Retired Four-Star Army General Wesley Clark (front) and 5th Congressional District Candidate Jay Fawcett greet supporters Wednesday at The Retired Enlisted Association in Colorado Springs. Clark, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, officially endorsed Fawcett for U.S. Congress.

Army General endorses Fawcett for Hefley seat
July 20, 2006

Vic Vela | Cañon City Daily Record

COLORADO SPRINGS — A former Air Force lieutenant colonel received a little help from high Army brass here Wednesday as a Democratic Party big gun stopped by to throw his support toward a congressional hopeful.

Retired Four-Star Army General Wesley Clark officially endorsed Democratic 5th Congressional District Candidate Jay Fawcett for the open seat being vacated by retiring Republican Congressman Joel Hefley.

Speaking with Fawcett at The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Clark cited a “meltdown of leadership” in the White House and the need to “stand up to” Republicans in Congress as reasons why he feels the country needs a change.

“The administration and the Republican Congress are leading us down a road to failure and you can see it in the headlines in the Middle East every day,” Clark said.

Clark, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and potential 2008 presidential candidate, criticized some members of the Republican Party for politicizing the military by deeming Democrats weak on defense and implying those who were against the Iraq War as being unpatriotic.

“That flag is our flag, and we fought for it,” said Clark, pointing to a U.S. flag hanging near the podium. “It does not belong to the Republican Party.”

General Wes Clark on KKZN-AM 760 Progressive Talk Radio in Colorado with Jay Marvin

July 19, 2006
KKZN-AM Radio
Transcript by Reg NYC

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Transcript below ...

Wesley Clark stumps for Fawcett
Administration can’t get us out of Iraq, he says
July 20, 2006
By ED SEALOVER | THE GAZETTE

Colorado Springs, CO -- Former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark, a retired Army general, said Wednesday that the current administration is “leading us down the road to failure.”

Clark was in town to stump and help raise funds for Jay Fawcett, the lone Democrat among the seven men looking to succeed GOP Congressman Joel Hefley. He spoke to a crowd of about 80 at The Retired Enlisted Association in Colorado Springs.

The former commander in chief for U.S. European Command spent much of his talk criticizing President Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq unilaterally. He endorsed Fawcett by saying the retired Air Force officer will not rubber-stamp Bush’s policies as the current Congress has done.

“It’s going to take a lot of strong diplomacy and strategy to get us out (of Iraq),” Clark said. “This administration can’t do it.”

The theme of the speech mirrored Fawcett appearances in which he has tried to set himself apart from the six Republicans seeking the seat. At a recent forum, each of them backed continuing the war in Iraq, saying it is a necessary and vital component of the larger war on terror.

Clark said that if he were president, he would have opened up dialogue early on with Syria and Iran to ease Middle East tension and helped Lebanon in its struggle with terrorists.

Fawcett said that if elected, he would support moving U.S. troops from cities to the borders, where they can train Iraqis and stem the flow of terrorists into the country.

The men lambasted Republicans for partisanship before urging the Democratic-heavy crowd to introduce Fawcett to friends in this GOP-leaning district. Clark said later that he hopes his presence will aid Fawcett because “I help draw a crowd.”

Clark also has been mentioned as a possible 2008 presidential contender, and signs around the room read: “Colorado4Clark.” He said afterward, though, that he was here merely trying to help elect Democrats to Congress.

Clark asserts the importance of helping rid Lebanon of Hezbollah.
Clark Backs Israeli Actions In Mideast Conflict'
Tuesday, July 19, 2006
Jennifer Cabala | Reporting
Capital Bureau

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(CBS4) BOULDER, Colo. Former NATO commander, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, said during a visit to the Denver area Wednesday that he believes the United States should help shape any United Nation's force that's sent to the Middle East to separate Israel and Lebanon.

Clark added that he supported Israel's military action after the kidnapping of two soldiers by Hezbollah militants.

"I've talked to people from Lebanon," Clark said. "Hezbollah is like a cancer on the body politic of Lebanon. But they're so strong and so powerful Lebanon itself can't get rid of them."

He added that is was important for the U.S. and other countries to help Lebanon rid itself of Hezbollah.

Clark was in Colorado to speak at a fundraiser for democrat Jay Fawcett who is running for Congress from the state's 5th Congressional District.