Slightly Depressed About Clark's NH Prospects

[DoveTurnedHawk]

Based on the most recent ARG poll and certain other polls, it seems clear that Clark's momentum has stalled, and indeed, according to ARG, his polling from today only is significantly worse than yesterday. Presumably, this is because of his mediocre showing at the FAUX debate last night.

I'm not about to rail against the media for my candidate's lack of momentum. Clark should have been ready, he should have known the FAUX bastards would throw him a bean ball every time. He should've been prepared to chuckle and say, "You know, that's the fifth attack question you've asked me, while you've only asked me one policy question. The ratio is exactly reversed for my opponents."

And then maybe follow-up with, "Now, I believe in playing by the rules, so I'm going to answer your RNC-inspired, unfair and unbalanced question, but please accept my regrets for all future debates sponsored by Fox."

Or, "So I'm not going to answer your attack question, it's already been asked and answered many times. Instead, I'm going to talk about what's important, taxes. (Or education, or health care, or the environment, or whatever.)" Or whatever.

Regardless, Clark is brilliant and a master strategist, he knew or should have known what was going to go down, and he needed to do better than merely bat down the FAUX attacks. He needed to fundamentally shift the structure of the debate. And unfortunately, he didn't do that. Even if you defend yourself well, if you're the target of enough attacks, that's going to wear on you. And that's exactly what happened.

I also can't blame Clark's loss of momentum on any of the other candidates, at least not in any bad way. Kerry pulled off a brilliant coup in Iowa. Read this article, and be prepared to be dazzled:

http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2004/01/schaller-t-01-23.html

Yes, it was that amazing. I have nothing but compliments and respect for Kerry and his team, they took a chance and it paid off big. And neither Kerry nor any of the other Democrats running have really taken any dangerous, cheap shots at Clark recently, certainly not any that would account for his loss of momentum. No, it's all about Iowa, and that's just to Kerry and Edwards' credit, it's not any failing on Clark's part.

Clark has made some missteps in this campaign. That's to be expected, he's brilliant but not perfect, and it's his first campaign ever. But even so, they're his missteps, and he owns them. I wish he could take back the "probably would've voted" for the IWR. I wish he could take back that article he wrote in the London Times. I wish he could take back his appearance at that RNC fundraiser, and his praise of Bush and his team. I wish he could take back the abortion miscues, the pulling rank on Kerry, the so-called "guarantee" that no attacks would happen if he was President, the cocksure prediction that he would've had Osama by now. I wish he could take back his debate answers, and gone at them completely differently, such as what I suggest above, or Dolstein's awesome answer on the stupid Michael Moore question. Hell, I wish he'd entered the race a couple of months earlier.

But there's no time machine. The missteps, coupled with the mediocre debate performance and the shocking results from Iowa, have taken a toll on Clark's campaign. I am now expecting no better than third in NH, which will be a neutral, perhaps slightly negative event that will nevertheless allow him to continue on to 2/3. Second is still possible, as is fourth, frankly. But I'm betting on third. And I'm praying (even though I'm not religious) for a monster day on 2/3.

I can't help but be a little depressed, though, because I just imagine what could have been. Imagine if the missteps hadn't happened. Imagine if he'd taken FAUX by the jugular once again last night, like he did with David Asman. Imagine if he'd competed in Iowa, and took first or second.

Who knows? Maybe Clark will have a monster day on Sunday on the talk shows, and at the womens' issues debate which will be broadcast on national television on Monday night. Maybe the legendary Clinton endorsement (or close-to-an-endorsement) will happen. Maybe he'll take second or third in NH and kick ass in the 2/3 states.

Maybe he will. Hope springs eternal. This definitely ain't over yet.

But if Kerry ends up solidifying his lead, as appears to be the case, then good for him. He will have proved himself to be, as they all say, an incredible closer once again, and I have nothing but praise for him. He'll have beaten Clark fair and square, and I'll be proud to pull the lever for Kerry come November.

Lest you think this is all gloom-and-doom, I am not at all giving up. There is still no doubt in my mind that my candidate has the best chance of beating Bush, and that he has the best raw credentials and talent of anyone in this race. And I am a loyalist. As James Carville would say, "I'm stickin'." If Clark fails in his quest for the Presidency, it will not be for any lack of effort by me. I know nearly all of his supporters feel the same way I do, we're loyalists, and we're stickin'. And it's definitely not over. No fucking way.

I'm just a little bummed, is all, this Friday evening after a few drinks and the ARG results.

Cheers to all, and cheers to Clark. Take heart, fellow Clark supporters! It ain't over, and money and support are pouring into NH this weekend. The race is extremely fluid, and remember, no one expected what happened in Iowa last week. Clark is still an extremely easy sell, and I think lots of people who remain undecided will end up voting for him, as will lots of Independents.

We can still do this. But let's do it with eyes open and expectations set. Hell, I'd rather set our expectations low anyway, since doing better than expectations is always better than the reverse. :-)

Go Clark!

DTH

[Jerseycoa]

1. Go read a few threads, DTH

There's plenty to piss you off and snap you out of it.

[janx]

57. Wait, don't be pissed!

Do something for your candidate and get away from DU for a little while.

It works wonders.
:hi:

[jmaier]

2. In reasonable minds

Clark was never in the catsbird's seat in NH. His only real challenge there is to finish ahead of Edwards. Kerry has a lot of ground to cover for Feb 3rd. This is still at least a 3-person race and Clark is probably one of those contenders.

My word, how quickly people get down in the mouth around here. He had a good run of news in NH when NOONE else was there. Did we expect that to last regardless of the Iowa outcome? Yes, having to fight Kerry & Edwards in NH was a surprise everybody thought Dean.

Frankly, I'd rather fight Kerry than Dean in AZ, NM, OK, ND, etc. on Feb 3rd.

[krkaufman]

13. It's *just* Iowa and NH..!!

Good golly, we're just talking about Iowa and New Hampshire..!

Let's at least give it until we get down South. Kerry pulled off a great win in Iowa, and he's got momentum and huge name recognition in NH; but the real battleground will be the Feb 3rd states. If Clark doesn't win a few of those, *then* I'll start worrying.

[Maddy McCall]

3. I think Clark is looking past NH to Super and Southern Tuesday

Maybe you should, too, DTH.

His strength will be in Kerry's weakness--the South. He is already picking up SW states and polling high there.

Now is not the time to feel despondent. IF he comes in 2nd or 3rd, I will be satisfied.

:loveya:

[IndianaGreen]

4. Clark is being put by the meat grinder by the same forces

that teamed up to attack and smear Dean for a full month. It is no accident that the Washington Post and NY Times are pushing real hard for Kerry by trying to derail any of his rivals.

The best defense is to attack!

[R3dD0g]

5. Do you remember the last Dem who won?

Clinton didn't compete in Iowa and came in fourth. Gennifer Flowers (no talent never was celeb) made her accusations, the 60 minutes interview, I'm not a cookie baker, etc, etc.

After all that crap Clinton came in second in NH. And called himself the 'Comeback Kid'.

I can't decide whether I'm disgusted at the presumptiousness of the Iowa and New Hampshire voters or at the gullibility of the rest of us. Neither one of those podunk states has the right to tell the rest of us who we CAN vote for.

[countmyvote4real]

6. Phoney baloney

What is it with all these "so ingenuous" Clark regrets tonight?" Can you say "operative?" But from where?


**oops. Had to correct sausage finger typing of "ingenuous" TWICE. I need to sleep.

[R3dD0g]

7. Would you define 'so genuous'?

Genuous doesn't appear in my dictionary and without a definition I can't tell whether to slap you around or agree with you.

[Jerseycoa]

9. Stumped me, too

:7

[Catch22Dem]

17. Slap you or agree with you

HAHAHAHAHAHA. I'm wondering the same too.

[XanaDUer]

8. I'm sorry, too DTH

but like your excellent post about the "comity" between many of the camps, we hope you will help us kick the chimp out.

:pals:

PS-Clark is a good man and I would have no problem voting for him.

[JI7]

10. kerry will have a tough time in the south. clark,dean,edwards are still in

and big players in this. dean's recent appearances should help him rise in the polls again.even a strong second will keep dean in the race. clark and edwards don' thave to do good in new hampshire. they have to do good in the south, especially south carolina just as kerry and dean have to do good in new hampshire. kerry will have a tough time in the south. so why give up ?

[R3dD0g]

15. Everyone talks about SC

But they seem to be forgetting that Oklahoma, Missouri, Delaware, Arizona, New Mexico and North Dakota vote on the same day.

There's a lot of delegates being awarde on Feb 3. SC is just the state the 'librul media' has decided is the benchmark.

I'm looking for the returns from OK, NM & AZ.

edit. Forgot NM.

[Maddy McCall]

16. I know clark is on top in ok and nm. what about az?

[Kathleen04]

21. We were on top, but I haven't seen anything post IA n/t

[AP]

11. What do you think about skipping Iowa now?

How you like him now?
pretty good?
going on,feeling strong

...

oh yeah
scraping off the attitude
old man eating all my food
don't be kind
don't be rude
just shake your boots and let it all get loose

oh yeah
my goodness

[Loren645]

14. Wow, I really expected better from you. Live and learn.

eom

[AP]

18. Better than what?

The question reminded me of the song.

The song has practically no meaning, other than, perhaps, to say "don't worry."

The question still stands.

[Bread and Circus]

40. Yeah, AP you have been cool, but now you seem cocky...

[Frederic Bastiat]

41. Reminds me of Dean supporters pre-Iowa

;)

[AP]

51. Except I think Clark's great and I could make great arguments for

him over Bush.

[AP]

50. It's a Beck song. I like Clark. I'm wondering if Clark's problem

was not going to Iowa. When I asked the question, the line from the Beck song came into my head. I thought the question needed no more explanation so I typed out the lyrics. To me, the song says, in Clark's voice (not mine!) don't worry, I'm strong, stay loose. Shake your boots.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

53. Hindsight's 20/20

I think the question of whether it was a mistake to skip Iowa or not hinges on two things:

1) Who ultimately wins the nomination;
2) Realistically, whether it was physically possible for Clark to compete there considering his late start.

Kerry ended up having a great ground game in Iowa, and even Edwards had a better organization than Clark, who would've had to build from the ground up. I think it's possible that Clark could've done as well as Edwards had he competed...but he also could've done worse, and if he'd taken 4th or 5th despite sinking resources in Iowa, it would've been a disaster.

So I guess it's impossible to gauge. If he doesn't get the nomination, people will point to that as a mistake.

If he gets the nomination, it will be a stroke of genius. :-)

DTH

[AP]

60. I think it delays his momentum. If he's going to shake up the world at all

he'll have to wait until Feb 3, but he'll need a good finish in NH. If he had gone to IA and came in 2nd in, he'd be going up instead of going steady in NH.

One thing is interesting: I think if any candidate could write the script of their primaries, they'd want there to be a goliath who was in the lead early (either 2003, or even losing to the Goliath in the first couple primaries). But Clark...i'm not sure if that works. He's a general. He should always be on top. If you're a general who, at any moment, isn't in first, it confuses the message you're trying to send -- or at least I think that's the attitude the press might be manipulating in Clark's case.

Here's the premise I alwasy operate from with Clark: Republicans must have been MOST afraid of him.

I'm starting to reevaluate the way the press covered him when he announced. He was built up so high for weeks before, and then they brutalized him as soon as he announced. I think they intentionally built him up so high (like they built up Gore before the debates) and then made it look like every next step was going down. The media always wants him to look worse tomorrow than he did yesterday, because that's the exact opposite of the winning narrative -- that you were understimated, and you get better and better (notiice Kerry has embraced that narrative, even though it's conceivable that an Iowa vicotry is still lower than he was once (ie, he's was up, then down, and now up and his up is high, but it may not be higher than it's highest ever).

So, what Clark needs to do is undo this narrative the media is trying to write about him. If he can do well on Feb 3, he has his narrative.

Like I was saying, don't fret. Embrace being down for now, because it will help with the narrative arc later.

[TexasSissy]

52. Skipping IA was absolutely the right thing to do.

No doubt about it. Because of getting in so late, Clark didn't have the resources or time to campaign in both states (the other candidates had been campaigning in IA at least a year, and Dean said he'd been campaigning there for two years).

If he'd tried for both, he would've lost in both, just because of logistics. This way, he is showing a strong second in NH. Actually, Clark was shooting for third place, so if he gets that, it proves the decision to skip IA was correct.

NH is not Clark's backyard, and he's only been in the race a few months. So a showing of second place in NH would be outstanding and would bode well for the race nearer to Clark's home territory.

History has shown that more often than not, the democratic candidate that IA selects turns out not to be the nominee. So I think Clark was right, and brave, to focus on NH, Dean and Kerry's backyard.

[AP]

61. Ok, skipping IA is probably a problem for him now. Would he change it?

Probably not.

Maybe he should have skipped NH too -- after all, he's running against Kerry, Lieberman and Dean there. Clinton, applying his '92 logic, might have skipped it too.

If he went on to the Feb 3 states, I wonder what would have happened? Actually, he probably would have missed out on so much publicity, it would have hurt him.

It would have emphasized that he only took Edwards seriously, because he would have been saying that Kerry or Dean might win IA and/or NH, but they're going nowhere in the south.


Maybe not going to IA was a problem because Dean didn't win. A big story came out of IA. Had something in line with expectations came out of IA, there would have been less press coverage of it, and people would have focused on the NH campaigning more.

I guess the think to remember is, yes, Clinton skipped IA, and came in second in NH...and that was all the mo he needed.

So, again, shake those boots. Stay loose.

[mikehiggins]

12. Last week Dean was unbeatable.

This week Kerry is unbeatable.

God only knows what next week will bring.

All I know is that we're in it for the long haul and we're expecting you guys to keep up the good work so our primary down here in Florida will be important.

The idea of Clark scoring well in NH was a pipedream from the beginning and most thoughtful people knew it. You know the litany; no staff, no money, no record, no organisation and a kick off primary facing three New Englanders in New England on the same day.

Sure. No problem.

Well, Clark's raised enough money and support to plow on through the South and we have yet to see what happens in New Hampshire. It may be that Kerry, Dean and Edwards might beat our guy but the only one we have to worry about right away is Edwards. After that, we'll see.

If this winds up in the convention we'll be right there with the rest. If it gets settled before hand, Clark is just as likely as anyone else to be the nominee.

Forget being down in the dumps, unless you find some voters there to sign up.

Ciao

[Kathleen04]

19. DTH..

We're all here with you, along for the ride and the long haul.

We'll see what New Hampshire brings, right now if we came in 2nd place..I would be ecstatic.

3rd place is right on target though. Remember, we were stuck at 12-13 percent a couple weeks ago in the ARG poll...Clark has made great progress.

We may need a jump start, but we're holding steady. :)

[Imajika]

20. Clark is making his first attempt...

...at running for political office and simply does not make a powerful candidate at this time.

Clark has a ton of great qualities, and there is no doubt that he could improve as the campaign goes along or make a stronger run as a candidate for something in the future. However, at this time, Clark is just not seasoned for this sort of thing in todays 24/7 media world.

Telling FOX's Brit Hume that he doesn't appreciate the attack questions but will answer anyway, or that he won't answer at all, is not the way to go. Clark needs to be better prepared for that those type of questions, and be able to smile and answer them effectively. At this time he is just not ready for that.

The sorts of misteps Clark is making are to be expected of someone running for the first time. This is why most people run for much lower level offices at first - sometimes spending their time doing so for many years. The media attention is not so bright or aggressive, and it makes good practice. Again, Clark is just ill prepared for this sort of campaign because he hasn't done anything like it before. Quite frankly, I am surprised he is doing as well as he is.

Lastly, the campaign is still in its infancy. A third place showing for Clark in N.H. is not the end of the line. Just as Dean isn't finished because of how things went in Iowa. This nominating season is a marathon, not a sprint. My guess is that a veteran politician will wind up winning the nomination and also probably get the V.P. slot, the odds are just against a guy like Clark being successful his first time out, however, don't even think of throwing in the towel yet - it is just too early for that.

Chin up. Clark is doing pretty well considering what he is up against. Incidentally, I really like the ad's he has been running on cable. The "I'll get us out of this mess (Irag)" campaign messages are quite good and I think effective too. This indicates to me Clark's campaign is gearing up for a long run and thinking national. We will just have to wait to see how it all turns out.

One more thing DTH, your comments are reliably some of the most interesting, well thought out on DU in my opinion - hope to see more of your posts as the primaries continue and the general election rolls around.

Imajika

[RowWellandLive]

23. Speaking of well thought out comments

you Imajika are certainly well up there in my book. I agree with everything you said. Clark has great potential but is not enough of a seasoned candidate to win at this point. I've been critical of him in other posts but unfortunately have neglected to mention his great ad campaign. His ads are first rate. If only the candidate lived up to them. Oh well, he has a lot of potential.

Running for the first time is difficult, no doubt. It just seems as if his mistakes could be so obviously avoided. A campaign in its infancy messing up is understandable, however in Clark's case it appears to be the candidate himself that is afraid to reveal who he really is and what he really stands for. If he could get that "real" feel for who is is across I believe that he could overcome the obstacles of a first time politician. His real problem seems to be a lack of true convictions and a desire to say whatever is necessary to please the Democratic base. It's hard to get a real sense of the man.

Thanks for your comments. I enjoyed reading them.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

54. Thanks

I feel the same way about your posts, Imajika.

I'm a realist, and many Clark supporters are as well. Clark would be the first person to call for an "after action review" of his campaign, and I think it's clear he has done both great and mediocre at times. We should have no illusions about that, or else we fall into a trap.

That said, this General has a lot more battles ahead of him, and I'm confident he'll do well.

DTH

[tameszu]

22. Stop being nervous, soldier

And get yer butt up to New Hampshire!

I am going to say this once: I'm unwilling to blame everything on the media, but the fact is, a TON of campaigning is DUMB LUCK. In today's media soaked age, EVERYONE makes a ton of "gaffes" or seemingly innocent gestures that sound like gaffes, and it's impossible to run an error-free campaign.

This election demonstrates that perfectly--yes, it was a very smart move for Kerry to move all of his resources to IA when he realized that he wasn't going to win NH, BUT I don't think anyone would say that his strategy was "Run a campaign like a bunch of incompetent morons, so bad that I have to mortgage my HOUSE for $6.5 million before finally coming back 2.5 weeks before Iowa." Nope--Kerry's campaign WAS awful until sometime in late December/early January.

More negative press isn't helping, but I think that Clark really has built up a solid base of support. That combined with field operations should be good for a decent 3rd, and maybe even a 2nd.

So if you're not already going, book off your Monday and Tuesday, and saddle up!

[overground1]

24. Clark asked for it by skipping Iowa, refusing to debate

All of the stupid little attack issues had to be gotten out of the way, because he let them build up by hiding from the debates until now. Had he bothered to show up for a debate before (other than the one where he was even more ill-prepared but was given a free pass) then these questions would have already been asked and settled, and he would have earned the right to be asked serious questions.

[LiberalBushFan]

25. Clark needs to loosen up again

I remember before he joined the race and was on Hannity and Colmes he detroyed Hannity every time. But at the debates he doesn't have the same effect... maybe he just needs one-on-one style debates to truly shine, or something other than moderator asks question, candidate answers format. Fortunately the Bush debate is one-on-one, and he'll be great there.

[Jack_Dawson]

26. Kerry's playina a home game

Clark will be back at Soldier Field soon enough...

[Sly Kal]

27. It is just one state primary

No need to get down in the dumps over one loss.

[Skwmom]

28. What's this with the debate?

I happen to think Clark did a good job under extremely difficult circumstances. It really doesn't matter what he would have said when you have Bill Schneider and others saying Clark botched the debate. Most people do not watch the debates. The Repubs count on that so they repeat again and again that Clark is the big loser in the debate. They did the same to Gore in the debates with Bush.

It's amazing that Clark has held up as well as he has considering he has been attacked shamelessly by the Repubs and by his fellow candidates more than happy to come to the aid of the Republicans. It is around the clock coverage trashing Clark and cheering on Kerry and Edwards (my god Bill Schneider, Tucker Carlson are talking them up ).

The big loser in the long run. The Democrats. I know many people who are re-registering independent after this is over because they are fed up with the conduct of the Democratic candidates during this primary. Kerry playing along with Novak on Inside Politics was nauseating. There are a lot of people tuning into the Democratic primaries that would generally wait until the general election to get involved and they are pretty disgusted with what they see.

[Leilani]

30. Really agree with you

This is a crucial time for the Dems; many people are running out of patience with the status quo, & this election may be a turning point.

Between the Dems in the Senate who caved on Omnibus spending bill (overtime pay, meat labeling), the medicare bill, IWR, and the primary race, with it's politics as usual, this is a depressing time for people who want change.

Bush is the worst, most corrupt president in my lifetime, & if the Dems continue to roll over & play dead, then what's the point of us working so hard?

[incapsulated]

29. Whatsamatter wit you?

New Hampshire don't mean squat. I wrote it off months ago. If you had told me then that Clark would even be within breathing distance of second place I would have been stunned.

This isn't our turf and it isn't our time.

Feb. 3 is. Clark is leading in polls in the south and the west. Let Kerry have NH, I'll wait for Super Tuesday.

There is nothing to be depressed about!

[FreeperSlayer]

31. ABB!

[xultar]

32. You're right & I agree!

Clark's missteps are his own. That's why I like Clark Supporters because we can admit our candidates screw ups. I am not sad or depressed. Part of me does not want Clark to win because he is too good of a man to assume the risks and attacks on his character. Clark, I feel, has done enough for this country I feel he deserves to relax, be a grandfather, and a husband.
Mostly I am angry that people are so quick to dismiss the man who would be one of the best Presidents in US history. It is our loss and his gain if he doesn't win. I no longer consider it a huge loss if Clark does not win. I dont think our country has learned enough from a GWB administration to learn what they are missing by dismissing Clark. I am feeling better every day knowing I supported oue best chance to beat GWB.

[texasmom]

34. Xultar-

I feel a lot like you do. Even on this thread there are those saying that his not being a seasoned politician is a detriment to him. He is a proven leader with experience building coalitions on the world stage! That's what we need, because he has shown how he can truly be a uniter. But, no, he is not a profession politician. Some evidentally want that.

I've spent the past three years planning how to beat Bush, fighting against this administration, and thinking about what we need in a candidate. He has it all, but it remains to be seen if his lack of political campaign expertise will hurt him in these primaries. To me, it is refreshing. At any rate, someone here was asked the other day if they'd change their username away from "Wes" something if he lost. They said if they they did, they probably would change it to "shouldabeenwes." That gave me such a laugh, and I keep thinking about it. It fits in with your last sentence.

Yes, he's the best match-up to Bush and will be an incredible president and leader. We're really just beginning, and we have plenty of money to keep getting the message out. As Kerry and Edwards proved, slow and steady wins the race. But...if he doesn't, I'll take heart in the fact that he can go back to his family and enjoy his retirement from a lifetime of public service and accomplishment. It wasn't his lifetime goal to be president. He answered our call because he loves this country.

[Jerseycoa]

42. I am feeling better

after a night's sleep. :)

Go Wes!

:bounce:

[WI_DEM]

33. don't give up hope, DTH

I think Clark is still in the thick of things. Don't despair. The only poll that counts is on Tuesday and if you can gotv and keep enthusiasm high in your ranks I think Clark will come out of NH ok.

[MoonRiver]

35. I hope you're watching Clark on C-SPAN DTH!

That will cheer you up big time! I think Clark's going to come in second in NH and sweep the South and Midwest!

[texasmom]

36. It's working for me! n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

37. Just a word of thanks for the generosity...

of supporters of candidates other than Clark in this and other threads. Yesterday I posted encouragement in WI_DEM's thread about feeling better about Dean after some really difficult days, and today WI_DEM posts encouraging words in this thread. All of our candidates are, and will be, under constant siege from the press and the RNC. I understand that this board was created out of an enraged and frustrated need to communicate after the stolen election, and we still need that communication, and support for each other, even as we support different candidates. Our commonality is the same as it was in December, 2000.

[KittyWampus]

38. Turn The DAMNED TV OFF! Recognize Psychological Warfare

when you see it.

Clark is looking good and only needs third.

He is leading/tied in states countrywide with organization and grassroots nationwide.

Kerry has NOTHING in place with only ONE week to TRY and build something.

The only way Kerry can win is going negative as he is now in NH with his slanderous flyers... it will blow up in his face.

Clark is intentionally flying under the radar. That is his strategy.

[Clark Can WIN]

39. He got a bigger turnout than expected this morning

Buck up, we're going to be FINE. I'm sending my last it of spare cash today. I hope to hell they are running about 9 commercials per minute in NH, that's what I'm eating PBJ's and Ramen for!

GO WES ! :dem:

[Jerseycoa]

44. Thanks for the reminder

:)

Goin' there now. https://secure.clark04.com/

This weekend is back on track!

:bounce:

[gulliver]

43. Kerry's surge is pure Dean backlash.

Voters giving up on Dean stampeded back to the previous front-runner. They came to their senses on Dean and they will on Kerry too. At least I hope so. Otherwise, it's going to be four more years of Junior, and the Democratic party will be wrecked. And we'll have only ourselves to blame.

[CabalBuster]

45. I've seen a lot of Clark ads here in the Washington, DC area...

And being a Dean supporter I have to say I liked his ads and the image he projects, he comes off as very sincere and noble.

Dean and Clark are the anti-establisment democrats so they suffer the most from the media bias. The big networks are comfortable with people like Kerry and Edwards, two Washington democratic lawyers who who are shrewd with the media and play the angle the media is comfortable with.

Don't despair, the nomination race just got started.

[Ilsa]

46. Hang in there, DTH!

I was feeling a little down the other day, but anything can happen! His donations are up, and Clark is in Kerry's backyard right now.

Thanks for the thoughtful post.

[blm]

47. That article showed what it will take to beat Bush in 2004.

It was a brilliant tactic they kept UNDER THE RADAR>

But, I don't think the ticket is a done deal. I think we Dems will be sitting fine with a combination of any of the top three Dems - Kerry, Edwards or Clark.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

48. OK, I'm Feeling a LOT Better This Morning

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. BTW, the Suffolk poll shows Clark moving up yesterday, not down. :-)

And Tameszu, I'm afraid I can't make it out to NH (I'm in CA, and have certain obligations out here that preclude such a trip), but I am heading to AZ and I'm also phone banking NH voters and doing more outreach here in L.A. I'd always planned on doing that, again, I'm nowhere near giving up or despairing.

I was just a little bummed last night, is all. Now I feel better. I still think Clark will do better than expected in NH, and 2/3 is a whole different story. :-)

DTH

[maddezmom]

49. glad you're feeling better this am :)

a little shut eye always helps. Make sure you watch Clark on CSPAN...he's on now and doing great. :)

[in_cog_ni_to]

55. DTH, you're right.

I have put MY faith in the NH voters. They are smart and they can see through all the RW, FAUX NEWS, Peter Jennings rhetoric. Clark is pulling HUGE crowds. I KNOW that if someone meets this man, hears him and sees him in person, they will vote for him. He's "real", he's sincere, he's compassionate and he will do what's RIGHT for our country. He will NOT put partisanship before the good of this country. He can and WILL do well in NH! Don't listen to the pundits! They speak for KKKRove! I was somewhat sad yesterday and just had to remove myself from what the RW media and the polls were saying. I know different. He's doing well in NH and all of my faith is now in the notoriously INDEPENDENT voters of NH. They ALWAYS surprise us. They are INVOLVED. They SEE ALL of the candidates. They DO NOT listen to the pundits and the polls. That's where my hope lies. :) Keep the faith! Wes will do well! He is our best chance to beat Bush and the NH voters know that too. :)

Go Wes!

[curse10]

56. Clark has still got it in him

I think we might be surprised with a Clark surge come Tuesday. :-)

[Tom Rinaldo]

58. May I suggest that you start a new thread?

Call it: No Longer Depressed about Clark's Prospects

Annoucne here that all additional comments should be posted to the new thread. That would be a much stronger message header for all of us to view and respond to on the DU scroll.

I am feeling upbeat about Clark. He is getting sharper and stronger on the stump. He will compete strong across the country on Feb. 3rd, and more people are tuning into the fact that he is waging a kick ass campaign on behalf of all Democrats against Bush.

[Lefta Dissenter]

59. I'm glad you're feeling better this morning, DTH

I watched the pancake breakfast this morning, WOW, that man is awesome. And the crowd obviously loved him, too.

Yesterday, my dad called and asked me to bring over some Clark bumper stickers for his friend, who wants to use them to cover the Other Democratic Candidate stickers on his car.

We had a Clark house party last night, collected a nice little bundle of bucks, and, more importantly, enabled some fence-sitters to learn more about Clark. Those people left with yard signs and bumper stickers in hand.

When I stopped in at the grocery store the other day, the checkout guy asked me if there was a Clark rally in town or something, because he had been seeing a lot of Clark buttons on people that day. No, there was not a rally, but I was really glad to hear that people are beginning to become more aware.

Just keep getting the word out - remember, you tell five people, those people will tell five people, on and on. Your vote will be multiplied many times.

Now go put out another yard sign! :)