Posted on 10/30/2004 3:28:42 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
LITTLE ROCK - Many credit President Clinton's visit to Pine Bluff four years ago on behalf of Mike Ross as turning the tide for Ross in the 4th District congressional race.
Ron Oliver, state chairman of the Democratic Party, said Friday he hopes Clinton's visit Sunday will have the same effect for John Kerry and give the Democratic presidential nominee the bounce needed to win the state on Tuesday.
"Yes, he could easily have the same effect this time," Oliver said about Clinton's appearance Sunday at a rally at the Aerospace Education Center near the Little Rock National Airport. The event is to begin about 4:30 p.m.
In 2000, Clinton energized black voters in South Arkansas to support Ross, who defeated incumbent Rep. Jay Dickey, R-Pine Bluff.
"Clinton has appeal beyond the base, including to independent voters," Oliver said Friday. "I think in 2000, the major thing (Clinton) accomplished was he energized the Democratic base at the end. This time, I think he goes beyond that."
Political scientists, however, disagree on what impact Clinton will have on the outcome of Tuesday's election in the state.
Russell Arben Fox, assistant professor of political science at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, said Clinton's visit to Arkansas is mainly to shore up support among black churchgoers and other minority voters in an effort to counter Bush's strength among religious conservatives.
"I still tend to believe that Bush will probably pull it out," Fox said, adding that he expects a very close race. "But I think Clinton's visit is too little, too late."
If it's close between Kerry and Bush in Arkansas, Clinton could put Kerry over the top, said Janine Parry, associate professor of political science at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
She said the recent Arkansas Poll, of which she is director, found Clinton is still loved by Arkansas voters.
The Arkansas Poll, released by the University of Arkansas this week, showed that 22 percent of voters think Clinton will be remembered as an outstanding president, and 31 percent said he would be remembered as above average.
Twenty-five percent said he would be remembered as average and 8 percent said below average.
"It might hold real promise," Parry said, about Clinton's visit. "That's real suggestive. Most polls seem to suggest that Kerry is trying to make up between a 5-9 point gap, so he may not have enough time, but other polls show the race even or within 3 points. So if that's the case, a Clinton visit could make the difference."
Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller, chairman of the state Republican Party, said Clinton hasn't lived in Arkansas in more than 12 years, and he wondered whether the former president still has the same political clout he once enjoyed.
"How relative that will be is the subject of a lot of discussion," Rockefeller said Friday. "I would question how long Democrats can play off the Clinton mystique, because that's what it is."
Rockefeller also said minority voters are no longer in complete lockstep with the Democratic Party.
"More and more people are saying, 'hey, we've voted this way for three generations and it hasn't done a bit of good,'" he said, adding he thinks the Republican Party offers more opportunity than the Democratic Party.
That's it - I'm moving the backwards state of Arkansas into my toss-up column right now. Only 8 percent of the people in Arkansas can handle the truth about the impeached one's across-the-board corruption? That's scary. I'd say Kerry has a good shot at picking up 6 electoral votes.
In 2002, a more recent precedent, every single person he campaigned for ~lost~.
He really tends to "energize" the Republican base....:)
Clinton is not a good spokesperson for Kerry or anybody else, except maybe Clinton. All that Clinton ever talks about is Clinton.
That's freakin hilarious. But forget slick willy. Clinton couldn't influence a condom in a whorehouse!
Great cartoon.
I think a lot of Arkansans now view Clinton as a New York yankee.
If I remember right Dickey was from a Demoncrate stronghold and was on his way out anyway. Maybe someone will remember the details. Pray that Clinton's words will fall of deaf ears.
Et tu, Bubba?
Former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) waves as he arrives for a Democratic rally Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at a high school in Honolulu. Gore spoke along with Alexandra Kerry, daughter of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites). (AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni)
Ye gad. And Alexandra Kerry? She of the see-through dress? LOL. What a double bill.
(AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni)
SMOOCH!
Not sure why, especially given his girth, but in those pics Algore reminds me of Fredinand Marcos...
Yes! He does!
The girl in the picture shaking his hand is like..damn, you is ugly!
I suspect one interesting conclusion from Clinton's reappearance on the stump will be that he'd lost his magic, Mojo, whatever. Naturally, RATs won't breathe this out loud, heavens, Hill is running in four years! But it will be true. Once he left office, Clinton became irrelevant. He just doesn't know it yet, and the RATs are in total denial.
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