LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark entered a crowded and wide-open race for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday.
"We're going to run a campaign that will move this country forward not back," Clark said, promising to "talk straight to the American people."
Clark, 58, became the 10th Democrat in the race, joining a contest that has been under way for months.
"My name is Wes Clark. I am from Little Rock, Arkansas. And I am here to announce that I intend to seek the presidency of the United States of America," he began.
He entered with no experience in elective office and no history on domestic policy, but offered one thing Democrats crave: New hope of undercutting President Bush's wartime popularity.
Clark immediately took aim at President Bush, saying his economic policies "have cost us more jobs than our economy has had the energy to create."
Nearly 3 million U.S. jobs have been lost since Bush took office in January 2001.
Clark vowed to "restore the millions of jobs that have been lost."
The former Vietnam veteran and commander of all NATO forces in Europe also said that, "More than 100,000 American troops are fighting abroad and once again Americans are concerned about their civil liberties."
Clark made his announcement at a boys and girls club in the state capital, under clear blue skies and on a small stage bearing a sign of his Web site: "americansforclark.com."
Supporters waved American flags and "Draft Clark" signs while volunteers passed out "Clark" chocolate bars to an audience of several hundred.
