The buzz on Clark, fresh from a Red State Barnes and Noble.
Submitted by WantMyCountryBack on November 19, 2006 - 4:32pm.
Wesley Clark
I'm just in from my weekly jaunt to the large Barnes and Noble here in town (Yes, I do mean weekly - I'm a bookworm of the rabid hardcore variety), and thought I'd pass along a little anecdotal observation.
I had already grabbed two new books to buy, and was looking for General Clark's Waging Modern Wars, as I've read his second book but not the first. Unable to find it, I went to the help desk, where 7 or 8 people were milling about.
The employee punched it in to the computer, and noted aloud that not only was it not in stock, it was on backorder. As a matter of fact, none of the 3 large stores in our area can keep his two books or his biography in stock, noted the employee.
Seeing an opportunity as he arranged to put in an order for me, I said, "I am really, really hoping that General Clark will run for president again in 2008."
The employee replied, "I think the problem is that he has no name recognition right now. They never talk about him."
Me: "Well they SHOULD be talking about him!"
Random standing-around customer #1: "He has more sense than the lot of them."
Random standing-around customer #2: "Isn't that the military guy that's on Fox all the time? He seems pretty smart to me."
It was a small thing. Just a little casual interaction at the bookstore. But there were more than half a dozen people there, here in the reddest-of-red South Carolina, and several of them knew who he was, and expressed a positive opinion. As for the others - well, they overheard it all.
Butterfly wings and tsunamis, folks. Butterfly wings and tsunamis.
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
Word of mouth, the best of the best advertising.
And hearing they can't keep up with the demand for his books...priceless!
LJM is right, that's how it's done.
I have loads of little 'anecdotes' (from '04 thru the present)...we should all be journalizing them I suspect.
Out and About...(and General Electric)
"Some of us are still eating hotdogs......and that's an astonishing thing." -- Wes Clark
Thanks for this.
I am a HUGE believer in the word of mouth theory myself... : )
But it took place at a Barnes and Noble so how conservative or even moderate could they al have been, really?
Nah, our B&N around here is whitebread "security mom" central, with a huge children's section. Believe it or not, conservatives and moderates do read.
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
because I'm a conservative (right now I'm reading JOhn Bunyan's 'Advice to Sufferers'- great stuff!)
But I was just saying that Barnes and Noble people usually are long haired durgged up hippies.
They're soccer mom's mostly in my neck of the woods.
"Some of us are still eating hotdogs......and that's an astonishing thing." -- Wes Clark
I'd be interested to know what part of the country you live in. As the others who have responded to your statement of long haired, drugged up hippies, this has not been my experience. Nope, not at all. Of course, if you are a conservative, as you said, unless someone looks like Karl Rove or Rush Limbaugh, I suppose you'd call them a hippie. :)
'Advice to Sufferers' online, pretty interesting and never knew that book existed. I read about saints... and all of them suffered.
It does make me humble when I read about these saints because I sometimes complain about little things. And boy, being a conservative these days is really though and does require suffering.... I guess no pain no gain.
Well that may have been an exageration, but our bookstores and all our coffee shops just have a bunch of condescending teenagers who theink they know everything.
I'm sure the drugs they're on are prescription.
Drugged up hippies don't go to corporate book stores.
Wesley K. Clark: A Biography by Antonia Felix. And I believe Gordon (gordonsuber) is writing another book about Gen. Clark.
Embarrassed, I didn’t read Waging Modern War yet; will read. And I do have to know more about what happened at the airport scenery... that must have been a pretty intense and pivotal moment.
And thanks for sharing your story at B&N. I like that place myself... It could be my next place to live if I end up being a starving artist lol.
Thanks, I read that blog but I'll bookmark it. 
Pst, ...pst. ...10 bucks, ova' here 
sorry babe, could only gives'ya one "-st" and not "-s-st"
I'z got'sta keep me profile low. I'ma staking out neocons at FAUXNews, and ran out of s-pit.
and here is your $s and you were never here 
. The biography was the other one I asked for when Waging Modern Wars was unavailable, but it was out of stock also.
I did, however, pick up Ethical Realism: A Vision for America's Role in the World, which is a book on the need for a cohesive foreign policy going into the next 50 years. I seriously thought it was going to be a hard slog to read, since I'm a literary fiction gal, not a history wonk. It's surprisingly captivating so far, though, and scathing in its criticism of both the Bushies and the Democrats who have enabled them.
Much of it reminds me of some of Gen. Clark's statements on foreign policy, but this goes into the entire philosophical framework that needs to underlie our endeavors. I never thought I'd say that a book on foreign policy is "a great read", but I'm now about 1/3 through, and it is.
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
The book, Wesley K. Clark: A Biography, was written by Antonia Felix and released in June of 2004.
Ms. Felix has written a biography of Laura Bush and Condi Rice.
Felix told me that there wasn't much interest in the Condi book until Ms. Rice became Secretary of State.
My personal appeal to the marketing director of Newmarket Press (the publisher of the Clark biography) for some cash to promote a book tour was for naught.
Seems like it will take another Clark presidential bid to move Newmarket into a marketing mode.
My political biography of General Clark starts where Ms. Felix ends: The Clark for President Draft Movement and the 2004 Presidential Primary campaign.
While it is my desire to finish my book, I DON'T KNOW THE ENDING!
I wonder why they don't order enough books to keep them on the shelves? I would think that many people are looking for books on Iraq and the Middle East, and they'd find General Clark's books in the same section.
Proud to be an American.
we held one of our first at a barnes and noble in Irmo, SC
we told them they should have a table of wes' book up front because he was going to be the next prez
damn, those were hopeful days
we had first time ever volunteers and some republicans among them
it was amazing
everyone coming together so eager to stop another Bush term
Clark was the answer...makes me sad to think of what should have been
Here's hoping for no more "might have been". That's cool that you guys had so much support here in SC! I'm torn about trying to track down any Clarkies in my area as yet to get organized. There's a possibility that we'll be moving to Texas sometime after January, so I'm unwilling to start something I can't finish. I may just wait and test the waters in Texas.
I can always do word of mouth, though!
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
I know what you mean. We will be moving to Harrisburg, PA next summer. I seriously tried to get my husband to take a job in SC because the primary season is so much fun there. Wes sightings galore!
As I was pondering supporting Wes Clark, I picked up a copy of Waging Modern War. At the time I though: What's a nice peaceful girl like me doing reading about Modern Wars? When I was half way through the book--I always read before going to sleep--I woke up one morning convinced that I didn't want the General to run. I realized how much I respected and liked this man. I truly didn't want the miserable press, and the lying republican pundits to ever get a chance to vilify an American treasure.
I'm so glad you shared your story. Maine has been experiencing the world of endless rain. Thanks for the ray of sunshine.
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.--J. V. Marley
I can't wait to read it. I'm getting a funny feeling with my current read (Ethical Realism, a book on foreign policy) that there may be some connection with the two authors and General Clark. I haven't dug anything up, but some of the views espoused are awfully close to what he's been saying, even in the way it's phrased.
Plagiarism? Of course, it could just be that common sense is universal, and sounds right no matter whose mouth it comes from. ;-)
Here's hoping for some sunny days and an "I'm running" announcement to brighten your world.
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
One voter at a time.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
Maybe not in a red state, but I'd like to know how this is playing in other areas.
Anybody else got a story like this?
Couple of ladies passed me on the street last summer - remarked that they really liked my Clark buttons.
Fellow walking his dog noticed my buttons as I was saying hello to doggie - asked would the General run again? He was very enthused by the prospect.
People at the bar where I work are quite revved up at the thought of a Clark run at the Oval Office. They think he got the short end of the stick and some unfair media treatment (or make that, non-treatment) last time and are ready to get behind him this time.
And this is Chicago. I've only talked to two people who want Obama to run. One was a fellow to whom I offered a Wes Clark Dem button after his appearance at the Chgo Humanities Festival. I offered the button and he said, "No thanks, I thought he was great, but I'm still hopin' for Obama." I said, "Well, how about one just in case Obama doesn't run?" And he laughed and said, "OK. That's a good idea!"
The other person was my brother in law, who is doing that 'flavor of the month' thing. But, he is one of those folks who doesn't really see much more than the media tells him to see. So, he only sees Obama and Hillary right now. But he's a good guy anyway. I think he needs to hear about Clark from someone other than myself.
Oh - also, my neighbors seem to like Clark quite a bit too.
in blue-than-indigo Seattle.
Me: "Wasn't that great news about the elections?"
Liberal Lady: "WONDERFUL. I'm so happy!"
(extended dialog)
Me: "Who do you like for president?"
LL: "I don't know... I know I DON'T LIKE Hillary... Obama is great, but he's too young. What about you?"
Me: "I'm definitely in favor of General Clark - you know, the four-star general who won the Oklahoma primary in 2004? He really gives us a chance to wrest the national security meme from the Republicans."
LL: "Oh! Oh, yes! I do remember him! He's great. I hope he runs."
Soooo, the left is starting to come around, too! I've had similar conversations several times - amazing how much time I spend either in line or on various fitness equipment. All of the liberals are afraid he won't get the nomination, but they would surely vote for him if he does.
That's wonderful, LS. I honestly think that a good many people are somewhat familiar with him - he's just dropped from their radar, so they forget. Talk it up!
“If you put me on third base, I'll bring you home.” - Wes Clark
Yes, it IS how it works. It needs to be fed like the FOX appearances and on other venues, but the buzz is from folks who like what they see. I developed a number of English language institutes (ESL) from nearly out of business to going concerns and the secret was Word of Mouth!
And Wes is so easy to talk about to everyday folks. Not so easy for partisans on the blogosphere who see what they like rather than like what they see. Lol!
Uncle Noel
Airports are great opportunities to spread the word. Three people in the Nashville airport saw my dog tag and buttons and hopefully asked if Wes was going to run. Then when I got back to the Denver airport, two more did the same thing.
You know what group of people seems to be the most interested? Flight attendants. It didn't happen on this trip, but at almost every other trip I've taken, one or more attendants asked about Wes.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
and the General so kindly autographed it for me when I met him in 2004. It's my most precious treasure -- next to my kids of course!!!
...at the NCCM, after carting them around all over the damned country.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
"All the best" or "Thanks for all you've done"? I have one of each.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?
Keep the buzz going every chance you get.