Daughter of the Late Senator Paul Simon, back out on campaign trail

[illinoisprogressive]

The last time Sheila Simon campaigned in Iowa was when her father, U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) was running for president twenty years ago.

But Simon the daughter has been out on the stump this weekend, trying to drum up support for Barack Obama, the latest Illinois senator to seek the party's nomination.

Simon and her family drove up from southern Illinois on Saturday to Keokuk, the closest point in the early caucus state, where they met up with Loretta Durbin, wife of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, to do some canvassing work.

"It was old-fashioned campaigning, for which my family and I are fully trained," Simon said. "There were a couple of older folks who remembered my dad. I don't know if they were supporters, but they seemed to have fond feelings toward him."

If Sen. Simon were still alive, his daughter believes, he'd be backing Obama.

"No doubt, my dad would be an Obama supporter," she said. "Dad and Barack worked together on numerous things, and I think he'd be happy to be out in Iowa this weekend."

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/twenty_years_later_paul_simons.html

[Grandrose]

1. Gracious like her father!

One of the greatest Senators my state and the country ever had and greatly missed. :patriot:

[madfloridian]

2. I remember his last endorsement....from his hospital bed.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/chi-0312050318dec05,1,3183622.story?coll=chi-news-hed

"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.

Simon, 75, who is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday to fix a leaking heart valve, said Dean, who, like himself, opposed the Iraq war, is best prepared to lead the nation.

He called the former Vermont governor someone who will "tell us the truth and not just pander to us."

He died that week after surgery.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/09/simon.obit.ap/

Tuesday, December 9, 2003 Posted: 4:36 PM EST (2136 GMT)

"SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (AP) -- Paul Simon, the bow-tie-wearing missionary's son who rose from crusading newspaper owner to two-term U.S. senator and presidential aspirant, died Tuesday, a day after undergoing heart surgery. He was 75."

[nevergiveup]

3. Paul Simon was a class act

in every way. I don't think there is much question that he would be enthusiastically supporting Obama.

[illinoisprogressive]

4. Grandrose, yes, he was and is ledgend here. A very great man.

I miss him alot. he was a bright light for our state and a real statesman.
His daughter has been a supporter of Barack Obama for a while.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. Good for her...

I always loved Simon.