Gephardt frees delegates

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Dick Gephardt, who abandoned his bid for the presidency, has freed his Democratic convention delegates to back another candidate although the Missouri congressman isn't ready to signal his choice.

After a poor fourth-place showing in the Iowa caucuses, Gephardt quit the race Tuesday, leaving a field of seven candidates. He indicated that he would not endorse any of his rivals before February 3, when Missouri and six other states hold early contests.

"He just wants the process to go forward as it should without giving undue influence to another candidate," Missouri campaign director Jason Norton said Friday. "He wants Missourians to have an opportunity to hear from the candidates themselves, being that most of them have not played here; Missourians don't have quite the exposure to candidates that other states on February 3 have had."
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/23/elec04.prez.gephardt.delegates.ap/index.html