Former generals don't tend to make good presidents. (For the life of me I can't find a list of which American presidents were generals first... stupid internet. Anyone know? There are at least 10.) While I was driving through Missouri late at night last weekend I heard Gen. Wesley Clark talking with Alan Colmes on the radio, and I was amazed by his lack of coherence and overall absurdity.
Some people are speculating that Clark will jump into the 2004 race -- and there's even a movement to "draft" him. I listened to him and Colmes talk and take calls from listeners for an hour or so, and Clark's grasp of issues struck me as spectacularly poor. He didn't understand our income tax system, he didn't understand the War on Terror, he didn't understand the operational facts of the battle in Iraq, he didn't understand much of foreign policy, he didn't understand environmental issues and our dependence on oil, &c. I'm not saying this because I disagreed with the positions he voiced (although I did), I'm saying it because he sounded like he was spouting Democratic talking points that he didn't really have any knowledge of.
Clark contradicted himself several times, sputtered, floundered, and forced Colmes to rescue him from more knowledgable callers. It was truly painful to listen to. Anyone who thinks that Clark can mount a credible campaign is delusional. Clark may have excellent military command ability (although I doubt it, based on his direction of the war in Serbia), but he has little compehension of political issues, and it shows.
Update:
Daniel Drezner has some links and discussion about Wesley Clark over at the Conspiracy.
Generals-cum-presidents of the USA:
George Washington,
Andrew Jackson,
William Henry Harrison,
Zachary Taylor,
Ulysses S. Grant,
Rutherford B. Hayes (Major General),
James A. Garfield (Major General),
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Benjamin Harrison was a Colonel. Theodore Roosevelt was a Lieutenant Colonel. John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush also notably served.
As for losing generals, I know General Winfield Scott lost (as a Whig) to Franklin Pierce in 1852. Pierce had served, although I don't know to what rank.
Excellent, thanks!
Oh, I just remembered.
General George McClellan, having been fired by Lincoln, ran as the Democrat against Lincoln in 1864 and lost.
Brigadier General Chester Arthur
General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower
Major General James A. Garfield
General of the Army Ulysses Grant
Brigadier General Benjamin Harrison
Major General William H. Harrison
Major General Rutherford B. Hayes
Major General Andrew Jackson
Brigadier General Andrew Johnson
Brigadier General Franklin Pierce
Major General Zachary Taylor
Lieutenant General George Washington (posthumously promoted 6-star General of the Armies - no one can ever out-rank him)
Thanks Blair, that's perfect.