Monday, December 29, 2003
Clark talks health care on Carmona's former turf
By C.J. Karamargin
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark came to Tucson on Saturday to talk health care. He couldn't have picked a better - or maybe a more ironic - backdrop.
The retired general delivered his remarks and fielded a handful of questions standing in front of Kino Community Hospital, a place once run by Richard Carmona, the man who serves as President Bush's surgeon general.
Carmona was in town over Christmas, but unless he was lurking in the crowd disguised as a sheriff's deputy, he didn't get to hear Clark dis Bush's health-care policies.
Everyone wants to be prez
Howard Dean might be the front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but Lyndon LaRouche will be atop the Arizona ballot on Feb. 3.
A drawing of lots by Secretary of State Jan Brewer on Friday determined that LaRouche's name will be the first encountered by Arizonans voting in the state's presidential preference election.
LaRouche has mounted numerous bids for the White House since 1976. All have been quixotic quests, but, as a result, he is not an unfamiliar bit player on the national stage.
The same can't be said for Fern Penna, Keith Brand, Huda Muhammad, Bill Wyatt and Ray Caplette. The names of these obscure presidential hopefuls are the second through sixth on the ballot.
Voters must scroll down to seventh candidate in the lineup to stumble upon a name that might be recognized outside the candidate's immediate family. We say "might" because the campaign of lucky number seven, Carol Moseley Braun, has yet to really catch fire.
The election ballot is bursting with 18 names. Only nine have national stature. Dean comes in at 17, right after John Kerry and right before Joe Lieberman. Clark is ninth.
It's worth noting that the number 12 spot belongs to one Evelyn L. Vitullo. Her nomination papers show she's a Tucson resident, though attempts to locate her proved unsuccessful.
Running for president in Arizona requires only filling out the proper paperwork with the secretary of state.
Folks are party-hopping
Could the Democratic race for president be such a fascinating spectacle that it's prompting Republicans and independents to change parties so they can vote in the upcoming primary?
Hard to say for sure, but Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez has detected some interesting blips on her political radar screen.
Between Sept. 1 and last week, she said, 399 independents and 212 Republicans have changed their party affiliation to Democrat. Over the same period, 237 Democrats and 75 independents switched to the GOP. It's not exactly a mass exodus, but Rodriguez said it's a potential trend worth monitoring.
By the way, only registered Democrats can vote in Arizona's Feb. 3 election. The registration deadline is next Monday. Registration forms are available from the recorder's office, 115 N. Church Ave., Motor Vehicle Division branches, post offices, libraries, political party headquarters, city and town halls, or online at www.recorder.co.pima.az.us.
Look for a poll near you
The Arizona Daily Star is teaming up up with KVOA Eyewitness News/Channel 4 to take snapshots of pre-primary public opinion.
The two news organizations have three more polls planned before the Feb. 3 contest. The first poll, conducted two weeks ago, showed Clark in a dead heat with Dean, a former governor of Vermont. You can find the story about that poll, as well other other political stories, online on the Star's election Web page, www.azstarnet.com/vote.
Look for the next poll in a couple of weeks.
Immigration issue building heat
The Washington Post reported last week that Bush will soon propose a sweeping plan to reform immigration laws. The move does not come as a surprise to Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
"It's a strange mix of political expediency and reality that's going to force people to deal with it," the Tucson Democrat told the Star last week.
Because of November's election and the continuing deaths of migrants trying to illegally enter the United States, Grijalva expects the issue to loom large for lawmakers as well.
* Contact reporter C.J. Karamargin at 573-4243 or cjkarama@azstarnet.com.
