This Guy Can Rock the White House: One Democrat chooses between Clark/Dean

[mzmolly]

"Wesley Clark spent his whole adult life in the U.S. Army. When he talks to an audience, he projects the straightforward patriotism of the military professional. Clark, like Dean, is unencumbered by the air of tormented compromise that engulfs the other serious candidates. Neither one of them appears to filter their thoughts through a fog of focus-group blather. They've come this far because they both project that most coveted of all attributes - leadership.

But, in the end, I vote for Dean over Clark to be the Democratic Idol because I think Dean has the best chance of any of the candidates in this race to beat George W. Bush. Clark, appealing as he is, is one-dimensional. His campaign is nothing more and nothing less than his biography. His military career is impressive but Kosovo was not exactly the Normandy invasion, and Clark cannot expect the outpouring of American gratitude that took Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower to the White House.

Furthermore, Clark's military service is not without controversy. Fairly or unfairly, a number of his former colleagues are more than happy to say bad things about him. And this is before the Bush team, adept at character assassination, has gotten serious about him. In 2000 the Bush campaign turned Al Gore, a politician known for nothing as much as the fact that he was a straight arrow, into a chronic liar in the minds of many. By the time Bush and company get done with Gen. Clark, his military experience could be a nightmare and the general could wish he'd gone AWOL from West Point.

Once Clark's military career is destroyed, the Bush team would exploit his inconsistencies on the Iraq war and his past admiration for Republicans. That would turn the general into just another political opportunist. Robbed of his biography, Clark has nothing - no record on health care, no experience balancing budgets, no background in creating jobs. It is very difficult to challenge the commander in chief - generals are in the chain of command, not on top of it. In spite of his impressive learning curve and great performances, Clark is just too new at this game to head the ticket. (Which doesn't mean he couldn't be the No. 2 - but that's a subject for another day.)

Howard Dean, on the other hand, is the strongest candidate against Bush that the Democrats have. The complaints against him are overdrawn and easily outweighed by his strengths."

This article echos some of my own sentiments.

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpkam153626813jan15,0,1291105.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlines

[mike_c]

1. mine too, at least with regard to Clark....

eom

[Melodybe]

2. I'm actually changing to Kerry for my 2nd choice.

I respect the general, but matching funds will kill him in the GE. Kerry or Dean are the Dem. only viable options. I think that Dean has much broader appeal than Kerry though. My former high school teacher (a 70 year old black man who taught in segregated and desegregated MS) says that he has not seen young people so riled up for a candidate since Kennedy. He thinks that Dean is our best chance and said that Dean "has it right" and is his favorite. I agree.

[mzmolly]

3. Wow very encouraging!

I love the fact that Dean is exciting young voters.

[elfin]

4. I am still with Clark

but am heartened by Kerry's positive moves up the polls - as well as Edwards. I started with Dean, and admire his "fire", but I fear he will will be toast in the GE. The attack machine will have more ammo on him than others and Dean's response to it will be equally fiery, which core Dems will love, but more moderate ones will shrink from - as well as any potential disaffected mod. Repubs.

Lastly, they will haul out Laura at every opportunity to contrast to the reticent Judith. This "subliminal" nastiness will have broad appeal to those who are comforted by a more familiar image of the family in the White House.

This should not be an issue at all - but it will be a very big one, about which I think we have been in deep denial. This factor has been of no importance in the primaries with our concentration on different stances on the war, health care etc. - but we need to think of ALL factors when visualizing the GE.

[Bread and Circus]

5. It's Clark or Kerry for me...

They are the only two in my opinion that have any chance
of beating Bush.

We are at war, or so we are led to believe. Foreign policy
credibility is important. Why go into a fight w/ a handicap
right off the bat?

[mzmolly]

6. I always say they compete for the same voters

;)

[Moderator]

7. Locking- Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=116452

Thanks
DU Moderator