NY Times: After Halting Start, Clark Seems to Be Finding Legs

[moz4prez]

Nice little article harbinging Wes Clark's emergence as Dean's main competitor. At least that's the hot topic the mass media's pushing. Regardless, things should get interesting within the next few weeks.

After Halting Start, Clark Seems to Be Finding Legs
By EDWARD WYATT

Published: January 2, 2004

CONCORD, N.H., Jan. 1 — Gen. Wesley K. Clark is having fun.

On a whirlwind tour that touched eight Southern states in two days this week, he practically bounded into the room at each event, increasingly energized by the growing crowds, by his improving standing in the polls and by a steadily rising cache of money that should carry him through the primary season.

"It's incredibly energizing to talk about what you believe in," General Clark said in an interview this week. "It's been fun going around the South, where I had a chance to tell people what I'm about. Now I think I have a great opportunity to reach out to New Hampshire voters," while most of his rivals spend the first half of the month in Iowa, where General Clark has chosen to skip the Jan. 19 caucuses.

Whether that energy will give him a boost here, where the nation's first primary will be held on Jan. 27, remains to be seen. And the campaign's ability to stay in the voters' minds over the next two weeks while the national news media is racing through Iowa is anything but certain.

The campaign's newly upbeat tone contrasts sharply with General Clark's abrupt, sometimes stumbling entry into the race in mid-September. He started with no money and no organization. In the first week, he fumbled a question about whether he would have supported the Congressional resolution authorizing military action in Iraq, saying he probably would have. He now admits the mistake, and says his record of statements before the war make clear his opposition to the Bush administration's actions.

MORE

[jumptheshadow]

1. Money talks, doesn't it?

Clark's fundraising success has awakened the media.

[Bucky]

8. That's what our Dean supporter friends tell us.

It's a damn shame. There's only nine candidates. That's not too much to cover to a reasonable level. By choosing who to cover and who not to cover, the press shapes our choices rather than just reporting on them. The internet is evening things out a bit not enough. For ABC to take the money and run -- money they earn because we allow them to use OUR public airwaves -- should be criminal.

They're defaulting on their civic responsibilities by ditching Kucinich, Braun, and Sharpton coverage. By avoiding Sharpton's campaign they're probably also hurting their ratings; the man's a hoot. This strikes me as an ideologically driven decision, since both Braun and Sharpton consistantly beat Edwards and usually best or equal Kerry in the polls.

Hmmm, but I can't imagine what Braun and Sharpton have in common that would keep them from getting serious consideration...

[KittyWampus]

10. Thank You Bucky! Publicly Funded Campaigns

The Holy Grail of Political Reform, IMO

True, it won't solve everything... but it could go a long way.

[Clark4VotingRights]

24. Yup, they suddenly "respect" him

Thanks to the many many supporters who have donated.

Yay us!

[deminflorida]

2. H e was in Pensacola...outstanding reception for him in Florida

in the heart of the Republican stronghold on this state.

[jumptheshadow]

3. Any more details?

I've always thought he could win convincingly in Florida because he will sway some of the older voters and the military families. He would be the guy to place the state beyond the reach of any smarmy Republican vote tactics.

[Racenut20]

4. I think he can win here (Florida)

And I am busy trying to make it happen.

[Eurobabe]

5. donate all you can!

[moz4prez]

6. God damn it, I'll call your bluff

and donate. Wish I'd had deeper pockets for the Anti-Smear Fundraiser.

[Auntie Bush]

12. Nice Graphics

Crozet...or anyone else...Can you please give us some directions on how to post some graphics on our post. I have a neat graphic for requesting donations that I'd love to use. Need some help! Thanks!

[TorchTheWitch]

22. hope this helps

To put a graphic in a specific post just put the url of the graphic somewhere in your post. The graphic just has to be hosted on the web somewhere.

[Alice Franken]

7. Yes, I can't wait for this to really get going!

Being old enough to temper my idealism with practicality and definitely having the belief that it is vital we have a 'regime change' here, I certainly hope Clark picks up and wins the nomination.

[Clark4VotingRights]

25. Clark's supporters are "having fun" too!

"Gen. Wesley K. Clark is having fun.

On a whirlwind tour that touched eight Southern states in two days this week, he practically bounded into the room at each event, increasingly energized by the growing crowds, by his improving standing in the polls and by a steadily rising cache of money that should carry him through the primary season."

Love this part.

[jsw_81]

9. Keep looking, general

Because in '04 we're going to nominate Howard Dean.

[Auntie Bush]

11. "We're going to nominate Howard Dean?"

NO we are NOT

[moz4prez]

14. Oh, come on

Be a good sport.

[poopyjr]

17. lol

[John_H]

13. Tick, Tick, Tick, ding! Time's up howie.

[TexasSissy]

15. What does that mean?

[TexasSissy]

16. And all this with almost no media coverage. Awesome.

Go, Wes!

[Hawkeye-X]

18. Clark's fatal mistake

will occur on 01/04/04.

Watch the NH polls go down as a result of his no-show on the IA debates. NH voters DO watch CSPAN too.

Hawkeye-X

[OKNancy]

19. Oh get real, they watch Meet the Press

a lot more because it's on the regular network. They also watch football.

[poopyjr]

20. First it was because of matching funds, now it's becaue of this?

BWAHAHAHAA

[kayleybeth]

21. Go Wes Go!

Nice to see the General getting some positive media coverage for a change.

I was lucky enough to see and meet General Clark when he stopped in New Orleans this week and I am more convinced than ever that he is the candidate to beat Smirk.

[Clark4Prez]

26. I was in NO too!!!

Wasn't the General great! My wife and I took some pictures and are waiting for them to come back from the lab (we do things the old fashioned way, and don't do digital). They told us that they would put them on the web page if they are good, which would be fantastic.

It was great to see the General, its my second time seeing him. He impresses more each time. It looks like you guys have a good team in LA, keep up the good work!

[Clark4VotingRights]

23. Quite the little flurry of Clark articles in the new year

Once they got the fund raising numbers.
It's like, "oh, he's a *contender*!"

Love this quote from General Clark:

"It's incredibly energizing to talk about what you believe in."

[takebackthewh]

27. Three months ago ...

this guy was a Republican.

He's also a military man, trained to kill.

He almost started WWIII by bombing the Russians in the Balkans somewhere.

He got kicked out of the military ingloriously.

Do we really want this guy as our leader?

Don't you think we should pick, like, a DEMOCRAT?

Just a thought.

[Clark4Prez]

28. POOP

Let's see, where to start....

this guy was a Republican

Wrong. Clark has stated that he voted GOP during most of his career in the Army because they were strong on defense. He didn't vote for GWB, however.


He's also a military man, trained to kill.

Well, he did save the lives of 1,500,000 ethnic Albanians, so much for trained to kill. He has stated in no uncertain terms that war is a last resort not a first response.


He almost started WWIII by bombing the Russians in the Balkans somewhere

This is the weakest of your arguements and shows that you know nothing of the General's career. He never bombed the Russians in the Balkins, he didn't want them to get involved in Kosovo, and tried to prevent it. The British had to force them out of a key airport.

He got kicked out of the military ingloriously.

Wrong again, he was replaced as SAC of NATO, he was not kicked out of the military! He is one of the most decorated vets in the last fifty years.

Do we really want this guy as our leader?

Yes we do and you should too. Why don't you spend some time actually reading about what Clark believes in and not the spin here on DU? Check out www.clarkmyths.com and www.clark04.com

[Auntie Bush]

29. Go back under your rock till

you do a little real objective research at Clark 2004.com.
Then come back out...or better yet hibernate.

[takebackthewh]

30. Gosh

You Clark fans are touchy.

I don't know who I want anymore.

Dean would be good, but I think his mouth is going to turn off the voters.

Clark I think is a Republican johnny-come-lately. Sorry, guys.

Liberman's pretty boring.

Kerry ... enhh.

Gephardt -- boring.

How about Kucinich-Sharpton?

I guess when the time comes, I'll have to vote for Dean and then get out of the way of the slaughter.

The only bright spot that I see is Hillary in '08. I just don't see a way to win in '04. Does anybody else?

##

[IA_Seth]

31. ....?..Are you serious?

Please back up your thoughts.

"...bombing the Russians in the Balkans somewhere."

Sorry Charlie. He ordered NATO troops to intercept Russian troops before they took over a strategic airfield from what I understand. The NATO Officer to whom he gave this command was quoted later as saying he told General Clark he "wouldn't start WWIII for him". I think your comment promotes false images and is basically just straight up bullshit (in my opinion).

"He's also a military man, trained to kill"

Yep. And so were a good majority of previous Presidents, as well as numerous member of Congress, Governors, Mayors, etc. Are you saying that you don't trust someone who has served their country in the military? That sort of comment is exactly what the Democrats do NOT need leading into an election in which thousands of troops fresh home from foreign wars will be voting. Respect those that serve you.

Any THOUGHTS, instead of blind rhetoric?

Seth

[jpgpenn]

32. yes

things are picking up nicely. Thanks for the article.