Report: At end of bailout work, Paulson needed steadying hand

In the negotiations on the bailout, which began Saturday night and ended early yesterday, one of the fears of the participants had nothing to do with the deal or the state of the country's finances, but rather with the health of the guy who is going to be in charge of it.

According to the Washington Post, during the talks Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson "was so short of breath that lawmakers called the Capitol physician because they were so concerned."

Paulson, 62, who had been working around the clock for days to nail down a deal, thanked his colleagues for their concern but said that he was feeling fine.

However, according to the Post, "as Paulson and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., later walked to the microphones to address the media, they were locked arm in arm. Treasury confirmed . . . that Schumer was steadying Paulson, helping him walk." *

- Associated Press