For 2nd time, Graham defends a candidate

[Freddie Stubbs]

Sen. Bob Graham stood behind candidate Betty Castor. It was the second time he has spoken up about what he considers 'misrepresentations' in the campaign.
BY BETH REINHARD
[e-mail]

For the second time this month, the courtly senior senator from Florida is intervening in the contentious Democratic race to replace him.

On Tuesday, Bob Graham spoke up on behalf of candidate Betty Castor, a former University of South Florida president under attack for not firing a professor allegedly involved in terrorism. Earlier this month, Graham stood by another would-be successor, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, when former presidential candidate Al Gore rebuked him for abandoning him in the homestretch of the 2000 campaign.

According to Graham, Castor did the best she could and Penelas is a good Democrat.

''Sen. Graham has described his role as guardian of the facts during the primary,'' said the senator's spokesman, Paul Anderson. ``He has made it very clear that he does not intend to endorse a candidate, but for the good of the party, he will speak out when he believes there are misrepresentations and mischaracterizations of the facts as he knows them to be.''

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