Wes in Gainesville
Submitted by mad4clark on September 15, 2005 - 1:02pm.
From the Diaries -- Brent
I almost didn’t go. I was so shaken by what had happened on the blog I just didn’t feel up to it. It’s not a pleasant thing to suddenly find yourself marginalized. I must have picked up the phone three times to call my son and tell him to forget it, but in the end I remembered the main purpose of the trip. It was to introduce him to Wes, live. And during the journey, I started to relax. Spending quality time with my son was worth the effort in and of itself.
Unfortunately, due to Bobby’s work schedule, we set off late, and a wrong turn didn’t help matters. Although I had downloaded the directions from the UF website, they sent us right instead of left at one point and by the time we got turned around, it was almost 8pm.
We got into the arena just as Wes was being introduced, so we quickly grabbed a seat in the rafters and settled down for what turned out to be a wonderful and well received speech. The one complaint I had was, it took place in the basketball arena and the acoustics were just awful. There was a lot I couldn’t make out but possibly the students with there young ears didn’t have the same problem
Wes was in teaching mode and I won’t go into the details because John has already posted the highlights and the meat of the speech was covered in the America’s Purpose forum last week. I will tell you though; those students went away knowing much more than they did when they came in. As I glanced sideways at my son I noticed that his “Blackberry checks” got fewer and fewer and he was soon riveted to his seat, listening intently to every word.
One of my favorite parts was during the Q&A, when Wes was asked about his “flip flop” on the Iraqi War. As Buffy has already reported, Wes got very irate. He said something about the post on daily kos. Not sure if he was accusing the guy of being that person or not, but he really put the young man in his place. He told him in no uncertain terms to check his facts and read the full congressional testimony before wasting people’s time. He went on to talk about how the Republicans and some in the MSM love to cherry pick out of context statements and use them to suit their own purposes. The audience clearly agreed with him because he got a rousing round of applause.
At the end of the presentation, a lot of the students left and Bob and I were wondering where the meet and greet would take place when a young lady asked us about the “book signing”. Who knew? As the crowd thinned, we were able to see where everyone was headed. It was to join a long line stretching from the main doors all the way to the corner of the track, which was roped off. Wes was at the far corner of the track, talking on the phone [no surprise there] and we finally realized what they were doing. They were letting people through the ropes 4 or 5 at a time to meet with him and have their books signed. Knowing full well that Wes wouldn’t short change the students, and in fact had said he wanted to talk to the ones who didn’t get their questions answered due to lack of time, we decided to leave. We were facing a long drive home, all on back roads through three small towns whose main revenue happens to be speeding tickets given to hapless travelers unaware of the traps.
One neat thing happened as we were leaving the building; I heard a voice say “Love your shirt!” I turned around and one of the students was grinning at me and giving me two thumbs up. I was wearing my new “America Needs Wes Clark” T-Shirt [designed by my daughter] with the web site addy on the back. It made me feel good and partially made up for the disappointment of not being able to introduce Bobby to Wes.
When I got home, after midnight, I immediately fired up the computer to check on the fall out from the bombshell laid on us before I left, .but it was all too confusing. There were multiple threads going at once and everyone seemed to be posting on them. I don’t know how they kept them straight for I sure couldn’t. I finally gave up trying. I’m afraid I fall far short of the criteria required for this “new and improved” blogger that WesPAC wants to attract, so lurking will be my main mode from now on.
It was a hell of a ride while it lasted and I’ll always hold dear the amazing, dedicated, brilliant, people I met here.
....said he really enjoyed it. He is still unsure though if Wes has the "pop" as he calls it to get elected. I wish we had been there early enough to get a seat up front.
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
Glad you guys didn't keep goin' in the wrong direction.
Clarkies will not be disuaded!
Sounds like your son may have been impressed. (the blackberry line gave it away).
Great post! This is what diaries are all about! I always wear some type of Clark paraphenalia wherever I go. Usually, it's when I drive around with the Clark08 sticker on my truck, heh heh; but I never leave home w/o making sure that others understand why, "America Needs Wes Clark!"
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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.)
Thank you for posting this! So good that you and your son got to be there and I love as always reading the "adventure" of the whole event!
I don't know if I would have found you on my own, but this is a good reason to go to the "more" at the end of "recent blog posts" and see what you may have missed.
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest places if you look at it right.
--Hunter/Garcia
Maddy what a great post- I'm so glad you got to go & Wes always gets mobbed at the end. He's also really dedicated to connecting with students- this was also obvious at his Hopkins speech from both the rapt attention they paid to him during his remarks & the warm reception afterwards. There's nothing like unfiltered news & I love how you captured the atmosphere.
I am at work, but wanted to see your Recap...loved it, and hope your son gets to see him again. I have to admit finding your post was so much easier...didn't have to wade through ....Thank You , thank you,
I would have loved to have been there w/you both. Two things I love... Gainesville in the fall and Clark!! Glad Bob finally got to seem him live. Now we have to figure out a way to get Jerry to see him too. Great account, Mom.
great report and exactly what this blog needs.
if there are multiple threads with everyone posting on them, it's all good. confusing maybe, but so was GD for me at first. We'll adjust. we'll just get more attuned to visiting friends on their own blogs, rather than gathering in the one place. I know where to find you, and you always find great articles. you post' em, we'll comment on 'em. don't get disheartened. Too much is at stake.
(((maddy)))
Have you got My Comments box configured on the left hand side of your page so you can see when people reply to your posts? that helps you keep track of what's happening where. If you need help with that, let me know.
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
of your trip!
Sharing things that you find on your excursions of the Internets isn't lame and anyone who makes that judgement about someone else's efforts aren't worth bothering about.
Be Yourself! I think that should be our blog motto.
That's how we find out the "news," from unfiltered/unbiased sources & what's happening in your own local area.
Why not?
....anyone can go and check the newspapers and other blogs themselves.
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
if they didn't use piss poor wording to try to make a point and in the process made a lot of people feel uncomfortable about posting articles to their blogs?
Yes articles without much comment would get posted to old CCN but it archieved the articles for future use...and occasionaly they were thrown out on blogs to get troll blog posts off the front page.
I figure I'll post what I like, even articles. Will find out soon enough if there is censorship on the blog lol.
There's no way that any of us can stay on top of all of the information flowing out there. So please post interesting articles on CCN, wherever you find them!
I think the only point that others may have been making is that it's also sometimes nice to hear a line or two about what you think about it when you post it. Certainly not a requirement -- just something that's nice to see sometimes when you're browsing through different diaries. Also makes your diary a little more personal -- because you're adding your thoughts to it!
But hey, whatever makes you happy is fine!
They were very clear in what they said. I could not have misunderstood
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
I didn't say you misunderstood.
I tried to politely say that they miscommunicated!
To be blumt their phraseology stunk to high heaven which became obvious when a number of bloggers felt they were no longer allowed to post what they were used to posting or that they had to suddenly become William Faulkners before they should open their mouths.
As things seem to have calmed a little bit today I was just trying to be a bit more genteel myself.
a number of bloggers felt they were no longer allowed to post what they were used to posting or that they had to suddenly become William Faulkners before they should open their mouths.
I love you m'dear :-)
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
....I'm sure they said what they honestly felt.
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
And thanks to the others who disagreed with the criticism
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
I think anything you find interesting, that you think the people here would find interesting is certainly worth posting. That is the idea. To share information. Share our own thoughts, but also what is being said by others, and what is happening.
the articles you've posted to your personal blog (you, jen, holly and pia have saved me hours browsing). The personal blogs kept by you guys have always been my first calling points even at the old CCN -- yes, usually before GD, where I found it took more reading to get down the meaty issues.
Often I visited without leaving a comment. I'll be damn sure to make certain I leave comments as often as possible these days so you (and the blogmeisters) know you're doing something very worthwhile.
At DU there are specific areas of the blog just for posting news articles and I don't see why its not a valid service to provide here. If you've got time to throw in a comment on what you think about it, great, if not, we can do the commenting. Don't see what's wrong with that.
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
Wish you had been able to speak directly with Wes
...and get that book signed.
1. Show up * 2. Pay attention * 3. Speak your truth, and * 4. Don\'t be attached to outcome -- Angeles Arrien
Madeline for a great report.
I don't think you should be worried about posting articles and links to other blogs with interesting comments at all. Last evening I posted a WaPo article on my blog purely and simply because I wanted to save it and today for some reason its on the front page.
We have always used out blogs for stuff that we want to save and I shall continue to do so.
If "they" whoever "they" may be want to censor it "they" should go ahead and I'll start my own blog to save stuff that seems to me to be of use later.
Stay here, please, you're important and you care.
about the event. I'm so happy he slapped down the young man who was trying to trip him about his early stance on Iraq. Trip him, indeed! That man never faulters, steady on his feet, grounded in integrity, constant in his message! A few more slap-downs and this issue is dead. He deserves to be read and so I'm also happy he referred the young man to the Congressional hearing. Others in that audience will seek that transcript if they want to quote Wes word-for-word.
I'm sorry you couldn't get to Wes to sign your book. I, too, have had trouble from the beginning, as my books were always with my purse hidden as I worked the events in NM, and in Little Rock somehow I felt it was going to be swarming with Clarkies hoping he would sign books, and I didn't have the heart to bother him there. Instead, I was pleased as punch to finally meet and talk with Gert! I guess we just keep looking for that perfect moment when it will happen. LOL!
Terrific story, Maddy. Thank you for sharing.
I would rather spend my life searching for the truth than live a single day within the comfort of a lie. -- John Victor Ramses
pestering him to get my book signed in Little Rock, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever get the chance again, so I became a pest :-)
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
Good coverage, thanks, Maddy for the update!
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050915/LOCAL/50915003/1078/news
As a result of rita's link to our local paper's Clark article, I checked the paper's "most popular articles" list, and it looks like Clark is the #2 most popular article! (at least I can only imagine it's because of people from the blog clicking on the article...)
As a side note, it really made me mad that our county's Democratic party held a meeting at the same time Clark spoke. They really should have been getting together Democrats to come see the speech of a major presidential candidate from 2004 instead of holding a meeting which was mandatory for all those Democrats who want to be delegates in 2006 - ensuring that the most powerful Democrats in town wouldn't be able to go to the speech. What lunkheads.
I will call them next week. Sometimes I think that the Democrats are the Democrats own worst enemy... no wonder the party is having so much trouble!
...in your part of FL but I was in the Daytona area duringng the '04 campaign. The local DEC was awful. They were mostly Dean supporters and didn't want to hear anything about Clark. If you remember Scott Maddox was the same. Anyway, we still got a pretty large group of Clarkies together and when Wes dropped out they started infiltrating the local DEC. Our Clark coordinator is now the treasurer and another Clarkie is now the president.
I've since moved to JAX and have joined the Atlantic Beach Dem group. So far my schedule has only allowed me to attend one meeting but hope to get into more.
Also......this speech was not well advertised. I had to get all over UF's back just to get them to put it on the calendar for the O'Connell Center which they finally did.......... the day before.
Even with all of that 1000 people was nothing to be sneezed at!
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
I agree on all counts!! The Democratic party in Florida seems pretty disorganized and uninspiring from the top down. Our local party didn't even have a website, address, or permanent phone number until recently (and our county votes majority Democratic!). Which meant that when I wanted to donate to our local party in 2002, I believe, there was no place to call or send the money to. A friend who is more involved in local politics than I am (an erstwhile Dean supporter) said that the party wanted to "put their money where it could be used to best effect." And that apparently meant not spending the money on a phone or address??? Sheesh. Anyway, we had a pretty sizeable Clark group here in Gainesville too, but it was comprised mostly of students and didn't get much recognition from the county Democrats... our county Democrats were mostly Dean supporters before Kerry was picked.
we had a county party organization until they showed up at an annual dinner to get their picture in the paper. You never hear of them the rest of the year. And all the officers are in the same family. How do you break into something like that?
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"In too many areas we have spawned 'leadership' that does not lead, that panders to our whims rather than telling us the truth, that follows the crowd rather than challenging us, that weakens us rather than strengthening us." - Sen. Paul Simon
Actually, it got to the point that the easiest thing to do was look at recent comments and click on those if something looked interesting and blog hop that way. Trying to read them all by topic was crazy making last night.
Sorry you couldn't introduce your son to Wes.
Glad you went.
I forgot his FL appearance and then remembered as i was going to let a freind in Orlando know about it. By she travels by bike so probably couldn't gave gibe anyway.
Thanks to you and John of the reports. Good to go after the young folks.
Noel
I don't mind the blogs and have no trouble finding my way around, but I would like a hub to work from. I won't let that go. It is a great loss to our community.
.....I just loved your "Good Morning" blog this morning. Sorry I didn't post.....was in a bit of a funk.
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
I love reading this first-person reports. And, like others, I'm glad to hear that Wes corrected the individual with the misconceptions about his stance re: the Iraq war - and with STARCH!! I think his response was great - telling the individual to check his facts before asking the question. That's how I'm going to be responding regarding that particular issue from now on! Not debating, not defending, just information someone to check their facts!
Leadership means lifting people up. --Wes Clark
n/t
I would rather spend my life searching for the truth than live a single day within the comfort of a lie. -- John Victor Ramses
What did Bobby think of seeing General Clark? Has he said anything about the speech and discussion?