GOP Tries to Derail Clark’s Run

Re “With Clark on Fire, Calls of Liar, Liar,” Opin ion, Sept. 28: Joshua Micah Marshall’s expose on the talk radio/Rupert Murdock effort to cast Wesley Clark as less than truthful is a good introduction to the mean-spirited, undemocratic partisanship that characterizes the Bush administration and its neocon allies, who have lied repeatedly themselves about virtually every issue, from Iraq’s disproved attempt to buy uranium in Niger to George W. Bush’s Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard. They are clearly running scared. It would be one thing to face off against an intelligent but untelegenic former governor of a small state and quite another to stare down the real thing, the former supreme commander of NATO, who happens to be a respected author, a Rhodes scholar and one of the most charismatic presidential candidates since JFK.

Jack Cooper

Van Nuys

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The only person who can impeach Clark’s credibility is the general himself. Regardless of the left’s and the Democrats’ desire (and need) to embrace him, I think most anyone would agree that the Wesley Clark from whom we’ve been hearing for the last six to nine months is most definitely not the man we once knew. Liar? Well, he certainly has been known to spin a yarn or two. Opportunist? You bet.

Kyda Sylvester

Auburn, Calif.

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Clark is being challenged for lauding presidents Reagan and the elder Bush for some of their actions, while claiming to be a Democrat (“2001 Speech to GOP Has Clark Defending Political Allegiance,” Sept. 27). How refreshing this is. Perhaps we have a potential leader who is able to judge actions on what he perceives as their merit and not based on politics. Democrats should rejoice that he has diverse and balanced views: some liberal, some conservative and others quite middle of the road.

Perhaps we have a man of true stature, intellect, knowledge, integrity, high principles, strength of character, resolve and decisiveness. I suspect Clark is the only Democrat who can beat Bush. The only other person who probably can defeat Bush is Bush himself, which it appears he is very capable of doing.

Sid Pelston

Marina del Rey

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If Clark is only able to muster support from those voters who have changed their opinion of the Bush administration over the course of the last 24 months, I predict he’ll win by a landslide.

Peg Quinn

Santa Barbara