Clark to launch media blitz this week – expects to raise $12 million in Q4

Clark to Launch Media Blitz
Candidate Hopes to Catch Up After Slow Start

By Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 16, 2003; Page A01

LITTLE ROCK -- After weeks of internal chaos, personnel battles and an uneven performance by the candidate himself, Wesley K. Clark's presidential campaign will attempt to regain momentum this week with a massive media buy in New Hampshire and by highlighting its ability to raise money at the rate of about $800,000 a week.

While acknowledging that they failed to capitalize on the expectations for Clark when he entered the race for the Democratic nomination in September, campaign officials cite the retired general's fundraising success as evidence that he is attracting significant support eight weeks before he faces voters for the first time. They expect the campaign to raise at least $12 million this quarter, in all likelihood more than any other candidate except Howard Dean.

<snip>

Clark will spend a substantial portion of his resources on paid advertising, launching on Tuesday an ambitious two-month , $1.1 million media buy in New Hampshire that highlights his combat heroism and NATO leadership and keeps him on television through the Jan. 27 primary, with few down days. The ads will be launched with a $220,000 first-week blitz of 60-second spots. Campaign officials hope that the spots will help define Clark for the large percentage of undecided voters in the state who know little about him.

Soon after, the campaign plans major television buys in South Carolina and Arizona, states where Clark is popular. The later buys are part of an aggressive strategy that anticipates Clark doing well in New Hampshire, and breaking out of the nine-person pack in the Feb. 3 primaries, creating a two-man race with Dean. This strategy also contemplates that Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) will not be able to turn around his troubled campaign.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46093-2003Nov15.html

I'll bet that the media will begin to paint the race as Dean-versus-Clark.

It would be an improvement to the mothballing they've given him for the past couple of weeks.

If he comes out of nowhere in thirteen weeks to all of a sudden beat guys who've been in the race since Spring, that's a legitimate story. It would almost force media outlets to give him at least a little bit of attention, which is certainly more than he's currently getting.

That's how it works. You have to do something newsworthy to get covered by the news. Just being Wesley Clark doesn't cut it. Same for all the others. Draw big crowds. Raise big money. Challenge Bush in a confrontational manner. Dominate the polls.

Pretty simple really.


On edit- This thread springs from a WaPo article. How is that being ignored? :shrug: Seems positive,too. :shrug:

the NH poll...that's about it.

But in some ways your sentiment is correct.

On the other hand, you can't deny the RW media has
Clark on "ignore".

It's called F*ck the mediaWhores! Just pay for your airtime!

They'll begin to paint the race as Dean vs Gen. Jack D. Ripper from Dr. Strangelove.

The only people who want Dean more than the Deaniacs are the guys behind the Bush administration.

Clark has fought a few wars....almost lost his life, and came out on top.

I am very optimistic that there are many, many, many who want BUSH out!

isn't a bad thing as long as they vote for him.

coming on the heels of the Democratic victory in Louisiana!

That means they are expecting a big number.

Clark's doing 2 to 3 fundraisers a day on average, and still turning down requests for appearances at more fundraisers. I would suggest taking a page from the Dean playbook and do a video conference with many fundraisers at once; that might be efficient for raking in the cash.