Legal Commentary

How About Clark?

By Big Tent Democrat

Matt Stoller and I have disagreed on any number of things over the years, but one thing we have always agreed on is our admiration for General Wes Clark. Here he makes the case for Clark for VP. Read the whole thing, and I endorse the merits based argument for Clark, but I am interested here to the reaction on the unity part of his argument:

On the other political point, Clark is a Clintonista through and through, and so putting him on the ticket would be a key signal to the Clinton world that they will have influence in an Obama administration.. . . [T]he Clinton people need an incentive to work aggressively for the ticket, and Clark is that incentive. . . . Clark is . . . a supremely progressive advocate, and probably the best Clinton loyalist on national security issues that progressives have. . . . [MORE . . .]

This is a guy who not only opposed the war but, along with Ted Kennedy, fiercely opposed Lieberman in 2006, shooting a TV commercial for Lamont when the entire edifice of the institutional establishment was against him. He was not only against the war, but he is demonstrably more progressive in his politics than almost any other Democrat. Clark would in other fulfill the political requirement of VP masterfully, uniting progressives and Clintonistas and with a clear track record of serving as an important and trusted surrogate for Democrats all over the country.

What do you think?

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Comments closed.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 02, 2008 (boomark / email).