After Clark announced his candidacy in September of 2003, he rose to first place in the polls, got on the cover of Newsweek magazine, and raised $ 3.5 million in only a week. Started by a group of 60,000 grassroots activists and led early by Donnie Fowler at General Clark's personal request, the early momentum was so amazing that many conventional DC-oriented players jumped on the bandwagon -- and the wheels broke. The first thing these folks wanted was to move the campaign to lobbyists' alley in Washington -- not a place to run the unconventional campaign that Clark needed. The second thing these traditionalists wanted was to cut the grassroots DraftClark movement out of the campaign. Donnie believed, as he does now, that the conventional wisdom had failed the Party and refused to be part of the downhill spiral that was inevitable. He and Clark, however, have maintained a very good relationship. Clark went to Michigan twice during the general election, where Donnie was Kerry's successful state director, and asked Donnie to travel with him.

Given the reason why Donnie left the Clark campaign and the fact that he and Wesley Clark still are very good friends, I'd say Donnie's experience in the Clark campaign bodes well for his leadership of the DNC.