Clark Candidacy Should Help, Not Hurt, Dean [View All]

[VaLabor]

If Clark announces that he's a candidate, his campaign will help, not hurt, Dean. Here's why:

Of all the campaigns, Dean supporters are probably the most energized and loyal. Clark will draw little from Dean. He'll end up drawing his support from the undecideds and those people in other campaigns who know they're candidate does not stand a chance but have been afraid to get behind Dean because of all the manufactured baloney that Dean is too radical. To the extent that he does draw from Dean, Clark will draw equally from the other candidates - who are the least able to afford any exodus of supporters. So Dean stays on top. Kerry will be hurt the most, and this should pretty much destroy Graham's candidacy and perhaps Edwards. Lieberman's hope of winning the nomination by coming back from losses in Iowa in New Hampshire through wins in the South will also suffer.

Moreover, Clark will add gravitas and legitimacy to one of Dean's supposedly weaker positions: his anti-war stance. Having a top grad of West Point and a retired general in the race who is also against the war will "de-radicalize" Dean in the eyes of many. This will help Dean more than anything.

I'm predicting a three-way race, unless Gephardt is totally creamed in Iowa by either Dean or Clark. The last two candidates to withdraw from the race will be Clark and Gephardt. Dean takes the nomination. And, Clark - by having a gentleman's agreement with Dean never to go negative with each other - is picked as VP.