Politics: 2008

I'm done with Kerry. Edwards was underwhelming as Veep candidate, Hillary cannot win, Granholm cannot run (and I'm less and less enamored with her anyway), Dean has promised not to run as DNC Chair. I don't see any other player coming up from the ranks of the Senate, House or Governors. Biden? Bayh? I can't see any of these guys breaking free of the same things that undid Kerry. Out of touch Washington liberal elite, who's a Senate Dem and the Dems are weak on Defense.

The answer? Wesley Clark. I guess there was a convention in California this weekend, and Clark spoke. And by all accounts he kicked some ass. And he was on Bill Maher's HBO show, mopping the floor with David Frum. Today everybody's talking about Clark in 2008, and I'm joining right in. I love the guy. He had, to me, only one weakness in '04--inexperience as a campaigner. In many ways that can be a strength, but he was outclassed but some of the other candidates on TV and simply entered the race too late to get acclimated. If he can hold his own on a stage, in a debate and in an interview, there is simply no way to take him down. Where is the Republican line of attacK? I don't see it. He is the total package: Southern, former bad-ass general / Commander of NATO, Rhodes Scholar, first in his calss at West Point, progressive domestic policy, foriegn policy savvy, good looking, charming...and perhaps most importantly, no Washington baggage. No voting record to distort, no flip flops. Oh, and he will take no shit. If they try to Swift Boat Clark, he will level them.

Carpetbagger, Ezra, Armondo at kos, Yglesias, and MyDD have more, or at least a good thread of comments.

A follow-up to something I wrote above...Obviously the Republicans will attack Clark. And I'm sure there are actually weaknesses in his armor. Even Maximus from "Gladiator" would face the "Democrat pussy can't keep you safe" catcalls from the right. My point is that Clark is in a better position (and a better personality) to deflect those criticisms.