Dodd faces steep road to reelection Conn.'s senior senator trails 3 Republicans

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2009/04/17/dodd_faces_steep_road_to_reelection/

By Brian C. Mooney
Globe Staff / April 17, 2009

HARTFORD - The election is still more than 18 months away, but US Senator Chris Dodd is barnstorming Connecticut this week like an incumbent in trouble. Voters who have supported him for 29 years are showing anger over his personal finances and for legislation that allowed federal bailout money to be used for executive bonuses.

The political perils for Dodd, who is being outpolled by each of three little-known Republicans, have grown so acute that President Obama weighed in yesterday with a strong endorsement and a pledge of personal support.

"I can't say it any clearer: I will be helping Chris Dodd because he deserves the help," Obama told the Globe yesterday in a phone interview from Air Force One, as he flew to Mexico on a diplomatic trip.

"Chris is going through a rough patch," Obama said. "He just has an extraordinary record of accomplishment, and I think the people in Connecticut will come to recognize that. . . . He always has his constituencies at heart, and he's somebody I'm going to be relying on and working very closely with to shepherd through the types of regulatory reforms we need."

The five-term Democrat has been beset by 10 months of damaging stories and fumbling responses to questions about mortgages he received from Countrywide Financial, a company at the heart of the nation's subprime mortgage meltdown. More recently, he has taken flak for his role in crafting legislation that allowed $165 million in federal bailout money to be used for bonuses for executives of AIG, the troubled insurance giant now owned by the American taxpayer.

Dodd said last month that he had no idea that AIG bonuses would result from what he considered technical language he inserted at the request of the Obama administration, which feared litigation involving contractual obligations.

FULL 2 page story at link.

[annabanana]

1. Is he the victim of GOP/media targeting?. . Or has he tripped over himself

in some significant way?

[w4rma]

2. Fire Geithner and Summers, now! This is their doing, and they're probably happy about it. (nt)

[DJ13]

3. Good

Nothing but the wrath of the voters can force a politician to finally begin representing the voters needs instead of the corporations.

Its about time his kind wises up.

[Enrique]

4. true, but...

will the republican that replaces him represent the voters instead of the corporations? Won't Dodd's masters simply buy the new republican senator?

I guess ideally what will happen is that in 2016 a good dem will beat the new republican. But that could be tough, the republican could build up a big campaign chest, and take moderate stances and consolidate his position in those 6 years.

[DJ13]

6. My thinking is that its not too late for Dodd

If (IF) he starts acting like a populist and begins representing the needs of his voters.

He still has time, but should he slip up and water down some important legislation to appease the banking lobby he will be history.

[Enrique]

9. you've changed my mind

now I think the ideal thing is if Dodd would become a tiger as chairman of the banking committee, even if it meant flip flopping like crazy from his Wall Street friendly record, and clashing with Obama. That would be excellent, and if successful he would be a great example for everyone.

[AndyTiedye]

12. Too Late

If Dodd is down that far, we need a new candidate, and fast. Is there anyone?

[hlthe2b]

14. I hardly think a REPUG replacing him is "GOOD"

He's been a major disappointment, but not though out his career, nor even recent years in the Senate when he took on the Bushies* for their civil rights violations. His father was a Nuremberg Prosecutor and Dodd has written about that. I had great hopes he would pair with Leahy in some much needed investigations.


CT already gave us Lieberman. Do you really want to have TWO REPUGs representing you?

[PFunk]

5. I hate to say this (and adding in the fact I likd Dodd) maybe this is a good thing.

After all I think the dems have been taking their progressive/liberal base to much for granted (to the point of near lip-service) in order to attract convervatives and corporates. Maybe a couple of losses like this will be the thing to make the dems start paying attention to it. And in the process cut down on the blue dogs.

[AndyTiedye]

13. A Couple of Losses and a Couple More and We Lose the Senate!

[backscatter712]

7. Dodd needs to be primaried.

Are there any prospects in Connecticut for challenging Dodd in the primary election?

Dodd should be made to show he can stand up for Democratic values, and show he can still win an election against a fellow Democrat before he should be given the privilege of running in the general.

Same with multiple other Democratic senators: Michael Bennet of Colorado, Roland Burris, Harry Reid just to start...

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. Article posted today says he recieved campaign cash from payday loan places also.

ugh.

[heronkid]

10. AIG bonuses in budget - He knew what the risks were

He was just hoping no one would read the fine print.

He needs to be sent packing and some one more representative
of the people needs to be elected

[FLAprogressive]

11. Dodd is a slimeball -- let's get a primary going ASAP.

[hfojvt]

15. Dodd should think about retiring

I like Dodd, still, but 30 years in the Senate and 6 in the House? There's nothing Democratic about lifetime Congresspeople.

[williesgirl]

16. We also have Dodd to thank for the bankruptcy bill several yrs ago screwing us in favor of cc co's.

Screw him - he's in deep with corporate criminals. I say primary the hell out of him and make him the poster boy to what will happen to other Dems that won't listen to the people.