CBS Solicits Military Advice from Clark, Doesn’t Challenge Him

MRC ^ | 11/17/03 | Brent Baker

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Hannah Storm on CBS’s The Early Show on Thursday treated retired General Wesley Clark as a wise military sage, soliciting advise from him on what to do in Iraq, and not as a Democratic presidential candidate with a liberal political agenda which includes criticizing Bush policy in Iraq.

One of Storm’s questions: "What about the change in military strategy? Now we're hearing about this Operation Iron Hammer is what they've dubbed it. New air strikes, is that prudent military strategy?"

Storm set up the November 13 segment: "President Bush has been pushing to speed up the transfer of political power in Iraq back to the Iraqis with the hopes of slowing down the violence there. Former general and current Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark has his own ideas about ending that conflict. General Clark, good morning.”

MRC analyst Brian Boyd took down Storm’s questions to Clark:

-- “CIA report shows that ordinary Iraqis have lost faith in the US. Now there's talk out of Washington about accelerating Iraqi self-rule. Do you think it will make a difference and will it have any effect on the violence?"

-- "And yet when you look at these violent incidents, they have targeted America's friends and allies and they've targeted the Turks and the Jordanians and the Italians, now the UN and the Red Cross. What about allies running scared potentially from this situation?"

-- "What about the change in military strategy? Now we're hearing about this Operation Iron Hammer is what they've dubbed it. New air strikes, is that prudent military strategy?"

-- "What about sending in more troops?"

-- "You've talked about taking out some of the special ops, taking out some of the intelligence to leave Iraq and hunt for Osama bin Laden, but given all of these attacks, up to 30, 35 a day don't you need to leave that personnel in Iraq to address the situation there?"

-- On hunting for weapons of mass destruction: "You're saying that's not the priority now?"

After avoiding asking him any challenging questions about anything political, Storm wrapped up by noting his political calendar: "Okay, General Wesley Clark, thanks for stopping by again. I know you're headed back to New Hampshire."

[ken5050]

Did you see Clark on MTP with Russert..he sopunded whiny..inconsistent....Ti asked hi about the comments of Shelton and Franks...I think this is a huge problem for Wes if he somehow manages to come close to the nomination..it's like a warnign shot across his bow..they're loathe to speak publicly.but they will, if he looks like he's got w chance at the nomination..

[KellyAdmirer]

“CIA report shows that ordinary Iraqis have lost faith in the US. Now there's talk out of Washington about accelerating Iraqi self-rule. Do you think it will make a difference and will it have any effect on the violence?"

How about this as a good follow-up to that: "The important point is that now someone actually CARES what ordinary Iraqis think for maybe the first time ever. Don't you think that is significant, general?"

[The_Media_never_lie]

Good post!

Hannah Storm on CBS’s The Early Show on Thursday treated retired General Wesley Clark as a wise military sage, soliciting advise from him on what to do in Iraq, and not as a Democratic presidential candidate with a liberal political agenda which includes criticizing Bush policy in Iraq.

Why am I not surprised.

[Logically Speaking...]

I think this is a huge problem for Wes if he somehow manages to come close to the nomination

One of many...

[newzhawk]

OHMIGOD!Clark was just on fox News having a hissy fit- trying to pull off the feigned Clinton indignation act- when read a statement of his- he went off about the "implication of the remark" and that Fox was implying that his comments hurt the men in uniform- I just caught the end- did anyone see the whole thing- He was red faced and Whiny!

[pabianice]

My favorite Clark bit from CBS is how he ran Star Gate Command and saved the world from the evil Republasites, which burrow into a person's brain and make them starve the homeless and the elderly...

...and then Clark stopped the evil Lord Bush, who had ordered that crippled children of color be fed to his hunting dogs... [(c) The Boston Globe