Go For The General In The General - Obama/Clark '08

In my mind, there is but one choice for Barack Obama for his running mate. That choice must be General Wesley Clark. Sure, it may be controversial, but it's a smart pick both for the short-term electoral strategy in the general election, as well as the more important question of what role the Vice-President will play in the Administration post-Darth Cheney.

Here's what Clark brings to the table:

• Raised in Little Rock Arkansas, but was born in Chicago and had a paternal great-grandfather who was a Belarusian Jew who emigrated to the U.S. to escape the pogroms
• Valedictorian of his class at West Point
• Rhodes scholar at Oxford with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
• Master's degree in military science
• 34 years service in the Army and Department of Defense, including company command in Vietnam from 1969-1970. He was shot four times with an AK-47 but still led his company in a counterattack. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
• Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000....commanded Operation Allied Force in the Kosovo War

I can think of no other VP choice who brings the balance of military experience, foreign policy knowledge and moderate political philosophy quite like Gen. Clark. There are some with foreign policy bonafides (Biden, Richardson, Nunn), but they each are politicians with their own baggage and, in the case of Nunn, have odious opinions on social issues like reproductive rights and LGBT rights. Other candidates who are more appealing to the Democratic base may turn off independents and moderate Republicans and would fail to fill in the gaps (experience, foreign policy expertise) in Obama's campaign.

Clark is a moderate liberal with strong pro-environmental views, and equally strong pro-civil rights stances. He supports equal opportunity for gays in military service. He also advocates return to balancing the federal budget, reduction of the budget and trade deficits, and would nullify the tax cuts for the upper 1% which have been so ruinous to the economy overall and have ballooned our budget deficit. He has suggested providing healthcare for the uninsured by altering the current system.

Clark complements Obama very nicely while not contradicting him on any of the major policy issues an Obama administration will tackle next year. I hope that Obama discounts the hysterics surrounding Gen. Clark's appearance on Face The Nation and sees his best choice for a running mate in Wesley Clark.

And now.....you've been BarackRoll'd, son!!!!