Seen by millions on Face the Nation, General Clark had an opportunity he couldn’t resist taking. As adviser to Senator Obama he was expected to help in his campaign. Here is what he said about Senator McCain: “I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is the same as having been at highest levels of the military and having to make life and death decisions about national and strategic issues.” The statement was a triple error of judgment.

First, it didn’t harm the honorable reputation of Sen. McCain who was for years in the military and has devoted his life to serve the Nation.

In the second place, the statement was of no help to the campaign of the supposed beneficiary and was rejected by both Senator Obama and his staff.

Furthermore, Sen. Obama has not served in the armed forces and certainly not “at highest levels of the military”. The General’s implication then, was that Obama cannot be president! The third error was to expose to scrutiny his costly mistakes and weaknesses.

For those of us who have followed the general’s carrier since the days of his being “at highest levels” in the Balkan war and who have heard some of Gen. Clark’s speeches when he later decided to enter the presidential primaries, the statement quoted above was a repetition of his delusions that he had the necessary qualifications to be president.

It is expected of the presidential candidate to have a demonstrable ability to make sound decisions. If we go back to the time when the General commanded the NATO troops in the Balkans, we find serious errors of judgment. Exercising the power of making those “life and death decisions”, he sent bombers to destroy non-military objects in Serbia, killing thousands of innocent civilians, men, women and children.

The massacre could have been much greater if his original plan had been followed. He wanted to have a surprise bomber attack on Belgrade the very first day of the conflict. Fortunately, French President Chirac, realizing that this could cost tens of thousands of innocent lives, vetoed the attack.

The details of his decisions during the brief war, were closely followed by his high level colleagues in the Pentagon. When the war ended, did he receive plaudits from them for his military leadership? Hardly! Here is what General H. Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the Chiefs of staff commented after Clark was brought back early from Europe: “I’ve known Wes for a long time. I will tell you the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things very dear to my heart”... Another former colleague, Col. David Hackworth, called Clark “a perfumed prince” who had clearly reached his ‘Peter Principle’ level of incompetence. “We can only hope, he added, that he will stop embarrassing himself, and us, with his frantic attempts to be relevant “.

The ambitious general made the decision to run for President. Convinced that he had all the necessary qualifications, he launched his campaign full steam ahead. After travelling across the country and making countless self-praising speeches, he waited with the other candidates for the vote count to be finished. When it was, so few people had chosen to vote for him that his presidential dream ended abruptly.

The primaries, however, were not quite over. The two principal candidates insisted that disqualified votes in Florida and Michigan be reinstated and that the votes of the “super-delegates” must first be settled. Their campaigns continued.

So what was left for the general to do? There still remained the consolation prize, the chance to be selected by the designated presidential candidate to run for Vice President on the common ticket. General Clark chose Senator Clinton and quickly offered his services. After all, he was the commander in her husband’s controversial war in the Balkans..

Of course, when she finally withdrew, he didn’t wait to grab his very last chance and offer himself to Barack Obama, still hoping for that elusive vice-presidency.

* Do costly, extra-long presidential campaigns have any advantages? Well, at least one comes to mind: a better chance for the people to judge their candidates.

Paul C. Nikitovich is a resident of Englewood.