January 27, 2004

BURY HIM WITH HIS BOOTS ON:

Own missteps, Iowa results hurting Clark (Jill Lawrence, 1/25/04, USA TODAY)

Retired general Wesley Clark skipped last week's Iowa caucuses to focus on Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. He hoped for a blast of momentum going into the Southern states that vote next week.

Instead, Clark's Democratic presidential bid could be in serious trouble. [...]

Clark's struggle is due in part to his own missteps on issues as basic as abortion and the Iraq war. He also has fumbled routine tasks such as making sure introductions of him aren't embarrassing.

But the unexpected Iowa results also have thwarted Clark's progress. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry was galvanized by his upset victory in Iowa and now leads here. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean is on a damage-control mission after his Iowa debacle and may be staging a comeback. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' strong second place in Iowa has translated into new credibility and huge crowds here.


Skipping IA was understandable, given how organization reliant it was thought to be, but the General might very well have won had he contested it. Now he's toast.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 27, 2004 7:02 AM
Comments

As one pundit put it Clark was Dean with medals. His gaffes would have hurt him as Dean's have hurt him. Clark may do better in the Southern primaries and continue to be a factor in the race, especially if Kerry isn't solid in the South

Posted by: AWW at January 27, 2004 8:33 AM

His "abortion eligible until your bar mitzvah" position might not sell down South.

Posted by: oj at January 27, 2004 8:40 AM

Those who have known Clark the best, like his fellow officers, have disliked him intensely. The people of Iowa were spared the opportunity. NH had no such luck.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at January 27, 2004 8:58 AM

Clark's raw egotist is visible to all. Eight months ago he was a Republican, and war supporter; now he hangs out with Michael Moore. Pathetic.

Posted by: Paul Cella at January 27, 2004 11:11 AM

He took Dixville Notch in a landslide.

Posted by: genecis at January 27, 2004 12:00 PM

The stalking microbe stikes! And no interviews tonight - poor thing.

Posted by: jim hamlen at January 27, 2004 10:42 PM
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