While Wesley Clark has not yet declared his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for President, he has not yet ruled it out. And many of his recent actions seem to indicate that he is considering it.

The objective of this or any "draft" effort is to encourage and almost compel a candidate to enter the race, by demonstrating a significant groundswell of support. Thanks to the Internet, it is now possible to help organize this kind of grassroots support at a much lower cost and much more effectively than at any other time in history. The Draft Clark 2004 organization intends to take full advantage of the Internet to continue to educate the public about Wesley Clark and use the viral nature of online "guerilla" marketing to spread the word, ultimately hoping to convince Clark to enter the 2004 Presidential race.

America has seen many draft movements in its history. One notable effort involved Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952:

Draft Eisenhower movements had sprung up in both parties in 1948 and again during 1951. Eisenhower had done his best to ignore them.

In late December President Truman wrote to ask General Eisenhower, "I wish you would let me know what you intend to do," and General Eisenhower replied, "I do not feel that I have any duty to seek a political nomination."

Before too long, however, General Eisenhower reconciled his commitment not to seek a political office by taking the position that he would be personally compelled to respond if called to a higher duty. On January 6, 1952, Henry Cabot Lodge forced the issue by entering Eisenhower in the New Hampshire Republican primary without Eisenhower's authorization ... General Eisenhower won all the Republican delegates and soundly defeated Senator Taft (who had campaigned intensively in the state) by a vote of 50% to 38%.

Announcing that he was "astounded" and "moved" by the results, Eisenhower told a reporter, "Any American who would have that many other Americans pay him that compliment would be proud or he would not be an American." Convinced of being called to a higher duty, he announced his candidacy the next day.

-- Courtesy of the Eisenhower Institute Web site