Dayton voices support for Sen. Clinton
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is head and shoulders above her Democratic rivals for president. At least that's the contention of the man who sat next to her in the U.S. Senate for six years - former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.
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Dayton and state Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, visited Brainerd Wednesday as part of a two-day news media tour to tout Clinton's candidacy as Democrats prepare for the Feb. 5 caucuses - less than two weeks away.
The former senator said Clinton has the legislative experience, the political know-how and correct position on issues such as her call for universal health care. Clinton, he said, can begin the difficult task of restoring the nation's standing overseas.
Mark Dayton
Dayton was impressed with her work on the Senate Democratic Issues Caucus and on the Senate Armed Services Committee, a panel on which they served together.
"She's very smart," he said. "She's very hardworking. She's extremely well-prepared. She's probing without being unduly confrontational."
Sometimes he and Clinton were the only two senators in attendance at the issues caucus, he said and her work habits were equally impressive there as they talked to various constituencies.
Tarryl Clark
"She'd sit there for hours without any cameras or spotlights, taking notes and getting ideas," he said.
Dayton and Clark are among the co-chairs of Clinton's Minnesota campaign. While they're looking forward to the state's role in Super Tuesday's extravaganza of more than 20 caucuses and primaries they realize it might mean that Clinton won't be able to visit Minnesota before Feb. 5. Dayton said about 50 percent of the Democratic delegates to the national convention will be decided that day.
"This is make or break time," Dayton said, explaining why the tone between Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Clinton has been a little more strident lately.
Clark, the state Senate's assistant majority leader, said candidates need to differentiate themselves and that it's all part of America's decision-making process.
"As long as it's respectful it's OK to have a spirited debate," she said.
Clark, who first met Clinton in 2003 when she was associate chair for the state DFL, said polls indicate that having the first woman nominee for president will persuade many previously unaffiliated women to vote.
"She's tough," Clark said of Clinton. "She's also a mom."
Neither Clark nor Dayton is worried that former President Bill Clinton will overshadow his wife if she's elected to the White House.
"She will be governing in her own right," Clark said. "She'll find out the right thing for him to be doing."
Dayton agreed, stating that there wouldn't be any co-presidency.
"She's very much her own person," he said. "She will be president of the United States. He will be the spouse."
Dayton decided not to run for re-election after one term. Since leaving Washington, D.C., he is running his investment company and spending a good deal of time working as a volunteer for Clinton.
"I don't want a position," he said regarding his campaign efforts. "I want a president."
Both Clark and Dayton said Clinton would fully support Obama if he won the nomination.
Dayton said he wasn't concerned that conservatives' longtime animosity toward both Clintons would motivate the Republican Party's base.
"If we nominate Mother Teresa, election day she'd be controversial," he said.
The two politicians' schedule called for media interviews in St. Cloud, Alexandria, Brainerd and Bemidji. Appearances in Grand Rapids and Duluth were on Thursday's schedule.
MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.