Clinton Surgery Early This Week

NEW YORK – Former President Bill Clinton is expected to undergo heart bypass surgery after suffering chest pains as early as today but probably tomorrow, according to Democratic officials.

“I thanked him for getting the Democrats back on the front page, and he told me that’s about as far as he’s willing to go,” party Chairman Terry McAuliffe said on Saturday. “I said I needed him out on the campaign trail as soon as possible, and he said as he soon as he recuperates he’ll be ready to go.”He was to undergo triple or quadruple bypass surgery, according to a person close to Clinton who requested anonymity.Clinton’s wife and daughter visited him in the hospital Saturday, and he had received 15 000 get-well messages relayed from the Web site of his foundation, a spokeswoman said.He was in good spirits, walking around his hospital room in street clothes.Clinton was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia on Friday after suffering chest pains and shortness of breath.He had been scheduled to accompany his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton , on a two-day tour of upstate New York.Instead, the senator and the couple’s daughter, Chelsea, joined Clinton in New York City.Chelsea Clinton was seen entering the hospital Saturday afternoon, followed by her mother.The operation is likely to curtail his campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.Clinton had agreed to campaign for Kerry in the two months before the Nov. 2 general election and had already appeared at some Democratic Party events.- Nampa-AP”I said I needed him out on the campaign trail as soon as possible, and he said as he soon as he recuperates he’ll be ready to go.”He was to undergo triple or quadruple bypass surgery, according to a person close to Clinton who requested anonymity.Clinton’s wife and daughter visited him in the hospital Saturday, and he had received 15 000 get-well messages relayed from the Web site of his foundation, a spokeswoman said.He was in good spirits, walking around his hospital room in street clothes.Clinton was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia on Friday after suffering chest pains and shortness of breath.He had been scheduled to accompany his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton , on a two-day tour of upstate New York.Instead, the senator and the couple’s daughter, Chelsea, joined Clinton in New York City.Chelsea Clinton was seen entering the hospital Saturday afternoon, followed by her mother.The operation is likely to curtail his campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.Clinton had agreed to campaign for Kerry in the two months before the Nov. 2 general election and had already appeared at some Democratic Party events.- Nampa-AP