Short answer: Of course he can. Anyone can.
Long answer: The better question is, can Clark be swiftboated like Kerry was? Quickly followed by, will the result be as bad?
And the answer to both is NO.
First we have to compare Kerry's service with Clark's. There's no doubt Kerry served honorably, that the attacks from the swiftboaters were totally unjustified, that his medals were deserved and his injuries real.
But there is still a significant difference between his service and Clark's, and it's simplistic to deny it.
First and foremost, Kerry came back from Vietnam and protested the war. He left some pretty vivid video describing the terrible things some GIs did, and much like the "botched joke" earlier this month, all that video was easily trimmed down to make it sound like he was personally accusing ALL GI of terrible things. He also threw away medals (not even his own) and appeared at events with very famous and very much hated protestors, like Jane Fonda and the guys who were accused of planning to assassinate government officials.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with any of the things Kerry actually did or said, and I don't agree with the "guilt by association" that was used against him. In fact, I very much agree with what Clark said, that if that's how he felt about the war, he had a DUTY to his country to voice his opinions.
What I am saying that these activities make him much more vulnerable to swiftboating than he would have been if he had come home, kept his mouth shut and gone on with his life. It made (and may continute to make in '08 if Kerry runs again) more Vietnam vets WANT to get back at him, even if it means lying, and it mades many many more willing to believe whatever lies they threw out.
I'm sure that if Clark gets the nomination, in fact, as it grows to appear he has a decent shot at getting the nomination, the swiftboating will start. But I don't believe it'll stick. Not like it did with Kerry. For the reasons I give above, but also for the following:
One, because Clark will be prepared. In fact, I am 100% SURE one of the factors in his decision to run is whether he thinks he can beat the swiftboating he knows will come. One thing he will use is the very network of veterans he put together (along with Kerry, Cleland, Murtha, Webb, Sestack, and all the other fighting Dems) for the express purpose of fighting the swiftboaters in 2006. It'll be stronger still by 2008. But I doubt he'll leave it at that.
Two, becaue Clark will fight back -- hard, fast, and immediate. As we've seen so many times since 2003, Clark just doesn't take shit. Not from the media and not from anyone else. It's as much his nature as it is Kerry's to be cautious as he plans out a course of action and deliberate as he puts it into action.
Three, because at least some of the voters are going to be at least a little bit skeptical of swiftboat-like charges after seeing so much of it in 04 and 06. It certainly seemed to carry less weight in 06, but I'll admit that might be because it wasn't a presidential year. I never want to overestimate the common sense of the average American voter.
Finally, and mostly, Clark has so many many more people who know him and his career than Kerry did.
Kerry was in Vietnam for less than four months. He knew the dozen or so members of his crew, and a handful of other officers who were his counterparts on shore (several of whom ended up being swiftboaters themselves, to include his next higher commander). They had to stand up to over 250 people the GOP rounded up, most of whom didn't even know Kerry over there but just hated him for his protests, and who were made to seem like even more by the millions of dollars the GOP poured into the effort. The voters' perceptions were overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Clark otoh has tens of thousands of veterans to draw upon to attest to the character of his service. His commander in Vietnam actually witnessed the action that won him his Silver Star and is on film describing what happened. His corps (3-star) commander, who just happened to be a very famous WWII vet, is also on record attesting to Clark's valor. And a picture being worth a thousand words, there is this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/hf_jai/wes%20clark/clarkhospital1970.jpg
You won't see purple band-aids at the 08 RNC if Clark is our nominee.
Then there are all his West Point classmates who backed him, most of whom have gone on to great accomplishment within the military -- class of '66 was "the class the stars fell on."
You should read the interview Fox's Brit Hume did with Maj Gen Bob Scales the same day Clark joined the race in Sept 03.
Scales had been a Fox news military guy for some time. He's very right-wing and very much a Republican. But he still stood up for Wes Clark, talked about his patriotism and sense of service, no matter how many times Hume tried to lead him into saying something, anything, negative.
Quite honestly, the GOP is not going to be able to come up with much more than they already have, altho I'm sure they'll try, and throw the same money into it, at least until it becomes clear it won't stick. Whoever they may use will be the ones overwhelmed by sheer numbers who will speak the truth about Clark's record.
