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Wesley Clarkâs campaign manager quits
Wesley Clarkâs campaign manager quit Tuesday in a dispute over the direction of the Democratic presidential bid, exposing a rift between the former generalâs Washington-based advisers and his 3-week-old Arkansas campaign team. Donnie Fowler told associates he was leaving over widespread concerns that supporters who used the Internet to draft Clark into the race are not being taken seriously by top campaign advisers. Fowler also complained that the campaignâs message and methods are focused too much on Washington, not key states and the burgeoning power of the Internet, said two associates who spoke on condition of anonymity. Spokesmen for the campaign declined comment.
From the start, there has been tension between the campaignâs political professionals and the draft-Clark supporters. Fowler has complained that while the Internet-based supporters have been integrated into the campaign, their views are not taken seriously by Fabiani, Klain and other top advisers, many of them based in Washington. Fowlerâs departure is the latest blow for a campaign that has gotten off to mixed reviews.
"Bad."
"Yeah. I'd say bad."
"Really bad." |
National polls put Clark near the top of the nine-person field, and he raised more than $3 million in the first two weeks of his campaign, a sum that surpassed what several rivals raised in three weeks. However, he has been criticized for flip-flopping on whether he would have supported the Iraq resolution, and his commitment to the Democratic Party has been questioned. Clark voted for Presidents Reagan and Nixon, praised both Bush administrations and had not registered to vote as a Democrat in his home state of Arkansas before entering the race.
| What was he registered as? If anything? |
The high number of Clinton-Gore officials on his campaign has caused Clarkâs rivals to question whether the former president is quietly pushing Clarkâs campaign, a charge strongly disputed by the candidate and Clintonâs associates.
And the wonderful thing about Schwarzneggerâs win yesterday, is that California could be up for grabs in 2004. Unless of course he screws up badly and gets recalled.
Posted by: Rafael 2003-10-08 |
