It took 15 years to become official, but Carole Simpson has now confirmed what we always suspected: she's a Clinton backer. Readers will recall that during the 1992 campaign, the then ABC News anchor moderated a presidential debate in which she made life uncomfortable for Bush 41, notably with her snide "who would like to begin, the 'education president?'" poke.

According to this Boston Globe article, back in 2003 Simpson was "eased out" of her anchor chair in favor of Elizabeth Vargas. Simpson has now taken a teaching position at Emerson College in Boston, and last night turned up at a Clinton campaign stop in Salem, New Hampshire, where she proceeded to endorse Hillary's presidential bid. Here's how "First Read," a frequently-updated analysis of the day's political news from the NBC News political unit, reported it [emphasis added]:

Here's a fascinating endorsement for Clinton. Former ABC News veteran Carole Simpson surprised the campaign last night when she showed up in New Hampshire to endorse her, according to NBC/NJ's Athena Jones. “For 40 years I’ve been a journalist, and I have covered our national leaders from Lyndon Johnson to President George W. Bush,” said Simpson, who was there with her class. “I endorse you for president of the United States. It’s very freeing now that I’m not a journalist, that I’m able to speak my own mind and free expression, but I just wanted you to know that I had a dream that before I died I would see a woman as president of the United States. I think you are the woman and I think this is the time.”

“That means a lot to me, Carole,” Clinton said. “Thank you very much.”

Veterans of the 1992 Clinton campaign will recall that Simpson was the moderator of the now-infamous town hall debate between Bill Clinton-Bush-Perot, in which Bush was criticized for looking at his watch. During that debate, Simpson was particularly tough on Bush to the chagrin of the Bush campaign and other Republicans.

Well, this is refreshing: a former leading MSMer endorsing a Dem presidential candidate. But why should members of the liberal media wait to be "eased out" before letting their Dem flags fly? Why not convene a major TV special, simulcast on all the broadcast networks plus MSNBC and CNN, say a week or so before the Iowa caucuses, in which all the anchors, reporters and "correspondents" from the leading MSM outlets were brought together and given the opportunity to endorse their favorite Dem candidates? Just a thought.

Aside: it was that same Richmond debate moderated by Simpson that brought us the famous "ponytail guy," the fellow Rush has had so much fun with over the years who entreated the candidates to "treat us as your children."

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.