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Wesley Clark visits Superior
by Stephanie Hemphill, Minnesota Public Radio
January 12, 2004

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark was in the region over the weekend. He's visited the upper Midwest several times, including the Twin Cities and Fargo in November, where this photo was taken. (MPR file photo)

Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark stopped in Superior, Wisconsin, over the weekend. The retired general has been gaining in the polls against front-runner Howard Dean in the last couple of weeks.

Superior, Wis. — The stop was part of Clark's quick tour of small cities in the Upper Midwest. About 500 people packed a conference room at the technical college in Superior.

Clark's theme in a 15-minute speech was that the country needs a higher standard of leadership. He said a lot of Americans are angry at President George W. Bush. Clark said he's not out to bash the president, he's out to replace him in the White House.

Clark stressed the values he said would drive his administration if elected -- patriotism, faith, family, and inclusive leadership.

On patriotism, he spoke of his memories of the Korean War and his service in Vietnam. He asked the crowd to applaud all the veterans in the room.

"But I don't think it's patriotic to dress up in a flight suit and prance around on the deck of an aircraft carrier," Clark said. "That's not my idea of patriotism."

I don't think it's patriotic to dress up in a flight suit and prance around on the deck of an aircraft carrier. - Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark

Clark said President Bush didn't do everything he could to prevent the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and he got the U.S. into an unnecessary war with Iraq.

"We were under terrorist threat condition orange over the Christmas holidays, precisely because our president took us in the wrong direction," Clark said. "That's not patriotic, it's bad leadership." Speaking about faith, Clark continued his attack on President Bush and the Republican Party.

"We've got one party in America, the Republican Party, that if you listen to them you'd think they have a direct pipeline from God Almighty," Clark said. "They're always getting the word straight down, they know what to say, the good Lord must be telling how to do it."

But Clark said every religion he's been part of or studied has one thing in common.

"That if you're more fortunate in life you should reach out and help other people. And that's why I'm proud to be a Democrat, because we lift people up!"

As for family values, Clark said you can't talk about family values without talking about jobs, health care, education, and protecting the environment.

Clark offered some measurable goals to back up his claim of better leadership.

"We're going to put $100 billion back into this economy so people can get jobs," Clark said, "including $40 billion to the states that will help in state jobs, Medicaid, keeping down the cost of college tuition, rehiring cops on the street, and doing all the other things we need to do. Under George W. Bush, family incomes fell $1,500 a year. We're going to raise them $3,000 a year."

Clark promised scholarships for every high school graduate to attend college or vocational school for two years. He said he would bring children out of poverty by reforming the income tax.

"If you're making $50,000 a year and below, family of four, you'll never pay income taxes again," Clark said. "If you're making $100,000 and below and you have kids, you'll get an annual savings averaging $1,500. That's going to lift two million kids out of poverty, it's going to help change this country. Those are family values!"

The crowd was enthusiastic, but quite a few people were wearing buttons for other Democratic candidates.

Rick Lang had been out earlier in the day, distributing leaflets for Howard Dean.

"I want to meet all the candidates," Lang said. "Who knows what's going to happen in the primaries? I'm going to vote for whomever is running against George Bush. If that's General Clark, that's fine with me."

Democrats around the country seem to be warming to Clark. In the latest USA Today-Gallup Poll, the retired general is in a statistical tie with Howard Dean among Democrats.

Wisconsin pushed up its primary to Feb. 17. If Clark's visit is any indication, the move could result in more visits from Democratic hopefuls.

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