Boswell was second choice

By Aziz P. -
I found it interesting that Boswell wasn't the first politician approached by dean with an offer of fundraising help - the campaign actually approached NY Congressman Tim Bishop first, who declined:

A New York congressman who declined Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean's offer to help him raise money did so to avoid the appearance of giving Dean his endorsement, his aides said Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell of Iowa has pledged to remain neutral as candidates vie for his support, but he will get more than $50,000 from Dean supporters, courtesy of an Internet fund drive by the Dean campaign.

Last fall, New York Congressman Tim Bishop turned down Dean's offer, at the time preferring to avoid the appearance of endorsing a candidate in the race for the 2004 nomination, the Long Island Democrat's spokesman said. Boswell was Dean's second choice, after Bishop turned down the offer.

"He was undecided as to who he was going to support, and he certainly didn't want to behave in a way that would make it appear that he had made a decision," said Jon Schneider.


Any speculation on why Bishop would have been approached first? Boswell seems a natural ally but I don't quite understand what courting the NY congressman would have achieved.

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