Senator enters presidential race; ex-general ready to announce

Democrat John Edwards, the Southern moderate dogged by complaints that he's short on political experience, formally launched his candidacy for the presidency Tuesday, vowing to "be a champion for regular people every day."

Meanwhile, Wesley Clark, the retired general with a four-star military resume but no political experience, decided Tuesday to become a Democratic presidential candidate, officials close to him said.

Edwards, a North Carolina senator who made millions as a trial lawyer before entering politics five years ago, highlighted his blue-collar roots by staging his announcement at the Robbins, N.C., textile mill where his father worked for 36 years. A young John Edwards once had a job there, mopping beneath looms in the weave room.

"I haven't spent most of my life in politics, but I've spent enough time in Washington to know how much we need to change it," Edwards told the crowd.

The next stop on the official kickoff was Columbia, S.C., a must-win state in Edwards' strategy to reach the White House. Rather than try to take a win in Iowa and New Hampshire against more seasoned rivals, Edwards was looking for his candidacy to take off with a win in South Carolina. He was banking that voters in the state would be attracted to a fresh-faced moderate with Carolina roots.

Today at noon

In Little Rock, Ark., officials close to the campaign, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Clark planned to announce his entry into the race at noon today.

Clark's decision came as Democratic operatives from around the country gathered at his small, low-slung brick headquarters to discuss strategy for mounting a late-starting presidential campaign.

One hurdle will be his lack of political experience. Asked if he was ready to start telling Americans his positions on domestic policy, few of which he's ever revealed, Clark said, "I'll do my best, but there will be a lot of things that I don't know right away."

"I want to learn," he said outside his headquarters between meetings. "I've got a whole period of time. I've got to go around America. I want to talk to people about the issues."

Former President Clinton had urged Clark to enter the race, but neither he nor former Vice President Al Gore is expected to take sides in the primary fight.