WASHINGTON — Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, who led NATO's campaign to oust Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, will announce his candidacy for president today in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark., political associates said Tuesday.
Clark has been signaling for weeks that he would become the 10th candidate in the Democratic race, and he left little doubt about his plans in comments Tuesday. "I believe I'm the most qualified man to stand for election, represent this party, in this election of 2004," he said on CNN. "And I believe I'm the most qualified man to become the next president of the United States -- man or woman."
He added: "We're going to have a vision that helps transform this country to meet the challenges of the 21st century. And I believe I can lead that."
His candidacy would add another unpredictable element to a Democratic race that already has been marked by the surprise surge of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose campaign's aggressive use of the Internet helped him galvanize Democrats opposed to the war in Iraq.
Clark, 58, has never run for office, and political analysts say that looms as both his biggest asset and greatest vulnerability.
"Democrats are so hungry for change, for somebody to speak up for them," said Democratic consultant Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. "Dean's impressive campaign has shown that you must give voice to those who want to see a change in our priorities.
"If Gen. Clark can suck up that oxygen," she said, he should fare well in the race.
Clark benefits because he's "not one of the other nine," said Philip Klinkner, associate professor of government at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y.
But Stuart Rothenberg, an independent political analyst, expressed skepticism about Clark's prospects. Referring to his frequent appearances on cable network news shows as a military analyst, Rothenberg said of Clark: "I think it's just very different from when you're whizzing onto CNN to do some commentary ... versus if you're really under the scrutiny of the national media."
Clark also starts late in the process -- and behind in two assets that are keys to successful presidential campaigns: money and political organization. But his backers express confidence that Clark can quickly become financially competitive and put together an effective campaign team.
