Clark Closes On Dean In Democratic Race (UK Independent 1/4)

[KittyWampus]

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
04 January 2004

General Wesley Clark, the former Nato commander who entered the presidential race only four months ago, is emerging as the candidate most likely to upset Howard Dean's hitherto unstoppable drive towards the Democratic nomination in November.

Gen Clark's appeal was underlined by the $11m (£6m) he raised in the fourth quarter of 2003, putting him second only to the former Vermont governor in the vital "invisible primary" of fundraising.... But armed with $3.7m of additional matching funds from the federal government, Gen Clark is now able to finance a vigorous campaign well beyond the crucial early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

snip

... Campaigning in New Hampshire last week, Gen Clark tried to cement the impression that he was the one viable alternative to Mr Dean, whose shoot-from-the-hip style and lack of foreign policy experience have many Democratic elders alarmed that he will be trounced by Mr Bush in the election. This would destroy Democratic prospects of recapturing control of Congress in the process. "I'm one of only two candidates in a position to win the nomination," he said. "I am best able to stand up to George W Bush and win the debate about who can make our country secure over the next four years."

snip

.... In a back-handed compliment to Gen Clark's progress, other candidates are starting to turn their fire on him as well as Mr Dean..... The Clark campaign is sending a 15-minute video about the general to 50,000 possible primary voters in New Hampshire. It will also be shown on cable channels in the state before the 27 January primary

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=477913

[Clark4VotingRights]

1. And yet the US propaganda polls so often dismiss Clark and...

Everyone but Dean.
Who conducts these US polls?
The corporate media.

[LiberalBushFan]

2. who cares about the second place guy?

if the second place guy mattered at all before the voting occurred, we'd like, live in some crazy democracy or something. If there was reason to worry about the other candidates, Chris Matthews would let us know!

[democratreformed]

3. Glad to hear about the campaign sending out the video

I think it is very good.

[Auntie Bush]

4. See...have to go to the uk to get the true story about Clark n/t

[Lobo_13]

5. A little math

11,000,000.00 4th quarter
+3,700,000.00 matching funds
+3,500,000.00 3rd quarter
--------------
18,200,000.00
- x.00 cash spent
--------------

vs.

40,000,000.00
- x.00 cash spent

=

Dean as at least twice as much money as Clark.

That's hardly catching up.

[neuvocat]

6. You mean 5 months of campaigning vs. two years?

On top of that, Dean is struggling against Gephardt in Iowa.

[Lobo_13]

7. an inch or a mile

ahead is ahead. What matters is where they are, not how they got there.

Clark still only has a potential for another 25 mil before July.

Dean is unlimited.

Gep is supposed to run away with IA. With labor unions, he's formidable. But he's ultimately screwed since he's poured all of his resources into one state.