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Will Wes Clark hurt Rick Noriega?
On paper, an association with retired Gen. Wesley Clark is probably a plus for Texas Democratic state Rep. Rick Noriega as he seeks to unseat Republican John Cornyn from the U.S. Senate.
But don’t be surprised if Republicans try to use Clark against Noriega after Clark’s controversial appearance Sunday on “Face the Nation” on CBS.
Clark was there to talk about Barack Obama and get in some shots on John McCain, as Joe Lieberman had just done on McCain’s behalf in the prior segment. But the conversation moved toward McCain’s military service (Naval aviator, Vietnam, POW) and that’s where the controversy began. Clark praised McCain’s military service, but then said McCain did not have the kind of executive experience that forced him to make major military decisions.
Then, after a followup question, came the money quote:
“I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” Clark said.
So how does this relate to Noriega? Clark is scheduled to host a fundraiser for Noriega on July 16 in Dallas. And Noriega has made his own military service, first in the Army and then the Texas Army National Guard, key to his campaign. Clark’s Sunday comments probably won’t make much of an impact, but they can’t help Noriega’s message.
Here’s a fuller video of the Clark interview:
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