Not Your Sweetie

"I'll do my best for you, Leah" THUD - Clark at the Y Story


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By Robbedvoter [Add to my Buddy List]
Posted to Robbedvoter's weblog on Wed Mar 10th, 2004 at 11:47:51 PM EST


The evening started slow...I didn't meet the people I was supposed to- so I kept parading my full regalis (purple hat/boa + buttons) around trying to get spotted by him...
    The event must have been booked before the campaign as a book presentation - for him and Dana Priest - both books were on display for sale.
     It was a Charlie Rose public TV kind of atmosphere - way too low key for my emotional charge. My being in the "W" row did not help.
    Still, when his name was mentioned, the applause was so rousing, that the moderator had to ask Clark: "Don't you want to jump back in?"
The crowd went wild again so I missed Clark's first words in response, but I heard "Right now I am just so happy to be here" followed by focused searching in the audience.
   The theme was determined by the subject of both books: the fact that the US foreign policy is increasingly taken over by the army.
     For most of the evening, Dana and Clark agreed on staff (yes it is, and it shouldn't be) and it felt good to hear Dana saying that Clark was one of the first people to voice opposition to the war in Iraq.
    As the need for multilateralism became clear, the moderator asked:
"Is there any hope that in the future this will change?"
"Not while this administration is in office" Clark said to thunderous applause.
 "My journalism instinct requires me to intervene here" Priest said. "There are some signs of optimism in the present administration - Rumsfiled is talking to NATO - we can say that they are on a learning curve. Even Clinton..."
"People died for their learming curve!!!!" I screamed all the way from the W row.
"Was Halliburton part of that curve too?" another one yelled from the back.
"Booooo!"
"That didn't go over well" she said coyly
"That learning curve is accelerating with the approacing of the November elections" Clark said - to thunderous applause
 While I was campaigning I spoke of an exit strategy from Iraq - the fact that they have none. The White House called it "apalling" then the next day they called Paul Bremer for talks and started talking about a "strategy for success"
More applause
"I don't want to sound self-serving - this is a functiuon of the political process. let's just say, I am glad there are elections every 4 years"
    Later, the moderator touched on PNAC in a non-comittal way - and  Dana responded neutrally - calling it "the new idealism"
 "That's not idealism, that's colonialism" Clark retorted - to more applause.
He spoke of the Reagan era triumphalism - where it was thought that we need to get rid of the diplomats, lawyers and let our boys in uniform do the job.
    The mess in Iraq is the result of this.
he spoke passionately of the need to interact with the other nations on other levels - diplomatic, cultural exchange - "send Iraq our rotary clubs"
He said that our men in uniforms should not be our ambassadors in the world - it creates the perception of imperial ambition, it leaves us weaker and impoverished in the long run...The diplomacy - with the frustrating, long phone calls and negotiations of silly details - it's what strengthens us in the end. Sommewhere he also said that Kerry will make a stand and a priority in multilateralism.
    A book signing was to take place after the speech, so I bought his book (poor Dana sold one or two).

     As my turn came, I prepared 2 buttons to give him: BUSH KNEW and one with a peace sign where the main stem was made by the WTC towers ("since you are speaking on it).
     He asked me my name ans signed the book - a picture of it is somewhere on Beatrice's film.
   He thanked us and said of me: "She had been to all my rallies - the job rally (Sept 24)
 As he was asked of plans for future ans was making a vague response, I said:
"But you are my voice - I don't want to lose my voice"
     "I'll do my best for you leah" he said.
I did not faint