Politics in brief

Clark wants to start new civilian reserve

NEW YORK - Democratic candidate Wesley Clark said Tuesday that if elected president, he would mobilize thousands of volunteers for a civilian reserve to respond to terror attacks and national disasters.

Clark said the reserve, much like the National Guard, could be called up by the president in times of national emergency. Every American 18 or older could register for a five-year tour and would serve as long as six months if called to duty.

"In the 21st century, we've learned that armies alone aren't enough," Clark said in a speech at Hunter College.

Those called to duty would receive health care, a stipend and the right to return to their jobs when their service had been completed. Clark, one of nine Democrats seeking the nomination, said the program would cost about $100-million a year and would be within the Department of Homeland Security.

A similar program exists in some states. Almost 12,000 volunteers are registered with various state defense forces to back up the National Guard. Clark's program would be national, and he hopes it would involve millions of people.

In times of national emergency, such as floods, forest fires or terror attacks, the president could call to duty up to 5,000 civilian reservists, who would not carry weapons.

CONCORD, N.H. - New Hampshire made it official Tuesday - its presidential primary will take place Jan. 27.

For months, the date had been tentative as New Hampshire tried to ensure that its contest would come first. Under state law, the primary must come at least a week before any similar primary.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner set the date Tuesday. The candidates have from Nov. 3-21 to sign up to be on the ballot.

The District of Columbia holds a nonbinding primary on Jan. 13, but the Democratic National Committee does not count that contest because delegates will not be allocated that day. The district will hold caucuses in February.

AUSTIN, Texas - The battle over congressional redistricting shifted from the Capitol to federal court as Democrats filed a motion to ban the state from implementing a new Republican-backed map.

The court motion alleges the map may violate federal law and would be disruptive because it moves more than 8.1-million Texans into new districts. It seeks to have implementation blocked until at least the 2004 election cycle.

Republicans pushed for new congressional districts this year even though it was a non-census year, saying lawmakers, not judges, should draw the boundaries. Democrats wanted to keep the existing districts and fought the bill's passage, staging two boycotts of the Texas Legislature.

CARSON TO RUN IN OKLAHOMA: Rep. Brad Carson, Oklahoma's lone Democrat in Washington, said Tuesday he will run for the seat of retiring Sen. Don Nickles.

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