Clark for President Campaign Rallies Forward

Arkansas is becoming the center of one of the hottest Presidential campaigns in recent history. It comes even before the candidate--General Wesley Clark--has announced he`s running for the nation`s top job. Clark`s people told us he`s on vacation out West right now, and he has no official comment on the movement to draft him into the White House. The Washington, D.C. headquarters for that movement is moving to the Lafayette Building in downtown Little Rock. That could happen within the next few days. News 4 Arkansas` Mike Hellgren went to Juanita`s Party Room, where Clark`s supporters planned their strategy Monday night, even giving out bumper stickers with the slogan "Leadership. Character. Courage." So we asked the supporters, "What qualities are you looking for in a President, and just what makes General Clark so attractive?" We went to Main Street in Little Rock, which looked more like Clark Country--the campaign slogan stuck to bumpers, stuck to shirts, stuck in the minds of the crowd. "It`s mostly admiration for a real top quality person," supporter Mike Mitchell told Hellgren. General Wesley Clark`s a native son, a Rhodes Scholar, and a West Point graduate. He`s a man with the credentials to be President, but some here say that`s not what`s driving the enthusiasm. "A lot of people are dissatisfied with the current administration," says another general--General James Ryan--who showed up as one of the main speakers at the rally. There`s also dissatisfaction here with the crop of Democrats running for the White House. "It`s splintered. Wesley Clark could unite the Democratic party again" says Mitchell. He could also play on weaknesses some see in the current administration, including the economy. "When Clinton ran, it was economy, economy, economy, and it looks like that`s going to be the overriding thing in spite of the war this time," says General Ryan. "He appeals to very centrist ideas, to Democrats, moderate Republicans, and Independents," says Clark supporter Beth Brickell of Paron. People just like the Arkansans here--looking for their own magic candidate. "...Who has the honesty, integrity, and willpower to do what`s right," says General Ryan "Just common sense positions, " says Brickell "He seems to have a middle class value," says Mitchell General Clark also seems to strike at the core of a group of Arkansas voters, who aren`t happy with what they have, and are willing to create their own ballot to get it--putting one man at the top. This campaign started Online...The main websites Include WWW.ARKANSANSFORCLARK.COM, founded by the son of Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey, and WWW.DRAFTCLARK.COM, the grandaddy. The event here tonight raised 17-hundred dollars. That money could go--in part--to setting up the new Little Rock Clark headquarters, which could have an open house as early as this weekend.