Clark refused to disclaim his recent endorsement by Michael Moore...

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/shared/news/politics/january/0123debate.html

<snip>Clark refused to disclaim his recent endorsement by controversial filmmaker Michael Moore, who, in announcing his support of the general, referred to Bush as a military deserter. Asked why he had not challenged Moore on the issue, Clark said Moore "has the right to say what he wants about this." Pressed further, Clark acknowledged that he had never investigated the facts surrounding Bush's military service.

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[phillybri]

1. Why should Clark play into the "Watch what you say" mentality?

Fuck that, Moore can say what he wants...

[NNN0LHI]

2. I could not agree more n/t

[bowens43]

4. As much as I dislike Clark, I agree with you 100% n/t

[StClone]

3. If this was a set-up

It cuts both ways. If they sought to attack Clark (who did a great job of defending Moore and himself) they drew attention and focus scrutiny of what did Bush do back when.

[Monte Carlo]

5. How do you lecture a general in matters of soldier discipline?

Did Wesley make Bush desert or something?

EDIT: Me grammar good.

[maddezmom]

6. the media should investigate the AWOL charge

if they want to make it an issue. What a f'd up question. Michael Moore is right, and Clark is right for defending Moore's freespeech.

[vi5]

7. Is it true that Moore is a veteran?

If so I really want to see someone point this out to right wing hoseheads. I sure as heck am going to use that if it's true.

[Ficus]

11. nope

student - then writer & editor - then filmmaker. Never a soldier that I know of.

[vi5]

12. Thanks...someone mentioned that on here last night...

I didn't think it sounded right. But like I said, if I was wrong about that it would be a nice talking point to use against anti-Moore wingnuts.

[Ilsa]

8. I think he handled it just fine.

I wish Clark would have challenged the media to investigate and report the story so there would no longer be any doubt (hmmm).

To me, it was like a "When did you dtop beating your wife?" kind of question.

[John_H]

9. I sent the question, answer and chimp documents to 50 reporters

How much you wanna bet every one of them will mention Clark's answer without mentioning the substance of Moore's charges?

[Leilani]

42. Thanks for your efforts

I also spent time last night writing to various media people.

They will ignore it, as usual. Scott Peterson's trial has been moved & that is obviously a much more important topic.

[Ripley]

10. Clark did very well last night, but...

I wish he hadn't backed off the deserter statement by Moore. I guess they all have to be careful, but damn I wish just one of these guys would at least give out at least the first fact about Mr. AWOL. The Colonel he was supposed to report to at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL is quoted in print as saying "he never showed up." So where was he?

Peter Jennings really pissed me off by saying, it is not supported by the facts. Well Mr. Jennings, tell me exactly where the Bubble Boy was in 1973 when he was supposed to be in TANG, or at the very least in Montgomery doing NG work? Hmmm? Oh, no supporting facts that he was working for TANG then. Thought so.

Clark is a cool customer...they clearly were taunting him and it didn't work. Good for him.

[Riptide]

13. I had hoped that Clark would respond to Jennings' assertion

that Clark must have followed up on Moore's claim, with "No, I didn't investigate it, that would be the job of journalists. Don't ya' think, Pete?"

[returnable]

14. That's what I was thinking...

...something along the lines of "Maybe if the media spent as much time investigating these charges as they did researching what sweater I wore, we'd have the answers we need."

[Ripley]

16. Wow that would have been great!

I can see him saying that. Not condescending, so it won't upset his nice-guy persona, and it gets to the heart of the media's problem. They spend waaaaaaaaayyyy too much time discussing superfluous things and never any time investigating harmful truths.

Someone in the Clark campaign should send this in as a suggestion!

[ajacobson]

25. That was my first thought, too

but my wife sensibly said, they would just lie and say that they have proof Bush was not a deserter and make Clark look dumb.

[mmonk]

15. He defended free speech

and its up to the public and the press to determine the substance of Moore's claim.

[Clark Can WIN]

17. GOOD FOR HIM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so proud of the way he handled the question. The richtwing media making a stink out of the Moore endorsement will ONLY HELP the general in the primary season.

[edzontar]

18. He said the right thing, of course

And the puke oundits want to crucify him for it..

Just like Dean's remarks on America's "safety" after the cature of what's-is-name.

[CWebster]

19. I thought clark was honorable in this

And Jennings was a real ass. What kind of credible journalist doesn't know about Bush's record...not unless it was an opening to expose Smirk's record...

[bicentennial_baby]

20. Thank You CWebster

Coming from you, that means a lot :-)

[CWebster]

21. Clark, the man himself

I find more likeable than some of the others. It is his background which makes me uneasy. It makes it rough going for the General, but his basic nature is likable. I caught a glimpse of it before when he interacted with his wife.

[Ripley]

22. I would love to believe that some journalists do that.

Open a discussion questioning Smirk's gaffes, illegal activities, etc. by feigning "It isn't true, but..." However, I don't think they are that clever. Besides, the elder news anchor said it in unequivocal terms....wreckless and not supported by the facts. End of discussion.

Blech.

[Loren645]

35. Thank you CWebster.

These are some pretty amazing brownshirt tactics being used here.
This is what we're up against with the media whores.
Pressuring Clark to denounce/declaim something an endorser said.
I'm amazed Jennings declared that there was no hard evidence.
As in:

-There's no hard evidence that the 2000 election was stolen.
-There's no hard evidence that 5 of 9 supreme court justices are
biased toward BushCo.

The Bush Klan has had decades to scrub hard evidence.

What hard evidence was there that Bush showed up for duty?

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. Clark took a hit for all of us last night

I posted this on an earlier thread, but if fits well here, so I am reposting it:

The set up was to embarrass Clark into disavowing Moore, because at this stage the percentage of the voting public who have heard anything about Bush being a deserter is tiny, and the charge sounds really really radical. Most people think the charge is blatantly false. Everyone KNOWS Bush served in the National Guard, how could he be a deserter? "He's run for Governor, he's run for President, you can't hide something like that, can you?" It SOUNDS like a wild conspiracy theory, like "the Jews" having advance knowledge about 9/11 or something of that order.

By pointedly NOT disavowing the statement, Clark left it dangling out there, forcing the media to "look into it" for him. This is risky for Clark. During that same reply Clark said he was proud to have Moore's support along with that of other great Americans. He defended Moore's right to express that opinion. Clark did not throw cold water on "Bush as deserter", rather he praised the man making the claim.

The big picture is, Clark is on the ballot in 4 days. His chances to become President go up or down in a serious way sooner rather than later. Still he did not run for shelter. It is one thing to be Ralph Nader, or someone like that, with absolutely no chance to get into the oval office where the levers of power are, and someone can actually make an immediate HUGE difference. Nader can say whatever the fuck he wants, he has nothing to lose, only to gain, by being direct and controversial. Even Howard Dean conceeded, when he was raked over for bringing up a "conspiracy theory" against Bush, that "I don't believe it, it's just something I hear that is out" or words to that effect. I don't fault Dean for using cover in the slightest,he got a lot of shit even as it was. I am just pointing out the real risk Clark has taken now.

Clark refused to disavow it Moore's statement. Clark is being treated tonight by the media almsot exactly as if he made the claim himself, because he would NOT disavow it. The pressure on Clark for not caving during the debate, for not backing away from Moore, is going to be intense over the next few days. I hope we leftists don't go "holier than thou" on Clark now, and get all hung up about Clark not taking an even more radical stance than he did. Remember that currently Clark does NOT draw most of his Primary support from the left, some of us back him sure, but more are backing Dean or Kucinich. Clark needs votes from a lot of moderates to win. Yet it was Clark making the most damning case against Bush and 9/11. It was Clark still expressing admiration for Michael Moore while the right gears up to smear them both as left wing loonies over Moore's Bush went A.W.O.l claim. By not refuting Moore, Clark has given us an opening to make this into a National issue. By not backpeddling away from Moore, Clark stood his ground for all of us.

[grisvador]

38. Excellent evaluation

It is the media's job to investigate the facts...

When will the main stream media do this since it is not popular? When we clamor for the answer. Write Peter Jennings and ask him to give the report as a 30 minute special - maybe Michael Moore can do a piece on it too.

[dae]

43. Best assessment I've seen. Thanks, I'm saving it.

[SeattleRob]

24. I agree - Good for him!

If the news media actually had balls and did their job, Bush being a deserter would be agreed on by all!

[eissa]

26. Clark responded well

I would only be disappointed if he refuted the statement, but he focused on Moore's free speech privilege, which was great. As for Jennings, frankly I've always liked him and wouldn't be surprised if the question was posed in order to get others to look into it.

[kentuck]

27. They want to get all these "possible" issues out of the way....

If they could get Clark to discredit Moore's charges, then it would lose credibility if brought up later in the campaign...

[MoonRiver]

28. Good! AWOL is the one who should be explaining himself

If the Moron can prove he wasn't AWOL then Clark might consider responding. Until then it's a subject I hope the media keeps slamming in front of the electorate! :D

[DeepModem Mom]

29. Wolf Blitzer just asked Jamie Rubin if he thought Bush was a deserter...

and Rubin answered in the same way Clark did in the debate -- noncommitally.

[kentuck]

32. Because we do not know....

Where are the troops that served with Bush in Alabama? Just one? Where are the records to prove he served? Surely if they want to call people "lias", they can prove it.?? :)

[Kahuna]

30. Typical repuke double standard. Slam Clinton = good...

slam bush = bad. :puke:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. As a Dean supporter, good for the general.

Who remains, with some reservations, a candidate I can vote for in November.

[WildForKerry]

33. The only thing troubling about Moores endorsement was ...

his quote "I will back the non-Lieberman 8."

Clark and Moore seem very anti-semitic with such comments.

[Tom Rinaldo]

34. Clark talks proudly about his Jewish father. I don't see a problem.

And I think the concern is a bit of a stretch. Moore just says he will support any of the Democrats except for Lieberman. It is a simple statement of opinion, no religous issue implied. Joe's last name happens to be Lieberman. Is it anti-semetic to speak it?

[Loren645]

36. Good try WildFor...

I'm jewish and despise Lieberman and wouldn't vote for him.
I'll vote for any of the others.

[SeattleRob]

39. Come on...

Being opposed to Lieberman doesn't mean you're anti-semitic. He is farthest to the right of all candidates and the only one who still defends the Iraq war. Being against him fits in with Michael Moore's politics.

[Lefty48197]

40. Yeah, great analysis WFK

I think Joe Lieberman has a problem with Jews too. :crazy:

[returnable]

41. Tombstoned.

And not a moment too soon, it would appear.

Ah, WFK. We hardly knew ye.

But we have known plenty like ya :hi:

[Hoppin_Mad]

37. I admire Clark for taking this courageous stance ! -nt-

[snyttri]

44. Since Kerry dismissed Moore's statement as over the top, would he

dismiss anyone from the left to further his career? (Except the young
Kerry. of course.)