Dean Calls Clark a "Republican."



As Wesley Clark increases his poll numbers despite not running in Iowa, Howard Dean has attacked his credentials as a Democrat, saying, "I truly believe he's a Republican." Dean pointed out that Clark had voted for Nixon and Reagan and had earlier supported some Bush administration officials.



I doubt that this particular sort of attack will do Dean much good in the primaries. Eisenhower wasn't much of a Republican, and Taft supporters would have said he was an out and out Democrat. Reagan was originally a Democrat. People change, and change their parties. If Clark wins, it will be because he appeals to a lot of former Democrats who have now started leaning Republican, and could get them back in the party. As for the Democratic Left, we'd have nowhere else to go. It isn't as if Dean is that far left, either, you know; his policies as governor* were close to those of the Clinton-Lieberman Democratic Leadership Council, and some the Clintonites only somewhat jokingly described themselves as reduced to being Eisenhower Republicans. Clark has to be judged on the program he puts forward in 2004, not how he voted in the 1970s.



Ironically, Dean's attack on Clark isn't that damaging if Clark emerges as the Democratic candidate, and might even help him.

In contrast, Gephardt's attack on Dean as hostile to workers because he was pro-NAFTA could be damaging.



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I earlier said he had been as governor in the DLC but was challenged on this and couldn't find proof of it.