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Graham moves up surgery on heart
By BILL ADAIR, Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bob Graham has rescheduled his heart surgery for Friday so he can speed up his decision on whether to run for president. The Florida Democrat, who had planned to have the valve-replacement surgery next week, will decide after a four- to six-week recuperation whether he is healthy enough to be a candidate. He said Wednesday that he is likely to run. After a closed-door speech to a Democratic group, Graham described himself as "the best-prepared (candidate), with a combination of executive and senatorial experience, particularly in national security areas. I think I am the most able to win." Doctors at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., will replace his aortic valve, which controls blood flowing from the heart to the body. His valve has narrowed and is leaking. Graham, 66, is likely to be in the hospital for about a week and then will spend several weeks at home. Doctors have told Graham he can resume desk work about two weeks after the surgery, so he hopes to be back in his office by the third week in February. Since he announced the heart surgery a week ago, Graham has been calling key supporters and contributors to make sure they don't switch to other candidates. Those calls have been helpful, Graham said Wednesday. "Without exception, they have said, 'Bob, we are with you. You take as much time as you need to get healthy and tell us what you're going to do,' " Graham said. Graham was one of four presidential candidates who spoke to the New Democrat Coalition, a group of moderates co-chaired by Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa. After the speeches by Graham and his Senate colleagues John Kerry of Massachusetts, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and John Edwards of North Carolina, one coalition member said he hoped the Florida senator would not run. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., who described himself as a likely Lieberman supporter, said he is concerned that Graham will drain support from the Connecticut senator. "I think it would be counter-productive if both of them ran," Moran said. "I think Joe is the stronger candidate." Other members of the coalition said they agreed that Graham and Lieberman appeal to the same centrist voters but said it could be beneficial to have more candidates. "I think he elevates the race," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, said of Graham. "He's a strong candidate. The more people we can have in the race, the better it is for us. Obviously if Bob Graham gets in, he'll take support from somebody." Rep. Cal Dooley of California, a Lieberman supporter, said Graham would drain support from the Connecticut senator, but that he did not want to discourage Graham from running. He said he hopes Lieberman will win the nomination and pick Graham as his running mate. After the speech, Graham ran into Rep. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who jokingly addressed him as "Mr. President." Graham responded, "Ben, I look at your wise, seasoned face and I think of the word 'ambassador.' Do you have a particular part of the world you want? Do you want tropical?" -- Bill Adair can be reached at (202) 463-0575 or adair@sptimes.com.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
