Obama's Attack Dog

Barack Obama's new attack dog, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, is not backing down from his attacks on John McCain, saying he spoke independently of Senator Barack Obama.  Yeah right.  So let me ask the obvious question:  "What has Obama done to make him prepared to lead this country in a time of war???"  Answer:  NOTHING.

(Mr. Clark has made similar assessments before, and in these interviews he again seemed to be contrasting his level of supervisory leadership in the military against Mr. McCain’s.)

On Tuesday, two of Mr. McCain’s closest allies — Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and retired United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Orson Swindle — not only rejected General Clark’s recent remark, but also began to question his own military service.

On a conference call with reporters, Mr. Swindle pointed out that Senator McCain has been endorsed by scores of former military generals, admirals and prisoners of war.

“General Clark probably wouldn’t get that much praise from this group,” Mr. Swindle said. “As high ranking as he is, his record in his last command was less than stellar.”

Mr. Swindle added that while Mr. Clark’s comments were “remarkable, they were not unusual” coming, as he said, on the heels of statements from other Obama surrogates playing down Mr. McCain’s military record.

“When you’re in a tough political race and you have no qualifications and no experience and your opponent has a world of experience,” Mr. Swindle said, referring to Mr. Obama. “You’ve got to do something.”  (NYT)

More  at the New York Times on Clark's continuing comments.

Again with the POW slurs?

Eight times is no coincidence. It is fair to say that the Obama camp has used up its benefit of the doubt with regard to surrogates attacking McCain’s military service. This time it is Rand Beers, no novice to government service or campaigns, slamming McCain for missing out on key foreign policy training and knowledge because of his time as a POW. First, the comment is plain ignorant. A reading of McCain’s account of his years in captivity would have told Beers just how valuable a lesson it was in understanding the nature of totalitarian evil. Beers might consider what experience his own candidate has that is remotely equivalent.

Second, once again a surrogate shows that the Obama camp attracts the very worst of the Left–sneering, disrespectful, and ignorant of the value of military service. The inference is becoming inescapable that this swarm of anti-McCain venom is countenanced by the Obama camp. They simply can’t be this awful at corralling their troops, can they?  (continue reading at Contentions)

Patrick Hynes via email says:

Clark, who is a representative of the Obama campaign, is repeating his attacks today on Sen. McCain’s military record.

Rand Beers, another adviser to the Obama campaign, also attacked Sen. McCain’s military service record.

This is now an obvious strategy on the part of the Obama campaign to malign Sen. McCain’s service to America.

Has anyone in the press asked Obama about this?  Shouldn’t he be required to repudiate it beyond a throw-away line in his speech and ask these men to leave his campaign?

Obama on abortion and gay marriage, from National Review Online:

UPDATE: From a May AP story, quoting a statement from the Obama Campaign: "Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as president. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage."

ANOTHER UPDATE: A reader clarifies Obama's position: "As chief executive of the federal government, Obama will fight to make sure that every state has the right to make its own decisions on gay marriage, as long as it decides to correctly adopt non-discriminatory and non-divisive policies that he personally doesn't favor because of his religious beliefs, which aren't shared by his church."

Well, now it makes sense...

Comments

[Alco]

Vote for a portuguese water dog for Obama! :)

http://portuguese-waterdog.blogspot.com/

[Debbie]

MK:

I didn't think about a book deal. I still think he's on the Obama payroll or he's looking for a position as Secretary of State of something.

.

[MK]

Either Clark's got a book coming out and needs some useful idiots to part with their cash OR the first book tanked and he needs a second job.

[Debbie]

John Johnson:

Well, if you visit here more than once, you will see that we welcome everybody, all points of view and comments are accepted. We don't delete comments or stop the debate in any way. Everybody's welcome to his thoughts and beliefs.

fouse, gary c:

I think Clark came out back-peddling after I got this post up. Question for you: Why do I get a page of naked women when I click on your site? I know that can't be right.

Stormwarning:

That seems to be the feeling on both sides, Clark goofed.

Steve:

you are not alone in your assessment. I have read several other blogs and military folks comment the same way.

A.C. McCloud:

He was on the "list" for Clinton, then I heard he was on the "list" for a position in Obama's camp,... at the BOTTOM of the list, ha.

Robocop:

Thanks so much. You are a faithful reader and I really do appreciate you.

[fouse, gary c]

In response to the flap resulting from Wesley Clark's dismissive remarks over John McCain's military service over the weekend, the retired general is now "clarifying" his comments. Actually, he is digging himself a deeper hole.

While not apologizing to McCain, Clark is now denying that he was being derogatory in any way toward the Arizona senator's war record. Today on "Good Morning America", Clark stated that he was merely trying to make the case that Obama has the judgement necessary to be president as compared to McCain.

Judgement?

General Clark, are you talking about the judgement that allowed Obama to spend 20 years in a church listening to the hate-filled rhetoric of Jeremiah Wright?

Or perhaps you mean the judgement that allowed Obama to maintain a 20 year relationship with Father Michael Pfleger, the radical priest. Or the judgement that led Obama to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in government funds for Pfleger's projects.

Maybe you are referring to the judgement that led Obama into a political relationship with William Ayres and Bernadine Dohrn, two ex-Weather Underground members who remain unapologetic about their past terrorist activities.

Or perhaps you are referring to the judgement that led Obama into a years-long financial relationship with now-convicted racketeer Tony Rezko.

Judgement?

As I stated before, General Clark will get no criticism from me when it comes to his military career. Unfortunately, since retiring, Clark has become a pathetic political hack, first doing the bidding of the Clintons and now Obama. In doing so, he has disrespected the courageous military service of McCain, who was a lower-ranking officer.

McCain, as his his wont, has chosen to remain above the fray and not lash back. As of now, it seems that Bob Dole has taken the lead among Republicans with his public condemnation of Clark's remarks. (Where are the voices of the other Republicans?)

Wesley Clark is an embarrassment, a political climber who still sees himself as a future president riding on the coattails of whomever will carry him to the next step up the ladder. In trying to extricate himself from this latest statement (an act of poor JUDGEMENT), Clark is only digging himself deeper.

gary fouse
fousesquawk

[John Johnson]

I have often wonder how a absolute imbecile like George Bush got elected President of the United States of America. Now, reading some of the comments here, it is crystal clear - such monumental stupidity suggest average IQ below room temperature!!

[Stormwarning]

Consensus is that General Clark made a big mistake.

[Steve Harkonnen]

“As high ranking as he is, his record in his last command was less than stellar.”

Yeppers. Nearly brought us to war with the Russians over in Kosovo.

[A.C. McCloud]

I can't figure out if Clark is just an egotistical loon or is doing this on purpose. Trashing McCain's vet record is stupid, and Clark, despite being arrogant, is not stupid.
What's he trying to accomplish? After all, he was set to take a high level position in a Hillary admin.

[Robocop]

Great post. I appreciate your effort into posts like these. Keep up the good work.