We Have a Role in the Clark 'Scandal'

I'm surprised at some of the reactions to the fake scandal erupting around Wesley Clark's words.  I welcome this conversation because it shines a light on a hidden truth that the McCain campaign didn't really want discussed.  Our job is to get out there and discuss.

The reactions on the progressive blogs have sounded pretty confused to me.  We know what the general said was true.  So some people are reacting with anger that Obama didn't openly embrace Clark on this.  But Obama knows what he's doing here.  He understands his role.  We shouldn't let that confuse us from our role in this argument.  

What people are offended by with Clark was the tone of what he said.  That's what the GOPers are trying to take advantage of with their manufactured outrage.  But because Obama isn't taking the bait, they are going to overshoot on this by a mile.  They're trying to pin some outrage on Obama but, as usual, it's something someone else said.  Someone who has long been associated with Clinton's campaign, not Obama's.  And someone quite qualified, actually, to talk about what kind of military experience translates to executive ability.  

Let Clark have this fight with them.  Help him out.  Take his side.  I am.  But don't imagine that is putting you at odds with Obama.  Take Obama's tone and take Clark's side.  

I just got done hitting the 'mainstream' sites commenting on the stories about this.  It's easy to simply point out that what Clark said was, in fact, true.  It's helpful to point out that no one is denigrating McCain's service but simply questioning how that translates to making him a good president.  

The lie that props up McCain is that he somehow has superior foreign policy credentials.  It gets repeated as fact all the time in supposedly even handed assessments of the candidates.  It covers up the fact that McCain has been dead wrong on big foreign policy questions that Obama has gotten right.  The proof of McCain's superiority?  Who knows?  They'll just show a picture of McCain in uniform or in captivity and then move on.  

Clark has been trying to open up this conversation and break through that conventional 'wisdom' for a while.  I believe he is genuinely offended by this which is why he was baited by Schieffer into stating it the way he did.  

So now we have a 'scandal.'  Great.  Because they were pushing this lie anyway.  Make them push it loud.  Get out there and discuss the truth of the matter.   Obama is right to be above the fray on anything involving McCain's service.  There is a lot of heavy symbolism that he knows he can't entirely knock.  That means it's up to us to get out there and make sure this conversation happens.  

Go out and fight for Wesley Clark.  

Update:  VoteVets.org has a petition to voice support for Wesley Clark on his statement. http://ga3.org/...  Thanks to pradeep in the comments.