"Put a fork in Clark . . . "
You know the old saying about a political candidate who appears to hurt himself fatally: "Stick a fork in him, 'cause he's done." That's what Richard Heddleson emailed me today, citing an AP article exposing Clark's inability to state a clear position on straightforward questions.

I thought that it was a bit premature to write Clark's political epitaph; after all, he just declared his candidacy this week. But then I see that Jeff Jarvis reacted with great despair to Clark's verbal puffery:

He has been a candidate for only hours and already Gen. Wesley Clark is flopping around like a bowl full of Jell-O in a Humvee. [Darn] it, can't we get a decent Democratic candidate for President? I had hopes for this guy. They are being dashed against the rocks.
In the NY Times, we see this pathetic bit of flip-flopping:

Gen. Wesley K. Clark said today that he would have supported the Congressional resolution that authorized the United States to invade Iraq, even as he presented himself as one of the sharpest critics of the war effort in the Democratic presidential race.

General Clark also said in an interview that he would probably oppose President Bush's request for $87 billion to finance the recovery effort in Iraq, though he said he could see circumstances in which he might support sending even more money into the country.

On both the question of the initial authorization and the latest request for financing, General Clark said he was conflicted. He offered the case on both sides of the argument, as he appeared to struggle to stake out positions on issues that have bedeviled four members of Congress who supported the war and are now seeking the Democratic presidential nomination....

"At the time, I probably would have voted for it, but I think that's too simple a question," General Clark said.

They don't let you vote "maybe, if...", General. It's "yes" or "no." So which is it?
I read that this morning on the PATH and practically got arrested for shouting at my newspaper: WOULD YOU MAKE UP YOUR [EXPLETIVE] MIND?