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Campaign 2004: Clark’s Charge (He would have been a Republican if Rove had returned his calls!)
Newsweek ^
| 9/29/03
Posted on 09/21/2003 7:24:18 AM PDT by areafiftyone
fter Al Qaeda attacked America, retired Gen. Wes Clark thought the Bush administration would invite him to join its team. After all, hed been NATO commander, he knew how to build military coalitions and the investment firm he now worked for had strong Bush ties. But when GOP friends inquired, they were told: forget it.
WORD WAS THAT Karl Rove, the presidents political mastermind, had blocked the idea. Clark was furious. Last January, at a conference in Switzerland, he happened to chat with two prominent Republicans, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and Marc Holtzman, now president of the University of Denver. I would have been a Republican, Clark told them, if Karl Rove had returned my phone calls. Soon thereafter, in fact, Clark quit his day job and began seriously planning to enter the presidential raceas a Democrat. Messaging NEWSWEEK by BlackBerry, Clark late last week insisted the remark was a humorous tweak. The two others said it was anything but. He went into detail about his grievances, Holtzman said. Clark wasnt joking. We were really shocked.
They shouldnt have been: when Clark wades into the battle, he expects to be taken seriously. Howard Dean knew to be careful when he and Clark held what was supposed to be a secret conference three weeks ago in L.A. Deans advisers had warned their boss not to even hint that Clark would be the running mate should Dean win the Democratic nomination. That would have been both presumptuous and condescending, said a Dean aide. Somehow, word of the meeting leakedas did the notion (hotly denied by Dean insiders) that the VP slot indeed had been offered.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.com ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; clark; karlrove; origins; wesleyclark
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To: areafiftyone
and that's what this guy bases his political party upon? Someone not calling him back? Talk about a dim bulb! Wow.
To: cubreporter
Karl Rove knows that Clark and Clinton go back many years to their days in Arkansas, Waco, NATO, etc.
Rove would be called the biggest idiot if he had shown any interest in Clark.
To: areafiftyone
THANK GOD Rove didn't returnt his nutcase's phone calls!!
To: michaelt
Only partly. Seeing the way so many Freepers leap to the defense of liberal GOPers - just because they are GOP - is sad. Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to mind.
To: Cobra64
Give me a first class manager any day, versus the egotistocal a**holes that were in there for the previous 8 yrs!
Bush is a good manager. He knows what is necessary...
(Ray Stanley's definition of manager:
NA manager is not the man who does the work of ten men, but the man who can get the ten men to do the work! Ray was my mentor! He would have included women!)
25
posted on
09/21/2003 9:40:26 AM PDT
by
pageonetoo
(in God I trust, not the g'umt!)
To: areafiftyone
This is the first thing in a long time I actually agree with Rove on! Who need General Strangelove as a Republican.
Comment #27 Removed by Moderator
To: areafiftyone
Man, but if he had 'the best chance of winning', that simple 'R' after his name would get him all the support he needed on this forum, ala Arnold.
To: areafiftyone
So, he's a mercenary. Sold to the party that stroked his ego the most.
29
posted on
09/21/2003 11:56:09 AM PDT
by
Tree of Liberty
(Do you work for good, or for awesome?)
To: areafiftyone
I would have been a Republican, Clark told them, if Karl Rove had returned my phone calls. Weasely, Shallowness is thy name.
30
posted on
09/21/2003 12:46:20 PM PDT
by
PJ-Comix
(A Stitch In Time Won't Save You A Dime But At Least It Makes This Dopey Saying Rhyme.)
To: nickcarraway
Who need General Strangelove as a Republican. Actually, General Jack D. Ripper would be more accurate.
31
posted on
09/21/2003 12:47:41 PM PDT
by
PJ-Comix
(A Stitch In Time Won't Save You A Dime But At Least It Makes This Dopey Saying Rhyme.)
To: areafiftyone
Interesting. I just monitored the DUmmie forum and Clark's support there is CRUMBLING fast. Watch for this to be reflected in the next poll and even more so after Weasley's performance at the Demmycrat debate this Thursday.
32
posted on
09/21/2003 1:03:05 PM PDT
by
PJ-Comix
(A Stitch In Time Won't Save You A Dime But At Least It Makes This Dopey Saying Rhyme.)
To: areafiftyone
He wouldn't really have been a REPUBLICAN. Given his beliefs, he could really only be a RINO.
33
posted on
09/21/2003 5:42:34 PM PDT
by
DMZFrank
To: PJ-Comix
The DUers are having massive hissy fits about this. Although some won't believe it until they hear it from a Leftist's mouth.
To: areafiftyone
From the article: I would have been a Republican, Clark told them, if Karl Rove had returned my phone calls.
And if Saddam calls to thank him for being against the war, he can become an Iraqi War Minister.
Also, Stephens, Inc.? Isn't that a name we should recognize from the Klinton gang? Do they have an office in DC? Wasn't somebody faxing documents to them at some time? Perhaps someone with a better library than mine can look this up.
To: areafiftyone
Wait, wait, wait. Isn't this the same Weasly Clark who said somebody from the White House told him to tell Larry King that Saddam Hussein had ties to the 911 attacks but later changed his story after being challenged by Sean Hannity?
36
posted on
09/21/2003 9:24:22 PM PDT
by
Texas Eagle
(Hey! President Bush! Forget this "new tone" crap. DemocRATS are tone deaf! ! !)
To: Democratshavenobrains
The DUers are having massive hissy fits about this. Yup! Here are a few sample DUmmie commentaries about this:
So is he running as a Dem out of conviction, or spite? Clark's glow is tarnishing, REAL quicklike.
This isn't just a slip of the tounge. Yes, he said it to Republicans, but if he doesn't address the quote asap then this is not going to play well at all...not at all.
IMO, Clark is NOT good news for the Dem party. His military record is a bit of a mess, he worked for Jackson Stephens afterwards, he's been spouting DLC talking points, he's all over the place on his support or lack thereof or reasons for all of that re Iraq war, etc.
Clark says 'Rove didn't return my calls' !!! .. and shortly thereafter he began to consider a run for Prez as a Dem. If that isn't a 3rd grade 'Neener-neener' reaction to a rejection from KKKarl, I don't know what is !!!!
37
posted on
09/22/2003 3:31:33 AM PDT
by
PJ-Comix
(A Stitch In Time Won't Save You A Dime But At Least It Makes This Dopey Saying Rhyme.)
To: PJ-Comix
Yup! Here are a few sample DUmmie commentaries about this: You know, those DU comments actually make sense.
Just goes to show that even blind squirrels will find a nut every once in a while. :-)
38
posted on
09/22/2003 8:05:14 AM PDT
by
Polybius
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