State lawmakers hold rally to support Clark (Maine)

[maddezmom]

State lawmakers hold rally to support Clark


AUGUSTA, Maine — Thirty lawmakers supporting Gen. Wesley Clark´s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination gathered at the State House to rally for the candidate they said has the best chance to beat President Bush.

Senate President Beverly Daggett said during Thursday´s rally that Clark would unite the party, as well as many Americans, if he were selected the party´s nominee during the national convention in July.

Clark, a former four-star Army general, said he opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Many veterans, including some in Maine, have backed him.

On Friday Clark was third in the polls for the New Hampshire primary with 18 percent of the vote, behind Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry with 31 percent and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean with 20 percent.
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more:http://news.mainetoday.com/apwire/D808JVLO1-22.shtml

[markus]

1. Clark gets same sort of support from state party establishment in N.D.

He has a national committeeman, the state chair, the Senate minority leader/candidate for govenor, and some heavy hitters.

As a Dean supporter, I was a little disappointed at the start party's behavior at the J-J dinner (at which Clark was the guest speaker), keeping other candidates materials off of tables loaded with Clark materials.

I wonder of Clark is intentionally targeting the state party infrastructure?

[mikehiggins]

2. Not that it is all that obvious

I have noticed down here in Florida, though, that as widespread as the Dean support is (and the Lieberman and Kerry support) it seems that lots of the middle level political types are leaning to Clark.

At our meetups and so forth you see faces that are very familiar.

I suspect, being familiar with politics at this level, that there is a real sense within the state infrastructures that Clark has what it takes to help local candidates win elections. A candidate that can inspire voters across the board can have a spill over effect, picking up votes that might otherwise go the the GOP.

In local politics, winning elections is everything.

[jmaier]

3. I would hope that he is targeting

state Democratic party leaders. In fact, all of the candidates should be doing this. In many cases, the local leaders have more on the ground organizations than national congressional leaders.