on how much Obama caters to the left? I have been dismayed at how quickly so many of us are to pronounce our disgust with our nominee. It's as if he has no other obligation but to satisfy our netroots community and damn the consequences among the greater electorate that is not in any way as informed on the issues as most of us are.
This latest dust up over Gen. Clark is amazing to me. Does anyone realize that to the vast majority of the country, it will appear that the guy who never served is criticizing the service of the guy who did and nearly died doing so? The nuance of arguing that he's not criticizing his service, just whether that qualifies him to be CIC will never penetrate the megaphone of the MSM who ALWAYS have the Republican candidate's back.
Obviously Gen. Clark has all the standing in the world to make the argument over whether McCain's POW experience makes him presidential material, but Barack Obama does not. And, when the McCain campaign distorts what Clark said and the media overwhelmingly accepts and perpetuates their framing and tries to make Obama somehow responsible for it, Obama is in a no win situation. His strategy of conceding McCain's courage and heroism in the war and then arguing that his judgement on current policy is flawed, is the ONLY strategy that he can pursue when debating national security/fp against McCain.
Anyone who thinks that a discussion of John McCain's history as a fighter pilot and POW is in any way a going to benefit Obama is out of his/her mind. It will only serve to remind people of how he got the injuries and scars that are evident to this day, and remind people that Obama has never worn the uniform of this country. This is not something Obama needs to spend even a day of the next 4.5 months doing. He will lose that debate.
So, I'm glad that Wesley Clark made the observation he made and has been making the last several weeks and I hope that it sticks in people's minds. I'm also glad Obama did not put himself in the middle of it by defending Gen. Clark because that is the last discussion he can afford to be a part of right now. He will come up on then short end.
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