Only two days after bowing out of the presidential race himself, retired Gen. Wesley Clark threw his support behind White House hopeful John Kerry, adding momentum to the Massachusetts senator's seemingly unstoppable campaign during a Madison stop Friday.
Clark emphasized Kerry's military service and described Kerry as his \friend"" and ""our leader"" in his endorsement before a full house at the Red Gym.
Both Kerry and Clark vowed they would stand together in the fight for the White House, which was clearly an effort to show a united Democratic Party.
Clark's endorsement was the second Kerry received from a former Democratic presidential contender within a week. Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., endorsed Kerry Feb. 6, two and a half weeks after he left the race following a disappointing fourth place finish in the Iowa caucuses Jan. 19.
Kerry also appeared in Madison Friday at a forum on jobs and economic development hosted by Gov. Jim Doyle at the Alliant Energy Center.
With Kerry's string of success has come a noticeably animated candidate and voters are catching on. As Clark passed the microphone to Kerry during the Red Gym event, the lectern Clark clung to was swiftly repositioned to the side of the stage. In a noticeable contrast to Clark's stiff appearance, Kerry removed his suit jacket and favored moving about and using hand motions in his speech.
Kerry behaved similarly at the forum with Doyle later that day. Appearing in an arena-like setting, he seemed unchallenged by the crowd encompassing him.
Audience members, like UW-Madison medical student Beth Becker, responded well to Kerry's style of ease, commenting she ""liked his presence and how he interacted with people.""
At both Madison events, Kerry highlighted healthcare, education, the importance of veterans and foreign policy issues. But it was Kerry's now signature attacks on the Bush administration that garnered the most consistent attention from the crowds.
""The first advertisement [the Bush campaign is] running is a negative one because they can't talk to you about anything except destruction, negative, the politics they've torn down,"" Kerry said, receiving cheers and applause in response.
Many people Kerry spoke to were former Clark supporters frantically seeking a new man to back before Tuesday's primary.
Kevin Stenzel, a UW-Madison senior, said he is now re-evaluating all his options in light of Clark's withdrawal. Stenzel said he was impressed by Kerry, but wasn't sold just yet.
UW-Madison junior David Kriebel, also a former Clark supporter, was a little more convinced by Friday's appearance.
""If I had any doubts before, this was a good speech. It solidified things,"" he said.
