If He Runs, Wesley Clark Promises to Enter Presidential Race Earlier This Time

When Wesley Clark ran for president in 2004, he joined the marathon late in the race. For a man with almost no political experience, he did well at times but it was a steep learning curve and there were times when Clark's inexperience showed. But no one questioned his basic ability and experience.

MSNBC carries an AP story that suggests Wesley Clark may soon decide if he entering the 2008 race:

Wesley Clark said Tuesday he wants to avoid waiting too late to make a decision on whether to run for president - a mistake he made in his failed 2004 bid.

"I think it was clear that I got in too late last time," the retired general and former NATO commander told The Associated Press in an interview.

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Clark is considering running again, but he said the late start was one of the mistakes he learned from in his last attempt.

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"I think that it's more clear than ever before that the country is an era of profound national security challenges," Clark said.

Clark said Iraq will be a focus of the 2008 campaign. He disagreed with suggestions by some members of Congress that more U.S. troops should be sent to help stabilize Iraq. Neither would he begin reducing U.S. forces in Iraq within the next six months, as others have suggested.

"It's not a matter of fiddling with troop levels," Clark said. "It's a matter of politics inside Iraq and diplomacy in the region. ...

For Democrats, 2003 was a strange pre-season for the 2004 campaign. The presumed front-runner, John Kerry was slowed down by surgery early in 2003 and was slow finding his campaign voice. There was uncertainty about the strength of other candidates and Wesley Clark sounded very sharp and informed on TV, particularly when discussing the war in Iraq. Wesley Clark was urged to run while there was still time to be a factor.

I don't know how much of a chance the former general has of winning the nomination but I hope he enters the race. The American people need to hear well-informed voices and he would keep the other candidates on their toes whenever the subject of foreign policy is raised. These are critical times and it's important for the Democrats to raise the level of discussion even if Republicans continue to insist on irrelevant sideshows. Americans know we have major problems and that Bush and his fellow Republicans have made a mess, and not just in Iraq. Let's hope Wesley Clark has learned much in the last three years.