Topic
- Wesley Clark in Nashua, NH on 2004/01/01
- By Jay McCarthy <jay@kenyamountain.com> from http://www.makeoutcity.com
- Clark scheduled for 7:00pm
- Not sure how long however
- ~6:30pm
- Most seats full by 6:34pm
- "Won't Back Down" from Tom Petty is playing while the volunteers to meet and greet.
- Seating Arrangement...
- There is a stage with 20 or so seats, and then a "pit" area with 10 flanking seats on each side and then a galley of seats in front of the "pit"
- Clark will be speaking in the pit.
- I'm in on the right flank. Behind where Mrs. Clark will sit and the Introducer.
- Also there is Barbara Laughton, the Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
- I'm the only one with a laptop... but maybe there are other bloggers in cognito?
- Just heard that if there is overflow they may send people to Martha's Exchange and have Clark go speak to them there... will be on this if it happens.
- ~6:50pm
- It is getting very, very packed. No more seats are left and people are filling in the gaps while standing.
- ~6:56pm through ~7:03pm
- So much anticipation
- The doors are starting to be crowded
- ~7:04pm, the first announcement of how it will work is given
- Format: Clark will be introduced then give a speech and have a question and answer period.
- ~7:08pm, the Introducer just got up and was moved to the back... this problem means it's happening quickly
- ~7:09, Clark enters
- Introducer: Fred Brittin, 8 year alderman at large from Nashua, NH
- Honoured to introduce him.
- Decided not to run again, but still be involved.
- Supports Clark... helped the country for 30 years
- Mentions his accomplishments
- Mentions positions
- Mentions business accomplishments
- Mentions family... married for 36 years
- Qualities
- Supports open debate
- Opportunity for all
- Not manipulate
- His word is his honour
- ~7:12pm, Clark begins
- Glad to see everyone here
- Needs your support
- Bring a higher standard
- We can do better than George W. Bush and we have to
- Looks at whats good for America as a whole
- Looks beyond the next election cycle
- Give specific and measurable goals that are open and transparent... accountable
- Brings all America together
- That's why I'm running
- I'm going to run on the basis of what I believe in
- Past, I was born in Chicago, and my father did these things
- Then we moved to Little Rock with no money
- I went to public schools
- Learned Values
- Patriotism
- Most people had Military obligation
- Everyone was expected to serve
- I went to a service academy
- I'm a veteran, and proud to be a veteran
- I'd like to honour the veterans and give them a hand
- I don't think Patriotism is dressing a flight suit and prancing around an aircraft carrier
- I think it is doing what's right for the country
- I supported going after Osama Bin Laden
- We should've stuck at it though
- But I didn't support Iraq
- Now that we're in Iraq though, we need to be successful
- I have a plan for success
- I'll get us out
- And I won't get us into another mess like that
- Faith
- When you grow in the South you learn about it a lot, probably more than up here
- I was asked to pick a Church... I went to a Baptist Church
- Summertime is revival season
- One thing you learn is that a lot of people can talk about religion
- But a whole lot more people talk about it than talk about it
- In this country we have one party that acts like it has one pipeline to God
- But, the religions I've studied and been attached to, I've learned that those with more should help those with less
- But there's only one political party that practices that - us
- We don't preach about religion, we practice our faith
- Family Values
- You have to appreciate what it takes to have a family
- Gert and I have been married 36 years, moved 31 times, introduce her
- We took a break for 3 days over the holiday break
- Just had a grandson on the 25th of December... almost gave up on his son
- The Republicans talk a lot about family values, but us it to separate America -- like a litmus test
- You need to talk about what it takes to have a family -- like a job
- If you lose a job, it can wreck a family
- You better be talking about health care, you need to take care of a family with regular check ups
- You can't not talk about education, so they can continue your tradition
- You can't talk about slashing the protection for the environment when you're talking about family values
- When I talk about it I really mean it
- This is what I will do
- Under Bush, incomes dropped. Under Me, I will raise them 3,000 dollars
- We're going to enforce environment regulations
- College tuitions have gone up 28% in 3 years, only people who's incomes went up that much are from Haliburton, we're going to give every senior in America money for the first two years of school
- Half a million more children have fallen below the poverty level, we will raise 2 million
- 44 million Americans without health insurance, another 2 million have lost it -- we will guarantee every child in America health insurance and access for every American
- Equality
- Everyone must be treated equally
- Proud to serve in the United States Army
- Fought for equal opportunities
- Supported Affirmative Action
- Assure that everyone is treated equally
- If they are not born on a level playing field they will be treated as so
- A Higher Standard Of Leadership
- See leadership that is for everyone, not just special interests
- For the future, not the next election
- List out goals and be judged by them
- Not to divide America, but to bring it together
- ~7:27pm, Questions
- Mention Health Care... how will you pay for it?
- It's a critically important question
- Must control the deficit and restore fiscal responsibility
- Take back a 2 and 1/3 of a trillion
- Ask those with over 200,000 incomes to give back Bush tax cut
- Increase efficiency
- With all the experience in the military, what is the timeline for the troops to get into America
- A tough question to answer
- It depends on other people
- I will goto Iraq... and not to deliver Turkeys
- We will talk about how best to transition
- Put an international authority in charge and the US through NATO
- 1, 2, or 3 years
- Depends on everything else
- I've done this before... and it's hard to predict
- Will make a success
- Thanks for coming, I've been impressed with your leadership, your international leadership. Given that we need that leadership, how are you going to convince Congress that the US ought to be the leader of NATO and the UN
- An important question
- Change the composition of this congress
- How will you seek to rebuild trust with European nations and other nations? Will your strategy in Iraq include this cooperation?
- Goto Europe with new Atlantic Trust with the proposal of First Refusal
- NATO will be multi-functional organization
- Harmonize laws and exchange information
- Deal with terrorism with allies
- George Bush road home to the ranch with regards to Israel
- You need a leader with the will to do it
- A personal issue, what are you prepared to do with regards to violence against women both nationally and internationally?
- Fund this issue, especially in the Army
- Take these issues very personally
- Work here by enforcing the law
- Take action abroad against systematic crimes... like in Bosnia
- Take these standards around the world
- Just moved to New Hampshire, two big mysteries: 1. Sealed records of Howard Dean. 2. Retirement from Military, I've read that you were relived of command by General Shelton. Is there something we will learn later on?
- Nothing like that
- I was not relieved of command, I was replaced early
- We had a policy dispute, some of them didn't think it was important to stop ethnic cleansing in the Balkans... fought because it was duty and the right thing to do.
- I stood up and the people in the Pentagon were out voted.
- I'm proud about what I did.
- Make this country the force for good.
- What is your policy for the funding of the national endowment of the funding for the arts?
- Create a commission for national goals: science, technology, arts
- A country needs a soul
- Not all about income levels
- Concerned about who we are has human beings
- Must support them
- You supported in intervention in Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti? What is different about Iraq?
- The imminence of the problem
- Haitians would rather drown than stay
- Bosnia had a war going on
- Kosovo, the ethnic cleansing was starting again
- Every other resort had been tried, nothing less but force
- Iraq is different
- Hussein is not currently committing crimes
- Iraq's military strength was less than 1/2
- Not connected to terrorism
- Could have gone to UN
- The real reason I'm not supporting Iraq - reference Pentagon joke about Iraq and Saddam... a bait and switch on the American people
- We have to something... might as well do it to Saddam, this is the opportunity
- "If he wasn't involved, he should've been"
- Osama bin Laden is still out there
- Never ever commit US forces for anything but the last resort - never for a photo op or election
- Many threats to the Democratic practice is not just from the outside of US, what about special interests?
- Never run for elective office
- 34 years fighting for the country's national interest
- Find those issues and fix them while keeping us safe
- I'm an outsider
- Story about home room election... voted for friend... in this election I will vote for myself
- A high school business teacher, a few weeks ago in the Boston Globe, overall employment were dropped, but those employed in a house hold had increased - When you're elected, what will you do to help people get jobs and see 5 years from now for types of employment?
- We're in a job crisis. Lost manufacturing jobs for 44 months
- Jobs have been biggest export
- Must focus on creating jobs
- Homeland security will create jobs
- Infrastructure projects
- Employer tax credits
- Revise tax code, and get rid of tax incentives to move jobs and hqs over seas
- Can't say we're will be in 5 years from now
- This seems phony... those people may be self employed but not as well. Not clear that they are making a living or any money
- Invest in R&D
- Energy and the Environment
- Like DARPA
- Lots of new technology companies
- What about new forms of technology: nano, bio, transportation, energy
- Will you take back the PATRIOT Act?
- Suspend all search and seizure provisions
- Bring back into Congress
- Ask former Attorney General John Ashcroft on us and abuse
- Cannot win the war by giving up freedoms
- Local english teacher, One thing that is neglect wrt to No Child Left Behind - No problem with accountability, but no resources. How do we deal with class size and NCLB in general?
- I think it's a mistake.
- First this is underfunded.
- Don't like that the teachers are so demeaned.
- I don't think that you give an education by giving a standardized test
- Bring out the best in every boy and girl, not the standard
- I don't like that schools are graded and then takes money away from them.
- Regulation is just flat wrong.
- As a dynamic and well-educated person, are familiar with "The Best and the Brightest" about the US aligning with all the wrong people - When we have such an unholy alliance between Wall St and the Far Right? How do we get everybody together and in the same direction? How do we make sure we align with humanity's issues? How are we going to, as a leader, saddle the divergent interests?
- This is the fundamental leadership question. I will give fundamental issue.
- You won't get the right feel for this election until the Democratic Party makes it's nomination final. This will create coherent voice and set things straight.
- Hold the president accountable.
- Bring the country together based on values.
- Not giving up on changing the composition of the Congress.
- One defense of Wall St, Wall St is not solidly lined up behind Bush. They're getting threatening calls from the Republican party, people don't like this. Wall St will rebel, what's good for Wall St is good for America.
- Let's focus on the values of Americans
- America will prosper.
- Follow up to finances in the election process - how will you compete with equal access to all candidates? How will you compete with Bush with all his money and supporters?
- Well... first of all, he has 65-67% popularity after THE MILITARY captured Saddam. The actual "re-election" popularity was about 40%
- That's an indication about weakness
- Completely blown away the finance system...
- Lots of big money behind the Democratic party... take the message to the American people
- One more personal thing, used to being the underdog. Story about getting into West Point. I welcome the chance to wage political struggle against Bush, as he might say "Bring 'em on"
- What is the most important aspect of the election?
- Jobs, if we can't get America back to work
- The DoD is no longer subject to annual audits. Do you think there is a problem with Money expenditures at the Pentagon?
- Lived in mortal terror of the GAO.
- They knew all the right questions... it has always been hard to track government expenditures
- Living on the edge within the government with regards to finance
- Haven't lost accountability for any soldiers, they are a big difficult
- Can we do better? Yes
- My question
- You are actually accountable in the military.
- To the people you work with.
- Last question - Health Care is important to me. Concerned with health care down the road when I may not be able to pay?
- When you can't avoid Medicare, you move to Medicaid.
- But it has been cut recently by the Bush administration
- I will be fighting to keep it there and fix the health care system
- It's all important
- A real prescription drug benefit bill... not going to pay the asking price, will negotiate and tough on all companies
- 8:14pm, Closing
- Values
- We're at a crisis point, we're bogged down
- Lost people despite Saddam's capture
- * Let's see hands of those in armed forces or related *
- We're at risk at home as well, if we don't create jobs we won't have a country soon
- America can't live if it doesn't produce things
- Handle the domestic policy.
- Questions
- What Founding Father you most identify with?
- George Washington - Nations should not have friends or enemies, just interests.
- Alexander(?) Hamilton - The United States is not a Paladin to go off and fight for "causes", no matter how noble, for if she does she will turn into the world's dictator and tyrant.
- Benjamin Franklin - The reason I support the Constitution is because it is so repugnant that it will be revoked when the people rebel in a few years and replaced with something real.
- Will it be a problem moving from an authoritarian institution, like the military, to one based upon democracy and election?
- Reference the 1994/1993 article on the Military Coup of 2003 in the Military Journal
- Curiosity - Your last year at West Point as an assistant professor, Ayn Rand gave a commencement speech entitled, "Philosophy: Who Needs It?" Do you remember that speech? What do you think of it or Ayn Rand's philosophy and Libertarianism (Objectivism)?