SLICK: THE EARLY YEARS
Posted on 12/12/2003 6:39:54 AM PST by mountaineer
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Bill Clinton heads a list of past and present government officials scheduled to speak at the funeral Sunday for former Sen. Paul Simon at Southern Illinois University.
Clinton will deliver an address at the public funeral, as will Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, university spokeswoman Sue Davis said Thursday.
The funeral is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the SIU Arena. Carbondale is about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis.
Simon, 75, who had served as director of SIU's Public Policy Institute since retiring from the Senate in 1997, died Tuesday from complications after heart surgery.
Other speakers at Simon's funeral will include Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who once was on his staff, and Abner Mikva, a former federal judge who served with Simon in the Illinois House, Davis said.
Paul Simon put public service ahead of self and political party
Excerpt:
Paul Simon was above all that pandering and mean-spirited party loyalty that claims many politicians.
"I have seen public opinion polls take the place of leadership too often, and I have seen excessive partisanship harm our decision-making process," he said in a 1998 article in the Illinois School Board Journal. "I think that people in politics have to stand for something. I think one of the reasons for cynicism today is the public doesn't see us standing for anything other than what the latest poll says."
A good Democrat, Paul Simon refused to let party loyalties stop him from speaking the truth.
The "worst part" of the Bill Clinton sex scandal "was when Bill Clinton asked [image consultant] Dick Morris to take a poll on whether or not he should tell the truth," Paul Simon said in that school board journal article. "You don't take a poll on something like that! I never took a poll on anything before I decided how to vote on things. I did what I thought was best for the country."
Well, someone had to cover. Saddam had a previous engagement.
CARBONDALE -- Citing adverse weather conditions, former President Bill Clinton could not to fly out of New York Sunday morning and was unable to attend funeral services Sunday afternoon for former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon. [translation: Ah met me a hot babe and, well, you know ...]
Clinton called Simon's family on Sunday and informed them that he would not be able to attend but sent a letter, which was read by U. S. Sen. Richard Durbin. Clinton confirmed last Thursday that he would attend the service for Simon, who served in the Senate during the former president's first term in office.
The Clinton letter, which was addressed to Simon's wife Patricia and children Sheila and Martin, read:
"I'm so sorry that weather permitted me from being with you and Paul's friends today. Hillary and I liked and admired Paul so much and we will always be grateful for his friendship and support. He was without question one of the most remarkable public servants I ever knew. He was a reformer without sanctimony, an idealist without naivete and a realist without cynicism. He was a fiscal conservative who thought we, not our grandchildren, should pay to advance social justice and quality of opportunity. [????]
"He was a serious man who could laugh at himself. He once joked that he had a face that was made for radio, but his smile will linger in the hearts of all those who ever knew him. I don't know how many bow ties there are in heaven, but I know that there is one more than there used to be. May Paul Simon, patriot, always light our way." [No thanks, Bill, I'll rely on the Lord God for that] source
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
