I can't wait to hear Senator Obama's words in person. He's warned us not to expect that he can duplicate the electricity from his memorable speech in 2004, but I think he's just being wise to play down expectations. He has proven to be a remarkable human being with incredible judgment, an outstanding sense of direction, and unmatched communication skills. I fully expect to be inspired, as I was in 2004.

The above words are from a message on General Clark's website confirming that he wiill be in Denver when Barack Obama accepts the nomination for President from the Democratic party. Just one more sign of a united Democratic Party.

Giuliani is at it again. After appearing on FOX News, Mr. Noun, Verb & 9/11 made his way to MSNBC spewing his Republican talking points.

I don't blame McCain for playing the POW card.

It works so well.

I'm still pretty pissed that General Clark was trashed for daring to tell the truth about McCain...namely that although he deserves respect as would any other veteran, that his military service at the tactical level does not equate to national security expertise.

Although a few in the media understood that Wes Clark, as a retired four star general and former NATO SACEUR was very well qualified to assess McCain's experience and inform the public of McCain's foreign policy limitations, most of the media went ballistic - probably prodded by the Republican campaign machine.

I started running pretty much daily open Obama v.p. speculation threads back on May 9. I may have been too repetitive, opinionated, stubborn, or whatever else, but I had a lot of fun and appreciated hearing everybody's viewpoints. Many times it was a very worthwhile conversation, I think.

There were three main elimination series of polls. The first generated Sen. Jim Webb (VA) as the winner, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (KS) as the runner-up, by a slim margin. The second round produced Gen. (Ret.) Wesley Clark (AR), with Sebelius again the runner-up, and the result of the third was identical to the second. Of the three top names generated, I think all could have been solid and winning choices, along with my other three top choices, Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (GA), Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) and Gov. Tim Kaine (VA).

I could be said to have been correct in my analysis in generating the field for the third round of eliminations, only in that the eventual choice, Sen. Joe Biden (DE), was included among the 14 most likely choices, though he was not in my top four in my predictions or preference. So this diary is just me fulfilling my promise to eat crow here if I was wrong. And I was.

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I have it on good authority from a source deep in the Obama campaign that new politics will be practiced tommorrow in the VP selection.

"Considering how FUBAR'd the country is due to George W. Bush's misgoverning, we've decided to take an unprecedented measure and name a co-VP group to help Obama run, win, and govern" David Plouffe, said in a secret memo I obtained from the campaign. "This country is so screwed up, Plouffe said, "that we'll need several VP's to help us clean up the GOP's mess. When we looked at all the candidates, it became clear one would not be enough, even just to get the White House cafeteria cleaned up let alone every department of the excecutive government."

Welcome back for more speculation! Today continues the new final series of possibilities for Obama's v.p.

This series began with a new top 14 list of names I considered most likely to be named Obama's v.p. running mate, and we'll eliminate the bottom vote-getter each day until there is a winner, or a real-life winner is named by Obama. Starting today, candidates will be listed in order of votes from the previous poll, from most to least, so we'll have some idea of preference in this thread's voting should Obama decide before there is a series winner. Sen. Joe Biden (MBNA) and Fmr. Vice President Al Gore (TN) were eliminated in the previous round.

Please discuss any v.p. candidates in the comments. The most correct format would be to state their name, unless you have further comments. I'm happy to hear all ideas in this open thread, and I'm no official gatekeeper, so play nice.

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I really don't know of another individual who cares more about our country, and is more prepared with the least political ambitions than Gen. Wesley Clark. Join me below the fold.

As of tonight, none but a very small circle around Senator Barack Obama know who he has picked to be his running mate. This is likely the last night on which that can still be said. While we all wait anxiously for that text message, I figured this would be the last chance to express my unease over the omnipresent reports that Obama has selected Senator Joe Biden to be his VP nominee.

Welcome back for more speculation! Today continues the new final series of possibilities for Obama's v.p.

This series began with a new top 14 list of names I considered most likely to be named Obama's v.p. running mate, and we'll eliminate the bottom vote-getter each day until there is a winner, or a real-life winner is named by Obama. Starting today, candidates will be listed in order of votes from the previous poll, from most to least, so we'll have some idea of preference in this thread's voting should Obama decide before there is a series winner. Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) was eliminated in the previous round.

Please discuss any v.p. candidates in the comments. The most correct format would be to state their name, unless you have further comments. I'm happy to hear all ideas in this open thread, and I'm no official gatekeeper, so play nice.

(continued below the fold)

Last night, Jon Elliott announced that General Wesley Clark will be his guest this evening on his show, This Is America on Air America.  Use link to listen to show stream - show starts at 11:00 EST and Clark is scheduled on at 12:30 EST

I will update after the show.

UPDATE:

He claims he's not on the list:

"I DON'T THINK I'M BEING CONSIDERED -
NO ONE HAS CONTACTED ME."

He did say he's flattered that we're thinking of him.

Jon very graciously listed all of the other positions for which Clark would be outstanding, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The podcast will be up in the morning & I'll embed.

Another day and still no early morning text message veep announcement. I'm almost losing my patience. But I'm taking a deep breadth. This is not another veepstakes diary.

I've been reading today's comments for the past two hours and my brain feels ready to burst.  I want to win just as much as the next person but I really truly feel confident that Obama's campaign will address our latest concerns, especially the obvious problems that seem to overlap in our individual analysis of the election so far.  Although the polls are tigthening and negative feelings are starting to grab hold of us, my thinking is that we miscalculate Obama's overall strategy for the general election.  

This is not diary number 203995 on who will be the choice for VP, but a diary about how General Wesley Clark will be welcomed in Europe, if selected. This is my point of view as a Norwegian.

Clark is quite famous in Europe, form being in command when NATO for the first time in its history conducted military operations in 1999. He is also fairly popular, remembered as much as a diplomat as a military commander. He brought the alliance together and answered critical questions form press from all of Europe every day throughout the crisis in a balanced and reassuring way.

The political pundits are pushing Senator Joe Biden as Obama's nominee choice.  I'm going to go against the grain and out on the limb and say - NO IT'S NOT BIDEN

The media is saying the recent trip to Georgia, requested by President Bush put Biden over the top for Obama.  I don't think so.  In fact, if I were Obama, that trip would have given me second thoughts about picking him as my VP choice.  Why you ask?

As Sherlock Homes would say, 'Elementary, my dear Watson" - Because President Bush asked him to go.

That is a typical Karl Rove maneuver.

Put Senator Joe Biden in the limelight.  Convince Senator Obama that Senator Biden is the man he needs on his side at this point.

Why would the GOP do that; with all of Biden's experience, maturity and likability giving Obama's supporters and those 'not sure', a sense of security?

I don't have a clue, except to say they probably have something on Biden that could hurt Obama.  Perhaps they are hoping Biden with his known problem of 'talking too much' at times will ultimately hurt Obama?  Either way, I just don't think Obama will pick Biden.

In two recent articles at HuffingtonPost.com, Paul Abrams makes a compelling case for Wesley Clark to be Obama’s VP pick. I hope someone at Obama HQ is listening to him because I think he’d be a far better choice than the 3 frontrunners listed by the MSM.

Welcome back for more speculation! Today continues the new final series of possibilities for Obama's v.p.

This series began with a new top 14 list of names I considered most likely to be named Obama's v.p. running mate, and we'll eliminate the bottom vote-getter each day until there is a winner, or a real-life winner is named by Obama. Starting today, candidates will be listed in order of votes from the previous poll, from most to least, so we'll have some idea of preference in this thread's voting should Obama decide before there is a series winner. Sens. Evan Bayh (IN) and Jack Reed (RI) were eliminated in the previous round.

Please discuss any v.p. candidates in the comments. The most correct format would be to state their name, unless you have further comments. I'm happy to hear all ideas in this open thread, and I'm no official gatekeeper, so play nice.

(continued below the fold)

Once again, Obama has surprised me by doing something I had all but thought he would not do...  just like he always seems to.

This time, with all the media frenzy fawning over BidenBayhKaine... Obama up and tossed them all a big curveball.

And again, in the end, it looks like a no-brainer.  

Any reasonable measure of the net advantages vs. negatives of all potential candidates leaves one candidate standing far above the rest:

Nato Commander, Executive experience, Economics degree, past presidential election experience, a non-washington insider, former clinton-surrogate, attack dog willing to legitimately call McSame's BS over-use of his military experience and frothing hawkishness...

Senator Obama,

I know so much is at stake for our country and that you and Michelle are going to be the best President and First Lady in modern American history.  But I just want to encourage you to select a Vice President that will be rock solid steady and has your back.  The right man for the job is General Wesley Clark.  I'm not sure what your consultants are saying about General Clark, but please consider the wisdom contained in the below excerpt from Andy Ostroy's recent Op-Ed.  Thank you Barack!!!