Reply #42: There is every indication Clark has a broader support than Dean... [View All]

..I'm not talking about the primaries. It is pretty obvious that Dean stands a better chance of winning the nomination if the convention was today.

But the question was, what extent (will) the video tapes of his support for shrub... affect his chances of beating him?

Here is what they show. They show a man not who is not a bitter partisan. Per military culture, he (was) non-partisan. Country before party. In the first instance, the tape showed Clark commending the team Bush had put together and expressing hope that the country would succeed. The second instance, he was commending Bush's action in Afghanistan (which Howard Dean did, too.)

All during this time and the time after up until he announced his candidacy, in Clark's words, he was traveling the country and hearing people's concerns about the administration and the job they were doing. Combined with Clark's record of progressive ideals in the military, this formed a very formidable profile of a democrat. In touch with the common people and progressive.

Now, there will be some snipes about this. People claiming Clark is no progressive and this and that. But the fact remains the military is one of the most socialist institutions in our country. They were the first to integrate. They have healthcare for all. Sure, it does have a bad record in other areas and I'm sure you'll hear them. But that will be about the military and NOT specifically Clark.

I don't think anyone against Clark would condone dismantling the military. Like Clark, they'd reform it.

All this lends credance to Clark's healthcare plans, his support of affirmative action, and gay rights.

But to answer you question more specifically, Clark has support among a specific constituency that doesn't relate to Dean at all -- those who think that Bush is a basically decent man who's doing a bad job as president. Those independents, Reagan democrats, and yes - repulicans tired of Bush - combined with the support of the democratic base (and those farther left who will hold their nose and vote for him) gives him the better shot at winning in the general election.