Clark's Bid Prompts Some Dean Supporters to Reconsider
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By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 28, 2003; Page A04
washingtonpost.com
DOVER, N.H. -- New Hampshire Democrat Larry Taylor was leaning toward supporting former Vermont governor Howard Dean for president until he turned out on a damp Friday night at New England College in Henniker, N.H., to see retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark. By the time Clark had finished his town hall meeting, Taylor was ready to change his allegiance.
"I think Clark can win," Taylor said. "I don't think Dean can win. I think Dean's going to be pegged as too liberal. He doesn't have the kind of military background and some of the strength that Clark seems to have."
Whatever else Clark's late entry into the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination has done, it has forced the issue of electability back to the top of the agenda for many Democratic and independent voters.
His candidacy threatens all of the other nine Democrats in the race in some respect, but here in New Hampshire, where Dean has risen to the top of the field, it has changed the dynamic of a race that, until now, was shaped principally by the former Vermont governor.
Dean has prospered in the Democratic race on the strength of his opposition to the war in Iraq, and because he captured earlier than any of the other candidates the deep anger among Democrats toward Bush. Clark's candidacy appears to have prompted many voters, some of them Dean supporters but particularly those still undecided, to think again.
Peter Lehmen and his wife, Theresa, of Keene, N.H., attended Clark's town hall meeting late Friday. Lehmen has given money to Dean and credits the scrappy Vermonter with having the courage to take on Bush and start a dialogue among the Democrats that has shaped both the tone and the substance of the debate. "He was talking about things that other people were afraid to talk about," Lehmen said.
Lately, however, both Lehmens have begun to question whether Dean is the best Democrat to beat Bush. Peter said he finds Dean inconsistent in some of his views. Theresa said Dean is "coming across as a little more abrasive" and appears to let his ego get in his way. Clark, she said, impressed her as someone who could successfully negotiate with foreign leaders. "He certainly presented himself in a very diplomatic but forceful way that I would call presidential," she said.
Some Democrats said Clark will have trouble peeling committed activists away from Dean, but among those less committed, Clark is making inroads.
Lesley Gaita of Melrose, Mass., joined a big group of New England veterans of the Draft Clark movement in Dover today at a rally for Clark. Asked to compare Dean and Clark, she said, "Clark puts a positive spin on things. Dean is very forceful, he's very dramatic and I agree with what he says. But sometimes he's trying to find a negative too much. I think this gentleman thinks more intently than Dean does. Dean tends to shoot from the hip a bit much."
Some of the voters who came to see Clark already are passionate supporters, but many others are mostly curious and eager to know more about him. His weekend visit made a positive impression on many of those who saw and heard him, based on interviews after the events.
Clark has yet to fill out his profile as a politician, both in policy details and in temperament and personality. New Hampshire voters know that first impressions can be misleading, and several voters said they worry there may be something in Clark's background that could come out and damage his candidacy.
Others said they want to see Clark develop as a candidate before making a final decision. "He's going to have to polish up his policy positions, said state Rep. Terie Norelli of Portsmouth, who attended a house party today for Clark hosted by John and Mary Rauh, longtime veterans of New Hampshire political campaigns.
Comparisons between Dean and Clark come naturally here, given Dean's success and Clark's national prominence as a critic of the Iraq war. But Clark is affecting other Democratic candidates beyond Dean. Several voters said they were drawn to Clark in part because they were not as impressed as they had hoped to be with Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who, like Clark, is a decorated combat veteran.
Lynne Pedersen of Meredith, Mass., was holding Draft Clark signs when the novice candidate arrived in Manchester on Friday. A registered independent who usually votes Democratic, she said, "I'm looking for a security blanket for our country, and I don't think any of them [the other Democrats] represent it, but Wesley Clark does."
Clark appears poised to claim a significant share of the independent vote, which can play an influential role in determining the outcome of the Jan. 27 primary.
Ann Milne of Auburn, N.H., supported Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) against Bush in the 2000 GOP primary here, but she is looking at Clark and a vote in the Democratic primary. Asked about Dean and Kerry, she said, "I agree with everything they say. However, I just don't think they can prevail in the general election."
Clark's late entry has created a stir within the Democratic electorate, but it also means there is a smaller margin of error for mistakes or misstatements or surprises that could quickly change impressions. He can expect scrutiny not only from his rivals and the news media, but also from the voters.
"I'm still sorting it out, quite frankly," said Mary-Chris Duncan of Bradford, N.H., who said she has been leaning toward Dean but is undecided. "As a Democrat, I want someone who I think is going to be electable, someone who can beat George Bush. I'm going to be pragmatic when it comes down to voting."
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