Despite heavy criticism, Gen. Wesley Clark is standing by his statement this weekend that Sen. John MCain's military experience doesn't qualify him to be commander-in-chief.... "I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war," Clark said of McCain on Sunday. "But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded -- that wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall."
In the reactionary, emotionally stunted atmosphere of a Presidential campaign, it's often all too easy for the truth to get lost in an avalanche of self-righteousness and self-interest. So it's been with Gen. Wesley Clark, who in discussing Sen. John McCain's qualifications to be Commander in Chief said nothing that could even remotely be interpreted as disrespectful or mean-spirited. Of course, if you'd been listening to Sen. McCain's surrogates, you'd think that Clark had accused McCain of being in league with Satanists, homosexuals, and America-hating Liberals. So what's this about insulting an American hero? It's acceptable if he's a Democrat?
Hypocrisy, thou art a Republican....
The truth is that Clark merely spoke the truth...and the problem with that is that McCain and his surrogates can't argue on the truth. They know it...so what they're left with is attacking the messenger. In now way did Clark attack or demean's McCain's service and heroism. I listed to an interview with Clark on NPR in which he went out of his way to make clear that he did not- and never would- attack McCain's service record. At the same time, though, Clark is absolutely correct in asserting that McCain's five years as a POW doesn't ipso facto translate to command experience on a strategic level.
Clark knows of which he speaks. In leading NATO troops during the 1999 war in Kosovo, Clark did function on a strategic level. McCain flew an airplane and got shot down; anyone who would argue that Clark's and McCain's experiences are equivalent really ought to remove their anterior from their posterior. The reality is that Clark speaks the truth- John McCain, though he served ably and well, does NOT have command experience on a strategic level. McCain has never committed American troops to combat. McCain and his surrogates know this, and they know they can't win (or even compete on) this argument. What they're left with then is deflection and distraction- shoot the messenger. Impugn Clark's reputation long enough and loud enough, and before you know it, sheeple begin to believe that Clark is actually demeaning a true American hero. In fact, nothing of the sort has happened...it's just the propaganda talking.
The reality is that John McCain couldn't carry Wesley Clark's jock. McCain and his propaganda surrogates know and understand this, so what they're left with it attacking the messenger. It's sad, and it's pathetic, but the reality is that most sheeple aren't paying attention to anything but the row over Clark's words. McCain's troops understand that he who complains loudest and longest will generally will get the most attention, and that will be the message that will stick. It's sad, but it's true...most of the American Sheeple will hear only that Gen. Wesley Clark has insulted Sen. John McCain's military service and five years as a POW...and nothing could be further from the truth.
Somewhere, Josef Goebbels is smiling....
