I spent the last weekend in the Lawrence-Kansas City area, first for a family reunion celebrating my aunt's 80th birthday in Weston, MO, and then in the KC area, including Lawrence, where I stayed for three nights.

Sunday afternoon was Clarkie Day. I first visited the Johnson-Pickett estate. Chuck and Jai live in a beautiful area with lots of trees and hills. Very bucolic. Then the three of us trekked a few miles north to meet LJM and Sharon for a mid-afternoon lunch.

GEN CLARK VS HOLBROOKE & SEN. MIKULSKI’S GRANDMA- WHAT SIZE NATO?

“So it all came to a head on Labor Day weekend of 1994” Wes says.” Vice President Al Gore was going to make a speech in Berlin.” Richard Holbrooke was Ambassador to Germany at that time. And Holbrooke, per Wes, continued to shape and reshape Vice Pres Gore’s speech… Wes was the J5 Strategic Plans and Policy at the time.

I first intercepted General Clark as I was walking back to the coffee table for a refill - he’d just entered the UCLA Faculty Center California Room on time for his talk on “NATO Engagement after 1989”…. Luckily I spotted him right before the rock-star throng gathered rendering him inaccessible.

“Look who’s here!” he exclaimed with that broad smile, warmly extending his hand. “It’s ms in la!!”

Well, make my day. :-)

THE PRICE OF HONESTY and 5.5%

(Academy Awards speech cadence)

Well…. Oh my….First, I’d really like to thank fellow Clarkie LSophia for generously taking it upon herself to inquire of the gang in Lil Rock if they couldn’t please arrange to get me tickets to the UCLA International Institute graduation ceremony with the commencement address by this General Clark dude. What a pleasant surprise! LSophia, you rock--

I thought that it was going to be one of those days when it began. I had set my alarm for 5:15 with a target for going wheels up at 7:00 or 7:15. It normally takes me an hour and 15 minutes to shave, shower, otherwise get my act together, pack my meds, and hit the road. Plus my alarm usually rings for 15-30 minutes before I wake up.

UPDATE: Here is a Rocky Mountain News report about Wes in Pueblo, where Barack and Michelle Obama are shortly to appear:

2:40 p.m. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who once considered his own run for president, has rallied the troops in Pueblo by saying he thinks Obama will be “a great president.”

As I was happily slicing seeds out of an apple on Thursday afternoon, looking forward to attending the “New and Improved Edwards/Rove Debate – Now featuring Wes Clark!” my husband shuffled into the kitchen with some words of warning.

Karl Rove had to be cursing the day that John Edwards ever decided to have that blasted affair. Had he but resisted the temptation (or had he not gotten caught)... Karl would never have found himself stuck in the pickle of a predicament he was in on Friday night at the University of Buffalo – Facing down General Wes Clark in a clash of the Titans. Two men who have undoubtedly carved their footprints on American history.

RECAP from UCLA Rogue States Conference PART I:

Just in case anyone forgot, here is Part 1:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15014

And seeing as I was so late getting to Part 2 (insert very guilty faced emoticon) I thought you could use a recap. You can hopefully understand when you scroll down, and down, and down… why this took so long to pull together. Transcribing is a painstaking exercise in patience and rewind…

This intro is snipped from Part 1 to refresh your memory.

This first-hand account from one of the Yahoo! groups, from Dr. Barbara Yeager in West Virginia (posted by permission):

We did not provide very good weather for Senator Clinton's visit
today. After a morning in Mich. regarding their primary election, she
flew in to Charleston and traveled the short distance (about 1 mile)
to Capital High School where she was greeted by an estimated 2000
people.  Shuttle buses moved the people from a football field about 3
miles away to the school gym.  TV pictures this evening indicate that
her welcome was enthusiastic. The high school students interviewed
were especially happy to have her and it sounded as if her visit
inspired them to take a greater interest in politics.  (Always a good
thing)

We left our house about 2:30 and drove in the pounding rain the 40
miles to the venue in Huntington.  Since the streets were blocked by
police and media we parked about 3 blocks away.  When we approached
the American Legion post #16 we saw at least 200 people standing in
the rain waiting to get in the building.  It didn't bother them in
the least. 

Because Jack was to faciitate the event, we were ushered right in and
taken to a back room to await her arrival.  We had our son and
daughter with us and they were also invited to the waiting room. 
Burns had arrived from Arlington this morning and Jason had moved on
to another city.  Burns was now in charge and he and Jack reviewed
the details while the plane flew from Charleston to Huntington.  A
tarp was set up in order to get the Senator from the parking lot to
the back door.  She arrived about 4:30. 

There were eleven people in the room with us including the parents
and sister of two brothers, victims of war.  We were told that the
Senator wanted to spend private moments with the family.  About 3
minutes before her arrival eight of us stepped into a corner outside
the door. She spent time with that family and then the rest of us
were ushered back into the room.

We each introduced ourselves.  She was gracious, dynamic, energetic,
very warm and in general one of thoses people you would like to
engage in conversation for a longer period than time allowed.

She was quick to master all the names, had the program order down in
a few seconds, and after all the introductions were made said "Well,
let's start off by getting a Yeager family picture."  That shocked
me.  She helped get the five of us arranged and one of her assistants
took a photo with our camera and her photographer took some with his.

Secret service was everywhere and very much in charge of events once
she arrived.  When the party moved to the stage we took our seats and
enjoyed a very smooth hour from 5 to 6 PM.  Jack did a nice job.  She
seemed to like his introduction and he was able to move the
session along.  Her mike handlers were quite smooth, efficient, and
silent.  Her AV people are first class.  Everyone could hear
everything. 

They played the new video of the generals who support her.  She had
not seen it and wanted it shown after she was on stage so she could
review it.  It was well received.  The media coverage was, as you
would expect, thorough.  Everyone was there.  I expect to see footage
tomorrow.

After the question and answer session she posed for pictures, signed
autographs, answered individual questions and in general seemed to
enjoy visiting with the people. As she was leaving we had a few
minutes to talk again.  I thanked her for coming and she assured me
that she would be back soon and I assured her that we would be
working hard for her during her absence.  She was most gracious. 

Do you remember the way we all felt the day General Clark announced
his endorsement of Senator Clinton.  We were only comforted by his
insistence that she was more than the media made her out to be.  We
trusted his judgment and jumped into this campaign.  Well, my
friends...I think he was right.  I have not a single reservation
about her abiity to lead this nation.  She is ready.  She is able.
We did the right thing by coming here, I believe. Now, let's get this
nomination job done!

The rains came early and poured all day. They are still pouring.  The
news reported that winds in Charleton gusted to 85 miles per hour
about 6:30 this evening. That was probably the next president of the
United States passing over on her way to an 8 PM event in Washington.

Though today was a memorable day, I look forward to working harder to
help secure the nomination for this remarkable lady.