Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

[Cheswick2.0]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6821-2004Jan10.html

Clark wants to be like Howard!


"Immature poets imitate," T.S. Eliot once observed. "Mature poets steal."



Perhaps the same can be said of political campaigns. Close watchers of retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark's Web site have recently noticed several features that appear to have been lifted from earlier efforts by Dean for America.

The youth-oriented Web page, for example.

In June, former Vermont governor Howard Dean's campaign created a "Generation Dean" site, complete with a blog for students and a red-and-white image of a name tag labeled "meet up." By clicking on the tag, viewers could find a list of "meet-ups" across the country. And "Generation Dean" was hiply shortened in several places to "Gen Dean."

When Clark entered the race in September, his minions went to work. The following month, a "Gen Clark" site was unveiled, complete with a blog for students and a red-and-white image of a name tag labeled "meet up." By clicking on the tag, viewers could find a list of "meet-ups" across the country.

Speaking of meet-ups: In September, the Dean Web site posted a downloadable flier, which volunteers could use to promote Dean for America gatherings. Beneath a black-banner headline, a Dean logo on the left and a photo of the smiling candidate on the right, the text read: "Come meet with local Dean supporters and learn more about Governor Howard Dean. Over 110,000 Americans have signed up to meet and talk about taking our country back."

<snip>

[Hoppin_Mad]

1. They copied the Dean Letter Writing Campaign as well -eom-

[xultar]

37. Yup, no one has EVER done that before. n/t

[MIMStigator]

2. Clark is stealing ideas for bumper stickers and signs too

the noive

[xultar]

38. I also hear he has T-shirts. THE NERVE...Xerox Cat! n/t

[kerry-is-my-prez]

3. Business 101: Why reinvent the wheel?

n/t

[Eloriel]

20. Maybe

so you can show voters you have an original thought in your head, or can come up with one, or that you're not Dean-Lite, or that you can select staff who are more creative -- and honorable -- than to plagiarize.

[windansea]

4. did Dean invent the internet??

:evilgrin:

[arewethereyet]

10. nah that was Gore

Dean didn't invent the gaffe either but he's perfecting it. bg difference.

[Cheswick2.0]

34. do you get your material from Fox?

:evilgrin:

[Closer]

5. It's disgusting.

[DeanIsAPitbull]

6. Just like how Clark stole Dean's middle class taxcut plan and anti-Iraq

war stances :)



go Dean!

[xultar]

39. He also stole that whole momentum thing. n/t

[Jerseycoa]

7. Hey, thanks for everything, Cheswick!

B-)

[Cheswick2.0]

35. I guess if you have an imitation democrat

you need an imitation campaign

Just kidding. :evilgrin:

[xultar]

40. Imitation Democrat, Is that kinda like the Imitation Liberal?

It was my understanding that Mr. Dean had most of his fights with the Democrats in his state not the Rethugs?

I find that very interesting. :evilgrin:

just kidding

[slinkerwink]

8. clark's never had an original idea in his head

and it's all been put in there by his handlers.

[Hoppin_Mad]

13. Untrue ! He went against the tide in supporting the 'School of Torture' -

[Clark4VotingRights]

15. My, such harsh and false language.

Really lowers the level of discourse here.

If Clark really copied Dean he'd have "Dumbo Eruptions."
Heard that phrase coined for Dean on CBS news.

See?

[slinkerwink]

23. well, all his domestic policy plans were done by handlers....

[xultar]

41. And Dean's foreign policy will be done by...

TBD....

Oh yeah, we don't know that yet. He's gonna surround himself with experts. Like Junior shrub.

:evilgrin:

just kidding

:evilgrin:

[Lefta Dissenter]

9. At the last Clark meeting

I was talking with some students, and they said, "yeah, it never would have occurred to us to form a group to support Clark... but then we saw that some students supported Dean, and we thought, and we thought, and we thought... and then a big LIGHT BULB went on over our heads! Hey, I'll bet WE could support a candidate for President, as well! After all, it's Madison, frickin' Wisconsin - I mean, it's never been done before, you know, student activism and all... "

[MIMStigator]

12. good story

:hi:

[windansea]

11. ummm this chardonnay tastes good

want some??

[maddezmom]

14. got any red?

:)

[windansea]

21. yes

cheese and crackers too

[Walt Starr]

16. People are smart. They won't settle for a cheap imitation

when they can have the real deal just as easily.

This will hurt Clark.

[Jack_Dawson]

17. Please - Dean has copied Clark on everything

Esp. our Iraq policy and now his tax plan.

[Padraig18]

24. Rather hard to copy Clark on 'everything'...

... when he wasn't even in the race until September, _Jack_... :eyes:

[Jack_Dawson]

26. Well...he's copied him on a few things...

[Cheswick2.0]

27. like what?

Did Clark have grey hair first?

[Jack_Dawson]

30. Dean stole Clark's Iraq policy

And is following Clark's tax-cuts for the middle class pledge.

[xultar]

18. Dean is obviously the most Web Savvy Dem Candidate out there

Join me in congratulating the Dean Campaign on their awsome mastery of all things WWW.

YEA!!! :party:

[DemBones DemBones]

25. Isn't it that he hired the most web-savvy campaign manager?

My understanding is that Dean's not really into online culture, it's Trippi that's done all that for him.

So, good job on hiring Trippi, Howard! :toast:

[SahaleArm]

33. Trippi had the internet background and drove that effort n/t

[xultar]

42. Wait, Dean didn't do his web sites on his own? OMG! I thought

he was designing, coding, uplodaing, and troubleshooting...

:evilgrin: just kidding :evilgrin:

[Lobo_13]

19. He stole the Drive for Democracy idea too

Except his staff only did it in the south.

Clarks web philosophy: "Do what Dean does, but lower the expectations."

I remember when Clark used a basketball instead of a bat. That was funny.

[hellhathnofury]

22. Kerry's copy was a hammer.

[FubarFly]

28. Edwards had a boot.

[Printer70]

29. Clark also stole the idea of opposing the war from Dean

...after saying he would vote for IWR, his consultants pulled him aside. A day later he said his position was the "same as Dean's". Those were the man's words.

[SahaleArm]

32. Clark has congressional testimony - Dean has flip-flops, platitudes...

and Kool-Aid. It's worked so far.

[JaneQPublic]

36. Clark has taken heat for flip flops, just like all the other candidates

"Clark flip-flops on Iraq war vote"
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3070750/

"Candidate Clark Flip Flops On Iraq"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/21/politics/main574378.shtml

Just Google "flip flop" and the name of any candidate, and you'll find a few articles accusing them of "flip flops."

[xultar]

43. And Dean stole it from KUCINICH...n/t

[JNelson6563]

31. Here in my town they didn't stop at web sites

They even stole some party info to use to promote Clark. Fortunately it was revealed early enough to put the major stuff into lockdown.

Funny, I've had access to it all for months and it never occured to me to misuse the info for my candidate's benefit.

Julie