The last few days have seen multiple diaries on whether Clark might be Obama's VP pick. We've all tried to connect the dots.
Dot One: Wednesday at the Convention is "Securing America's Future" night -- which just happens to be the name of Clark's PAC.
Dot Two: Clark sent out an email indicating that he was clearing his schedule to "hit the road" in support of Obama and other Democrats until November.
Dot Three: I got Obama's email about texting his VP choice as soon as it was announced and the very next email I "happened" to receive was the one from Clark indicating he's clearing his schedule to hit the road in support of the Democratic contender.
Coincidences? I don't believe in coincidences.
Now Clark's first interview in several weeks on the air -- on radio with Rachel Maddow to talk about the situation in Georgia. Note the difference between his understanding of the situation and the players, versus McCain's Wikipedia response. This is the guy we want standing shoulder to shoulder with Obama.
General Wesley Clark on The Rachel Maddow Show
http://www.securingamerica.com/...
While McCain cribs from Wikipedia, has ties to lobbyists for Georgia, and displays the same saber-rattling tendencies as GWB, Wesley Clark, once again, shows an understanding of the players and the region that highlight why he would be a great addition to the Obama ticket: Read the whole interview yourselves, but here are a few highlights.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: But I think the United States has to use all of its influence with its allies. One of the big problems this is causing us is that the Russian action drives a split in NATO. It's, i-i-it's a real shock to NATO's new members. They joined for protection from Russia from exactly this kind of action by Russia. They've always feared it. They know how unpredictable and how unrestrained Russian- Russia can be with its military forces. Now of course, Georgia is not a member of NATO, but, but countries in the Baltics, Romania, Bulgaria and other countries in Eastern Europe like Ukraine are very carefully watching what the West does. And the West is split because countries in Western Europe don't feel the same sense of unease about the Soviets that countries closer to the Soviet- or to the former Soviet Union do. And so, the result is that you've got a split emerging in Europe and this is what the United States has to work with. If we're going really to check Russian aggression, we, we best do it not with force but with unity and resolve, and that requires leadership. And I think Barack Obama's the right person to provide that leadership.
and here
Rachel Maddow: Do, do you see a way for the United States to regain our role as the kind of country that can provide international leadership on an issue like this, that we can be a- Do you see a, a path in the near future whereby we can be a unifying force on an issue like this rather than divisive?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think there is a path. I mean, I- what, what this indicates is that the United States has to take the lead in trying to, with NATO, force the resolution of these lingering territorial disputes. The Russians have kept these territorial disputes open. It's their secret doorway back into these countries. They've got troops in Moldova. They can escalate a crisis in Moldova on the borders between Ukraine and Romania at any time. They've got troops and a presence in Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania, and they've got pressure on the Baltic Republics of Estonia and Latvia. They can turn up the heat at any time on these countries. They've got the ability through the crisis in Nagorno Karabakh to put pressure on Azerbaijan and of course they can put a lot of pressure on other countries in the 'Stans. So, t-t-the question is: How do you react to that pressure?
Clark did not attack McCain directly, but answering questions about how best to approach the issue, he says:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Bringing us to the boiling point and threatening military intervention is the wrong way. Most of the Russians are well aware that their future lies with the West, but you do have those in the power ministries and probably Vladimir Putin himslef, who are insecure, who fear encirclement, who fear isolation and who want their empire back. And what we have to persuade them is that 19th century geo-strategy is dead. This is the 21st century and there's a new way to engage with the rest of the world called modern global economics. But they don't see that fully in Moscow yet, and I think the United States has to be a leader in helping Europe and Russia deal with the future.
Rachel Maddow: Do you think that American politics are ready to encompass the idea of confronting Russia by through, through some means other than saber-ratting? Do you think that the American electorate and American politicians can sell the idea of that as tough as opposed to our, our, our, our fallback position on seeming tough which is to threaten more war?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think that for the McCain campaign this presents a useful issue to illustrate his tough-minded approach to foreign policy, and I think that's how it has- how his response has to be seen - not as a necessarily constructive response, but as a response geared to the American domestic political situation.
Clark does dodge one issue, however -- the issue of whether he is at the convention or not. For those of us who got his email saying he's clearing his calendar to hit the road for Obama and the other Dems, Clark's answer is accurate, but not definitive:
Rachel Maddow: Hm. Um, are you going to be in Denver, General Clark?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I'm not sure yet. I have business commitments overseas, and the convention honestly, I mean, it just hasn't taken form enough for me to know.
Rachel Maddow: Alright.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I'm basically a businessman. I'm not in elected political office. I'm trying to help people get into political office. I've helped a lot of people, but it's not- and I'm not finished helping, but as for Denver, we'll have to wait and see.
Rachel Maddow: Of course, you know what I'm wondering is if you have any plans to be behind a podium, say, Wednesday night in prime time. (laughs)
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: (pause) I...Right now, on Wednesday night I'm scheduled to be at a dinner in Milan, Italy.
"Right now" he has plans to be in Milan -- but who knows? Plans can certainly change!!
I'm glad to see Clark on the stump again. As I've said before Clark on the ticket is McCain's worst nightmare!
UPDATE:
Thanks to a suggestion in a comment from "Vicky" I'm updating with a link to an interview with Neil Cavuto as well (Thanks "Vicky" -- that was my mom's name . . . )
http://www.securingamerica.com/...
Neil Cavuto: He is sending his Secretary of State Condolezza Rice to Georgia to show his support. Reaction now from someone many say could be the next Se-Sec-Secretary of State in an Obama administration, former Democratic Presidential candidate, former Supreme Commander of NATO, General Wesley Clark. General, what do you think of this?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think it's a very dangerous situation. I think Russia has clearly taken advantage and is pursuing strategic objectives. I don't think we've seen the end of this yet. I think what we need to do right away in addition to the humanitarian airlift that's going in is that we should get some observers in on the ground. They don't have to be Americans. It's better if they're from the European Union. Let President Sarkozy put in a few teams and tell us the ground truth of what's going on there so that we can use diplomatic leverage to force the Russians, the Russian military to abide by the directions given by its political leaders. What's being done right now is a, it's a game. The Russians played this game before. We saw it, I saw it personally. They played it against NATO in Kosova. They say at the political level, 'We'll stop,' but at the military level they don't stop. And without ground truth it's difficult to go back and confront the political leadership and say, 'You guys are lying to us! You tell them to stop and we mean it or else.' And so, the first step is to get some neutral observers in there.
When asked if Obama was "overly cautious as compared to McCain's rhetoric, Clark answers:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think he's been very strong and very forthright in his statement. He's called on the Russians to stop. He c-certainly would agree with the humanitarian airlift in there. He's called for a deepening of the U.S. relationship with Georgia, the continuation of the membership action plan for NATO and so forth. But we should, we should be very clear with our viewers, the key to success here is to have unity between the United States and all of our European allies. This is not something the United States can handle alone. We're not going to dispatch a brigade of the 82nd airborne in there. This has got to be done with a concerted diplomatic leverage against the Soviets to force those troops back. And then, whatever reassurances we can give to the Georgians, we should certainly do that as well. But we should be really working NATO and NATO unity in here, and I'm waiting to see a statement from either the European Union or NATO that shows the appropriate degree of resolve and, and, and determination to call on the Russians to pull back immediately.
Cavuto continues to insist that Obama was too cautious and "diplomatic" compared to McCain's response. He bluntly asks Clark whether Obama's initial response was "botched".
Clark deftly responds:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think Senator Obama's done, doing just fine on this. I don't think there's any issue. I think you have to, you have to watch carefully what you're saying at this point. There's- th-th-the very harsh anti-Russian rhetoric makes good domestic politics, but it doesn't bring European unity into action. And what we've got to have is European unity. We've got to bring France, Germany, UK, Poland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, all of these countries have got to come together with the countries newly admitted to NATO in Eastern Europe and say to the Russians, 'Stop! Stop now, and get your forces out and keep them out!'
What I love about Clark is the depth of his knowledge of global issues, and his ability to seamlessly transition (without an advisor whispering in his ear) from one global issue to another. Cavuto brings up the G8, and McCain's threat to kick Russia out of the G8, and Clark responds with an in-depth discussion of the strategic issues, concluding:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: . So, it's always been difficult with Russia, but I think that somehow you have to work both a tough hand and, and engagement, constructive engagement. There's no good isolating Russia. There's no good saying we're not talking to you. There's 140 million people there. There's a lot of wealth. There's a nation that could emerge and be a constructive force in world affairs, and somehow we've got to both restrain their worst impulses and help-
Neil Cavuto: But, but that's the battle-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: -a better Russia emerge.
Cavuto keeps trying to stick it to Obama and say how much stronger McCain is, and tries to engage Clark in the debate as to which candidate is right on this issue. Clark resists getting into "domestic politics", stating wisely:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Right now we do, right now we do have a President. It's not either one of these two men, and this President, first of all, has not been as strong as I would like him to have been initially when it first happened. Secondly, we still haven't used U.S. leadership with the Europeans. I think it's fine that President Sarkozy went over there. I hope somebody's congratulating President Sarkozy. Now, let's get the rest of NATO involved and let's have our people strongly object to the Russian presence and then let's demand some neutral observers be put in there on the ground that can tell us accurately and irrefutably where the Russian forces are and where they're going. It's a wonderful thing to have the news media in there, but the news media are not capable of really tracking these Russian forces and speaking authoritatively to, to the diplomats. So, we need a neutral observer mission on the ground as soon as possible in Georgia.
I love this guy!
Obama/Clark 08 Change We Can Believe in Is Worth Fighting For!