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New Candidate Gen. Wesley Clark Outgenerals the Politicos

Gen. Wesley Clark for president! The former supreme commander of NATO troops, in entering the race to be the Democratic nominee for president, is sending shivers into Bush’s Republican ranks.

Obviously, Clark, a four-star general, would be an extremely credible leader of the United States in this epoch of international terrorism. He would be far more appropriate than Bush, who has achieved notoriety for using words of mass deception to unilaterally lead the United States into a quagmire in Iraq.

And there is Bush’s follow-up, masquerading in a fighter pilot uniform and landing on an aircraft carrier, claiming a premature Iraq victory that even yet is not anywhere near accomplished. And that against the reality of Clark’s success in his role of NATO troop leader in the victorious Kosovo campaign to remove Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic.

It will be said that Clark, during his 34-year military career, has had no political office experience. He will be faulted as a political novice. But that charge is unlikely to stick. Anyone who can successfully head up the multinational armed forces of NATO should prove to be no slouch as a political leader.

Another observation is being made that because of his lateness in entering the campaign, Clark won’t be able to adequately set up a campaign staff and also raise sufficient funds to run a credible campaign. Overcoming these bugaboos should provide the opportunity for Clark to demonstrate his leadership and organizational skills.

Another observation, and far more positive, is the assessment that a Clark candidacy should greatly improve the debate on national security issues. Up until now, except for Gov. Howard Dean’s outspoken critiquing of Bush’s terrorist war effort, the other candidates’ tepid remarks on the issue could well be sharpened up with alternative policies laid out and clearly delineated.

On domestic issues, Clark blasted Bush’s negative economic record and promised to outline his approach in a speech in the coming weeks. He also blasted the nation’s health care system, saying all ought to be covered by a national plan. If the Clark presidential candidacy does not catch on fire, it may well be he will be the ideal vice president for the successful Democratic candidate. That would be a good fall back position for the Clark candidacy.

There is some talk that because Clark comes from Arkansas, he is ex-President Clinton’s man. The fact seems to be that while both Clinton and Clark had a somewhat similar start prior to gaining national attention, both being Rhodes scholars from Arkansas, they knew each other rather casually. But casual or not, the Wall Street Journal felt the Clintonesque similarities deserved an editorial entitled, “Hillary’s Favorite General.”

The editorial claims the Clintons urged the general to run so as to act as a counter, as a “stop Howard Dean” candidate. Stopping the Dean candidacy is seen by the Journal as a Machiavellian way to promote Hillary’s 2008 run for the presidency.

As far as seniors are concerned, if Clark comes up with a full-fledged health care system approach, they would have little option but to support him as a means of getting at Bush’s lack of support for such a venture.

Ted Ruhig is well-known in Sacramento for his tireless advocacy for proposals designed to help seniors live long, happy, full lives. He has held leadership roles in several advocacy groups and on government advisory boards. Ruhig once sued the California Department of Aging for age discrimination, and won!

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