Clark's $$$$ Problems.

[Clarkie1]

"I was just on the phone here with somebody as I was walking in and they were asking me about why I rebuilt a car when I was a full Colonel at the age of forty-one. It's because I had only four thousand dollars to my name in the bank. I had a second car, I needed two cars. I wrecked it. It was gonna cost two thousand dollars to repair. I didn't have two thousand dollars.. I didn't want to put it into the car so I found an auto body craft shop on post and for ninety-nine dollars and thirty days of my time, I completely rebuilt this car. It just shows you, you know, what people will do when they have to. And, I mean, I didn't particularly.. I didn't do it because it was a hobby, let me put it that way" -WES CLARK


U-tube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXU3J80ctxU

[roguevalley]

1. they should decide the presidency with a car off. if you can actually

do this, then you understand PERFECTLY how the rest of us live. ;)

[CarolNYC]

2. I love this story

Here's a guy who really knows what it's like to have to scrape for money...even if he doesn't trumpet it every chance he gets.

I love his little quip at the end of this piece too. :)

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Clark certainly wasn't in it for the money

And he didn't constantly uproot his family moving on to his next job assignment for the scenery either. Clark is a man who fully understands the choices that living on a limited budget force America's working families to make. I think that was reflected pretty strongly in his 2004 progressive income tax proposal.

[Bucky]

4. Calling himself a "full colonel", What gall! How do you think that makes the half colonels feel?

After 8 disastrous years with an "MBA president", we really could use a "gearhead president" to patch up the works.

[Greyhound]

5. That would be a "light" colonel. n/t

[Jai4WKC08]

6. I'm a retired "half colonel"

Altho we're really lieutenant colonels, and (as someone notes) are sometimes called "light colonels." I've never heard "half colonel" before, but I assume you're joking anyway. Altho, I gotta admit, I don't really get it. Must be that old, army officers have no sense of humor thing. :P

But on the off chance you're serious, none of us would be offended by "full colonel." That's what they're usually called. Sometimes "chicken colonels," because their rank insignia is an eagle. For that matter, sometimes we "light colonels" are called "telephone colonels," because you can't tell over the telephone which type of colonel we are, and we can pretend to be the higher rank.

[Bucky]

14. Ha! "Telephone colonels". I like that one.

I have a coworker who exited the Marines with those little silver pot plants on his collar; I'll have to use that on him.

And yes, I was joking about "half colonels".

[FrenchieCat]

7. This is the kind of story that shows who he is......

kind of like when I painted my kitchen or made my curtains....wasn't cause "I wanted to".

[roseBudd]

8. Mechanically inclined also! I love it!

[porkrind]

9. I like that story

makes him more credible as a populist candidate.

[Clarkie1]

10. In the short U-tube video he relates the story to ecomomic policy.

Always good to frame an issue by bringing a personal story along with it..does make it more credible. But mainly, I think it's a great story!

[mtnsnake]

11. One more perfect example of Clark showing he knows how to connect.

Just think of how many voters out there can relate to something like this.

[FrenchieCat]

12. Agreed......

and here's something that many would not maybe relate to, but would certainly admire.....

It's long, but very interesting mtnsnake...
You may get a kick in reading it.

http://www.rapidfire-silverbullets.com/2007/01/who_fits_the_profile_in_courag.html
You should start reading where it reads....So what did Wes Clark do to deserve my Hero label? Well, there are several things, which is why this is a multiple part series. I'll start with this story here, not written by Wes Clark himself, but by another who was present; Richard Holbrook. I am posting an edited short version here, although I encourage all reading this to go read the entire chapter
taken from Richard Holbrook’s book, “To End a War”.

The Most Dangerous Road in Europe (August 15-21, 1995)

[mtnsnake]

13. I'll bookmark the link and check it out when I get a chance

Thanks, Frenchie.

[Donna Zen]

15. In Waging Modern War

Clark talks about his first time he was put in charge of a large military budget at Fort Carson. One of the things he did was learn how to rebuild a tank. He said that since he was going to be ordering parts he needed to understand what parts would wear out first and what he should order. Also, what would be needed in combat. So, he rebuilt a tank rather than waste tax-payer money and buy useless junk..

I'll see if I can find the passage. It explains how Clark thinks.

[Auntie Bush]

16. I already know how he thinks

He thinks like a genius!

[loudsue]

17. I love the General.

I wish like hell the rest of the American people were privvy to the kinds of material we see on DU about him. The guy would make a SUPERB president... one that would stand so tall in American history.

But in this day of Survivor and Girls Gone Wild, it's hard to find people whose feet are planted firmly on the ground, who would enjoy a truly RESPONSIBLE person at the helm, as opposed to a soap opera fiasco. The media is the NUMBER ONE reason that Gen. Clark's candidacy could never see the light of day. If I didn't hate the MSM for any other reason, that alone would be a good one.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Dinger]

18. Do We Have Any Veterans Considering Running for Prez In 2008?

I plead ignorance. Here are the possible or declared candidates for the Democratic Party (That I can recall):

Kucinich
Hillary
Obama
Edwards
Vilsack
Biden
Clark
Gore
Kerry

Am I forgetting anyone? My apologies if I have. I'm pretty sure that Biden, Clark, Gore & Kerry are veterans, but the "top 3" are not. Does this mean anything? Not that being a veteran is a prerequisite to running for Prez - I'm just curious about this. Please discuss.