Clawing for Second Place: Worth it today, but how about tomorrow?

[Patriot_Spear]

First off, congratulations to the Kerry and the Clark people for really giving it their all in New Hampshire and still keeping it light hearted; Chicken wings and Zero bars make for good press and puts a human face on both campaigns.

After reading theough the posts yeaterday, I am convinced, more now than ever, that whichever of these two gentleman takes NH, it will seal the fate of the other. Only Clark and Kerry seem to have the apratus to compete nationally right now.

My question is this- At what point are Kerry and Clark thowing good money after bad? Kerry has put up everything except the baby's pram to pay his people and Clark's momentum has seemd to have hiccuped becuase of his Hague vacation.

Is third place good enough for one or the other to legitmately continue throwing resources after? The only other scenario I can see is what if kerry and Clark go through the whole campaign- each coming in 2nd place half the time- what will that have ultimately have gained them?

CLarks momentum against Kerry's Millions, which is more powerful?

[deminflorida]

1. It' won't matter after Dean gets beat in S.C.

Feb. 3 will probably cause him to think about continuing too.

[Patriot_Spear]

2. Dean is in the race because he wants to win...

His strategy is 50 states- and that's the way he's fighting it.

[BootinUp]

3. The General is not going to retreat

His supporters decide when the money is bad, and up to now there is no sign of that. He is on track to take in more than a million in the last 2 weeks alone. We drafted him after all.

[Patriot_Spear]

4. LOL- sure you did...

I like Clark, and the idea that someone 'made' him do something is kind of funny.

I'm just glad he chose to be a Democrat- he could have easily gone the other way.

[BootinUp]

6. edit: I must be getting dyslexic

I completely misundertood your post. sorry.

[Patriot_Spear]

9. Not everything is a defined in military terms...

Really, Wesley needs to get away from this military-industrial-establishment image and connect with the voters on domestic issues too.

[BootinUp]

10. Well, these are campaign decisions

on what things to project most prominently. You have to admit though he is keeping Dean honest on the economy stuff too.


BTW I misunderstood your post, I read it so quick I thought you said "You sure did" as in I retreated or something. oops

[mikehiggins]

13. Pat, without the draft movement Clark would not be in the race.

That is just a simple fact. We gave him an opportunity, an opening if you will, and he was smart enough to take it. We also gave the movers and shakers in the party reason enough to take his entry seriously.

Without the draft, running a retired general for national office would have been ludicrous on the face of it. Having a national group of supporters willing to donate money JUST IN CASE he decided to run made all the difference.

So yeah, we sure did.

Nobody "made" Clark step up, but we sure as hell lit a fire under him.

[Patriot_Spear]

14. I can see that...

Thanks for your post!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. ahh, and Kerry's not.

thanks for clearing that up. I knew Kerry was running for 2nd. Damn, and I though he wanted to win.

[Patriot_Spear]

15. This isn't intened as a Flame, but Kerry can only HOPE for second now...

...And it is quite a reversal from the beginning of the race. No offense I like Kerry and think he's a great leader.

[Patriot_Spear]

5. Seriously, how long can Clark and Kerry switch off as the runner up?

In the end wouldn't that be self defeating? Shouldn't one or the other just go ahead and throw his supporters to the other guy, to make a race of it?

[maddezmom]

7. no one is throwing in the towel yet n/t

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. Your point is valid

But we will have to wait at least untill after Feb 4rd to take the lay of the land again. Like I have said elsewhere, Clark simply does NOT have to beat Kerry in NH. However if Clark comes in third to Kerry in NH, Clark will need to beat out Kerry in most of the contests scheduled for Feb. 3rd. If Clark comes in a close 4th in NH to say Gephardt or Lieberman, Clark would then have to clobber those gents AND beat Kerry on Feb 3rd to stay in real contention.

Since Clark entered NH so very much later than either Kerry or Dean, and since both Kerry and Dean are from neighboring states to NH, Clark will be seen as doing well if he beats out the rest of the field in NH. Clark actually beating Kerry at this point would have much more positive impact for Clark's campaign than Dean beating Kerry will have for Dean's. Kerry WAS expected to win NH for the longest time. If Kerry loses there to both Dean AND Clark, it will cripple Kerry's campaign. If Kerry comes in second and Clark third, each retains claims to viability, and Feb 3rd becomes critical to both of them, where no one else will have much claim left to be the guy who can stop Dean. Ask me again on Feb. 4th whose campaign still has a real chance of stayng viable. I am betting on Clark, given the nature of the contests on Feb. 3rd.

[Patriot_Spear]

12. So to sum up: Kerry has GOT to take 2nd to remain viable.

I agree with that assesment.

[mikehiggins]

16. Seems so

I hope he does. Actually, I hope he wins New Hampshire. Coming in third in a Kerry/Dean/Clark windup in NH would be great for everyone except the pollsters.

I'd love to see how they would try to explain that one.

(yes, I DO think pollsters screw up things far beyond their value)