Yealy Kos Day Two: Wesley Clark
The Wi-Fi at the convention center is great. Jump on easily, no hassles. We're waiting for General Wesley Clark's keynote. The stage is set up for panel discussions later on.
The bus ride from downtown was full of Yearly Kos convention goers, including a media guy from somewhere in Eastern Europe [Update: Marko from Croatia]. Lots of good conversation coming in. Mostly we're trying to figure out the link between online action and political action (Including voting - the only polls that really matter).
The intro for Clark is going on right now. We didn't get the name of the introducer. He made the point that General Clark was right on the war in Iraq. He said, "Leaders are people that help people with their problems and challenges...Nobody has helped me as much as General Clark."
General Clark received a standing ovation and said, "Thank you ... I haven't announced yet...That's a joke...Thank you for helping the Democrats take over the House and the Senate."
Clark goes on, "Everything reminds Rudy of 9/11. It took Michael Moore to actually try to get healthcare for the workers...G.B. reminds me of a pitcher trying to hang on to a no-hitter, waiting to pass on the loss to the relief pitcher.
More from Clark, "People all over the world are asking, 'Where is America' on pollution and other enormous changes around the world...You Americans haven't done your duty to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians...Where is America, what do we stand for? Why can't we have a sensible policy towards energy independence?"
"Al Queda is a threat. We have real problems and we have to address them. We need to be using this moment. Poverty, healthcare, environment ... these problems are too big for America alone. We can't address them until we get out of Iraq. Unlike Viet Nam we will still have a passle of problems in the [Middle East]. The problems won't go away simply by bringing the troops out. Gen. Petraeus is a General and G.B. always listens to generals."
"We're not going to solve this problem without diplomacy...We must stop isolating everyone...Iran is not our friend...They're going to bargain, joust...It's time to engage them...Let's talk...Let's give our troops the kind of diplomatic support they need. Diplomacy is like jazz...U.S. has to be willing to engage with nations we don't like. Use of force is only, only, only as a last resort"
"When we argue about troops we are playing on G.B.'s home turf...You're not going to change the policy by arguing about troops...If we can raise the dialogue to questioning the President...Mr. President, we aren't questioning the troops, we're questioning you. Stop hiding behind General Petraeus and come out here and defend your policies!"
"Mr. President the failure in Iraq is not the troops, the surge, the American people, it's a failure of leadership!"
"I don't think Iraq is a total failure...It's clearly not going to be a western style democracy...It's not going to ask to become a member of NATO...What we can hope for is a state that holds together and doesn't become haven for terrorists...We can hope for a state where thousands of Iraqi's aren't dying."
"Help put the intelligence in foreign policy...Help America get it's priorities straight."
"2008 pres"
7:36:54 AM 
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