The New Republic chronicles the strange political journey of Gen. Wesley Clark of Arkansas, former Supreme Commander NATO Allied Forces and Democratic presidential candidate. With his political career in an apparent holding pattern, he’s taken up corporate causes, most significantly ethanol.

“I think it’s dawning on him that it’s unlikely that he would end up being Secretary of Defense or Director of National Intelligence,” a former aide mused, noting that he probably wasn’t on any short lists to succeed Defense Secretary Robert Gates. “I don’t think he would want a lesser job. I think his view is, not going to run for president again, not going to get one of the gigantic jobs he was interested in in the federal government, so might as well take a new course.” Well, in February, Clark found one: front-man for the ethanol industry.