How To Handle Frontrunner Clark?

[Nicholas_J]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2003



(Photo: CBS/AP)



(CBS) “Eight career politicians, an officer and a gentleman,” was the way Rev Al Sharpton characterized the group of 10 on stage for the third Democratic National Committee debate held at the New York Stock exchange Thursday . He reserved the two places of honor for newcomer retired General Wesley Clark and of course himself, the gentleman.

The eight politicians seemed to defer to the newcomer as well. Or maybe they are just in denial. Clark’s entry into the race last week and his zoom in national polls has scrambled the strategic thinking in the Democratic ranks. But the old nine went back to 2003 BC—the Democratic Presidential contest before Clark.

While Clark is the hot story right now, only the reporters on the panel played gotcha — trying to bait him on some of the questions which tripped him up last weekend, especially how he would have voted on the Iraq resolution. But by Thursday he was prepared, first, not to answer hypotheticals; second, to answer the questions he knew something about with confidence; and third, to admit he didn’t have specifics yet on proposals like health care and financing the reconstruction of Iraq.

How long the political chatterers, and more importantly the voters, will let him get away with that is an open question. Most voters have yet to check into the race. But in the crucial states of Iowa and New Hampshire, the electorate has been looking over the candidates for months. Clark went to Iowa last week and Des Moines Register’s David Yepsen pointed out that Clark is starting very late and has few supporters on the ground, which will be crucial for a victory in a caucus state. Clark flies off to New Hampshire on Friday for his first test there.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/25/opinion/lynch/main575196.shtml

[diplomats]

1. I know he may not win the nomination

but I still feel his entry has give us a stronger field, and that can only be good.

[cprise]

2. How does a Republican play Split The Base?

...is more to the point.

[LoZoccolo]

3. The problem with not answering hypotheticals...

...is that the career politicians can answer what they /did/ do in certain situations, but Clark can't. All he /can/ do is answer hypotheticals about what he would have done. And if he wants to compare to candidates that have a political record, he'll have to do that.

[Skwmom]

4. The same could be said for Dean and the war resolution.

He wasn't in Congress at the time so while he might say he wouldn't have voted for it, we don't know that for sure. In fact, if you look at his actions in the past, I think it be pretty hard to say that Dean would not have voted for the resolution.

[JohnKleeb]

5. shrug

We do know that Kucinich voted against it and the Patriot act.