The Real State of the Union 2006
Submitted by larry on January 30, 2006 - 1:34pm.
[Update] Video is now up also.
General Clark's speech is up on SecuringAmerica.com. Here's an excerpt:
It is a privilege to be with you this afternoon to address the state of our Union, to offer an assessment, and to tell you how the our Union can be great again - For today we are into our fifth year of war abroad and threats at home, and the state of the union is not what it should be, and not what it could be…
I want to express my admiration and appreciation for the men and women in our Armed Forces, and their families. They have served with courage and honor and with incredible skill. They have volunteered, and served selflessly. Over 2200 have died in Iraq, another two hundred plus in Afghanistan, and tens of thousands have come home with the injuries and scars – physical and mental - that will mark them forever. Won’t you stand and join me in recognizing them, and all our veterans, with a round of applause?
A few weeks ago, as I rode across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, the Pakistani-born cab driver interrupted my thoughts with his own story and reminded me why we all should feel this sense of privilege to be here in America...."We came as three brothers," he said...”we came nine years ago...only I am still driving a cab.... we own a store now, and a restaurant, and soon I will join the others full time in the restaurant...when we came we had nothing, but today.... Only in America,” he said, “could we do this, ONLY IN AMERICA!”.
His story is the story of hundreds of millions of us and our forefathers who came here from somewhere else, who dreamed, dared, planned and struggled to forge new lives, raise strong families, and together, generation after generation we have built a great nation...exceptional…unique.
We are a nation where liberty is protected by the Constitution, a nation where people choose their own leaders, and a nation where government’s power is limited. Generation after generation, America has throttled the self-serving impulses of the powerful and restrained the powerful passions of the multitudes, thus guaranteeing that the freedoms and opportunities of every citizen enumerated in law are provided in practice. And in the process America has become a Beacon of Hope for people everywhere.
Read the rest here.
...the importance of getting Wes a bigger platform. ;)
From the time he started his blog, I prayed he'd get together with Wes.
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
for posting the speech. It is the state of our world pretty much. Wes is right about the Bush SOU. He will be speaking to his base. RawStory has a headline exclusive about Feith and his cronies still having security clearances, approved by Rummy. This is all being covered up by Pat Roberts by not going ahead with a senate investigation. Of course, he's tight with Cheney, so no oversight there. I wish, as Wes says, we were protected by the constitution, but it appears we have a dictatorship. The Republicans who rule with the fear card will it so.
Just home for a minute; glad speech posted.
I, ican't and r'mom agree that THIS IS A CAMPAIGN SPEECH!!!!
No one asked THAT question; sorry, but HERE WE GO!!!!!!!
How Ideas Are Transmitted in Washington
by Matt Stoller, Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 02:25:53 PM EST
I came to DC in November to meet the national Democratic Party. What I'm findinig is less a party and more a process, of transmitting ideas and political trends among and between groups of influential policy-makers and elected officials. This morning, I came to The Real State of the Foreign Policy, a forum designed to provoke public debate over the course of America's path in the world. It was a fascinating forum, headlined by Wesley Clark, but also a diverse one, with John O'Sullivan of the National Review, Sidney Blumenthal, the brilliant Anatol Lieven, the business elitist Kevin Nealer, and Peter Bergen, who wrote The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of Al Qaeda's Leader.
O'Sullivan can be characterized as a mix between a neoconservative and a realist. He has the pollyanna-ish outlook of a neocon, though he is at least willing to discuss costs. Clemons is of course the blogger behind the Washington Note, a progressive centrist who jumps between party lines. My favorite talk was by Kevin Nealer, because he laid out the challenges that we have in working on the problems of trade, globalization, and global stability. Long story short, we are in real trouble, but we also have tools at our disposal to use in mitigating some of the problems we're facing.
I'm not a foreign policy guy. The problems of a global society are fascinating to me, because I care about structural issues and flows of information and human networks, but ultimately, I just don't have the body of knowledge to really drill into a global policy topic without a great deal of work. What is most striking about this forum, therefore, to me, is how there is simply no place for the Democratic Party or the progressive movement in designing our approach to the world. On the reform of the United Nations, for instance, we just aren't in the game, because we haven't considered its role in the world nor have we designed a political language to use in describing our vision for the globe.
This points back to a human problem which the right-wing has solved. They have a broker class, a group of mediators who shuffle ideas and money back and forth between grassroots groups, officials, decision-makers, idea-generators, academics, and Federal bureaucrats. Karl Rove is one such mediator, Grover Norquist another, Jack Abramoff another, and Scooter Libby a third. But there is a whole slew of them. Much of what they do is basic networking among different groups, you know, just good politics. They plan. They coordinate. They anticipate political problems, and set up strategies to work through using ad hoc coalitions to solve them.
We do not have this broker class. The space that Nealer, Bergen, Clark, Clemons, and others make in terms of defining a progressive vision for the world is therefore never translated into the political process on the progressive side. Instead, Cindy Sheehan goes and stands with Hugo Chavez, blowing massive amounts of credibility for what is a nascent progressive movement towards a global vision. In some sense, Paul Begala, James Carville, Peter Beinart, Dan Gerstein, and Katrina vanden Heuvel pretend to play this broker role, but it is fundamentally a fake. They fake in different ways, but they all share the characteristic of doing bad to no politics, not reaching out to groups that should be part of progressive ad hoc coalitions. Beinart is probably the best broker of political influence among foreign policy intellectuals within the Democratic Party, and that's really saying something about how broken the progressive movement is. I suspect he will be challenged and destroyed soon, though it's not at this point clear to me who can take on the overall 'broker' role within the progressive movement. Who will do the politics and coordinate these groups? Who can unify the media reform DFA'ers, the pro-UN realists, and the financial neo-liberals like Paul Krugman into a potent political force?
That's the question I am left with after this event. It was great, it was fascinating, and we clearly have the tools and the political will to manage our global problems. The bricks are there. We just don't have the mortar.
http://mydd.com/story/2006/1/30/142553/509
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
this link may only be good for a day or two since it may be archived differently, but the video link is up now...
New America Foundation on State of Foreign Policy
In Washington, DC, the New America Foundation talks about the
"Real State of Foreign Policy."
1/30/2006: WASHINGTON, DC: 4 hr. 25 min.
Wes appears at about 3:20/3:24 into the program- looking forward to viewing the whole thing.
"Wes appears at about 3:20/3:24 into the program- looking forward to viewing the whole thing."
Any wonder why my hand was too cramped to take notes during Wes's speech? But that's OK. You all can just watch it!!!
Saw you there, ICB, with Gordon right behind your left shoulder.
C-SPAN is airing the forum tonight beginning at 8:50 EST.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
And I saw Knight as well! Woohoo! Clarkies!!
Get your Clark Cards here! http://www.wildeyejames.com/WesCard.htm
Does anyone know how long into the program it is until Wes speaks?
Leadership means lifting people up. --Wes Clark
Can someone clean up the typos, though?
...Video, transcripts, comments,...blazing speed by this community. Was that a great SOTU, or WHAT! - Imagine a real leader telling the American public the truth! Imagine that -- A real leader to get this country on the right course! But great work by the Clark blogscription team; ...that's of course, if you exist. 
It takes me 3X longer to figure out what I wrote, but we were there for backup, ... just in case.! ;)
ICB, Ellen, reggiesmom and a friend of ours,.. a Clark-Baltimore Clarkster, hiroto, Gordon, Howard Park, Greg Priddy and many others who wore the C-Company 4 star pins.
bbl tonite,.. gotta do some stuff asap for a hours, have some pics, but C-SPAN did a service! Should've been on C-SPAN1/2, imo. Also, I see that jen provide links for us to say thanks, ... but i hope you all flood Steve's email with lots of our thanks and gratitude for putting all this together!! Great patriot, I think he took some heat for doing this. Steve, btw, made efforts to greet many of us in attendance,.. introducing himself with a handshake. I'll post some pics when I return :)
I also got a cool pic of Ambr. Joseph Wilson who sat, inconspicously seated in the back of the room.
See y'all later tonite!! 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Debate, Dialogue, Discussion, Disagreement - that's not wrong -that's not unpatriotic, that's one of the highest forms of patriotism and love of country, and we need to say it!" - Gen. Wesley Clark (US Ret.)
if someone didn't just announce their candicacy!!! Woohoo!!!
I LOVE this line: "Understand: unlike others you may hear, I know when and how to determine our course with Iran."
Has this been posted throughout the blogosphere? Has anyone posted it at Kos? DU? etc.
I'm talking to you America
"When even one American -- who has done nothing wrong -- is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril." -- Harry S. Truman
Pragmatic solutions to the problems the U.S. faces. Despite the damge done by this administration, Wes clearly shows us that there is still hope.Wes '08. Im on board 100%
My Heart is beating so hard and I can't catch my breath!!! WOW WOW WOW!!! Truer words have never been spoken and if there is any doubt out there if he is gonna run again, this speech settles all doubts!!! I am so ready to take the fight to the Republicans and even the narrow minded Dems who are fooled by window dressing. I have known for a very long time that our General was Presidential Material and this speech I will archive for the doubting Thomases.
Before I make my comment I would like to remind folks that I have been an ardent supporter of Wes Clark since 2003. That said, I am somewhat disappointed with this speech. Nearly 2/3 of the speech is a litany of what is wrong and what has been wrong. Factual as this list may be, this kind of approach did not work in 2004 and doesn't seem to be making a difference now. ( At today's WH press conference a reporter asked Scott M. to reconcile a statistical list of how terrorism had INCREASED under Bush. His answer? "Freedom is on the march!"
George Lakoff gets it.
Re-frame the deabte and create new terminology. Wes' speech is classic Democratic party messaging. Bum people out with everything that is fearful and wrong and propose big government programs to fix things.
"And to address these and many other issues, our government will need more resources." More taxes anyone?
What I would like to hear is a message about integrity, honesty and ethics. I would like to hear about hope and the common core values that all Americans share-generosity, helping others in need, belief in our innovation, creativity and work ethic, the bright future for our sons and daughters. I think America is too divided and depressed for the "Bush is bad and I am good mentality". What we need is a unifying message (thanks Obama) and inspiration (thanks Wes).
This was the right speech for the conference. The 2/3 - 1/3 thing was essentially set by Steve. It was mostly about the current state and only a little a bit about how to change it.
The state of the union does not have to be a major bummer to be REAL. It all depends on your perspective. How about this twist? Cite all the wonderful opportunties that abound both domestically and internationally and simple say that BushCo is blind to these opportunities. Wes' 20 year vision speech remains my most inspiring sppech with Obama's 04' convention speech a close second.
The State of the Union is currently very much a "major bummer-" IMHO- and that's putting it milding. It's a catastrophe!!! From top to bottom, from sea to shining sea.
I found plenty to be inspired by in this particular speech- too much really even to list here- It was very comprehensive, contained much to appeal to both head and heart- domestic & international balance- history lesson, both past & present. It contained an immense respect for the listener- Actually in places I thought- What a shame- in a way- I wish Wes could find time to teach again, formally, in a regular classroom situation.
I think I prefer Harry Bellafonte to Barak Obama these days! hahaa I might not be thinking of the right speech but wasn't it just the same old "Two Americas"??
Totally a four star speech. I hope to hear many, many more. :)
I would have to disagree. Wes spoke about the reality of the of the real State of the Union. "Bum the people out with everthing that is fearul and wrong."? It about time someone spoke the truth. Is all we hear is a daily barrage from O"Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity of the evil liberal menace of the day, while the GOP runs the country into to the turf ..
"More taxes "? It's a question of taking in enough revenue to pay for the cost of government. It also about the distribution and type of taxes. The republicans have gutted the federal revenue stream and shifted the tax burdon down to the poor and middle class. Revenue as a share of the GDP is very low. Corporate Profits are at record highs while their taxes as a share of the GDP are at historic lows. States have assumed the burdon of this lost revenue and property taxes and fees have soared to make up the slack. The top few percent of income earner will have recieved more the half of these tax cut while the nations debt spirals out of control. The GOP just cut $13 billion out of the college fund program. They screwed the eldery with their criminal prescription drug plan.
It was good to hear alittle truth before we have to listen to the next pack of lies..
I don't think Wes is the only one who is speaking the truth, nor do I think there is anything new here that many Dems are saying. The problem is that the Dem message is the same and not resonating. Hence the Lakoff principles apply. Don't get me wrong, I'm onboard with what he is saying,but I am the choir.The challenge is to reach those who are not in the choir with simple messaging. Your explanation about tax distribution and revenue is absolutely correct, but how could you say that in the same kind of terminolgy that "tax relief" does? Fair taxation perhaps?
"income security" - and I think it's a good idea to critique the speech & the ideas- but we are not going to be able to find some magic bullet/magic phrase that unlocks hearts & minds- the ideas don't have to be unique- they have to be right. The synthesis, the building of the case, the analysis WAS unique, I think- telling the story- the damning part & the blessed part. And Wes is a great storyteller.
I think the only trouble really is that he can sometimes speak so specifically & correctly & really searches for the exact, proper word that he might be using language overly calibrated for some- a "too many syllables" thing- Latinate ones- and in particular too many too manys in a row- break up the sentence structure a bit, make it "easier" in places, more bite-sized. Says the ex-English major, heh. Fewer long Latinate words- mix in some smaller, sharper (usually Nordic) words. Don't get me wrong I heart Wes as is, but there were a couple of scrambled sentences in there.
I don't entirely disagree with you. Don't get me wrong, I loved the speech, but at one point I had a flash of what someone who us doesn't follow politics closely might think of it. Of course those people probably wouldn't see it, but the Dems have had this problem for a while now. They need to be a little more uplifting, and not be the teacher who tells us that chocolate and red meat are bad for us.
I didn't hear it as "Bush is bad - I am good".
I heard deeply serious concern about the course the country is on.
I also heard lots of pragmatic and some very innovative ideas about what can be done - both internationally and domestically - if we're willing to change the course.
carol4clark
General Wes Clark * * * * 4 Stars Over Texas
The situation has been dire for 5 years. There have been 2 elections. Wes has been promoting these ideas for 3 years now. And yet at least half of the country hasn't bought into them. Why? That is the question we should be asking ourselves.
...what is wrong with the country right now. It was the theme.
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
The conference was about foreign policy and presented many perspectives. I did not get the sense that it was about what is wrong with our country. Steve Clemoons gets it too when he says, "I respect many signers of this letter and proponents of the AMERICA NEEDS TO FEAR ad, but it is wrong-headed, and I think that they need to rethink their position, retool, and issue an ad that gets us back in the game of enlightened diplomacy and smart national security policy making." To me this is opening up the floor for ideas-several of which Wes articulated-but alas, most of which is preaching to the choir.
-- Steve Clemons
What he said was appropriate for the audience. It would have been inappropriate to have a rah-rah speech. Steve set the tone. For the most part, it was about the current state, not about what we could do to make it better. If you watch each speaker, the ratio of discussion about the current state vs. what we need to do to make it better is about the same.
If Wes does a stump speech, does it need to be more positive? Yeah. Damn straight. But this wasn't a stump speech. The positive parts at the end were plenty long enough for a stump speech.
And yet at least half of the country hasn't bought into them.
I think if you're counting non-voters, you might be right. But otherwise, how the _____ could we possibly know that?
love, Diebold/Sequoia/et al
General Clark offers a unique perspective for the Democrats. We've not had such a brilliant military mind speaking for us in recent history. Bush has been very successful scaring the shit out of everyone. Bush has proved himself and the Republicans unable to keep our country safe. When Wes Clark speaks people see a man who puts his country before any party. He is the right man for these times.
Clark 08!
I think Wes gives a credible perspective, but I don't think it is unique. Wes is not alone in his views. But I do know many Republicans that respect him because of his military credentials and that gives him a unique edge. I am not certain Wes is perceived as putting country before party however. He ran as a Dem, campaigned for Dems and endorses Dems. They are lucky to have him. Frankly I wish we had a parlimentary system that would allow more than two parties to be represented. My sense is that Wes might do best in a 3rd party.
Wes is not alone in his views. However he is the only 4-star general speaking loudly how our country under this administration is on the wrong track. That holds a lot of weight regardless of party.
I don't see how anyone could not believe Wes puts country before politics, EVER.
It's curious to me how some people look for something to criticize when there is nothing there to work with. It makes me wonder if it's nothing more than an attention getting scheme.
of geopolitical and domestic issues, his understand of their complexity and how they all so intricately interconnected, and his vision for dealing with them. I've never heard anyone articulate the issues the way he does.
Leadership means lifting people up. --Wes Clark
first time tonight and said the one thing that struck him was how passionate he is about the issues, the problems of this country under this administration, and how he could tell that Wes cared less about the politics of it all, but wanted to help resolve the problems, not just talk about them.
I am afraid I have to disagree with you Cate. I think his passion comes through as the passion from experience, knowledge and a deep and abiding love for this country, not as a "player".......
Also many who read his speech today emailed me to say they are extremely hopeful he will run. They thought his speech was stupendous.
Unitary Executive Theory is NOT a theory anymore!
I first read the transcrpt of the speech, then caught it on c-span. Ive always agreed with Wes' message so nothing in the speech was new to me. I did notice perceptible progress in his delivery. There was more urgencey and passion, and from a political perspective,this bodes well for his futute endeavors, if chooses to run once again. I disagree with the person that stated the speech was to focused on what is wrong.Things are BAD real BAD, and I dont think John Q public has a true connection with that. If things continue to deteriorate, John and Jane Q will not be able to hide from the chaos by turning off the t.v. We need new leadership NOW. CLARK '08
with the General's speech but personally, it gave me chills. I thought it was the best speech I've ever seen from him. He was right on target and told the truth about the situation America is in today. I was thrilled to hear him ask for a special prosecutor to investigate the Abramoff scandal. This man SHOULD be President. His brilliance and understanding of foreign policy so outweighs our current administration that all I can say is what's wrong with voters in this country who would put a moron in the White House and actually think they were right to do it. General Clark, I'm so proud to be a supporter and if you do decide to run for President in 08, you have my full support. Great Speech tonight General.
Ok.. Done! Here are some pics (that I salvaged ;). Very slight differences in perspective, but hopefully helps provide everyone with a sense of this days' historic event :)
Wesley Clark - Real State of the Union (1.30.06)
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Thanks for the great pics, KnightRider. Fantastic. A special thank you for the captions.
Good lookin' dog tag you're sporting there, ReggiesMom.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
a great treat for those of us who couldn't be there. Wes's speech was truly deep and comprehensive. And brilliant. He is a gift to our country.
The General gets it right. Competence--What a concept!
A beaautiful speech. In a word, General Clark restores honor to the American political condition. - Quigley
IN a word, General Clark restores honor to the polical process.
Thanks for dropping by.
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
"What is most striking about this forum, therefore, to me, is how there is simply no place for the Democratic Party or the progressive movement in designing our approach to the world. On the reform of the United Nations, for instance, we just aren't in the game, because we haven't considered its role in the world nor have we designed a political language to use in describing our vision for the globe."
Key phrase-political language.
That is my point.
He also talked in great detail about what has to be done to make things right.
Maria is right. This was not the place for a campaign speech....though to our ears it sounded a little like one. Wes's speech was well within in the framework of the conference.
For a rosy picture of the future, feel free to tune into King George's speech tonight. Of course it won't be based in any way on reality, but I'm sure it'll make many people feel hopeful.
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
According to the Rassmussen report, Bushes numbers FELL after giving the SOTU. The first day of polling data completely post SOTU will be tomorrow. Join me in supporting Deval Patrick for Governor of Massachusetts
that one man, no matter how visionary, no matter how experienced, no matter how dedicated, has the ability to turn the Democratic Party from it's stubbornly held (almost pridefully held) underdog status.
I think Wes did a superb job of formulating where we could be and how to begin the process of getting there. To do that he had to enounciate where we currently find oursleves as Americans.
There is much talk of "our" (democrats) and yet the Democratic party is still the party of cats in need of whip and chair and someone capable of brandishing them. In many ways there is very little "our" when it comes to this party.
I think Wes would be capable of inspiring the party, but only if the party allows it. So far I see no signs that the status quo group, or the far left have any inclination to do so.
The spineless are in control and will likely remain so because the factions out of control would rather tilt at windmills that band together to stop the wind.
Transaction ID: 16803545
Date: January 31, 2006
Amount: $25.08
check your email
Thank you General Clark- you lift us up.
There is a good comment on the speech at: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20060131/wes_clark_raised_the_bar.php
There are criticisms in it, but also praise. The criticisms essentially amount to a hope that General Clark goes further with his proposals.
a fleshed-out strategy. This guy should know that, and give him credit for seeing that the need exists. In that alone, Wes is above the rest.
The General gets it right. Competence--What a concept!
...agree that Wes needs to go further
You cannot successfully run the world on comic book slogans and third rate biblical homilies.
'I would have thought that Mr. Doherty would recognize what General Clark was seeking to accomplish here. It appeared to me that the 'laundry list' was intended to put people on notice about matters that we all must discuss going forward, and I hardly expected a full discussion and conclusion on all of the matters.
After all, it was a long 'day' with a lot of talk. I was there at the time, and am more than content that General Clark knows the issues that must be addressed for our future.
I hope that Mr. Doherty's comment does not presage MORE Wes-bashing, as we suffered more than enough of that the last time around.'
I have little doubt that Wes will be articulating that grand strategy, and clarifying it, as we move closer to 2008.
Didn't Steve say that this forum was organized in a week?
Leadership means lifting people up. --Wes Clark
Is the General the only Democrat to give a speech on his view of the state of the union? I mean, other than Kaine who will give the "official" Dem response.
This is what a SOTU address should be like. And this is the president we need.
Noel
it is simply amazing how wes articles and speeches can snap me me out of the bush doldrums
"LEADESHIP MEANS LIFTING PEOPLE UP"
I've never heard him come on so definitely and strongly that something should be done NOW as he did in making his call for the U.S. to TALK with Iran.
For a couple of years now, he's said that we, our government, should just have talks with Iran, that that was what was needed.He's been very clear on that. But I've never heard him say it in the powerful way that he said it in his Jan. 30 major speech, and certainly not emphasizing the NOW necessity.
It scared me.
(which is okay, because, knowing him, I know he would not hype such a thing but doesn't want it to be overlooked.
I so appreciate his doing this. We ,the American people, and the press, and our leaders need to know his wise thinking about it, to guide us all.)
Sounds like it's time for us to strongly consider pointing the above out to our Senators and Reps and, to others who may have influence with them --- if we know any of the latter.
Just not to get hysterical or overreact about it is how I'm approaching it.
But to soberly and seriously recognize the difference in emphasis that General Wes'is placing on this NOW.
I think he feels a great responsibility to place that emphasis at this time and certainly wants us to take it seriously enough to to get the word across, but not to overreact.
Prayin.
Clearsky
"One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the United States was an orthodox Christian."--The Encyclopedia Brittanica
Doesn't this just make you think "What could have been" with a President Clark? Join me in supporting Deval Patrick for Governor of Massachusetts
was a nationwide wistful sigh.
It was a great speech. I'm thrilled that Steve Clemons gave him a forum to give it.