While watching Real Time with Bill Maher, I was shocked by General Wesley Clark’s statements towards the end of the broadcast. No, not his lack of knowledge of the Constitution — a lack Bill Maher and Andrew Sullivan share. General Wesley Clark engaged in scaremongering. His boogeyman of choice? A Chinese candidate for president:

I’m sorry. I think that Schwarzenegger should not be allowed to run. That law has served a very good purpose for America. It’s very simple. Forty, fifty, years from now when China is the greatest power on Earth and we’re just one of their satellites – let’s say that happens. I’m not saying it will happen, but let’s say it does. Somebody comes over here and becomes the Chinese candidate for president. Is that what we want for this country? No! I’m very serious. I think it’s a great thing in this country that we’re a nation of immigrants, but I think it was a sound purpose in the Constitution that native-born Americans are running. . .

He did not finish his thought, but I do not think he was formulating a retreat from his prior statement. First, if the United States becomes a Chinese satellite, Article II Clause 5 compliance will likely be a relatively minor problem facing the country. Why, though, would General Clark bring this up?

I suspect this is related to Clinton’s Norman Hsu problem and Chung Seto “problem“. Bill had plenty of political problems stemming from some improper donations for the 1996 campaign. Hillary received a handful of unlawful donations, which the Los Angeles Times — the paper which broke the illegal 1996 campaign donations story — blew far out of proportion. Bill displayed he was tough on China by persecuting Wen Ho Lee. Hillary’s surrogate has evoked the Chinese boogyman. What other delightful mis-guided xenophobic actions do we have to look forward to?

Tell me what you see, starting at about 6:55.

-Justin Gillenwater

Posted by Justin on Sunday, October 28th, 2007 at 8:33 pm.