The Hiller Instinct: One-on-One with Wesley Clark

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Thanks Randy. General Clark, first thanks for being here right on time, precisely. First, feeling a little momentum, things seem to be going your way?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"I think things are going really well."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"In the debate last night, you were asked when it was that you discovered you were a democrat. Why is it still out there that you are a republican?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"Well it’s out there because the republicans are afraid that I might be the democratic nominee to face George Bush. That would be very hard for the republicans."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"That’s the fear factor?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"It would be very hard for guys like Ed Gillespie (Republican Party chairman) or Carl Rove (Bush spokesman) because they know if I’m the democratic nominee, not only can I bring the democratic party together, but I can bring a lot of independents and republicans over. I’m new to this party and I’ll bring a lot of other new people."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Speaking of bring people to your campaign, one of the things that our polls show is that you have a gender gap, men like you more than women or more men like you than women. Is that why you were bagging groceries yesterday?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"No, but you must not have seen one of the TV polls, I was the woman… I was the man that most women would want to be stranded on a desert island with."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"What were the other choices?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"Well, all the other candidates."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Well speaking of the other candidates…"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"They preferred to be with me, I think that’s because they new that I was an Army Ranger and I can take care of them and I can keep them safe and that’s what I’ll do for America."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Isn’t John Edwards supposed to be the good looking one?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"It has nothing to do with looks, it’s about something else."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Do you have and sympathy for Howard Dean?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"I like Howard Dean, he’s a good guy."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Have you seen the video?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"Which video?"

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"Exactly, well put... Since you skipped Iowa, how do you think you have to do here in order to show that that was a smart political decision?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"I don’t even think about questions like that (laughing). I’m just going out and having a good time. I’ve been out popping around through the streets today. I served donuts this morning at a Dunkin’ Donuts, I’ve been out at the bars and eateries this afternoon shaking hands and meeting people and I just love it, it’s fun."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"There’s a story out that there’s a lot of people in the National Guard that as soon as they can get out, will get out. Now, if President Bush is re-elected and the war on terrorism continues is it going to get to the point where we need to reinstate the draft?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"Well if I’m elected it won’t, because what I’m going to do is change the foreign policy not change the military forces."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"You really… In the past you praised President Bush, I’m not getting back exactly to the republican part, but in the past you did praise him."

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"You’re not going to raise that whole issue again?"

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"No I’m not. I’m not going back into the past. I was wondering if there is anything that you would like to praise him for now?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"(Laughs) I’m running for president because he is taking the country in the wrong direction. Here’s what we are going to do. Have you heard about my tax-reform proposal?"

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"I have and it’s on your web page."

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"If you’re a family of four making $50,000 or less -- no federal income tax. If you’re a family making $100,000 or less with kids you’re going to get back $1,500 a year in tax refunds. Now that’s real money. I spent most of my lifetime making $100,000 or less, I spent more than half my military career making less than $50,000 a year. I know how families struggle."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"They’re telling me to wrap, so this is my final question. Would you ever like to just court marshal John Kerry?"

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"I like John Kerry, he’s a veteran, he’s a good guy. We were junior officers together in Vietnam around the same time, we both won silver stars, I think he’s a terrific guy."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"General, you like everybody, you’re a good guy, good luck at the campaign."

General Wesley Clark (D) Presidential Candidate
"I think that I’m best qualified to be president and I appreciate your, your… sympathy."

Andy Hiller, Manchester, NH
"I’m so glad that you didn’t say vote. Thanks."