[Peace-discuss] Clark's clamor

[C. G. Estabrook]

[The best comment I'v eseen on Wesley Clark comes from Rick Rozoff:  "The
commander of the first undeclared, unprovoked war against a European
nation since Adolph Hitler's blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-1941 is defining
the real issue in this year's American presidential campaign: Who is
militarily best qualified to lead the United States in its self-appointed
role of master of the planet. With the likes of Michael Moore, Madonna,
Charles Rangel and The American Prospect cheering on the Seven Days In May
scenario."]

	Associated Press
	January 2, 2003
	Clark Sets His Sights on Dean    
	By WILL LESTER 

	-"{I]'m the only candidate positioned to actually win the election
because I am the candidate best able to stand up to George W. Bush and win
the debate about who will best be able to make our country secure over the
next four years."
	-[I]t's clear that the former NATO commander repeatedly will be
emphasizing his military experience as a valuable counter to President
Bush's strength on national security.
	-Clark's financial strength could help him challenge for the
nomination. He raised between $10.5 million and $11 million in the final
quarter and is getting $3.7 million in federal matching money.  -His
rivals have criticized Clark's past support for Republican presidents.
They also found fault with his stumble on the Iraq war issue right after
entering the race in September.

WASHINGTON - Flush with money after a big fourth quarter of fund raising,
Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark is mapping out how he can
parlay that success into becoming the alternative to Howard Dean.

"It's now clear that I'm one of only two candidates in a position to win
the nomination," Clark, a retired Army general, said in a statement
Thursday. "And I'm the only candidate positioned to actually win the
election because I am the candidate best able to stand up to George W.
Bush and win the debate about who will best be able to make our country
secure over the next four years."

Clark said he believes his "fund-raising success will be a leading
indicator of the direction this campaign is heading in."

And it's clear that the former NATO commander repeatedly will be
emphasizing his military experience as a valuable counter to President
Bush's strength on national security.

Bush had a 67 percent to 21 percent lead over Dean on whom people trust
more to handle national security, according to a mid-December
ABC-Washington Post poll.

Dean's campaign aides say his strength in a general election campaign is
his ability to mobilize new voters and to raise money beyond the limits
established by the federal presidential election financing system. Dean
decided not to accept federal matching funds and the limits that go with
it.

Dean spokesman Jay Carson said Clark and other candidates taking matching
funds will be "flat broke after the primary campaign and sitting ducks for
President Bush." Bush also has decided not to take federal money during
the primary season that begins this month, and his re-election campaign
already has raised more than $115 million.

Clark's financial strength could help him challenge for the nomination. He
raised between $10.5 million and $11 million in the final quarter and is
getting $3.7 million in federal matching money.

Now his campaign is providing a road map on how he plans to capitalize on
his strong financial position.

"We will have ample resources to compete well into February and beyond,"
campaign spokesman Matt Bennett said.

Clark is in relatively strong position in polls both nationally and in
states with early contests.

As Clark tries to narrow the race to two candidates, other campaigns are
likely to start diverting some of their relentless attacks on Dean.

Campaign aides to Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut senator, say Clark is
relying too heavily on his biography as a military man.

In fact, the Clark campaign is sending a 15-minute videotape about the
general's life and views to 50,000 possible primary voters in New
Hampshire and showing it on several cable channels in the state before the
Jan. 27 primary.

His rivals have criticized Clark's past support for Republican presidents.
They also found fault with his stumble on the Iraq war issue right after
entering the race in September. After giving contradictory answers, he now
consistently says he is against the way the war was handled.

Starting Monday, Clark plans a carefully orchestrated introduction of
domestic and security proposals. Clark plans to roll out a "signature
issue" on the domestic front Monday, though aides wouldn't discuss
specifics.

For a week in mid-January, the former NATO commander plans to address
different aspects of domestic and economic security each day, including a
detailed homeland security plan. During that week, he will focus his
campaign on New Hampshire and states with contests in early to
mid-February.

Starting the week of Jan. 19, Clark plans to campaign steadily in New
Hampshire, as all the candidates move their campaigns to the Northeast.

Relying on his strong finances, Clark is advertising heavily in New
Hampshire, as well as in many states in the South and West with contests
in February.

The Clark campaign is counting on building a strong grass-roots presence,
both through traditional means and through the Internet.

Taking a calculated risk, Clark is not competing in the Jan. 19 Iowa
caucuses, saying he entered the race too late to compete there. Lieberman
also is skipping Iowa.

Iowa plays an important role in several other candidates' plans to
challenge Dean. Dick Gephardt, the Missouri congressman with the
comprehensive health care proposal, is counting heavily on a win in Iowa,
while senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North
Carolina hope to do well in Iowa to strengthen their hand in New Hampshire
and beyond.

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