Roll Call has a really interesting article today (alas, it’s unavailable to non-subscribers) on Wesley Clark and the role he is establishing for himself in Dem policy circles. There’s a lot to this.
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark has taken a high-profile role, both on and off Capitol Hill, as a Democratic spokesman and foreign policy adviser, stoking speculation that he is planning another national campaign in 2008.
Clark has emerged as a regular presence on Capitol Hill in the last few months.
His allies paint him as a “go-to guy” for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) on foreign policy matters, pointing out that he has been repeatedly invited by the duo to address their respective caucuses on the handling of current military situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jim Manley, a Reid spokesman, noted that Clark is a member of the two leaders’ National Security Advisory Group.
“He is someone that Sen. Reid will continue to look to for advice,” Manley added.
The implications in the 2008 race are obvious, and the article notes that Clark is continuing to cultivate his relationships with key Dem leaders, including Reps. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) and Rahm Emanuel (Ill.). Of course, it’s not just beltway activities either — Clark is maintaining a busy speaking schedule with Dems across the country, including a speech next month at the annual Flag Day Dinner of the Manchester City Democratic Committee in New Hampshire.
Those who were with Clark before haven’t lost their enthusiasm. Though I was surprised to see it in print, I think this was a telling remark:
“I’m convinced we would have won with him,” Rangel said.
Indeed, this article even suggested Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) was prepared to endorse Clark in late-2003, right up until Clark announced he would not compete in the state’s caucuses.
Looking back at the 2004 race, Clark started late, was new to the party, and had to scramble to make connections with Dem leaders. If he runs again, this won’t be a problem next time.
But I think there’s more to this than just presidential politics.
The fact that Clark is a sought-after voice on the Hill and among party activists reemphasizes the fact that Dems want to make national security a staple of the Dem agenda, and they’re also turning to a trusted, credible source to help make that happen. The party seems firmly committed to bolstering its national-security credentials, and not a moment too soon.
This isn’t a criticism of John Kerry or the efforts of Dem leaders from the past several years. Kerry, Daschle, Gephardt, and others offered sound foreign policy prescriptions.
I believe, however, that Clark’s growing influence in the party, and the fact that Reid and Pelosi are relying on him to shape the Dem message, is indicative of the party turning the page on recent election cycles and beginning to position national security as a principal focus of the Dem agenda, on par with issues more traditionally associated with the party.
Clark is Reid and Pelosi’s “go-to guy,” but the key point here is that there was no “go-to guy” advising party leaders on the Hill before now.
As I noted a couple of weeks ago, this recognition is manifesting itself in a variety of ways — all of them encouraging.
On the staff level, Reid’s aides have organized several meetings between about 50 Democratic aides and a group of national-security experts. The experts who have met with staff members include retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a former NATO supreme allied commander; Rand Beers, who served as foreign policy adviser to Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) presidential campaign; and Brookings Institution scholars Susan Rice and James Steinberg. Three or four more of these meetings are expected to take place in the next 10 weeks, Democratic aides said.
The purpose of the meetings is to ensure that Democratic “staff has the confidence and tools to support [Democratic] members” of the Senate as they articulate their party’s position on foreign policy and security issues, said a senior Democratic aide familiar with the meetings. “Reid has the feeling that national security is highly important.”
An aide to Pelosi said the House Democratic leadership has organized several meetings between national-security experts and lawmakers and aides. The aide also said that Clark has spoken to the Democratic caucus about how to communicate national-security policies effectively.
Publicly, Reid and Pelosi announced in March the formation of the National Security Advisory Group to advise congressional Democrats on defense and national-security policy. The group is headed by former Clinton Defense Secretary William Perry.
For too long, Dems haven’t talked about national security until they’re pressured to by circumstances. It certainly hasn’t come naturally or proactively. Just last year, polls showed Americans agreeing with us on virtually every policy issue under the sun except on the question of who the public trusted more to manage the war on terrorism competently. It was enough to give Bush a victory he didn’t deserve.
It’s encouraging to see party leaders commit themselves to reversing this.