http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=5&u=/ap/20040131/ap_on_el_pr/clarkMESILLA, N.M. - As he barnstormed across two states crucial to keeping his campaign alive, presidential candidate Wesley Clark (news - web sites) sharpened his criticism of President Bush (news - web sites) Saturday, calling him "the most divisive, polarizing leader in recent American history."
Clark, who has targeted Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma as the states most likely to deliver him a badly needed win, abandoned his criticism of front-runner John Kerry (news - web sites) which dominated appearances Friday, and instead trained his sights on Bush.
At a rally on a picturesque town square in this southern New Mexico community, Clark was introduced by Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson who called him "a compassionate, generous leader" with momentum and electability. Richardson, who has not endorsed any candidate for president, had appeared with Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), D-N.C., earlier in the day.
Nevertheless, Richardson hailed Clark as "the next president of the United States" in Spanish to the gathering of some 300 Clark supporters.
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