How is General Clark perceived in your home state?

[tedoll78]

(pardon an ignorant Louisiana resident for intruding for a bit..) :P

I'm carefully looking at 2008 nominees (yes.. already), and Clark is near or at the top of my list currently.

He's successfully passed my Round One candidate evaluation, which is focused entirely on the matter of Supreme Court nominees.
Given this, he is now in Round Two of my candidate evaluations: Electoral Map Math.

In Round Two, I look at each candidate and determine who would stand the best chance at flipping a Red State or two. This investigation begins in the candidate's home state, of course, which brings my Clark investigation to Arkansas.

Now, having explained myself, I ask:
How well-known is Wes Clark there?
Is he well-liked?
A household name?
Can he carry Arkansas?

I'm making the assumption that a southern general can carry the states won by either Kerry or Gore. Those states add-up to 264EVs. With Clark's home state of Arkansas, we win with exactly 270EVs. No Ohio. No Florida. No Colorado. No Nevada.

So you can understand why I view Arkansas as such an important state in 2008 with Clark on the ticket.. :bounce:

[southernlad]

1. Very touchy subject:

I believe Arkansas democrats are split on this topic:

How well-known is Wes Clark there? Known mostly in social circles, most know of him now though do to the Draft Clark campaign.

Is he well-liked? Depends. Some people are argue yes; however, some believe his is a Republican running on a Democratic ticket.

A household name? Sure as hell not in my household.

Can he carry Arkansas? Probably; just because he is an Arkie; but probably couldn't win the Nation.

[democratreformed]

2. I agree with my buddy up there on some things but not on others.

It is true that Wes Clark was little known prior to his participation in the primaries. I believe that, in the general population of some areas, he is still not known well enough.

However, in my area, I enjoyed the widespread support that I encountered. I cannot even begin to count the people who told me that Wes should have gotten the nomination this year. There was even one guy here in my office whom I just couldn't get a feel for until the primaries were over. I was sure he was a Republican. Finally, he told me that the best person running this year (including *shrub) was Wes Clark.

While it is true that some screamed about his past "support" of the other side, I believe that came all the way from the top. It almost made me rethink my decision to call myself a Democrat. He was so totally rejected by some because he was not a lifelong "partisan Democrat" that I had to do some real soul-searching to decide if I wanted to keep calling myself the same thing as those who rejected him and put him down.

My enthusiasm for Wes Clark knows no bounds. I was a member of the draftClark movement. I waited anxiously for months for him to decide if he would accept our call.

Should Wes choose to run again, I will make sure that everyone knows what I know - that Wes Clark is a man who will lead from the heart, that he has the intelligence to combine heartfelt leadership with practical leadership, that he is genuinely concerned for our country as a whole and its citizens.

The last time I saw Wes Clark (a few days before the election), I thanked him for continuing to fight for us under the Kerry-Edwards campaign. He said, "Well, you know, for me, this was never personal. It was about the future of our country." I told him that I know that. Several people (including my dad - a lifelong Repub and former Gingrich contributor) asked about 2008. Wes said "Right now, let's focus on getting Kerry elected like this country needs."

Yes, I think Wes Clark would carry Arkansas. And, so help me God, after all he has done this year, if he is again rejected and derided by Democrats, I will never again call myself one.

[BamaLefty]

3. Arkansas and America

needs Wes Clark. This is our new Bill Clinton. Clinton was perceived as a moderated Democrat, his wife and John Kerry's crew are not. Don't get me wrong, I like Kerry and Hillary and are liberal myself.

Clark is our man though. With Clark, we carry Florida, Arkansas, and possibly Tennessee, Louisiana, and Kentucky. Sure fire win for the Presidency.