Clark Aiming for 2nd in New Hampshire

[PSU84]

Clark now looking at second or third

By SAM YOUNGMAN

PoliticsNH.com

CONCORD, Dec. 17 -- When Gen. Wesley Clark first came to New Hampshire in late September to begin the Granite State leg of his fledgling campaign, his friend and advisor George Bruno said they were hoping for a fourth place finish. Though Bruno said then that they would view a finish behind the three New England candidates as a success, Clark on Wednesday, fresh from Hague, said he sees a trend that shows them doing better than they originally thought.

<snip>
“I think it’s very clear what’s happening here in these polls,” Clark said. “We’re at either second place or third place in this state, and there have been a lot of people up here for a long time.”

<snip>
Clark said he’s seeing a sense of momentum in passing weeks. “I see it in people’s interest and people‘s faces and the reception that I receive and the funds that are coming in, the uptick in the polls,” Clark said. “It‘s there. It‘s real. And it‘s real despite the fact that I‘m not a professional politician, and I‘ve never run for office before.”

http://www.politicsnh.com/archives/pindell/2003/december/12_17Clark.shtml

[GOPBasher]

1. Go Clark!

Coming second there would be HUGE, especially given his late entrance into the race. I think this is going to be a 2-way race between Dean and Clark. Though Dean is the definate front-runner at this point, I think Clark has a good shot at this.

[PSU84]

2. Second would be great but

Even a third place finish in Hew Hampshire would put Clark in very good position heading into the Feb. 3 primaries. New polls show Clark doing very well in Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Arizona.

2003 SurveyUSA Election Polls 12/16/03

President, South Carolina Democratic Primary 12/16/2003

Dean 21%
Clark 20%

President, Oklahoma Democratic Primary 12/16/2003

Clark 34%
Dean 21%

President, Arizona Dem Primary 12/16/2003

Dean 31%
Clark 29%

http://www.surveyusa.com/currentelectionpolls.html

[LeftCoast]

3. If Clark takes 2nd in NH

I think the Kerry campaign would be over.

[Jerseycoa]

4. Well then

It's good we sent them all those chicken wings, eh? :evilgrin:

[LeftCoast]

5. Chicken wings?

What'd I miss?

[Bucky]

6. Twas a gotcha Clarkies did to Kerrions. Kerry's ppl sent Zero Bars back

Forgot the issue it was all about. All done in good humor.

[jadesfire]

31. I liked the Zero Bars you got back better...

the Chicken wings made no sense in relation to the press release by the Clark campaign. 'Being Hawkish on this issue but being a dove on another, so let's send them chicken wings from the hawk n' dove...' UMMMM...I thought we were trying to get a President who understood war but didn't use it as the first response to every situation. Foreign Policy is nuanced and some situations require different responses, so saying your a hawk and a dove makes sense in reality. As long as your consistent in the determining factors that require each.

i think the "zero domestic policy experience, zero years as a democrat, let's send them zero bars" the Kerry campaign sent to Clark simply made a lot more sense.

both funny, kerry's funnier...

got to love all of the jr. high school aspect of campaigning...

[helleborient]

7. But will 2nd be due to Clark success or Kerry implosion?

[mikehiggins]

27. Clark sucess

Even showing up in the polls after three short months of campaigning, this is a great development. I think it might trigger a Kerry collapse though that is not a sure thing by any standard. Time will tell.

However, the thing to remember is that every time a candidate comes in second or third he or she is likely to get some delegates. In theory a candidate could come in second all the way through while the top spot got rotated among several candidates, and end up with the most delegates. I doubt that will happen, though.

On the other hand, I've said it before and I'll say it again: if Dean doesn't have the nomination sewed up with committed delegates before he walks into the convention, I don't think he'll leave with it.

What might happen then to the Dean movement is anyone's guess.

[Northwind]

8. As previously stated

2nd place is the 1st loser.

[eileen_d]

9. How sweet.

If you have children and they get second place in something, is that what you tell them?

[ludwigb]

16. Amazing website Eileen

The passion and determination demonstrated by you Clarkies is very impressive to me. It's hard for me to accept Clark over candidates that are easier for me to identify with, but when I see such passion for him I realize he must be doing something right. Whatever happens, he plays a major role in the general election campaign and the next Dem administration.

[Northwind]

22. I was under the impression

That we were not children here, perhaps I was wrong?

This is politics, not a little league baseball game or high school debate club final.

[eileen_d]

23. Wow - my posts must have some deep secret meaning!

Let me be straightforward: I think your post was rather rude. There, no "children" to confuse the issue. Happy?

[Northwind]

24. And I think your post was rather stupid

Do you care what I think any more than I care what you think?

[jadesfire]

32. you're doing a REALLY great job...

at presenting information in a rational manner and getting people to listen to your side of the arguement...

i hope you heard the scarcasm.

[maxanne]

10. Clark hasn't run a very smart campaign

in NH. He's never been north of Concord. The world does not stop at the center of the state.

He was supposed to finally visit this week - but his visit was cancelled, for good reason, since he's in the Hague, testifying.

Even if he comes next week - the primary is in just a few weeks. Dumb.

[eileen_d]

11. No offense, but the world doesn't stop in NH

either...

[maxanne]

13. Well, Eileen

silly me. Since the thread and the article were about NH - I assumed that was the topic.

[eileen_d]

17. OK, you're right. I apologize.

And I'm just going to admit how much it chaps my ass (so to speak) that New Hampshire gets the first primary and my state is around second to last. I know that's not your fault personally. I do wish they would rotate which states get to be first in line. It would be nice to feel like I was a part of American democracy at some point in my life.

[maxanne]

25. I understand

how you feel. Truly.

It's the one thing we have going for us. The NH House of Representatives has been controlled by the Republican party since the Civil War. Our governor is a humvee driving multimillionare - with fewer muscles than Arnie. We only have one tv station, and it's right wing.

We had Bob Smith - the presidential candidate with the terrible combover - who left the Republican party because it wasn't conservative enough.

Oh - the ugliness and the humiliation.

The primary is the only light in a very conservative, blighted tunnel.

[helleborient]

14. Unfortunately, Clark is leading nowhere else...

And running a close second in small states like SC, Oklahoma, and AZ...but far behind Dean in larger states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and New York.

[eileen_d]

18. Yeah, who gives a damn about those small states anyway.

I'm having a "regional prejudice" day. The entire northeast quadrant of the United States means little to me... just as I'm sure my little Rocky Mountain High means little to you.

[maxanne]

26. oh boy

Just this morning I was telling the local breakfast club that New England should secede from the union. Your post is one of the best examples why.

Also, we'd be rid of southern politicians. No more Trent Lott, no more Tom DeLay. No more Robertson or Falwell.

this really isn't such a bad idea...

[mikehiggins]

28. Don't count on New York going to Dean

The most popular candidate on primary day is "whoever I'm not really pissed off at".

We'll see how this plays out in about a 1000 hours or so.

Should be fun.

[laloba]

12. Second Would Really Be a First

If Clark were to come in second in New Hampshire, it would sink the campaign of Kerry (also from New England )and show Clark to be the strongest of the alternatives to Dean. The anti-Dean forces should focus their efforts on a single alternative. Right now it looks like Clark should be and will be that candidate. I'm glad, because I think he's the best candidate overall and the best able to beat Bush. That's what everyone should be focusing on -- who can beat Bush.

[helleborient]

15. That's where Dean supporters are focused - Dean defeating Bush!

[Myra]

19. That would be pretty friggen amazing to go from scratch to second

In a few months.
I'd love that.

[DJcairo]

20. Clark is a distant 3rd now in NH

Senator John Kerry has regained sole possession of second place in ballot preference with 20% of the vote. Wesley Clark, suffering from confusing and poorly-rated television advertising, and Joe Lieberman are now in a battle for a distant third place showing.

Dean 45 (45)
Kerry 20 (13)
Clark 8 (11)


Second place for Clark? I don't think so. Kerry has gained, Clark has slid.

http://americanresearchgroup.com/nhpoll/dem/

[mikehiggins]

29. Super!

From nothing to third in three months.

From nobody to contender with a Governor and two long time Senators, all well known political figures.

Damn, that Clark ain't got a chance.

Until next month, of course.

;^)

[KaraokeKarlton]

21. I think the real story in NH is going to be the race for 2nd place

Clark is nipping on Kerry's heels there, and if Kerry doesn't stop focusing on Dean once in awhile to turn around and check his rear I think Clark is poised to blow right by him. I think you're going to see a big shift in rhetoric exchanged between these to camps as it gets closer. If Clark takes 2nd Kerry's campaign is over. If Clark doesn't take 2nd it will be harder for him to get significant momentum going into SC...and Dean is definitely poised to win there, too. Dean doing well about everywhere is a foregone conclusion, but who is going to be the one to emerge as the one to challenge him is going to be where the real battle and excitement comes from.

[mikehiggins]

30. Supposedly later polls say Kerry is moving up, up and away

from Wes. I don't have them in front of me to cite but I'm pretty sure they'll be easy to find somewhere on this board.

Me, I hope so. I really don't think we're ready to go head to head with Dean just yet. If Kerry and Gephardt and Edwards and Lieberman and, yes, Dennis the K, stay in the race, all the better.

Eventually it will most likely come down to Clark Vs Dean but anyone with a knowledge of strategy knows it isn't a good idea to push the fight except on the terms most advantagious (sp?) to you.

We can wait until February.

[democratreformed]

33. Today, I took a giant step

and braved the waters of DU for the first time in about two weeks. And, I have to say that it has been very refreshing to see your positive attitude toward things. Hopefully, you can keep it up. That was one reason I had to leave. Many times, this place is very depressing and the constant hits from various angles tended to really get me down. It took a trip to NH in the real world and being a part of an actual group of real live people to help me realize that spending loads of time on DU was not accomplishing much. It no longer served as enjoyable conversation, a place to discuss valid issues, or a meeting point for those with shared ideas. It became a bashing ground and a place to try and knock the enthusiasm out of your opponent. I just couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, my chosen candidate is much tougher than me. That makes me admire his decision all the more.

Again, Mike, thanks for your positive attitude.