Citizen Clark feels his way

Four months after entering the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, a candidate who last sought elected office in his 12th-grade homeroom is still working to smooth his presentation on the stump. His is a campaign with a novice candidate, an ad hoc staff, and a seat-of-the-pants strategy. Yet Clark, a career military man accustomed to ramrod order from subordinates, appears to be taking the campaign chaos in stride -- even having fun. With the first voting on Monday in the Iowa caucus, followed by the New Hampshire primary Jan. 27, Clark nonetheless begged his staff this week for a half day off to go skiing, saying, "You've got to work hard and play hard." The request was denied.

Bits of his persona are emerging: playful humor, a military-centric perspective on virtually all aspects of life, and a somewhat carefree approach to the race. Most Americans still know little about his personal style because his military career took place largely out of the public limelight. But with his poll numbers strong in New Hampshire and several Southern states, media coverage of his campaign is picking up again.

Members of his staff push several different approaches to campaigning, but Clark quickly works out compromises between them with minimal friction, his aides say. Most mornings, he quickly scans newspaper clippings, reviews his daily schedule, jots pertinent notes on index cards, then plows through the day, rarely stopping to study strategy or examine what other campaigns are up to.

Clark, however, gets regular advice from a political master: Bill Clinton. He frequently calls Clark's senior campaign manager, Eli Segal, with advice for Clark, including a recent suggestion to openly question the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Clinton himself championed and signed. Clinton also weighs in on polling, strategy, and other issues, most recently discussing how to deal with former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, at whose war crimes trial Clark testified.

On the stump, Clark has emerged as a gregarious campaigner, though aides were initially concerned that mixing it up with voters would be difficult for a general used to deference. Not so, aides say.

"I have a hard time getting him to leave places. He loves talking to people," said Ahmad Jackson, 26, Clark's personal assistant.

Clark tends to relate most matters back to the military, where he spent nearly all of his adult life. While visiting the Stonyfield Farm yogurt plant in Londonderry, N.H., he interrupted an employee who was explaining the yogurt-making process, asking, "Have you got a contract with the US military? They like yogurt, you know. . . . There are a lot of people who might like a change."

Clark has tried to maintain his rigorous swimming schedule, logging over a mile a day, about five days a week, he said. To relax, he occasionally enjoys drinking Bailey's Irish Cream on the rocks. More often, he will spend a bit of time watching sports and taking a quick nap.

In Concord, N.H., earlier this week, he stopped to get a haircut at Dick's Barber Shop. In calmer times, he gets weekly cuts. But during the campaign, he has often waited two weeks. Sitting in the barber's chair, he was asked about his opponent John Edwards's well-coifed hair.

"My mother always told me not to comment on other people's appearance. They might comment on yours," he said, laughing.

One point of contention within the campaign is a theme song. Clark favors a hit from the 1980s.

"I like Journey. It's this song called `Don't Stop Believin'.' It's the music I remember," said Clark. Campaign advisers want him to go with a country tune.

Clark's brother-in-law, Gene Caulfield, is at his side always, keeping him on time and lending a sympathetic, nonpolitical ear.

"We don't have any reference point for running campaigns. Wes just does it his way," said Caulfield. "He doesn't do as much [strategizing] as he likes to. . . . Strategizing is done mostly by staff."

"Wes Clark the general," Caulfield added, "is much more formal than Wes Clark the candidate."

Raja Mishra can be reached at rmishra@globe.com.