Behind the Clark surge - How did it happen?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

from politicsnh.com:

The General is pulling most of his support from men and people older than 35, says one poll. He's also gaining support from more women than he did weeks ago, another poll says. Many of the people attending his town hall meetings said they're more comfortable with him after seeing him at town hall meetings and on television commercials.

<snip>

Some women, however, still have concerns about supporting a former general, said Dick Bennett, president of American Research Group. Clark has the support of 23 percent of men but only 16 percent of women, says ARG's poll of likely primary voters.

"This is a party in this race that's mainly against the war, so they're having trouble deciding to back the former military man," Bennett said. Dean and U.S. Sen. John Kerry have more support among women, Bennett said. Dean and Kerry get 28 and 18 percent of the women vote, respectively, Bennett's poll numbers said. The percent of women supporting Clark has more than doubled, though, in the past few weeks, Bennett said.

Many of the women who've recently decided to support Clark are women with husbands who have been supporting Clark for weeks, Bennett said. Barbara Banner said she has a husband supports Clark, but said she's still deciding between Clark and Kerry.

<snip>

At town hall meetings, Clark devotes the first half of his stump speech to foreign policy and the second half to values and domestic programs. Clark said he'd put a greater emphasis on values after he returned from a trip to Southern states in late December. Andy Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, said that the speech works in some ways. "It may be short on details, but big on vision and inspiration," Smith said. "That's what voters want to hear. They don't want to be bogged down in policy details."
http://www.politicsnh.com/archives/pindell/2004/january/1_18.shtml

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. George Soros?

Just asking?

[Jerseycoa]

4. George Soros?

Asking what?

[Democrats unite]

2. Plain and simple...

You can't keep a good man down!

[Kat45]

3. The more people see and hear him, the more they like him.

At least that's been my observation.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. According to this article,

he's short on details, and telling people what they want to hear.

I understand that may be a good way to get popular, but can Clark stand the increased scrutiny once the race comes to NH in earnest?

[KittyWampus]

6. Short On Details... Well, He Has One Of The MOST Detailed Set Of Policies

with numbers and maps that show how plans will actually work... how much money each family recieves... how much money each state gets etc.

That is truly a fact that is evident and verifiable upon research.

Clark has also demonstrated that he knows and understands the details... he isn't just reciting numbers crammed into his head. I've seen him cite numbers both on tv with commentators and also with public.

However, it's also a fact that people's eyes glaze over when candidates are on the stump and they start throwing figures out.

What I have witnessed with Clark in the past is that the mediawhores all ask him a question and when he answers they will say be more specific after he has uttered only 2 words. He then begins to give the numbers or whatever and they then cut him off.

Mediawhores don't want Clark to come across as capable in any aspect of Domestic Policy.

But the fact is, he can be as detailed as anyone cares to have him respond in any given situation.

[Tesha]

7. No. SOA, votes for Republicans, dubious war position.

Once the Republican smear machine wound up to speed, he'd
be the same grist for their mill as any Democratic candidate.

Tesha

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. The difference is

Clark can EASILY rebuff their rhetoric about those things. He's NOT intimidated by KKKRove and the cabal. He welcomes the fight. He even called KKKRove out when he introduced his tax plan. He will take it to their face and win.

Go, Wes! :bounce:

[Tesha]

10. You are, of course, free to believe this.

But if your candidate wins the nomination, be prepared
to be disabused of this notion that Clark will better be
able to rebut the Republican smear machine.

Tesha

[knight_of_the_star]

8. That sounds more like Dean to me

He has proposed all these nice ideas but he doesn't seem to have details about them. Clark's policy ideas are all on his website in detail (at least the ones he is willing to share.)

[creativelcro]

11. There is no surge. It's only biased polls and media Survivor script

[9119495]

12. He is the only real candidate campaigining in New Hampshire

He was bound to move up in that case.

[Lobo_13]

13. He spends lots of money

on ads.

He does town halls where he says a whole lot of nothing, but does a good job of wrapping himself in the flag.

He's running unopposed.

The media isn't paying attention.

If he gets the nom, it will be "Wesley Clark: Craven Opportunist" all day.