Awaiting surgery, (Paul) Simon endorses Dean

DES MOINES -- Speaking by telephone from his hospital bed in Springfield, Ill., where he awaits open-heart surgery, former Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois endorsed Howard Dean's presidential campaign Thursday.

The development could be seen as a subtle slap toward at least two other Democratic presidential hopefuls.

Anticipating that perception, Simon said his former Senate colleague, Carol Moseley Braun, hadn't asked for his endorsement.

"She is contributing to the nation in speaking out on issues," he said of her campaign.

Simon also said his endorsement of Dean shouldn't be construed as a political strike at Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, who beat Simon in Iowa in 1988. Gephardt and Dean are locked in a fierce battle for first place in Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses Jan. 19.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0312050318dec05,1,4219523.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

...I hope his surgery goes well and he recovers quickly.

And I'm happy to hear about his endorsement of Dean.

for Paul Simon, he is as always, a great Democrat, and a great American.