More Clinton/Clark: Safire has a strong opinion.

G'wan, you say, the Clintons should be supporting Dean, a likely loser to Bush, thereby ensuring the Clinton Restoration in 2008. But plainly they are not. Their candidate is Clark. Either they are for him because (altruistic version) they think Clark would best lead the party and country for the next eight years, leaving them applauding on the sidelines, or (Machiavellian version) they think his muddy-the-waters candidacy is their ticket back to the White House in 2004 or 2008.

Which is more like the Clintons?

He said as much yesterday on Meet the Press. Safire's not a Clinton fan, true, but he's also wired, politically. He hears the whispers at the highest levels; you don't spin from the right for the Times unless you're a player.