Oregon Veterans for Bush-Cheney in 2000, said he was disappointed but not surprised by McPeak's endorsement of Dean. But two Republican strategists in Oregon, pollster Bob Moore and consultant Dan Lavey, said they didn't think it would carry much weight.
"I don't think it has a whole lot of impact unless a lot of generals start signing up for Dean," Moore said.
Lavey noted that McPeak isn't well known among the public and that Democratic voters impressed by military credentials would be more likely to gravitate to Clark. Jeff Mapes: 503-221-8209; jeffmapes@news.oregonian.com
McPeak is McStupid......or gay. Why else would you want a PRO-GAY Commander in Chief???
"I don't think the younger Bush has put a foot right since he entered the White House," said McPeak, who changed his registration from Republican to independent in April.
When it comes to Iraq, "we couldn't have sat around a kitchen table and designed a policy that was stupider," McPeak said. He argued that there was no evidence of a connection between Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida, "absolutely zero evidence of weapons of mass destruction, and the planning of the formation of the coalition (to support the war in Iraq) was very clumsily done."
Oops, oops, and oops. The economy is growing, the al qaida link is becoming evident, and his views on the planning/coalition building/mass destruction views are right there with the radical left. Why was this guy a Republican to begin with?
Really? Absulutely zero? Now, I suppose it's fair to ask about the quality of the intelligence, and the analysis thereof (or, and what I think is the better question - Where did the weapons go, or where are they still hidden?), but to say that prior to the war there was "zero" evidence of WMDs seems a bit detached from reality.
Also, the reporter reported the general's comment about how the President's policy could not have been any "stupider" (geez, he really used the word "stupider"), but she left did not report what the general's policy would have been. Surely he has suggestions, and is not merely criticizing to be criticizing (/sarcasm).
Your most likely right about McPeak who is hedging his bets for a possible future job in government.
Looks like McPeak is looking for a gig if Deano wins.
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