The intrepid Nick Lampson, who is trying to run the indicted Tom DeLay out of Texas's gerrymandered 22nd CD, joined General Clark for a conversation yesterday on Securing America's third podcast.

Here are clips from the transcript, but listen to the whole thing at Securing America.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: You put up a great defense but I don't think the people of America really understood then exactly what was going on in the country and I don't think people understood exactly what Tom DeLay's role was. I think it's more clear now, isn't it?

Nick Lampson: Sure it is. Absolutely. People are understanding that it was about control, it was about directing the nation into something that has given him a legacy of debt, corruption and neglect and it's not just in his district where there's been neglect, it's been across this nation. We're not…the Republican party under his leadership has seen the highest deficits and the highest debt in the history of our nation and that's what it has become.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Basically he tried to run…he tried to run anybody that was associated with the Democrats out of Washington as I understand it, right? By denying them an opportunity to earn a living there in dealing with issues of public policy…

Nick Lampson: …which made the special interests driving the policy of the nation and it's what happened with the Medicare bill, as an example on November 22nd of 2003. If you remember, they kept the vote open for 3 hours. They were actually offering bribes on the floor of the House of Representatives.

-snip

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: These guys like Tom DeLay, they thrived on scaring the American people. Am I right that I haven't seen an elevated terrorist threat alert color-coded warning since John Kerry lost to George Bush in November of 2004?

Nick Lampson: Well we certainly hope that it doesn't start happening again, but who knows, maybe that's the politics at the time that it is important for them.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I think that the greatest threat to the American people, what they really have to be worried about is the threat to liberty and democracy here in America and Nick we're real proud of you. You're running hard, you've got a great campaign organization. You've got people that really believe in you and yours is a race to see who can best take care and meet the needs, represent the feelings and the interests of the people of the 22nd Congressional District in Texas. This is a contest of national significance. This is Nick Lampson, 4-term US Congressman, fighting to regain the right to represent his people in Texas and our people across America. Nick, we're really proud of you. Now you've got a website, right?

Nick Lampson: I do indeed. It's www.lampson.com and Lampson is spelled L-a-m-p-s-o-n. We'd be honored if people would come and visit it, share the link with as many of their friends as they possibly can.