Can Clark Beat Bush?
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, September 2, 2003; Page A21
If Gen. Wesley Clark decides to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, he will be relying on the same sentiment that has turned Howard Dean into the insurgent front-runner.
On paper, Dean and Clark could hardly be more different. Clark is a southerner, Dean a New Englander. Clark spent his career in the military. Dean is a doctor who has spent years in state politics. Clark is presumed to be a centrist along the lines of his fellow Arkansan, Bill Clinton. Dean has a moderate history, but has used the late Paul Wellstone's mantra -- "I'm from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" -- to turn himself into a hero of the party's left.
But none of these things matters nearly as much as the single overpowering fact of Democratic presidential politics this year: the deep, gut-level dislike that so many Democrats feel for President Bush and their passionate desire to remove him from office.
Up to now that sentiment has worked in Dean's favor. Dean caught the attention of his party by opposing Bush on Iraq while the other major Democratic presidential candidates -- Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards and Rep. Richard Gephardt -- all voted for the war. Sen. Bob Graham voted against the war but did not grab antiwar activists.
As a former governor, Dean is an outsider who doesn't have to answer for anything Washington Democrats do (or fail to do). Even when congressional Democrats strongly criticize Bush, their words -- to their frustration -- are rarely covered in the press or on television. So Dean, fairly or unfairly, developed the reputation as "the one Democrat willing to stand up to Bush," the phrase that has become a mantra for his supporters.
But if the Democrats' dislike of Bush leads some in their ranks to support his seemingly most outspoken opponent, it leads others to a pragmatic judgment: The party's obligation is to nominate the candidate with the best profile for taking the fight to Bush's turf.
That has produced a longing for Clark among some Democrats and a significant outpouring of support in chat rooms and on Internet sites set up to encourage him to run. This is another parallel to the Dean campaign, which has used the Web cleverly and aggressively. If Clark does get into the race later this month, this Internet infrastructure could be key to his chances of raising enough money to be competitive.
Listen to the Clark Web-heads and you hear the longing for a winner.
"Whoever wins the Democratic primary had better be able to neutralize the defense argument quickly, or they're toast," wrote one correspondent. "This is why, before Clark, I felt that there was no way in hell that anyone could possibly beat Bush. . . . Only Clark can change the dynamic. Only Clark can change the conversation. Only Clark can change the direction."
"He is the man that can beat Bush," wrote another. "He can repeal Bush policies, help get the economy back on track, restore our political prestige and help make our country far safer."
And some of Clark's Web supporters explicitly contrast his chances to Dean's. One declared that Dean was "the vehicle for those simply furious with both the Republicans and the Democratic Party" while Clark was the candidate of those with "faith in the idea of American self-renewal." This writer went on: "to heal a divided nation, we will not begin by dividing it still further."
Clark, of course, could still decide not to run, though the sounds from his camp indicate that he will. No one knows what kind of candidate he will make. Up to now he has not been challenged by any of his prospective opponents. Kerry, whose Vietnam War hero status has given him special claim to being the best candidate to challenge Bush, has a strong interest in pushing Clark back.
And unlike Dean, who had months in relative obscurity to work out kinks in his approach and his campaign, Clark will be subjected to enormous attention immediately. This late in the game, he can't afford rookie mistakes.
But if Clark does prosper, he, like Dean, will owe a great deal to George W. Bush. Parties desperate for victory do unusual things, including turning to generals. Clark presumably is studying the success of one of the most brilliant politician-generals in American history, Dwight D. Eisenhower. But Ike could rely on party bosses to ease his way. Clark and his fans on the Web will have to do a lot of the work themselves.
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© 2003 The Washington Post Company
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