Senator Gaylord Nelson, one of the most accomplished and respected public servants in Wisconsin history, supports Wes Clark for president.

Washington - Sen. Gaylord Nelson, who represented Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate from 1963 to 1981 and will long be remembered as the founder of Earth Day, endorsed presidential candidate General Wes Clark today.

Nelson said he believes Clark will be a strong leader on the environment. "I've read his environmental statement," Nelson said. "It's very good, and I agree with it. Clark's environmental position is spelled out very well and it hits the important points."

Nelson, who like Clark was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Clinton, said he felt good about Clark even before they met. "Clark looks presidential," Nelson said, citing the former General's calm demeanor and forthrightness in recent television appearances. "He handles the tough questions better than anyone else."

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of Gaylord Nelson, one of our country's senior statesmen and most ardent environmental champions," Clark said this afternoon while campaigning in Northern Wisconsin, where Nelson is from. "His exemplary life of service to our society, and to our planet, underscores the importance of learning about ecology, respecting nature, and preventing environmental degradation."

Nelson, who was born in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, served in the state senate from 1949 to 1959. He was Wisconsin's governor from 1959 until 1962, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. As a senator, Nelson helped enact President Johnson's Great Society program and was an early opponent of the Vietnam War.

Nelson is one of the leading environmentalists in Senate history. He introduced the first legislation to ban DDT in 1965, and founded Earth Day on April 22, 1970, in a successful effort to focus attention on the nation's deteriorating environment.

The United Nations has twice recognized Nelson for his achievements, and the state of Wisconsin named Madison's Gaylord Nelson State Park after the Senator to honor his service. In 1995, in recognition of his environmental legacy, President Clinton awarded Nelson the Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to civilians in the United States.