Aide says former DNC chairman Don Fowler will endorse Clinton

COLUMBIA (AP) _ Former Democratic National Committee national chairman Don Fowler will endorse White House hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday, according to a Clinton campaign aide.

The aide confirmed the endorsement on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the official announcement, which is to take place during a conference call with reporters at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Fowler did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday morning and neither did his wife, Carol Fowler, who is chairwoman of the state Democratic Party.

Don Fowler was national chairman of the DNC under President Clinton and testified before a Senate committee investigating 1996 fundraising. He served with Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, who was general chairman and who also is seeking the 2008 presidential nomination.

Don Fowler had professed neutrality during this campaign, noting his close ties to Dodd, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden and the Clintons.

Both Don and Carol Fowler still serve on the DNC's rules committee and Carol Fowler was the chief engineer of efforts to give South Carolina an early primary — now scheduled for Jan. 26. Don Fowler had argued against that because of the prospect of creating a rush by other states to also hold primaries earlier.