The Marketing of the Anti-War Movement and a New Presidential Run

NATO's former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, General Wes Clark has, for some strange reason, changed his name from Wesley to Wes. Name strangeness aside, I am impressed as hell by his willingness to hook up with people who have stellar Internet marketing acumen.

He is now, blog and all, the head of stopIranwar.com and VoteVets.org "a pro military organization founded by Veterans of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan ...[who are] committed to winning the war on terror and preserving the strength of our military."

Clark et al have teamed up with MoveOn.org to mount a campaign to stop President Bush from taking military action in Iran. A petition is being circulated by MoveOn and by VoteVets.org, demanding that Congress keep completely out of touch and out of control President Bush from further acts of war without their permission.

I'm sure we'll hear a Presidential candidacy announcement from Clark any day now. But, as Daily Kos noted, "... obviously, his priorities are ordered a bit differently from your average politician."

All a reader has to do is click on a link on MoveOn.org, VoteVets.com, or StopIranWar.com to be brought to the petitions; to contact local media; to contact his/her Congressional representatives. Code is supplied for bloggers who want to run ads with links to the sites and petitions. Background, news stories and video all are available for those who want to study and/or promote the issues.

Any candidate or cause that can't provide tools for action on their cause is sure to be left behind in the dust. We live in very interesting times.

Huh?

What kind of name change is involved in using "Wes" interchangeably with "Wesley"? I suspect Bill Richardson's real name is William, but he has always gone by Bill. Isn't Joe Biden really Joseph? And Chris Dodd Christopher?

Does "B.L." appear on YOUR birth certificate?

General Clark has always gone by "Wes" -- just listen to his West Point classmates speak about him in this short campaign video from 2004.

What a strange criticism....

Nope, B.L. isn't on my birth certificate, but it's been my nickname all my life.

When one is famous, (and I'm not) changing from Wesley to Wes is a marketing move. Just like Hilary Clinton going by Hilary instead of using her last name.

I guess she wants to be the Madonna of politics.

General is really Clark's first name, if we are to get technical about this. And prior to that he was Lieutenant Clark, Captain Clark, etc.

I assume that Wesley is his legal name, as it appears to be the name that he signs his op-eds as well as his books.

But you have been provided with evidence that the General was called Wes when he attended West Point (meaning when he was a teenager), which is what the video depicts, and why the poster provided the link to you. In addition, his wife, his childhood friends and aquaintances also call him Wes (see Esquirer article dated Sept 2003).

I'm not sure what you don't "get" about this fact. President William Jefferson Clinton is Bill, and so it goes that General Wesley K. Clark is Wes.

Maybe the facts mess up your snark, but that's no reason for you to insist that you know better than those who know him.

There is nothing about this I don't get. But there is much that you've missed in the post, like its point.

Let me be one of the first to congratulate you on your post.

Tools enable the netroots to function effectively, but Clark understands that people -- independent, motivated activists -- are what make the netroots live and grow.

Many 'typical politicians' have come to think that building tools automagically translates to netroots activism. Clark understands the value of enabling technologies, but firmly believes in the power of the people behind the keyboards.

Very Cool. I'm in the mood to stop a war. Thanks for the info.

Gen. Clark, or Wesley Clark or Wes is doing what needs doing; walking the walk, talking the talk, all the while with tools for the netroots. Good for us!

I am impressed as hell by his willingness to hook up with people who have stellar Internet marketing acumen.All a reader has to do is click on a link which is very interesting article.
Internet Marketing Strategy