Four Democratic presidential campaigns sent spokespersons to the Caf?? Montmartre, 127 E. Mifflin St., Tuesday for a panel discussion on their strategies heading into Wisconsin's Feb. 17 primary.
All four presented their candidates-Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., Howard Dean, and Wesley Clark-as \different"" and promised changes in the way the country is run, particularly in Wisconsin hot-button issues such as job growth and health care.
""Democrats have moved beyond simply being angry, and now they want a candidate who is providing real solutions and answers,"" said John Kraus of the Edwards campaign.
Kerry, who has the most primary wins in other states under his belt, will court the campus vote with a program to help students pay tuition in exchange for two years of service in the military or volunteer programs, said spokesperson George Twigg.
""It defines service much more broadly"" than existing programs, he said. ""Military service is good for some people; it's not for everybody.""
Edwards is trying to appeal to working-class families as the candidate who ""understands the problems they face every day,"" Kraus said.
Clark spokesperson Peter Shakow said he hoped voters would see Clark as ""a new kind of leader,"" citing his military record and lack of experience with Washington politics.
""Wes Clark is not a politician,"" he said. ""He's never run for elective office before, so we've had to introduce him to the electorate.""
Dean, who took losses in other states to concentrate on Wisconsin, is also courting the campus vote, according to spokesperson Tamara Pogue.
She said he would use his record of opposition to President George Bush's policies to attract dissatisfied voters.
""I think the voters are asking themselves, 'Are we better off than we were four years ago?'"" she said.
The primary process itself may dampen the excitement it has generated so far by election time.
""If the nomination process is over by mid-March, which it appears it will be, there will be a long period of time in which there won't be the kind of attention focused on the Democratic candidates as there has been in the past couple weeks,"" Shakow said.
Wisconsin's primary is open to Republican and independent voters who may bring the results closer to those of a general election.
""We're talking to every one of them we can find,"" Pogue said.
