Clark endorses Clinton
Clark announced his endorsement on Saturday.
(CNN)–Wesley Clark, the retired four star general who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, announced his endorsement of Senator Hillary Clinton on Saturday.
"I'm very pleased today to announce my endorsement of Senator Clinton to be our next President of the United States," Clark said on a conference call with reporters. "She'll be a great leader for the United States of America, and I think she'll be a great commander in chief for the men and women in the armed forces."
“The world has reached a critical point, and we need a leader in the White House with the courage, intelligence and humility to navigate through many troubling challenges to our security at home and abroad," Clark also said Saturday.
"I want to thank General Clark. He and I have been friends for twenty five years," Senator Clinton said on the call after Clark made his announcement. "I'm looking forward to having him involved with my campaign, working with him now and into the future, and so I'm very grateful for this endorsement. It means a lot to me personally, as well as a real sign of confidence in my ability to be president and commander in chief."
Clark was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, and led the allied military operation in the Kosovo war in 1999 under President Bill Clinton.
Shortly after announcing Clark's backing, the Clinton campaign sent out a statement touting the endorsement of Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan.
- CNN's Mark Preston and Jamie Crawford
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Wesley Clark would be a powerhouse of a running-mate.
imagine that, a retired general endorsing his twenty five year old friend. i guess that's the privilege of being a retired general. just say someone will be good for the country, and well, shoot, let's forget the election and just declare her president. what a joke.
Yeah...she's known him for 25 years. I wonder what kind of relationship he has with General Petreus...probably rocky. I find it interesting that CNN didn't mention Obama's military endorsement from Former Chief Of Staff, General Merrill Anthony McPeak of the Airforce. This happened four days ago. Also, CNN has failed to mention that Obama has received more military financial contributions to his campaign, more than any other candidate. It is very clear to me that CNN is a bias organization and is clearly supporting Hillary Clinton for president. That's sad.
no surprise here ... lets move along ...
WHO CARES???
No man in the united states will vote for Hillary Clinton as their commander and Chief. I hope Mr.Clark is only doing this for the money. I really, really do...
25 years eh? I guess it's his turn to scratch her back...
Looks like old General Clark is in line for a Secretary of Defense position under a Clinton Presidency. Hopefully he will do a much better job then he did against Al Quida.
This is surprising, as Clark and Bill Clinton never saw eye to eye on anything. It's true that he would make a great running mate for her; and if she is actually as unwilling to choose Obama as the rumors suggest she is, Clark would more than make up for his absence.
At least Clark gave his opinion from retirement and didn't foist his choices on us like Sandra Day O'Connor did. First she sticks us with Bush by handing him the 2000 election, then she retires during his tenure, also leaving us with a conservative, right wing court! Thanks a bunch, Sandy!
I appreciate General Clark's opinion – especially about Clinton's potential as Commander in Chief. As former Commander in Chief of NATO, he certainly has a lot of credibility with me!
Republicans hate Clinton because her husband was the best president we ever had! Too bad he wasn't in charge the last six years!
Pardon me, but Wes Powell ain't nuthin' there little pal from TX
Here's my hope if Hillary wins:
Bill Richardson as her running mate
Bill Clinton as Secretary of State
General Wesley Clark as Secretary of Defense.
I can't think of a better team to get us out of the mess the Bush administration put us in.
Much less of a joke than Bush & Cheney. That's no joke, that's blood on your hands. A war based on lies and U.S. forces dying for it. That's impeachment, or life in prison with no hope of parole!
I had so hoped he'd run again, he's got actual in-hand planning for Iraq and the occupation and final withdrawal, unlike our current administration. I just fear Hillary is not electable, too many people don't like her and don't trust her. Better he endorsed Obama. Oh well. Another election that will likely end up either "pick the lesser of two evils" and either way we'll still get a corporate ass-kisser in the White House while the Middle Class gets beaten into the Working Poor.
"She'll be a great leader for the United States of America, And I Think she'll be a great commander in chief for the men and women in the armed forces."
Wes nailed it!
Will the Hillary-haters attack THIS General, and question his integrity?
We shall see...
Surprisingly, Hillary did not benifit from this 25-year friendship with a four-star general by casting a good vote for Iraq back in 2002. All politics, sad.
I worked for General Clark in the early 2000's when he was in charge of the Army in Europe. He was a lousy general, and worked his people to the bone for what they knew was his own political agenda. We were relieved when he left, and glad when he retired. By endoresing Hilary he is putting his political self back into the race. He can smell her nomination, and is positioning himself to be a significant member of her team, whether SecDef, SecState or UN Ambassador. I don't believe he is strong enough to help her campaign as a potential VP candidate, but he is liberal enough to join her effort. He was no friend of the ordinary soldier. Watch out for this guy, he's very arrogant and has an agenda of his own.
Clarke would be a disaster...just like he was as a candidate. Havn't the democrats learned that simply having a military record...although admirable...doesn't make you a good candidate (John Kerry).
I don't think anyone is forgetting the election. I think that this is a great endorsement for HRC as she would be good for the country. We need change and getting a smart educated woman into the W.H. would be a good start. She would have to set the bar high being the first female president but I think that she could do it. She couldn't afford not to.
Can anyone dispute that General Clark is informed and qualified to evaluate the Commander-in-Chief capability of the candidates?
I guess it must be because she is WHITE, right. Why isn't he supporting a man? Clarke must be a racist, blah blah....
Isn't that the arguement used when Oprah endorsed Obama?
Let us see how many Hillary BIGOTS argue that point.
General Clark has held some important positions, but this endorsement is no big deal.
Clark shares common background with Bill Clinton, who has known Clark for over 40 years. That Clark is supporting Bill's wife should come as a surprise to no one.
Barack enjoys strong support from the military, as evidenced by him being the candidate ( out of all of the Republicans or Democrats) receiving the most contributions from military people.
Goodness gracious! Obama has received about 5 major endorsements just this past week and I only found out by taking out my reading glasses after noticing something in fine print at the bottom of the obscure sites somewhere. Every time Hillary gets an ant of an endorsement it is bullhorned on every news site but when it comes to Obama it is not. What bias. His campaign should do what Hillary's does - find a writer affiliated with that newssite and paper and write their own articles about Obama and trumpet their own endorsements, like Clinton, because I see by leaving it up to others, it is either negative or if newsworthy it is altogether ommitted about Obama.
Friends for 25 years? He does realize that she didn't even READ the intelligence reports before voting for the Iraq war right? As a General, does he really think that's a responsible course of action to protect the country? I doubt it.
To comment on the greater strategic scheme of things:
I think Wesley Clark would be a strong name for Defense Secretary, but not running mate. Whether Hillary likes it or not, she will most likely be forced to accept Obama as her running mate if she wants to win the general election. With him, the ticket will inspire black voters and keep a hold on the young vote; as well, many people who are reluctant to support her, and yet support him, will vote for the ticket.