Just did a straw poll, and Clark always takes the lead by far...

[angryinoville]

He's always my first choice. Why do you think there's such a strong movement for him here and not yet across the country? I think he's so much more interesting to listen to than just about anyone.

[BamaLefty]

1. Yeah, We All Love Losing

Another old white man.

Damn! I like Clark, but I like winning more.

[angryinoville]

2. What wins is a powerful political team from start to finish, not

waiting until the last few weeks of the campaign to shake things up. Clinton had a team like this and so does Smirky McChimp

[BamaLefty]

4. True

Clinton started building since he was a teenager. Brilliance.

I'm 17 y/o by the way. Seriously! :D

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Some of it is because Clark is much more well known here

than he is in the public at large or in many other circles. There is a chicken egg thing that happens. One of the reasons why Clark is better known here is because a strong group of Clark supporters, who are willing to do research and post it here about Clark, came together at DU. That means information about Clark is always available to people who come to DU. And that means more people at DU are likely to become Clark supporters.

It would be blind to not acknowledge that DU is a Clark "hot spot" and that Clark does not yet enjoy nearly as much support in the general public, but it would also be unfair to say that the support he has gained here isn't real or rooted in real reasons. Clark, to many Democratic Underground regulars but by no means to all, appeals as a maverick independent voice, outside of the beltway, with knowledge and integrity who hasn't yet been bought off by the political system and likely never will be. Clark appeals as a man with generally Liberal and Progressive positions on most issues, who also has broad public appeal to moderates and Independents and hence stands a good chance to win over votes to Democrats that other progressives would have a hard time capturing. And Clark has been blunt in his direct criticism of Bush's Administration and media whores which always wins points at DU.

Clark has also been excellent at working closely and being respectful of his grass roots followers which helps to inspire loyalty to him in return. That quality in a political candidate is highly regarded by many leftist oriented grass roots activists who tend to frequent DU. Each man is of course different, but Dean Clark and Kucinich each developed strong followings at DU partially for that reason.

Now there certainly are many at DU who do not view Clark in the way I described above, lol. I am not saying those views of him are universally held here, but they are by many at this point, and hence his core of support here.

[ZootSuitGringo]

5. What made me like Clark was actually researching him after the fact

of the primaries.

He came in late, when activists and many pols had already lined up behind a candidate. It's hard to walk away from a candidate that you may have invested money, time and research on.

Also remember that Clark doesn't have as strong a support base out there because the media has consistenly refused to cover him in a fair and honest way. They preferred writing smears and such during the primaries, because I don't believe it was in the corporate media's interest to have Bush run against like Clark, who in my mind would have been a harder candidate for Bush to beat.

There is no doubt about Clark inciting passion, both from those who know him, and from those consider him a threat to their guy/gal. From those who have admired his stands (when others were sitting), and those who distrust anything military. Dems have, to a great degree, been conditioned to be idealists or pragmatist. The beauty about Clark is that he offers both.

Bottomline is that Clark presents potential unlike many of the other choices. He offers a possibility for real change in this country, something that although many want, many fear.

I just re-read a thread in where Clark supporters detail why they support him. Tom posted it elsewhere, and I just happen to click on it. I made one of my very first post in that thread.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

The substance posted in the thread is key.