Dean/Clark 2004

For the last three weeks, I've been thinking that an early announcement of a Howard Dean/Wesley Clark ticket would be a brilliant move, but all along I've assumed that it was implausible, largely because it seemed unlikely that Clark would want to hitch his wagon to any of the candidates' stars at such an early date, even if he decided that it was too late to enter the race himself. But now this Washington Post story suggests that the alliance may be on the table.

I think it's a great idea for four reasons:

1. The boldness of the move generates a huge wave of publicity, and elevates Dean from front-runner-with-major-caveats to "it's his to lose" status.

2. Clark gives the Dean campaign at least a hint of a Southern strategy.

3. Dean and Clark on the same ticket unites the two most prominent critics of the Iraq war.

4. Clark's military background helps appease the "Dean's too much of a dove to get elected" camp.

Put aside for the time being the question of whether Howard Dean is the right man for the job. Why wouldn't a Dean/Clark ticket be the right move strategically for both Dean and Clark right now?

Comments

[JD Lasica]

I hope it happens (though I suspect the Post piece was a preemptive move by the Dean camp to deflect the attention from Clark and onto the prospect of a Dean-Clark ticket). Dean-Clark could happen, as early as next week, giving the ticket an air of inevitability.

Downside? It's 14 months until the election. That's a long time for the national media to focus on the storyline of Dean-Clark as agents of change, which should be timed to peak next summer and fall. With an early announcement, the media will go through cycles in which they try to tear down the candidates. What's a bored press corps to do except to dig up trivial, penny-ante dirt? (Certainly, they won't probe and expose the serious issues confronting the nation.)

But who knows? Perhaps the Internet-powered campaigns by Dean and Clark will render the Washington press corps irrelevant much earlier than anyone expected.

[Sam Kington]

Dean has previously said that he would want a Washington insider as vice-president, because you need that knowledge of how the system works if you're going to hit the ground running. He said that not doing that is "one of the mistakes Governors make" when they get elected.

I would prefer to see Clark in the cabinet than actually on the ticket itself.

[Kaushik]

That is apparently what happened as per Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo. A Clark /Dean ticket will be interesting. Outside of his defence credentials, what goes for Democratic brain tank seems to love Clerk (Michael Wolf did a great story on that in New York a few weeks back). This would go a long way towards bringing in the support of the democratic establishment to Dean.

I dont know/understand a great deal about American politics. But It does seem to me, that Dean on his own, (if he wins the democratic nomination) can't be win the presidential election (assuming of course that the war and the economy does take an even worser turn)

[Kaushik]

I meant to add J D Lasica's comment though I suspect the Post piece was a preemptive move by the Dean camp to deflect the attention from Clark and onto the prospect of a Dean-Clark ticket as the reference before my previous post. Sorry about the botch up.

[James]

I saw General Clark on Bill Maher's HBO show. Before then, I had no idea what the fasination with the guy was, but I see now that he is smart and telegenic. He came across very personable in a very casual one-on-one segment with Maher. Also, if I remember right, he did not rule out the VP position.

[Jason Malloy]

I wouldn't let go of your initial assumption just yet; U.S. News is under the impression that the Washington Post thing is just part of a "dirty tricks" campaign:

"And forget about that talk that all the retired four-star general and former NATO boss wants is the veep nomination. Supporters say that's a dirty-tricks campaign pushed by rival Howard Dean who's scared of a Clark candidacy. Says Frisby: "Wes Clark firmly believes that he is the best choice to be president, not be vice president or hold any other government post.""

[Mike]

The dirty tricks thing is a bit annoying, just because there's absolutely no evidence. JD suspects it, Kaushik points to Marshall as backup (though for all we know JD had just surfed over from his site and so had those allegations fresh in mind), and then, a full news cycle after Marshall posted his suspicions, US News recycles it with the lame sourcing of "supporters say".

I'm not saying Dean's folks aren't junkyard dogs, but they seem to like to do their fighting in the open.

[Jason Malloy]

I agree Mike, it did seem a little overly gossipy and accusatory with the "dirty tricks" talk. But I do really think that Clark doesn't want to settle for 2nd place.

[kanmy]

I think that clark would make a wonderful presadent . i also believe he could do a better job and care for his people in the right sense of what a presadent can do. if he is giving the chance i would vote for him. i think he is not a fake like most of them are i believe he is telling me a truth and there for it must be right
thats my opinion.

[jay]

I've been reading stuff about Lee Atwater recently and you know, if Democrats consider floating a veep rumor "dirty tricks," then we are a wimpy bunch. Dirty tricks is campaign breakins, "push-polling," and race-baiting attack ads. Not that I'm suggesting we should go there, but if Clark thinks the veep story is dirty tricks, it is suddenly clear that Rove and Co. will crush him into four star dust.

[Terry Case]

Dean and Clark make a solid ticket for reasons already stated. North/south, governor/general, dove/hawk. But regardless, they are both straight talking intelligent men who can whup the Bush, Cheny and Rove machine. Also, the most presidents elected recently, were past governors (Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Carter) not U.S. senators.

[Manos]

I am ALL ABOUT the DEAN/CLARK 04 ticket! I have been imagining it since Wesley jumped in the race. I can see there names together on an imaginary bumper sticker right now!! Howard Dean and Wesley Clark or Wesley Clark and Howard Dean... It's perfect, it's elegant, it's exactly what this country needs. Hands down, these two have got the best policy plans. Their straight talk combined with knowledge, logic, and compassion is a winning combination.

Even beyond the ongoing conflict in Iraq/Afghanistan, and the economy (which could possibly heal due to cyclical nature-not tax cuts), that is the sort of team that I want to defend me and rebuild the American community. PUT UP SOME MONEY FOR HOWARD DEAN AND ATTACH A NOTE ABOUT YOUR PREFERENCE FOR WESLEY CLARK AS V.P. ! I am!

We have the chance to challenge the voice of the rich man's dollar with Howard! He's opt'ed out of the federal matching funds so that he can exceed the $45 Million limit to actually try to go dollar for dollar with the estimated $200 Million that Bush/Cheney/Warbucks will raise!!

All it will take is 2 Million people giving $100 to the DeanForAmerica campaign!

Who would you vote for? The campaign that raised $200,000,000 from much less than 20,000 people, special interests, and businesses---or the one that raises $200 million from 2.5+ million PEOPLE.

HOWARD DEAN IS MADE OF PEOPLE!!
HE REALLY LISTENS, AND HE REALLY GETS IT!

HTTP://WWW.DEANFORAMERICA.COM

[A.R. WARMINGTON]

Dean will have no choice but to accept Clark as Veep on the Commucrat Ticket. Hillary Ceaucescu Rodham will insist upon yet another puppet in the White House.

She ran the country for eight years and was the de facto president. Should Dean-Clark do anything to displease the Marxist crone one or both of them may very well have a fatal accident as did dozens who served her during those eight years.
Ron Brown comes to mind. Comrade Rodham is a psychopath and used the same ploys as did Stalin, Hitler and Saddam: Liquidate supporters who know too much.

Dean DOES need an Insider. With Hillary he shall have one.

Former LT/USN
1965-1969

[sdiu]

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