Clark takes aim at McCain’s military record - - UPDATE
Arkansan and retired General Wes Clark said that “McCain lacked the executive experience necessary to be president, calling him “untested and untried” on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” And in saying so, he took a few swipes at McCain’s military service,” reports Politico.
After saying, “I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war,” he added that these experiences in no way qualify McCain to be president in his view:
“He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn’t held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn’t a wartime squadron,” Clark said.
The article continues,
“When asked by host Bob Schieffer how he came to describe McCain as “untested and untried,” Clark said it was “because in the matters of national security policy-making, it’s a matter of understanding risk. It’s a matter of gauging your opponents and it’s a matter of being held accountable. John McCain’s never done any of that in his official positions,” adding, “He hasn’t made the calls.”
“When Schieffer noted Obama has not had wartime experiences, Clark said: “Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”"
Will it work? It’s obvious that Clark, a distringuish military leader, was trying to impeach McCain’s credentials on the one issue most people thought was unimpeachable. If you think it’s a nonsensical strategy, just ask John Kerry, a decorated war hero who was injured in Vietnam and whose military credentials were obliterated by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. That said, Clark’s catching some grief for his rather pointed comments.
On “Morning Joe,” the pundits thought it was a mistake. Obama communications director Robert Gibbs appeared and said Clark wasn’t speaking for Obama. Over at Swampland, TIME magazine reporter Joe Klein writes, “Clark is just plain wrong when he says that “getting shot down” doesn’t qualify as foreign policy experience. I think McCain’s Vietnam war experience gives him important perspective on the horrors of war and should never, ever be discounted–even if McCain’s more recent positions have been unduly bellicose. It’s also just really bad manners on Clark’s part, given the suffering McCain endured.”
UPDATE: Media Matters has jumped all over the media for their distortion of Clark’s comments. See their observations here, here and here.
