Update - Wes at Rider University in NJ
Submitted by Judy from NJ on September 13, 2005 - 3:46pm.
I just got back from Rider University seeing Wes Clark. Four of us were there - Maria (Icanbelieve..), RegNYC, and Melange. We got there early so we could get a good seat. Wes gave us a thumbs up sign as he went into the auditorium (I think he recognized Maria). There was a good crowd which filled the auditorium, about 150-200 people I would guess. Important things first - black suit, white shirt, and red tie, and looking great. He said he was in Amsterdam yesterday. (I don't know how he does it.) He gave essentually the same talk he gave at Steve Clemon's conference last week. He was very well received. There was a question and answer session afterwards, and he expanded on several themes - the need to talk to people, why is important that we and Europe remain united, what it means to be a democrat, the challenge posed by China. The most poignant moment was when a girl from Bosnia stood up and asked what was wrong with America. She talked about how she had admired and loved America when she was growing up, and how America had lost its ability to lead. She almost broke down when she was talking.
Afterwards, I got to shake his hand twice and get my book signed. :)
I remembered some more details from Wes's talk last night at Rider.
1. He really got on the "religious right". He compared them to the Pharisees and ayatollahs. Said the preachers talked like the only morals that were important were sexual conduct. He said, "Jesus didn't say 'thou shalt not have gay sex.' He said, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself.' He told a story about a congressman who he campaigned for (Lincoln Davis, I think). One of his constituents came up to him and said, Congressman we need to save marriage. Davis answered, " The only thing that will spoil your marriage is if you run around with another woman." Wes was very blunt.
2. He talked about meeting Condi Rice. She told him that they were going to change three things:
a. They thought they could trust Putin and were going to deal with him. (Wes - He's a old KGB agent, I wouldn't trust him.)
b. They were going to withdraw troops from Bosnia since that was the European's problem.
c. They were not going to engage in nation building.
Wes said, well since I disagreed with all three of those things, I knew there was no place for me in the Republican party.
3. He spelled out why he thinks our relationship to Europe is so important. Basically, he thinks China is going to be our biggest economic and military rival in the future. If American aligns with Europe we have 3/5 of the world's economy and 3 seats on the Security Council of the UN. With that power we can move the world in the direction that is more free, cares about human rights, and is in the best interest of the US. If we split from Europe, he says we will be eaten alive.
4. He mentioned last week that both China and Russia have told us to get out of Afghanistan. This time he detailed what that would mean - in a few months the Taliban will have better weapons including missiles to shoot down helicopters, better uniforms and better training. A really scary thing to think about.
5. He talked about how the Dept. of Homeland Security needs to develop standards. For example, a petrochemical co. needs so many firemen, etc. He said that industry will always low ball these issues. This is where the government must take the lead.
I hadn't heard Wes recount his story of calling and speaking with Condi in the summer of 2000 before (maybe it was in his previous speech too, I wasn't able to hear it before last night). She hammered home 3 issues, all of which Clark disagreed with (no interest in the Balkans, use the armed forces to fight, not keep peace and Putin is our friend (right). It was clear then, that there was no place for him in this administration.
One other thing he talked about is that we need international standards for terrorism - a universal definition, etc. so that when someone is found to have committed a terrorist act in one country, the same standards apply globally - so that no one gets off upon extradition.
I forgot about the international definition of terrorism and coordination of laws.
It was nice to meet you last night.
It seems that Russia and China have real interests in aggravating our efforts in Afganistan, imo. Ironically, I wonder if their strategy is similar to the United States "containment" policy during the Cold War or even our own covert efforts against Russia's military expediture in Afghanistan that got them broke;... or ironically, to collapse the US economy further into debt this time.
Also, did Clark ever mention why he visited Amsterdam? Seems like he may be there on professional business -- for James Lee Witt and Associates(?) My guess, he's probably assessing their centuries old dike or levee system for the firm and for NOLA.
After his staged interview on Thursday, I'd hate to think what Bush's response would be to questions for such a system in NOLA. I'm sure that the reporter will first have to point where it's located on a flat map (mostly since a globe is not scientific, and would likely make him fall off the podium), but then asked, "Mr President, should NOLA have dikes like they do in Amsterdam? .. =:/
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"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.)
He did mention that the tactic Russia and China are likely to use against us in Afganistan are similar to our very effective tactics in Afganistan against the Russians.
He said he was in Amsterdam for business, and mentioned that the Israelis were there also. Hum! I bet your right about him looking into solutions to NO levees.
Makes one wonder whether Condi, Rummy or W is really a double agent for Russia, ...or that they're simply just that stupid. ;/
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"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.)
That fly was wicked. From the audience, you couldn't see it. You could just see Wes batting at it. And it seemed to have a thing for his hair, so his arm movements looked pretty bizarre, almost as if he were constantly "fixing" his hair. He finally told everyone what was going on so we wouldn't think he was nuts.
He talked about taking a flight from Arkansas to Texas, and sitting next to a young woman. He asked her if she had gotten a big tax cut and she said 'yes, $30 a month'. He asked her if she knew that some people had tax cuts of $10,000 or more. She said, well you had to give tax cuts to rich people since they create the jobs. He asked where she learned that, and she said at college.
He went on to say that rich people use tax cuts to buy real estate, hiking up the prices in all the resort areas, and to go on vacations overseas, etc.
(All of us were jealous of that girl taking to Wes on the airplane.)
"She said, well you had to give tax cuts to rich people since they create the jobs. He asked where she learned that, and she said at college."
Just goes to show that you don't learn jack s**t at American colleges anymore. I realized this after going to one and now I'm going to grad school in the UK.
"I am the blogger formerly known as clarkuistador"
for the report.
As long as people who are getting the $30 tax breaks think those who are getting the $10,000 tax breaks are creating jobs, it's like some stupid caste system that people think will eventually turn out OK for them.
Do they stop to think about whether the jobs that are being created by the wealthy actually get created in the US, or overseas?
You'd be taking them to the Better Business Bureau if you bought a washing machine the way we went into the war in Iraq. Wes Clark, CNN Aug 17 2003
China is now courting Mexico. Mexicans have been upset for the past few years as Chinese goods have flooded the market here. It's had a horrible affect even on traditional artisan markets, not just department stores. But if the Chinese start pouring money into the country, as they have succeeded doing in Canada, the US is blocked on two fronts.
"It's time to protect our nation and take it forward. No party can do it better." - Gen. Wes Clark to Arkansas Democrats, 8/13/05
Forwarded those comments to a co-worker and here is some of the reply:
Wes illustrates why so many have left the Dems, though, including my whole family. He's not rabid like Biden, Kennedy, et. al. but I genuinely think that much of the Left's outright hatred (it goes far beyond mere disagreement) of the Republican Party, and particularly this President is that they hate and fear Christianity.
As a Christian, I couldn’t feel any less welcome in any party than in the modern Democratic party.
Wes makes some good points, but long ago alienated me
I'm still looking for the passage in the Bible where Jesus condemns gays.
D_B, I think you should tell your friend that Wes Clark's main point was that feeling welcome, as a "Christian" , is found at his Church or place of worship, not as a captive, in a rally for the Republican Party!
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"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.)
Sounds like your co-worker is an upstanding Christian about the same way Bob Dole's ____ is upstanding...
Propped up by propaganda...
for the new information. Good to know.