Clark seen planning Democratic nomination bid (Labor Day Announce)

[papau]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/08/12/clark_seen_planning_democratic_nomination_bid

Clark seen planning Democratic nomination bid
By Bryan Bender, Globe Correspondent, 8/12/2003

WASHINGTON -- In the strongest signal yet that retired US Army General Wesley K. Clark, the former NATO commander, is planning to join the Democratic presidential race, Clark told volunteers last week to step up their efforts and prepare for an announcement on Labor Day. If Clark, 58, does take on the nine announced Democratic candidates, supporters say he would offer a strong voice on national security issues and sell himself as a newcomer untainted by the political process. The grass-roots movement to draft the West Point graduate remains a campaign without a candidate. The Draft Clark Campaign 2004, which has no formal ties with Clark, has received pledges of nearly $500,000 and now has 98 chapters in 42 states.
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Clark has begun to showcase his political instincts. Last week, in an interview with National Public Radio, he called Bush's decision to invade Iraq without international support "one of the greatest strategic blunders the American government has made since the end of the Cold War." He has also moved beyond the realm of national security. Speaking on CNN, he recently blasted the Bush tax cuts, saying the growing deficit means "that the federal government can't do the kinds of things for America that Americans expect it to do. . . . That's things like taking care of our retirement security and Social Security." <snip>