Tread lightly on the things of earth

According to the WaPo yesterday, Gen. Clark Reportedly Is Asked to Join Dean (as Democratic candidates for U.S. president/vice president).

My impression? Dream team.

And not just because both Dr. Dean and Gen. Clark appear to be decent, real, articulate, intelligent human beings. That alone would be a breath of fresh air. But much more important is the spirit behind them for which they’re a visible face, a whole movement for justice (of the true biblical kind, generally speaking, IMO) that gives me hope and determination to engage again in the real nitty-gritty life of the world.

Maybe I’m overstating the case, but to be able to be hopeful again about the possibilities for our future — as a country and as a world — is for me an answer to prayer.

Already-present upside: I’m not angry for the first time in nearly two years. As more of us wake up to the chronic injustice and global destruction wrought by the Bush Administration — finally a majority of us in the U.S. are awake now as polled by Zogby (my interpretation) — I’m able to let go and rest.

Anyone else experiencing this sense of relief, this lifting of weight? The sea change in perceptions that began in July is becoming visible everywhere now. I think we’re finally escaping the clutches of deceit.

Later in the day, 3:13 PM ET:

According to the AP, Clark set to enter 2004 presidential race as 10th Democratic candidate (also here).

Really, it’s this aspect of Gen. Clark that revs up my enthusiasm at his participation in any capacity, whether as presidential or VP nominee (or even as Secretary of Defense):

Clark has a resume that unnerves potential rivals — Rhodes scholar, first in his 1966 class at West Point, White House fellow, head of the U.S. Southern Command and NATO commander during the 1999 campaign in Kosovo.

I insist on smart leaders. If that’s being prejudiced against dumb leaders, then so be it.