Admiral Joe Sestak Assembles Distinguished Panel on National Security Featuring Tony Lake, Richard A. Clarke, Rand Beers

Former Clinton Administration Advisors Focus on: “National Security and the Way Forward”

September 18, 2006

Swarthmore, Pa. — On Monday, Former Vice Admiral Joe Sestak assembled a distinguished panel on national security entitled: “National Security and the Way Forward,” at Swarthmore College. The panelists included Tony Lake, National Security Advisor to President Clinton; Richard A. Clarke, National Security Coordinator for Security and Counter-Terrorism; and Rand Beers, National Security Advisor to John Kerry Campaign and Special Assistant on Intelligence to President Clinton.

“I am proud to be joined today by my distinguished colleagues from the Clinton Administration to discuss national security and the way forward,” Sestak said. “During the Clinton Administration, my colleagues and I recognized that while we are respected for the power of our military and the power of our economy, we are admired for the power of our ideals. Today, this is no longer the case. When I returned home earlier this year after serving in the U.S. Navy for 31 years, I found my fellow citizens were uneasy: our country was bogged down in Iraq, security elsewhere in the world was breaking down, and safety at home was uncertain. The war in Iraq has distracted us from finishing the work needed to fully secure peace in Afghanistan and undermined our ability to focus on security issues elsewhere in the world. It is time for a new leadership that believes in a change for a safer and more secure America.”

“I can’t think of a time when Washington was more in need of serious, honest and effective leaders like Joe Sestak,” Lake noted. “The disaster in Iraq… the failures in dealing with terrorism, North Korea, Iran, the threats to Israel, a looming energy crisis, global warming… the list goes on and on…. all have been enabled and applauded by the Administration’s enablers in the Congress. People like Joe can help us get beyond the partisan politics of fear mongering to the hard work of securing our future.”

“We have a failed policy in Iraq, a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, and a homeland security policy that resembles Hurricane Katrina,” noted Rand Beers. “I think it’s time to change course if we want succeed. Our soldiers and sailors have defended us bravely and honestly. It’s time to elect them to Congress to hold the President accountable and set the country straight. My friend, Joe Sestak, will be the kind of Congressman who will do that.”

Sestak for Congress Press Release

Born and raised in Delaware County, former Vice Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years before returning home to run for Congress. Sestak served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council in the White House.