- #36
russ_watters
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I'll try this one more time: it isn't the quotes themselves that are the problem, but the interpretation of them provided by the blogger. Again, the quotes are real, but they do not say what the blogger says they say. Specifically:turbo-1 said:What Wes Clark said was quoted quite explicitly in the article. This is not a case of "unnamed sources" or "high-ranking officials" that are commonly cited as sources of leaks in right wing outlets that are Bush mouthpieces (perhaps the "leakiest" administration in recent memory). Clark is quoted explicitly and his observations are backed up with analysis. He is not a nut job and we ignore him at our peril.
Those are the blogger's words, not Clark's and none of the quotes from Clark imply that he believes that. They are putting words in his mouth, though, by phrasing the questions in the article in a leading way then following them with a quote that isn't very specific. It implies Clark says something he didn't. Ie:and paints U.S. air strikes against Iran in 2007/08 as all-but-a-done deal.
Now "headed in this direction" is different from "all but a done deal", but regardless, Clark's answer doesn't say anything specific about what he believes, just where he gets his impressions. (More on that below). And the next quote:When we asked him what made him so sure the Bush administration was headed in this direction, he replied: "You just have to read what's in the Israeli press. The Jewish community is divided but there is so much pressure being channeled from the New York money people to the office seekers."
What's outrageous? He doesn't say. He doesn't say he thinks its "all but a done deal", the blogger says it."How can you talk about bombing a country when you won't even talk to them?" said Clark. "It's outrageous.
Also, you are claiming Clark has some insider knowledge here, but the blogger was relatively clear that it was this other article he was upset about, not some other info he has:
Clark was really angry about what he'd read in this column...
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