Clark campaign hires former McCain adviser

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/01/19/politics1320EST0535.DTL

Wesley Clark, seeking a bipartisan flavor for his presidential campaign, has hired a former adviser to Republican Sen. John McCain to be his senior strategist.

John Weaver, who helped run McCain's insurgent primary campaign against President Bush in 2000, has joined Clark's paid staff, said a campaign official speaking on condition of anonymity.

Weaver was one of a handful of aides who helped McCain upset Bush in the 2000 New Hampshire primary on the strength of broad support among independent voters, who are allowed to cast ballots in Republican and Democratic primaries.

Clark hopes to duplicate the effort in the Jan. 27 primary, which has tightened in recent weeks. The retired Army general and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts narrowed former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's lead in recent weeks.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

1. Weaver Is Brilliant

I think this will be a really good addition to the team.

DTH

[kentuck]

2. It appears Clark is ready to go after Independents and moderate Repub

votes also. If there is any candidate that can split the Republican Party, it is the General. Democrats maynot like the idea but Republicans hate it...

[buff2]

3. Why would he want a republican adviser?

Seems he just can't shake those ole republican roots,can he? :(

[BootinUp]

4. Because he's run successful campaigns in NH before?

I thought the article made it pretty clear actually.

[GiovanniC]

20. Not to Mention

He's helped a candidate beat Bush* before.

[deminflorida]

6. Not really, Bush fractured his base....

On the immigration issue and federal spending. Lots of independent votes to be had in N.H. for sure.

This is absolutely brilliant. I will be the start of a new independent base to counter Bush in the general election.

[lancdem]

18. I agree

[DoveTurnedHawk]

10. Weaver Came Over to the Dems as an Advisor After 2000 (eom)

DTH

[wildmanj]

22. Why

Kevin Phillips book Wealth And Democracy---Preface viii and I quote, "Nixon himself supported national health insurance, income maintenance for the poor, and higher taxation of unearned than earned income. The 1972 Republican platform actually criticized multinational corporations for building plants overseas to take advantage of cheap labor."

So,I would say that Republicans have moved so far right as to have gone into an abyss and the Democratic Party has evolved to where the majority of American's will hang his/her hat this day. Why should we not give the the moderate Republican and the undecided a chance to come over and park their little tents under our BIG TENT OF DEMOCRACY

[Shakespeare]

26. Weaver is a democrat.

Switched parties after 2000.

[RobertSeattle]

5. Interesting

Wes Clark Jr has mentioned having McCain in the Clark Cabinet.

Clark/McCain 2004 - now that would be bizarro world!

[RamboLiberal]

23. Bizarro World - I almost like it

I like McCain - but he is too darn Hawkish for my taste. But at least we know Clark would be in control, unlike the puppet *.

That ticket would sure get a lot of voters and pundits fired up in this country. And be a real kick in the ass to Bush & Rove.

I could honestly vote for a Clark & McCain ticket over Chimpass & Evil Dick.

[kath]

30. yeah, that would be a wholly Repub ticket, not just half-Repug like Clark/

Edwards or etc. ticket would be.

Face it, Clark's a Repug.

[bowens43]

7. More evidence that Clark shouldn't be running as a Democrat.

anyone who doubted his lean to the right before should now be convinced. We don't need republicans to win in november and we sure as hell don't need anymore right wingers in our party.

[CivilRightsNow]

8. Amen...

I cannot believe Democrats cheer stuff like this.

One world government.. one party government.. woohoo PNAC

[returnable]

11. self-deleted

Not even worth arguing... :hi:

[Quixote1818]

25. Clark transcends party lines, AWESOME!

Why not cheer stuff like this? I am a life long Democrat but from time to time I vote Republican. I am middle of the road and socially liberal much like Clark. First of all Clark has NEVER been a Republican and he voted for Clinton and Gore but so what if he was a Republican at one time? Who cares? Why do you all hate Republicans? Sure, I don't like the far Right and I don't care for Bush but there are a number of Republicans who are not so bad. Look, we need both parties not just one. We need a party who fights for the little guy and a party who reminds us about personal responsibility. Having both parties brings balance. Right now we are a little off balance and need to move back to the center and Clark is the best person to accomplish this. I am sick of the partisan politics and if Clark can bring Republicans and Democrats together then AWESOME!!!! I know he will fight like a mother for his more liberal ideas but he won't rub them in Republicans faces. I just want peace and respect between all people no matter what party affiliation, color or what ever. I am sick of labels because labels automatically tear people apart. Clark is definitely more liberal than conservative but the bottom line is he is he transcends party lines.

[Dookus]

9. luckily

Clark is to the left of any of the other major candidates running.

But don't let the facts get in the way.

[bleedingheart]

13. I think that Kucinich is to the left of all of them..

:-)

[Dookus]

17. on many issues, Kucinich is....

and when he breaks 5%, I reconsider whether or not he's a major candidate.

[bowens43]

14. Says who? Clark?

Sorry, I need a better source. Empty , unsubstantiated rhetoric isn't enough. Clark's only verifiable history says you're wrong.

[Dookus]

16. it's all substantiated

at www.clark04.com

[tabasco]

28. No, no, if they can't have their nudist utopia now ...

they won't bother voting.

[Meritaten1]

19. Clark is a Democrat and was just endorsed by McGovern

Read his positions and you will see that he is definitely not a "right winger". See http://www.clark04.com

[davidinalameda]

12. Weaver did leave the Republican Party after 2000

he is a Democrat

[dkf]

15. Weaver is the same kind of Democrat that Wesley Clark is.

Which is a newly minted baby democrat.

I don't trust either of em.

[GiovanniC]

21. Bush* Has Created a LOT of "Newly Minted Baby Democrats"

His arrogance, reckless policies, incompetence, and pure, unadulterated evil have sent many Republicans and Independents clamoring for the "unnamed Democrat".

And I welcome them to the party!

[davidinalameda]

27. I've been a Democrat all my life

I watched my first election results in 76.

I cast my first presidential vote for Dukakis. I've been voting Democrat ever since. We've never had a candidate like Clark running for president. He has the brains, credentials and the fire to win this election.

If he wasn't a good Democrat, I wouldn't be supporting him, and I know a lot of other people who feel the same way.

[lancdem]

24. Josh Marshall thinks this is big news

http://talkingpointsmemo.com

[cally]

29. I think one tthird of the electorate in NH

isindependent voters. Many will vote in the Dem primary so Dem candidates need to appeal to them. Weaver will help with that.