Clark is our best candidate and our best shot to win

[MIMStigator]

Edwards good
Kerry better
Clark best

[HuckleB]

1. You might be right.

Though I think both Edwards and Dean would poll better than Kerry come November, when all is said and done.

[Clark Can WIN]

2. OK, I'm convinced :-)

[democratreformed]

3. Me too :)

[Kathleen04]

4. Agreed, but I'd re-order:

Kerry good
Edwards better
Clark best

:)

[KFC]

10. Yes. I'll take the Kerry/Clark/Edwards Exacta box

Any combo will do nicely.

[Mz Pip]

5. I would love

to see a Clark/Edwards ticket. I think it would be a 1 2 knockout punch on the Shrub.

But that's just me. I want Bush gone and am hoping that the Dems don't self destruct before Nov.

MzPip
:dem:

[MIMStigator]

6. Shrub might as well not show up for debates if that happens

Clark/Edwards would be it

[countmyvote4real]

9. That's my dream team, too.

I don't think it will happen, but I don't think we'll be stuck with lemonade either.

[Kathleen04]

7. I love that ticket!

:loveya:

[maxr4clark]

32. I'd actually prefer Clark/Kerry,

it would bring the liberal wing of the Democratic party out in support of Clark as well as the independents and other new Democrats that Clark provides.

[TheDebbieDee]

39. I agree. A Clark/Edwards ticket would be real tough........

for the Repubs to beat.

Wesley Clark, like Bush is fluent in Spanish, as well as several other languages. And he might be able to peel away a big chunk of the active duty military vote.

John Edwards, with his trial lawyer experience, could persuade voters to believe that acid rain is actually a good thing. I'm sure he's an expert at verbally defending himself.

[For PaisAn]

8. absolutely agree

n/t

[girl gone mad]

11. My preference:

1.Clark
2.Dean
3.Edwards
4.Kerry

[Vote2004]

12. ARGH!

Some people have almost convinced me and I was leaning toward Dean and now this. They (some of them were 1000+ and donors) have convinced me to listen to some of Dean's speeches in its entirety and he does come across strong and passionate.

Clark seems so, well, sweater-ish and meek in his representation of himself. Can he beat Bush with his personality?

(I DO NOT mean any disrespect for any candidates, offering my honest opinion and trying to find out who would be the best candidate....?)

[MIMStigator]

13. however much he is sweaterish and meek

His medals and rank overcome that and people would know he's the opposite of the pretender bully talking coward.

[LiberalBushFan]

16. Well I have to say one thing...

Watch the Fox interview! Sweater-ish? Only when he wants to be!
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/windows/0,3783,4908:300,00.wvx

[Vote2004]

20. Trying to check out your link

but having problems with my audio thingy on the computer. Thanks for your help thou. Like I said, I am still open and undecided and do appreciate everybody's help.

[DIBL]

21. I couldn't get your link to work

Here's another source for the FOX interview:

http://www.lifes-abeach.com/vidclips/fnl_clark_111703_300.rm

[Vote2004]

24. Sweater or not, he doesn't have women problem, does he??

Read and responded about Kerry's women problem on another thread. Wow, what I learn on this site!

Okay, kerry suposedly abandoned his first wife (in sickness), so then, maybe Clark and his comforting sweater image IS better?

(It's about someone being electable, in my opinion, but correct me if I am wrong)

[krkaufman]

17. Clark's unassuming personality

Clark's unassuming personality may well be a boon for swing voters (along with all his other pluses) -- who've been turned off by the spitting vitriol of recent years.

[DIBL]

23. Have you listened to Clark's speeches in their entirety?

Here's a good one form a NH townhall meeting.

http://a471.g.akamai.net/7/471/9997/v0001/clark.download.akamai.com/9997/speeches/Clark04_Dover_hi.wmv

It starts of kind of slow but Clark really hits his stride later on, especially in the Q&A.

There are more videos on clark04.com

[Vote2004]

26. No, but

I will shortly thanks to you.

[maxr4clark]

33. If you can, watch him on C-SPAN. n/t

[Auntie Bush]

14. Clark-----------Kerry, Edwards

I just hope by the time they get done trying to win the primary... someone will be left standing. I think Clark has the best chance.
Edwards should be last because he has no military experience and very little executive experience. A Clark/Kerry or a Kerry/Clark ticket would be almost impossible to beat.

[DevinDNC]

15. Clark is great but he is no Kerry

Clark is a great American and is a true warrior. but I think Kerry is the best bet to beat war-dodger Bush

[krkaufman]

18. On this issue

> I think Kerry is the best bet to beat war-dodger Bush

I just don't see Kerry having an advantage over Clark, especially when framed as going against "war-dodger Bush." Clark's a 4-star general who commanded a modern army to a victory in Kosovo. Kerry's been out of the military for 30 years (and his anti-war activities won't go over as well with Independents and swing voters as it does with the Democratic base).

[newyawker99]

29. Hi DevinDNC!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[maxr4clark]

31. The war-dodger claim hasn't stopped Bush in any past election,

why should it matter in this one?

What will matter this time around is what he has done in Iraq, what he has done to the job market and the deficit, and what he has done to make religion an issue in politics.

Clark wins the debate on Iraq, period. Kerry won't convince anyone who doesn't already agree, he is too clearly liberal for independents to take any notice of.

Kerry has advantages on the job market/deficit, however he has disadvantages too. He is easily smeared with the tax-and-spend Democrat label, the Republicans' chief weapon in this field. Clark is not. He has a degree in economics, from Oxford no less. He has a tax plan that will be enormously popular, if it ever gets discussed in public. He is not susceptible to the tax-and-spend label. AND he has the credentials to say we should lower the defense budget, even during "wartime" and be believed. So Kerry is okay, but Clark is better against Bush (and in my opinion, would be better for the country, too) on the economy in a General Election matchup.

Clark has run a very smart campaign on values. He has turned the tables on Bush, tying terms like "family values" to jobs and education, rather than reproductive rights. I've noticed that Kerry has started taking this line from Clark in the past few days! Clark is more credible on values to independents and non-Religious Right Republicans, in part because he didn't smoke marijuana or protest against the Vietnam War.

Clark is a better candidate than Kerry on the most important issues this election. The war-dodger claim should be handled by people like Michael Moore, it won't help anyone get elected over Bush.

[Democrats unite]

19. My picks

1.Clark
2.Dean
3.Edwards
4.Kerry

[Straight Shooter]

22. My hopes are Dean will turn the negative attention around

So I offer, for your consideration:

1. Dean
2. Clark
3. Kucinich

But then again, I have more idealism than pragmatism. Just don't ask me to vote for Kerry, or my conscience and I will have a helluva battle.

[shivaji]

25. I am sticking with proven democrats

Dean/Kerry/Edwards

[bowens43]

27. Keep repeating it

maybe you'll even start to believe. I suspect by tomorrow morning Clark will be even less relevant then he is today.

[maxr4clark]

34. Any primary in which Clark takes first or second is a step up

from his third place finish in NH. I think that will happen in AZ, NM, OK, ND, and maybe SC as well; last I saw he was tied for second with Kerry in SC.

The news will not be that Clark or Edwards is out; it will be that Kerry failed to live up to his high expectations as the winner of Iowa and NH. Dean will take a big hit in WA, MI, and WI for not competing today; his popularity was for his personality as a fighter, and failing to compete in about 15% of the states doesn't support that personality.

After today it will be Kerry, Edwards, and Clark; and after WA and MI and WI, it will be Kerry and Clark for super Tuesday. Then we'll see who the nominee will be.

[NicRic]

28. Clark , Kerry, & Edwards any combo !

I would love to see a Clark/Kerry ticket, however I doubt Kerry would accept a second spot. Now Clark/Edwards may be more of a possibility. In the end as Dems we should all be feeling better! When these potential nominees frist appeared on the sceen ,except Clark ,I was very discouraged .It seems all of them have grown on us, and we are startnig to believe that we can beat bush,and end the nightmare this country has been put thru with this illegitamite pResident ! I believe now that Clark ,Kerry or Edwards can win against the bumbling idiot in office .Everytime latley I hear bush comment of something he flubs the words .I think he knows that he is going up against a nominee ,which ever one it ends up being that has way more brain power then he even can imagine ! I'm glad bush misses Texas ,because soon he can be a full time resident again ! CLARK 2004

[k_blagburn]

30. Hmm

Clark/Edwards

Dream Team II

[katieforeman]

35. Edwards is the Most Electable!

I like Clark and Kerry personally but I don't thimnk they cand beat Bush.

Clark still makes too many gaffs and too many contradictory statements. Republicans will use this too paint him as someone who panders to what people want to hear instead of leading. (See what Republicans did to any minor Gore misstatement in 2000.)Republicans will also question his integrity because he was fired by William Cohen and former Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff has already made a statement attacking Clark's integrity.

Kerry is too aloof. He also has a long voting record that Republicans will use to paint him as a Michal Dukakis liberal (He was Dukakis's Lt. Governor after all). They will also use votes against the first Iraq war and for the second Gulf war, as well as his votes to cut defense and intelligence spending to paint him as someone who panders to public opinion instead of leading.

Max Cleland's war hero status as someone who lost 3 limbs in Vietnam didn't stop Republicans from picturing him with Osama Bin Laden. He lost to a Republican draft dodger in 2002. The same thing could happen to Kerry or Clark.

Edwards connects with people like no other candidate can. Because he is so positive and optimistic it will be more difficult for Republicans to successfully attack him. Edwards is Bill Clinton minus Paula, Jennifer and Monica and he is the best hope for the Democrats!

[Qutzupalotl]

38. Regarding the statement

Gen. Shelton has backed off of his position of raising "character and integrity issues" about Clark, after Clark asked for specifics. There were none. Clark's website has a beautiful comeback in the FAQ section.

Clark's writings are not contradictory when viewed in context. Clark has responded well, saying people should read the whole article before leaping to conclusions. Eventually, as people get more informed about him, they won't be able to use that anymore.

Edwards is pretty good, but I don't know why he keeps bringing up 0% credit card offers. Sure, it's predatory, but is that really a pressing issue this election cycle? It sounds like he's promoting himself as a lawyer rather than a presidential candidate.

[Forkboy]

36. Thanks for your opinion

but that's all it is.

[RetroLounge]

37. My preference

1.Dean
2.Clark
3.Edwards
4.Kucinich
5.Kerry