Wesley Clark Speaks a Truth about McBush

Wesley Clark made a simple point the other day that John W. McBush's experience in the military did not explicitly qualify him to be president (the comments are given below).  In their zeal to make news, some media outlets stated that Clark 'swift-boated' McBush. 

In fact, he merely made a point about serving in the military versus holding a position of responsibility for the lives of troops during war.  If Clark had been shortlisted for VP, the media will never let it happen now, and that's too bad.

Clark's comments:

BOB SCHIEFFER: How can you say that John McCain is untested and untried, General?

CLARK: 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. 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 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. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle this publicly? He hasn't made that calls, Bob.

SCHIEFFER: Well, General, maybe—could I just interrupt you?

CLARK: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences, either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean...

CLARK: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.

Comments

[redneck]

Does anybody but Clark even care about what he has to say any longer? Using his logic, he has no real experience to be a politician. That didn't seem to keep him from running to become THE PRESIDENT OF THE USA. What a knucklehead.

[michael bacsik]

But, what qualifications did ronald reagan or arnie have to be governor of california or DDE to be prez? by that logic, no first time politician is qualified.

It's clear to me that republicans fear wes clark on the ticket.

[Redneck]

You're making my arguement. Clark is the person creating false qualifications to run for prez.

Even Obama wouldn't make a pick like W. Clark. His V.P. will be somebody America least expects. Somebody from a middle of the country; a guy like former senator Tom Daschle.