bonoman
Refugee
Ex-Gen. Wesley Clark to Seek White House
10 minutes ago
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wesley Clark, the retired general with a four-star military resume but no political experience, decided Tuesday to become the 10th Democratic presidential candidate, officials close to him said.
AP Photo
"He's made his decision and will announce it tomorrow in Little Rock," said Mark Fabiani, a spokesman for Clark. Fabiani did not reveal Clark's decision, but officials close to the former general said he told his fledgling campaign team that he's in the race.
Clark's decision came as Democratic strategists from around the country gathered at his small, low-slung brick headquarters at the bank's of the Arkansas river to discuss strategy for mounting a late-starting presidential campaign.
Fabiani, who served as spokesman for former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites)'s 2000 campaign, is part of a cadre of former Gore and Bill Clinton (news - web sites) advisers, who are now rallying behind Clark.
In addition to Fabiani, among those attending the meeting were Ron Klain, a strategist in Al Gore's 2000 campaign; Washington lawyer Bill Oldaker; Vanessa Weaver, a Clinton appointee; Skip Rutherford, a Clinton fund-raiser who lives here; George Bruno, a New Hampshire activist; and Peter Knight, a Washington lobbyist and longtime Gore fund-raiser. Bruce Lindsey, former White House aide and now an Arkansas lawyer, also backs Clark.
Clinton had urged Clark to enter the race, but neither he nor Gore is expected to take sides in the primary fight.
Clark's team was exploring several venues in Little Rock for an announcement, including a park named for World War II Gen. Douglas MacArthur, a Little Rock native. This site would underscore what Clark's advisers consider his greatest strength ? his longtime military background.
Clark, 58, believes his four-star military service would counter Bush's political advantage as a wartime commander in chief, friends say. The retired general has been critical of the Iraq (news - web sites) war and Bush's postwar efforts, positions that would put him alongside announced candidates Howard Dean (news - web sites), Sen. Bob Graham (news, bio, voting record) of Florida and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio as the most vocal anti-war candidates.
It would be a long-shot bid.
Just four months before voting begins, Clark would be competing against candidates who have had months to raise money, build organizations in key states and recruit the party's top political talent.
But the strategists assembled in Little Rock on Tuesday are among the party's best. An Internet-fueled draft-Clark movement has developed the seeds of a campaign organization and more than $1 million in pledges.
Clark's resume is formidable ? Rhodes scholar, first in his 1966 class at West Point, White House fellow, head of the U.S. Southern Command and NATO (news - web sites) commander during the 1999 campaign in Kosovo.
Clark's local office said no announcement was planned for Monday or Tuesday but it was noncommittal about the rest of the week as supporters anxiously awaited his decision.
Nearly 12 years after Clinton announced his first campaign, Arkansans were excited at the prospect of backing another favorite son.
"He almost has to (run) in light of everything that's happened," said Little Rock lawyer Phillip McMath, a friend of Clark's since ninth grade. "He seems to be campaigning and getting his ducks in a row."
Jean Wallace, a classmate of Clark's from grammar school, has organized Warriors for Wes, a group of Clark classmates named after the mascot at their alma mater, Hall High School. She said the supporters were ready to travel the country to tout Clark's candidacy the way "Friends of Bill" organizations crisscrossed the country campaigning for Clinton.
"We are eagerly awaiting an announcement very shortly. There are thousands of people across the country doing the same thing, people who have put their hearts and time and resources into this effort," Jeff Dailey, spokesman for Draft Clark for President 2004, said.
The group, one of several Draft Clark groups, boasts of 166 coordinators in 50 states.
"In New Hampshire, there are many people ready to move out if they're given the green light," said Bruno, one of Clinton's earlier backers in the key primary voting state.
Clark is scheduled to deliver a speech at the University of Iowa on Sept. 19 but is expected to make his decision before that.
10 minutes ago
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wesley Clark, the retired general with a four-star military resume but no political experience, decided Tuesday to become the 10th Democratic presidential candidate, officials close to him said.
AP Photo
"He's made his decision and will announce it tomorrow in Little Rock," said Mark Fabiani, a spokesman for Clark. Fabiani did not reveal Clark's decision, but officials close to the former general said he told his fledgling campaign team that he's in the race.
Clark's decision came as Democratic strategists from around the country gathered at his small, low-slung brick headquarters at the bank's of the Arkansas river to discuss strategy for mounting a late-starting presidential campaign.
Fabiani, who served as spokesman for former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites)'s 2000 campaign, is part of a cadre of former Gore and Bill Clinton (news - web sites) advisers, who are now rallying behind Clark.
In addition to Fabiani, among those attending the meeting were Ron Klain, a strategist in Al Gore's 2000 campaign; Washington lawyer Bill Oldaker; Vanessa Weaver, a Clinton appointee; Skip Rutherford, a Clinton fund-raiser who lives here; George Bruno, a New Hampshire activist; and Peter Knight, a Washington lobbyist and longtime Gore fund-raiser. Bruce Lindsey, former White House aide and now an Arkansas lawyer, also backs Clark.
Clinton had urged Clark to enter the race, but neither he nor Gore is expected to take sides in the primary fight.
Clark's team was exploring several venues in Little Rock for an announcement, including a park named for World War II Gen. Douglas MacArthur, a Little Rock native. This site would underscore what Clark's advisers consider his greatest strength ? his longtime military background.
Clark, 58, believes his four-star military service would counter Bush's political advantage as a wartime commander in chief, friends say. The retired general has been critical of the Iraq (news - web sites) war and Bush's postwar efforts, positions that would put him alongside announced candidates Howard Dean (news - web sites), Sen. Bob Graham (news, bio, voting record) of Florida and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio as the most vocal anti-war candidates.
It would be a long-shot bid.
Just four months before voting begins, Clark would be competing against candidates who have had months to raise money, build organizations in key states and recruit the party's top political talent.
But the strategists assembled in Little Rock on Tuesday are among the party's best. An Internet-fueled draft-Clark movement has developed the seeds of a campaign organization and more than $1 million in pledges.
Clark's resume is formidable ? Rhodes scholar, first in his 1966 class at West Point, White House fellow, head of the U.S. Southern Command and NATO (news - web sites) commander during the 1999 campaign in Kosovo.
Clark's local office said no announcement was planned for Monday or Tuesday but it was noncommittal about the rest of the week as supporters anxiously awaited his decision.
Nearly 12 years after Clinton announced his first campaign, Arkansans were excited at the prospect of backing another favorite son.
"He almost has to (run) in light of everything that's happened," said Little Rock lawyer Phillip McMath, a friend of Clark's since ninth grade. "He seems to be campaigning and getting his ducks in a row."
Jean Wallace, a classmate of Clark's from grammar school, has organized Warriors for Wes, a group of Clark classmates named after the mascot at their alma mater, Hall High School. She said the supporters were ready to travel the country to tout Clark's candidacy the way "Friends of Bill" organizations crisscrossed the country campaigning for Clinton.
"We are eagerly awaiting an announcement very shortly. There are thousands of people across the country doing the same thing, people who have put their hearts and time and resources into this effort," Jeff Dailey, spokesman for Draft Clark for President 2004, said.
The group, one of several Draft Clark groups, boasts of 166 coordinators in 50 states.
"In New Hampshire, there are many people ready to move out if they're given the green light," said Bruno, one of Clinton's earlier backers in the key primary voting state.
Clark is scheduled to deliver a speech at the University of Iowa on Sept. 19 but is expected to make his decision before that.
