NcDeuce
02-05-2004, 10:06 AM
Clark makes vow: 'If you want change, vote for me'
Touting himself as a political "outsider," retired Army general Wesley Clark asked Tennessee voters Wednesday for their support in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
"I'm running in this race to try and help America," Clark said. "I'm not a political insider in Washington, I'm an outsider. Some of my friends in this race, guys like John Kerry, John Edwards, are the political insiders. ... They've said ordinary Americans don't understand what goes on in Washington. And I have to agree with them, we don't understand it."
The retired four-star general spoke to a packed rally at the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library. The problem with America, he contends, is the politicians.
"If people like what's going on in America, vote for politicians who are part of the Washington problem," Clark said after the rally. "If you want change, vote for me. I'm an outsider, and I can change things."
Speaking to a large military audience, Clark said he opposed the war in Iraq. He maintains support for America's troops, however.
"We're going to internationalize the situation in Iraq effectively," Clark told reporters. "Now, U.S. troops are more than 75 percent of the troops that are over there, and we're taking about 80 percent of the casualties over there.
"What we want to do is bring our allies in with an international organization," he continued. "We want to work the military through NATO so we've got a smaller proportion of the total force, so we don't have to spend so long over there and so the rotations aren't so large."
Clark was former NATO supreme allied commander.
The Arkansas native also took the opportunity to outline his position on some other key issues:
Abortion: "I support a woman's right to choose. I think it's a very personal and private decision. But, I would hope that through a woman's family, through her friends, through her doctor, that abortion would be rare, safe, legal -- but rare. That's my view. I support the law as it's settled in the courts. That's all I'm saying."
Taxes: Clark supports a tax cut for the working middle class. A family of four making less than $50,000 annually would not pay a federal income tax. And parents making up to $100,000 would see a cut.
For Clarksville resident Rosella Griffin, her choice is clear about who she will support in this year's primary.
"I was undecided who I was going to vote for," Griffin said. "After coming and listening to him, I put his badge on. So, everybody knows who I'm going to vote for now.
"He's down to earth. He seems to know how to reach the people, and he expresses himself where everybody, even myself, can understand what he's saying on the issues," she added. "He would make a great president because he feels, he really feels, and you can tell that he really cares."
Not all at Wednesday's event were pro-Clark, however.
Fort Campbell High School senior Eric Bolin said he would likely support Bush but wanted to hear Clark's views, particularly on abortion.
But if he had one question for Clark, he would likely ask: "Why did he become a Democrat? I just don't understand why someone would be a Democrat."
In Tennessee anyone can vote in a primary, regardless of party.
Clark's visit Wednesday was the key to Clarksville resident Terry McMoore's decision.
"I was undecided before tonight," he said. "And I'm going to go ahead with Clark. And the reason I'm going to go with Clark is because you don't get a lot of time to sit up there and actually hear the other candidates come out.
"Unless another candidate comes down here and changes my mine, then I'm going to go with Clark because it's very important that you get to meet a person face to face. I felt that everything he said was sincere."
Tennessee will likely be a crucial state for Clark's campaign. The most recent poll, however, shows Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry slightly ahead of the pack.
"We won in Oklahoma last night," Clark said at Wednesday's campaign stop. "I have been saying Oklahoma is OK, but we want Tennessee to be great."
http://theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040205/localnews/355946-125172.jpg
Wesley Clark at the library Wednesday evening. Several hundred supporters turned out to listen to the former four-star general.
http://theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040205/localnews/355946-125170.jpg
Democratic presidential hopeful retired Gen. Wesley Clark speaks to several hundred supporters during a rally at the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library Wednesday evening.
Touting himself as a political "outsider," retired Army general Wesley Clark asked Tennessee voters Wednesday for their support in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
"I'm running in this race to try and help America," Clark said. "I'm not a political insider in Washington, I'm an outsider. Some of my friends in this race, guys like John Kerry, John Edwards, are the political insiders. ... They've said ordinary Americans don't understand what goes on in Washington. And I have to agree with them, we don't understand it."
The retired four-star general spoke to a packed rally at the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library. The problem with America, he contends, is the politicians.
"If people like what's going on in America, vote for politicians who are part of the Washington problem," Clark said after the rally. "If you want change, vote for me. I'm an outsider, and I can change things."
Speaking to a large military audience, Clark said he opposed the war in Iraq. He maintains support for America's troops, however.
"We're going to internationalize the situation in Iraq effectively," Clark told reporters. "Now, U.S. troops are more than 75 percent of the troops that are over there, and we're taking about 80 percent of the casualties over there.
"What we want to do is bring our allies in with an international organization," he continued. "We want to work the military through NATO so we've got a smaller proportion of the total force, so we don't have to spend so long over there and so the rotations aren't so large."
Clark was former NATO supreme allied commander.
The Arkansas native also took the opportunity to outline his position on some other key issues:
Abortion: "I support a woman's right to choose. I think it's a very personal and private decision. But, I would hope that through a woman's family, through her friends, through her doctor, that abortion would be rare, safe, legal -- but rare. That's my view. I support the law as it's settled in the courts. That's all I'm saying."
Taxes: Clark supports a tax cut for the working middle class. A family of four making less than $50,000 annually would not pay a federal income tax. And parents making up to $100,000 would see a cut.
For Clarksville resident Rosella Griffin, her choice is clear about who she will support in this year's primary.
"I was undecided who I was going to vote for," Griffin said. "After coming and listening to him, I put his badge on. So, everybody knows who I'm going to vote for now.
"He's down to earth. He seems to know how to reach the people, and he expresses himself where everybody, even myself, can understand what he's saying on the issues," she added. "He would make a great president because he feels, he really feels, and you can tell that he really cares."
Not all at Wednesday's event were pro-Clark, however.
Fort Campbell High School senior Eric Bolin said he would likely support Bush but wanted to hear Clark's views, particularly on abortion.
But if he had one question for Clark, he would likely ask: "Why did he become a Democrat? I just don't understand why someone would be a Democrat."
In Tennessee anyone can vote in a primary, regardless of party.
Clark's visit Wednesday was the key to Clarksville resident Terry McMoore's decision.
"I was undecided before tonight," he said. "And I'm going to go ahead with Clark. And the reason I'm going to go with Clark is because you don't get a lot of time to sit up there and actually hear the other candidates come out.
"Unless another candidate comes down here and changes my mine, then I'm going to go with Clark because it's very important that you get to meet a person face to face. I felt that everything he said was sincere."
Tennessee will likely be a crucial state for Clark's campaign. The most recent poll, however, shows Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry slightly ahead of the pack.
"We won in Oklahoma last night," Clark said at Wednesday's campaign stop. "I have been saying Oklahoma is OK, but we want Tennessee to be great."
http://theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040205/localnews/355946-125172.jpg
Wesley Clark at the library Wednesday evening. Several hundred supporters turned out to listen to the former four-star general.
http://theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040205/localnews/355946-125170.jpg
Democratic presidential hopeful retired Gen. Wesley Clark speaks to several hundred supporters during a rally at the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library Wednesday evening.