It occurs to me that if Clark had run as a Republican I wouldn't have been suprised to see Bush get a real run for his money during the Republican primary. But even if Bush prevailed, he would have been very damaged going into the general election.
If Carter was bad enough to inspire Kennedy to run against him, then certainly Bush is, and although I like Clark and am not calling him a Republican, it's clear enough he could have run as one easily enough, they were happy to get Powell after all.
Like many such hypotheticals there is a touch of the absurd to it. It's just food for thought offered half seriously because it got me thinking and I wonder if anyone else has any thoughts on it.
Please don't hate me because I like science fiction.
:)