MyDD :: Wes Clark sells out

Wes Clark sells out

by Paleo, Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:09:29 AM EST

"Fox News Channel has signed Gen. Wesley Clark, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, CNN contributor and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, as a military and foreign affairs analyst," TV Week reports. Senior VP Bill Shine says "Gen. Clark's extensive military experience and sharp insight make him a powerful addition to Fox News Channel."

http://tinyurl.com/7rgjv

So the good general has decided to take Rupert Murdoch's money. And in the process stab Howard Dean in the back and give credibility to the most incredible slogan of all time, "fair and balanced." As we all know, Faux News is the mouthpiece of the Republican party. By taking their money, and going on there, Clark allows Faux to say, "see, we're fair and balanced." While Dean is refusing to go on there, Clark is not only going on, but is taking their money. What a disgrace!

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Doesn't he has a right (none / 0)

to speak at any channel he wishes????

by smmsmm on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:22:30 AM EST

Re: Doesn't he has a right (none / 0)

Sure. And people have the right to lambaste him for doing so. And to say that he never should be on the Democratic ticket because of it. I guess once a Reagan supporter . . . .

by Paleo on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:28:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Doesn't he has a right (2.00 / 1)

You have a right to say that because of it he "never should be on the Democratic ticket". I have a right to vote for him as a Democratic Presidential candidate in 2008, doesn't i? Why do you want to decide for me?? Who gave you that right?? Run your own candidates - and i will not mind if they will be a Communist party members, but don't play the role of "God Allmighty"....

by smmsmm on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 09:40:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Respectfully disagree (3.00 / 3)

Here we have a network that reaches some huge number of people who NEVER hear an alternative foreign policy viewpoint, and NEVER hear how badly the Bush administration is screwing up in Iraq and all over the world. Much less from a former general.

Maybe now, once in awhile, they will. Clark can open some eyes.

by bcamarda on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:44:54 AM EST

My thoughts (3.00 / 1)

I would say that unless Wes Clark gets booted from Faux News within the next 6 months, because he is so predominantly against the war and moving numbers of their Republican viewers against Bush, he can pretty much kiss the any chance of running for President goodbye.... at least as a Democrat.

I guess it all depends on which Wes shows up-- the one that did CNN analysis and never held a position, or the one that ran as a Democrat for President, and made sure everyone knew that he talked to that Iraq was a mess and Bush's fault.

by Jerome Armstrong on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:54:16 AM EST

Re: My thoughts (none / 0)

I heard General Clark speak at a small event and he definitely struck me. Wowed me even with his worldview. He would be an excellent president in the foreign policy department. He told a roomful of people (some of them pro-Israel dems who support the war) that Osama Bin Ladin was "reforming the Middle East" not Bush. He really knew the region and the politics involved.

He's already defended Dean when other Dems stabbed him in the back and maybe this is his way of putting forward a more realistic foreign policy perspective. Furthermore, weren't Fox News' numbers dropping? Maybe Fox is trying to broaden their viewership by being less propgandistic? Ultimately, like Air America, it's still a business...

by dayspring on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:30:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

i dunno (none / 0)

you know, i generally react pretty negatively to dems who sign with FAUX news. the reason i'm hesitant to pass judgement right now is because very few people have the military credibility and the cajones to criticise bush's war like clark does. plus, having observed him on cnn for many months back in the day, i know he can hold his own on tv. no right winger is going to run over clark.

i am going to wait and see and hope wes kicks some ass.

Visit us at TexasKAOS, where we're taking Texas back!

by annatopia on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:33:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hold your fire . . . for now (3.00 / 1)

I don't think this is a big deal. He might even wake up a few Fox viewers to what's really going on with our military. He still has a great deal of moral authority on the subject, even in the land of Wingnutia.

Let's see how he uses this platform before we accuse him of selling out.

by Tod Westlake on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 10:07:34 AM EST

Of course I can't read his mind (none / 0)

but since the election, Clark has been the most outspoken of the former presidential candidates in criticizing Bush. And he seems to be trying to get buzz, be controversial. I think he really wants to run for president again and he's not so much interested in money. He already made quite a bit right after he retired from the service. If I were a gambler, I'd lay odds he'll be stirring things up more than anything.

by prince myshkin on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 10:53:39 AM EST

Re: Of course I can't read his mind (3.00 / 2)

I've been around the guy. He is looking for the place where he can argue his case. What better place than Fox Network, where millions might actually hear an alternative view from one of the most persuasive men on the scene.

Clark not the least afraid of going head to head with anyone...

And to threaten him for speaking out in the middle of the Red Territory....what political childishness...

It takes guts to walk onto enemy turf and take up the fight. Clark got those in abundance and the experience and education to back them up.

He'll be 'in their face' with heavy, fact-filled contradictions...he's a great Democrat Spokesman.

just a red meat eatin' Democratic Dawg frontpaging at The Democratic Daily...

by BigDog on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:25:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Could be good timing (3.00 / 1)

Exactly. The issue is how General Clark performs on FOX. I can't imagine him going on and spouting the standard FOX lines. We'll have to see.

He has been a forceful critic of the administration's handling of Iraq and I cannot imagine him backing away from that.

Clark's commentary has nothing to do with Gov. Dean though. Totally unrelated.

With more pressure for an exit strategy (including some Republicans) this could be timely, actually.

by cChalfonte on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:28:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Of course I can't read his mind (none / 0)

Sounds like he's trying to be like Dean....

But really just wanted to say that I like your handle. The Idiot is my absolute favorite book of all time. :)

by poemless on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 04:51:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Clark's defection to FOX was a body blow. (none / 0)

Clark can nail Dubya between the eyes with every line he says live, but FOX runs the control room. They can take anything he says and edit him down to a soundbite they run over and over for the rest of the broadcast day that seems to attack Dems.

This is a real error in judgement. You don't trust the snakes at FOX. Anybody willing to trust their image to FOX is a person I won't trust with the keys to the White House.

by afs on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:50:03 AM EST

hrm, good point (none / 0)

i guess it will all depend on whether it's live or not. but yea, the editing room is, er, disengenuous.

Visit us at TexasKAOS, where we're taking Texas back!

by annatopia on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 11:53:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

M$M always runs soundbites of interviews for day (none / 0)

It's standard practice for all M$M news to run soundbites of interviews done earlier in the day for the rest of the broadcast day. It doesn't matter if Clark refuses to do taped interviews. They will still edit down the live interview he does for soundbites to run in news updates and other programming for the rest of the program day.

It doesn't matter what Clark says live once. The soundbites FOX runs 20 other times that day will be edited to seem to attack Dems. Clark will only sound like Clark once that day. The rest of the day, he will seem like the rest of the snakes through the magic of editing.

by afs on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 12:07:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Give Clark a chance (none / 0)

I am a so called Deaniac too and I have no problem with Clark going on FOX. Give me a break. See how Clark handles himself and if he starts agreeing with the hosts. If Clark talks like he has before on Bill Maher or CNN, he will be an asset to the party. I didnt like the idea of dems on FOX because of the way they would catipulate before the Hannitys.

Blame networks like CNN for not snagging him.

by Pravin on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 01:10:14 PM EST

Any Democrat works for (3.00 / 1)

Fox gives Roger Ailes ammo to say Fox is "balanced."

And the likelihood of any Democrat changing the mind of any number of Fox News viewers is remote.

This is because, even tho Fox is the cable news leader, its viewership is made up of true believer Republicans who are unlikely to use reason to form their opinions.

Fox News' ratings, in the overall scheme of things, are extremely tiny (less than 2 million people a day).

I sure hope the money they are paying him is good, because I understand Fox does pay its analysts well.

by nanorich on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 01:59:05 PM EST

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