I’m still reserving judgement, but I’m getting lots of email like this:

Jonah:
Take heart, your vexation at finding Wes Clark an incomparable won’t last.
The man is an empty suit or I should say uniform complete with four stars. My father and husband were both military officers and I have seen the likes of Wesley Clark many, many times.
He is a political officer. That means that his main objective in his career is to be promoted and he will say and do anything to achieve that objective up to and including ruining other officers careers. He was promoted up the line by others of the same ilk. These guys always look good on paper—that means, they went to the right schools (usually the Academies or one of the private military schools), they went to the right wars (known as being in the right place at the right time) and had the right sponsors. Even had the right medals. But they are lousy leaders of men and real leaders can spot them a mile away.
It is somehow fitting that Bill and Hillary Clinton would sponsor him. I’m sure they see him as one of their people and he is. Vain, shallow, looks good in a uniform and easily manipulated.
You will no doubt receive plenty of e-mail from people who have had the occasion to run into or afoul of General Clark. You should also look into his record as Commander during the war in Kosovo. He almost started WWIII but thankfully a British commander wouldn’t follow his orders. He didn’t do it out of mendacity just good old garden variety stupidity and vanity.
Wesley Clark is not a class act.
[Name withheld]