Election Year Gimmicks and Other Comments From Clark, Via IRC

Our man Clark did an IRC interview with prominent bloggers this afternoon, once again proving that Dean doesn't have a lock on techno-campaigning. Below, I quote the two best parts:

First, maybe I'm not the only one with the "they're saving Osama Bin Laden till just before the election" irrational conspiracy fear:

LiberalOasis: You, and other Democrats, have regularly criticized George Bush for his failure, as of now, to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. However, the possibility exists that bin Laden will be captured or killed before ElectionDay.Should Democrats continue to criticize Bush on this point, because a freebin Laden is the only thing keeping the terrorist threat alive? Or is the threat greater than one man, and in turn, Dems should be making abroader critique on how Bush is waging the war on terror, in part to preventDems from being speechless if bin Laden is caught?
Clark: Agree with the thrust of your thoughts...it's a broader problem than OBL, but we do have to go after him....even if we take hime out, there's still a lot to do to make the world safer...Wes

I don't have any important comments on this. I'm just glad Wes is thinking about it.

And second:

wolff from IRC: Can the general comment on the immigration plan that Bush proposed today?
Clark: Let me tell you about my ideas...my ideas are to enable earned legalization, develop a guest workers program, and control our borders to promote homeland security. and for me it's what I believe in and will do, not an election year gimmick. Wes

We are going to see a lot more of this from the White House in coming months. As I've said before, I'm certainly capable of appreciating GWB's chocolate chip cookies, but that doesn't mean I'm not suspicious about why he chose to bake them now. Bake me some cookies some year you're not up for reelection, Mr. Bush, and maybe they won't seem so much like a bribe.

That said, I think we should loudly applaud all of Mr. Bush's baking efforts, however cynical they appear. First, because doing the right thing for the wrong reason is still better than doing the wrong thing. Second, because If we don't, we'll be accused of ingratitude and partisanship. And third, because I don't care how many cookies the man bakes in 2004, he's never gonna be the leader we need and deserve to have in the White House. Wes Clark is the leader we need and deserve, and he doesn't have to bake any cookies to prove it.