Murtha backers rally in the city

October 1, 2006
BY KECIA BAL | The Tribune-Democrat

"This guy laid his life on the line for us and for our country, and we're not going to let any Swift Boaters, shrimp boaters or anybody else take out Jack Murtha," said retired Gen. Wesley Clark, another Vietnam vet and the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.

JOHNSTOWN — A lineup of political heavyweights hailed U.S. Rep. John Murtha as a champion for the working man and the ultimate patriot at a rally Saturday in downtown Johnstown.

“I’m here for Jack because he had the courage to stand up for veterans,” said former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Nebraska Democrat and former U.S. Navy SEAL who was wounded in Vietnam and received the Medal of Honor.

“In my view, Jack Murtha’s critics don’t know jack,” Kerrey said.

Organizers estimated that 2,000 supporters, many of them military veterans, crowded Central Park for the “Veterans for Murtha” rally. The event was scheduled after a “Boot Murtha” rally was announced for 2 p.m. today at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

Opponents have questioned Murtha’s military service and accused him of being unpatriotic in his stance on the Iraq war and call for troop redeployment.

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark spoke in Murtha’s defense to rounds of applause.

Former NATO chief stumps for Sestak

September 30, 2006
By William Bender | Times Staff | Delco Times

CLIFTON HEIGHTS -- Former NATO commander Wesley Clark appeared at an American Legion Friday to endorse Democratic congressional candidate Joseph Sestak and urge his supporters not to cede any ground to Republicans on national security issues.

"We’re not going to duck the security issue as Democrats. We’re going to take the Republicans on head-on," said Clark, a retired four-star Army general who commanded NATO forces during the Kosovo conflict.

Clark, a 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, said President Bush failed to heed warnings from the outgoing Clinton administration about Osama bin Laden, allowing the Sept. 11 attacks to occur. The number of terrorists aligned with al-Qaida, he said, has since doubled.

"I just want to remind you to remind those people that are worried about Democrats: Who was president on 9/11? It was not Bill Clinton," he told a bipartisan crowd at American Legion Post 358.

"This administration won’t tell the American people the truth. They’re not doing the job on national security," Clark said. "Osama bin Laden is still out there. He has not been caught. And the war in Iraq has served as a recruiting magnet for al-Qaida. It’s made the terrorism problem worse."

"Those aren’t the indicators," he added, "of a gang that’s very good on national security."

Clark managed to make it through his endorsement speech without mentioned Sestak’s opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon. He was asked about Weldon during a question-and-answer session with the audience.