Clark actually says gonna and lotta--homespun, doesn't sound forced. He's talked this talk to red state enlistees many a time, I suspect.
"There's a game going on. They're trying to keep the Democratic candidates down" Yep, that's what he said. Hmm, is this an announcement?
He ticks off what he thinks the Democrats need, and no surprise there: To establish strong national security credentials. And the Democrats, he says, have "got to get over Vietnam. We've got to keep the American people safe. That's job 1."
Hmm. If on November 2, 2004 Americans would have thought we Democrats would do that better than GWB, do you think we would have won? I do.
He mentions that he's talking to people like Tom Friedman, urging them to not "give away store to GWB." In context, it sounds like he means not letting up on GWB about policy failures, as an aarticle or two will somehow magically correct their massive incompetence. But I don't want to put words in his mouth, of course.
He says that WaMo approached him and asked him to write an artiucle on the subject "What if Bush was Right?" He refused because, he says, "Bush was wrong!" Huge applause.
Then he says something important, a big talking point for Dems going forward: "Of course we want to succeed in Iraq. It was just a mistake going there in the first place."
He mentions that he has been to the Middle East twice in the last year or so. He says that yes indeed, they want democracy. They've always wanted democracy. So GWB claiming credit for Arabs wanting democracy is like "a rooster crowing, trying to take credit for the sunrise."
He states emphatically that "democracy cannot be imposed."
"The men and women in uniform are doing a brilliant job over there, despite GB."
When Clark was in uniform they had a saying "The Republicans like weapons system, the Democrats like people." Really? Wish they still said that. Perhaps Rummy outlawed it.
He talks about a few things I miss, because I'm typing. Damn you, dkos. He does say that he's starting a new national initiative to make Election Day a national holiday. That's pretty smart--can you imagine the GOP trying to say it will cost corporations too much money to let all those people vote? That was their knock against the MLK holiday. Methinks General Clark has a strategic mind. Yay.
Clark goes after the Christian right. He says "I'm a Christian. I think I'm right." Then adds that "Bill Frist going on that TV show, that's not the Christian right. That's the Christian wrong. They're extremists. They're wrong."
Ok General, don't be shy. Tell us what you really think. He's says wrong like a preacherman, with a little hellfire and brimstone creeping in around the edges.
He adds" The Christianity I know is about love. It's about lifting every person up." The Christian right is "taking the word of the Good Lord and twisting it to political purposes."
Wow. I didn't know Clark would be so effective against the God talk crowd, but damn! He's got it down, he's totally authentic with it. That Arkansas! It just breeds them don't you think? They probably have more Christians per square mile there than the Vatican.
The big question "Am I going to run again?"
The crowd goes WILD. Shouting, screaming, women's panties on stage...uh, no, I'm making that up. But trust me, if this crowd could've they would've.
Drum roll please: "Well...I'll certainly have to take your advice about that."
The crowd erupts. He gets to take a water break. Hell, he could've walked around the block and come back before it quieted down.
He asks for our help. He says that last time, he had no political experience, no political strategy, no money when he started and no staff. This time, he promises that if we help, he'll have the money, he has the strategy, he'll have the staff, and he has the experience.
Folks, I'm sitting next to General Clark's media consultant who doesn't want me to say this so blatantly, but what I heard is that General Clark is running in '08. He explained to us that he intends to spend the next few years building the strategy, working the language and connecting the grassroots together for, as he calls it, "a giant march on Washington."
And--BREAKING!-- we have our own 11th commandment now. Clark was talking about the Democratic Party earning some street cred for being tough on national security, He says that the place to start is with this thought: Americans will believe that a Democratic CinC will defend them when they first become convinced that " Democrats will defend other Democrats." Can I get an amen?
Where's the bar. I need a drink. But I'll try to see Dean first.
12:25A
I couldn't get in to Dean's speech. I heard that it was fantastic by people walking by, but I'll see if I can pick someone's brains tomorrow.
The locals have read this diary and now they're backing off a bit. The new meme here is that General Clark really meant that if we redraft him, he's in, All standard caveats apply of course. He was definite in his speech, so I won't alter what I wrote. I'll let my editorial note up top do the heavy lifting on that idea.
The DFALA Party. Holy crap. Dems grooving, bodies shaking, Phil Angelides getting jiggy with it. Our DFA cooordinator Michael (of CADemCon part I fame) DJ'd for a while. Lots of mediterranean food, vegans welcome of course. The lactose intolerant were out of luck, but aren't they always?
Speaking of Angelides, I've not been kind to him in the past (Walking Vanilla, etc.). Well, not so geeky after all. And all that freaking energy--give the man a lobotomy and he could be a game show host. But as is he comes across as smart and competent and even likeable. God, I miss competence, don't out? Might work. We'll see.
Forgot to mention that Cruz "the Snooze" Bustamente was at the Clark event. But did I really forget, or did I just block it out because memories of his wretched campaign against Arnold are still to painful to dredge up? Hmm. Have to think about that.
INSIDER TIP: Watch The Note over the next few days. Mark Halperin is walking the halls, up to his no good MSM kool kid ways I'm sure.
Tired now. Nighty night.
2:37AM
One more thing. Mark Kleiman was there too and he threads the "did he announce/didn't he announce" needle pretty well.
Just back from a fundraiser for Wesley Clark's WesPac, with Clark himself as the main attraction.
Clark is running for President in 2008. He stopped just shy of a formal announcement, but left no one in doubt about his intentions. The crowd of about 150 seemed delighted.
11:13A
Items of business:
Some here didn't seem to have read our new 11th commandment on defending other Democrats. Worse yet, they seem to want to re-ignite the Dean/Clark wars of '03. Oh brother.
More to the point, a couple of folks here are posting on myDD the insinuation that I'm either lying that Clark was at the convention, or that I'm dishonestly portraying this as an official CA State Dem sanctioned delegate event, or that I'm lying about attending, or that if he was there, then Clark planned his event to coincide with Dean's speech, etc. Stop. It's silly. And the DNC chair would probably disapprove.
As for the scheduling nonsense:
Clark event - 5:30P to 7:00P
Dean speech - 7:00P to 9:00P
Nope, as far as I can tell no time/space continuum was warped there. Perhaps more scientifically-minded kossacks can explain how 5:30P to 7:00P = 7:00P to 9:00P. Also a little homework is in order. As I mentioned on part 1 of this series (link below):
3:56P
So here I am back at the Hotel Figueroa. I figure that being first in line at the Clark event tonight is better than being Michael's bitch in the volunteer center. But maybe that's just me. Oh, and Evan says hi. He's a kossack too. I didn't catch his online name.
Back in a bit.
5:21P
Alrighty then. I'm now signed in for the private fundraiser with General Clark. $75 bucks, as compared to $1,000 per hotdog at GOP events. Hmm. Then he'll open the doors to the public for a speech at 6:30P.
Off to the meeting kids; hopefully they'll let me type during it.
How about we just focus on building each other up, rather than tearing each other down. No one's knocking your former candidate; that isn't what this diary is about. And I'm sure dkos would go wild for a diary on Dean's speech. If I could have gotten in (it was massively sold out) you can bet I would have posted that as well. The mojo alone on a good Dean diary would probably give me TU status for life. So how about you put your effort into doing something useful like that, instead of this intra-party squabbling nonsense.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
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NOTE: CA DemCon Part I is here
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