Fainting With Damned Praise

In his big moment in the spotlight, Chicago lawyer Bill Daley tumbled off the stage at a news conference just after President Clinton tapped him to be secretary of commerce.

“The doctor asked me if I’d ever fainted before. I said, no, but then I’d never been named secretary of commerce before, either,” Daley said after recovering.

He said that he had felt “lightheaded” before falling, and that a doctor found no signs of illness.

Daley landed between two seated reporters, his head hitting one journalist’s knee.

People leaned forward and a Secret Service agent asked, “Are you all right?”