Connecticut Senator Dodd to announce retirement

[JelloSka]

Source: Washington Post

1-5-2009

Embattled Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd (D) has scheduled a press conference at his home in Connecticut Wednesday at which he is expected to announce he will not seek re-election, according to sources familiar with his plans.

Dodd's retirement comes after months of speculation about his political future, and amid faltering polling numbers and a growing sense among the Democratic establishment that he could not win a sixth term. It also comes less than 24 hours after Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) announced he would not seek re-election.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is widely expected to step into the void filled by Dodd and, at least at first blush, should drastically increase Democrats' chances of holding the seat.

Blumenthal, who has served as state Attorney General since 1990, is the most popular politician in the state and has long coveted a Senate seat; he had already signaled that he would run for the Democratic nomination against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) in 2012. (A sidenote: Assuming Blumenthal gets in to the race, Rep. Chris Murphy could be the long-term beneficiary as he is widely regarded as a rising star and would be at the top of the list of Democratic hopefuls to challenge Lieberman in 2012.)

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/chris-dodd-to-step-aside.html?hpid=topnews

[wisteria]

1. Sad to hear. n/t

[MBS]

19. " " " " n/t

[The Northerner]

2. Dorgan & now Dodd?

Well, this one I can be satisfied with.

[JelloSka]

3. This increases Democrats' chances a lot in CT

As stated in the WAPO article. That Blumenthal guy seems to be very popular.

[NewJeffCT]

20. Blumenthal would win easily

unless he runs against Rell.

[stevietheman]

4. Why is Dodd in trouble? n/t

n/t

[galileoreloaded]

5. cause he is a crook?????

:shrug:

[AllyCat]

42. +1

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. The mortgage scandal hurt him badly.

Polls have shown over 50% of Conn. voters will not vote for him.
He is also in trouble over the Banking issues.

[dhpgetsit]

30. The Countrywide thing was probably going to cost him.

Hopefully he won't be replaced by a Con.

[Larkspur]

6. Not surprised by this news.

At our last DTC meeting in November, we informed our chair to tell Sen. Dodd's campaign that it was best for him to not seek re-election. His poll numbers weren't improving, and I know from friends outside the DTC that they would not support Dodd in 2010. The banksters and the bank bailout were the main reasons for not supporting Dodd. Instead of running for President, he should have been scrutinizing the banks and forwarn of the impending disaster that came in Sept. 2008.

We also mentioned that he should withdraw early in 2010 so that another Democrat can have time to setup a senate campaign and fundraise. Looks like our DTC wasn't the only one to mention to suggest this withdrawal.

I also predict that Lieberman will retire in 2012. His corporate friendly actions in the senate are his way of increasing his post-senate salary as a consultant to the industries who have donated to his past campaigns.

[dotymed]

34. It would really

increase Dodd's "legacy", if he sponsored a bill to make all elections"Publicly Financed", as it is much cheaper (in the long run) to not allow ANY corporate money to elect or influence our politicians. Americans pay for this corporate largesse with their civil rights and huge corporate welfare moneys from "our" elected officials. There are hundreds of other (mainly financial)ways that these corporations are re-paid, at our expense. It would really increase his reputation along with any Senators who either co-sponsor or vote for a bill like this. It stands little chance of happening (yet), but it would be a very smart move if "they" are really interested in "winning" votes from average Americans of all political parties.

[No Elephants]

38. Smart move. The polls were against Dodd. Maybe a fresh Dem face would have a better shot.

[spooky3]

48. interesting, isn't it, that the media have set this up as a huge problem for Dems

because of Dorgan's retirement--"oh, wow, they are going to lose two Dem. seats!" as if they would have held onto both had Dorgan and Dodd continued.

I see the two situations as offsetting each other. They would have lost Dodd's seat; now they have a much better chance of keeping it and an uphill battle in ND.

[Ed76638]

8. Why hasn't Blanche Lincoln announced retirement yet?n/t

[Umbral]

44. Because she'd rather lose and guarantee that another Republican takes the seat. nt

[Purveyor]

9. Wow! eom

[aquart]

10. Is there a tax advantage to all these "I won't run" announcements?

[rayofreason]

11. Dodd to Step Down Before November Election, NBC Reports

Source: courant.com

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut will retire before the re-election campaign for his seat this November, NBC News political director Chuck Todd reported shortly after midnight.

The longtime Connecticut Democrat will make the announcment in a press conference at his home in East Haddam on Wednesday, the Washington Post says.

The announcement came on a day when another Democratic Senator, Byron Dorgan of North Dakota announced he would not seek re-election this year as well.

It will end a long and distinguished career for Dodd, the senior senator who has held the seat since 1981, the longest serving senator in state history. Dodd has been in Washington for 35 years; he served as U.S. Representitive from 1975 to 1981. He only managed scant votes in his bid for the presidency in 2008 and as chairman of the powerful banking committee was caught up in a controversy about receiving a VIP loan from Countrywide Financial.

Read more: http://blogs.courant.com/roger_catlin_tv_eye/2010/01/dodd-to-step-down-before-novem.html

---

Retire to an Irish "cottage" perchance?

[Juche]

12. Thats good

That'll make the seat more likely to stay dem.

[rayofreason]

13. I think that that is the idea n/t.

[Psephos]

14. Wow, knock me over with a feather...

The Dodd family business has been a real "cottage industry" of politics.

Looks like Dodd's corruptions and backroom deals have finally caught up with him in the polls, just as they finally caught up with his dad.

[robcon]

15. Our chances in CT just went up.

good news.

[rpannier]

16. improves our chances for holding the seat

The question becomes "Who is best suited to run?"

[Mass]

29. That would be bad news. The CT Governor is a Republican. I hope that means he is not running again,

not that he will quit before November.

[totodeinhere]

32. Agreed. We can't afford to lose that seat to a Republican appointee right now.

Dodd should finish out his term.

[dotymed]

37. I've been a "life-long" Democrat

but I have begun to realize that no matter what "party" is in office, the same pro-corporate, anti-average American, agenda is followed. imo

[lonestarnot]

33. What's in Iowa? More money?

[ingac70]

17. Yay! n/t

[No Elephants]

18. Please, please Connecticut Democrats. If you are not already active in your state Party, get

active now, while you have a chance of impacting the process of choosing the Democratic nominee for Dodd's seat.

The nation sure does not need another Purple Snake from Connecticut.

[harun]

27. +1

[NecklyTyler]

21. This is an opportunity for the good citizens of Connecticut to in put a real Progressive / Liberal

We need to give our President support that is truly left of center in order to pass important legalization like single payer health care

[riverdale]

51. Obama is a neocon

We need some left-of-center Dems in the Senate to fight against our right-of-center President.

[NecklyTyler]

52. Comments like yours are uncalled for in a Democratic forum

If you want to level insults against our President, take it to Free Republic

[Betty Karlson]

22. That leaves only three seriously endangered seats

on the Democratic side:

* North-Dakota
* Delaware
* Nevada

Or am I mistaken?

[Pab Sungenis]

24. Possibly Illinois

but unlikely. I'm a little shaky on Pennsylvania, too, depending on turnout. So, yes, we will probably lose the three you named.

On the pickup side, we could win Missouri. New Hampshire is a possibility. We have an outside chance in Florida if the teabaggers force Rubio through. We will most likely lose Ohio, and the other red states really aren't competitive.

I think we're now looking at 55-43-2 next Senate.

[DarthDem]

26. Don't Write Off Delaware

If Beau Biden runs, that's a tossup, maybe even a Dem lean.

[Betty Karlson]

53. Just read some Dutch newspapers.

The opiniators seem to agree that the Democrats are heading for rough weather. Obama is blamed. The centrist newspaper "Trouw" went even as far as announcing "Democrats about to lose control".

[calico1]

23. This is good news. According to my local NBC station

Blumenthal has informed the AP that he will run for the seat. He is a very strong candidate since he is very popular here.

I am glad Dodd did the right thing.

[brendan120678]

25. Very very very good news. (nt)

[TheCowsCameHome]

28. This is for the better.

Good luck, Chris.

[Myrina]

31. is he gonna lobby for one of the bailed out banking corps...

... or for the credit-card industry?

Some things I like about Dodd, but the "invisible hand" of corporate lobby money in his back pocket has always made me leery of him.

[Bitwit1234]

35. If you remember he was

just operated on for cancer. I think he decided that the aggravation wasn't' worth it. I guess he wants to savor his remaining years and do a lot of things he never got a chance to do.

I guess that makes it about even as many Republicans as Democrats are now retiring. We need young blood in the senate. I just hope we don't get some of the irresponsible types like Joe Wilson and Jim Demint.

[joeybee12]

36. Well, he's doing what's right for the party...with Blumenthal now in, it'll stay Dem...

Dodd is severely damaged, but at elast he realized he knew what to do, unlike so many of the other worthless Dems.

[shadowknows69]

39. I'm moving to CT tomorrow. Will y'all vote for me?

[shotten99]

40. Starting to feel better about '10 elections.

Won't be pretty, but won't be as bad as it could be.

[jtylerpittman]

41. the only bad this is i think Blumenthal may of been able to get rid of traitor joe

[spooky3]

49. good point -- do the Dems. have anyone else up their sleeves?

[Algorem]

43. i heard he's making a run for the irish house.

[Vidar]

45. Good.

[hugo_from_TN]

46. Good riddance.

[Algorem]

47. they're giving blumenthal dodd's seat so he won't take lie berman's.

chris murphy needs to stay out of small planes until after the 2012 election.

[classysassy]

50. The senate

if the democrats lose Dodd,maybe the democrat leader wiil realize he no longer need that other senator fron conn,jo the conman,take away his chairmanship so he will move across the aisle.