Clark hits Kerry on affirmative action
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- As he searches for a toehold in South Carolina and other crucial states with Democratic primaries on Tuesday, retired Army General Wesley K. Clark attacked presidential rival John F. Kerry yesterday for comments he made in 1992 that were critical of affirmative action.
In a speech at Yale University that year, Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, called affirmative action an "inherently limited and divisive program." Clark, who hails from Arkansas, blasted Kerry yesterday for not acknowledging the "mistake" of his past criticism during Thursday night's debate in Greenville, S.C., when Kerry tried to deflect a question on the topic.
"Senator John Kerry did not take responsibility for what he's actually said about affirmative action," Clark told about 100 people in a speech at Benedict College, a historically black institution in Columbia, the state capital.
"If people want to question it [affirmative action], that's their right," Clark told reporters after a radio forum he attended in Columbia. "But if they do, they ought to admit it, because we're not going to beat George Bush with old-style, fudge-it-up politics."
The comments drew sharp rebukes from Kerry and some of his prominent supporters. Kerry said he never suggested that affirmative action was "divisive," and said he has always been committed to constructive changes in the way such programs are run.
"He's trying to change what I said," Kerry told reporters. "But you can go read the quote. I said very clearly, I have always voted for it, I have always supported it, I've never ever been different."
US Representative James E. Clyburn, the only African-American member of South Carolina's congressional delegation, lauded Kerry for supporting the "mend it, don't end it" efforts of President Clinton on affirmative action. He chastised Clark for launching "negative attacks."
"The truth is that John Kerry has stood strong all his life to defend affirmative action," said Clyburn, who endorsed Kerry earlier this week. "John Kerry, President Clinton, myself, and many other supporters of affirmative action fought together to overcome adverse judicial decisions and to ensure the survival of affirmative action."
Clark's comments marked the first time in this campaign that he has so pointedly and directly attacked one of his fellow candidates by name. In the past, he has promised to run a positive campaign, and has even come to the defense of some of his rivals when they have drawn fire for comments they made in the 1990s.
This apparent shift in campaign strategy came as a new poll indicated Clark slipping far back in the field in South Carolina, a state that Clark aides have said he must do well. South Carolina is the first Southern state and the first with a significant minority population to vote this year, and Clark is depending on Southern votes and support among African-Americans and Hispanics.
A Zogby poll released yesterday indicated that Clark was in fourth place in South Carolina. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina was in the lead with 25 percent, Kerry had 24 percent, and former Vermont governor Howard Dean was also running ahead of Clark, with 9 percent of support to Clark's 8 percent.
A senior campaign adviser sought yesterday to downplay the necessity of victory in any Feb. 3 states. He told reporters traveling with Clark that the campaign is confident the general can fail to win but stay in contention if he makes a strong showing on Tuesday in several states -- particularly South Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
With $14 million raised over his 15 weeks in the race -- and an additional $6 million in matching funds -- Clark has the resources on hand to stay in the race at least through Feb. 17, when the Wisconsin primary will be held, the adviser said.
"Strong performances everywhere will justify some candidates going forward," said the senior adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Clark repeated the affirmative action theme throughout the day, and pointed to his record in the armed services as an example of the good that can come through affirmative action programs.
Patrick Healy and Joanna Weiss of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Rick Klein can be reached at rklein@globe.com.
