Blumenthal to run for Dodd's Senate seat (AP)

[jefferson_dem]

HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says he will seek to succeed fellow Democrat Christopher Dodd in the U.S. Senate.

Blumenthal tells The Associated Press that he will announce his candidacy at noon Wednesday at Democratic headquarters in Hartford.

Democratic officials tell the AP that Dodd will announce Wednesday that he will not seek a sixth term in November. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

The 63-year-old Blumenthal has been Connecticut's attorney general since 1990 and served in the state legislature from 1984 to 1990.

The Greenwich resident also served as an aide to U.S. Sen. Abraham Ribicoff and an aide to former U.S. Sen. Daniel Moynihan, when Moynihan was assistant to the president.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-ap-ct-doddretirement-bljan06,0,3801527.story

[bigdarryl]

1. OH PLEASE!!!! another Clintonite running and loosing just like Terry McAuliff

can't they find a real PROGRESSIVE!! to run Blumenthal is one of those supposed Dem's that want to badly to act like a RETHUG that's a loosing strategy from the word go

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. How Harold Fordish of them.

We're apparently having Harold imposed on us in NY by the party elders, according to today's NY Times ( the official organ of the party elders).

[jefferson_dem]

3. You do know that Dodd has decided to NOT seek reelection, right?

n/t

[TheWraith]

20. Ford is going to get killed by Gillibrand.

If he's smart he won't run.

[quiller4]

22. He won't. He mentioned the possibility after Thanksgiving and

numerous Ds from NY met with him to discourage him. Now he is floating the idea agains and it isn't going over well at all. He is seen as an unpopular carpetbagger.

[Smarmie Doofus]

23. That's what they said about HRC and RFK.

Bottom line is that if the state party machers want him ... it will be done.

[Jennicut]

11. Blumenthal has taken on Microsoft, tobacco companies and the financial industry

He is hardly a DLC type.

[CTyankee]

15. You don't know much about Dick Blumenthal, do you?

Nor do you know much about party politics in CT. To compare Dick B. with McAuliff is worse than stupid, it's downright silly.

[MadBadger]

19. I'm more concerned about this country not being able to spell "losing"

Then whether Blumenthal is another Clintonite!

[bigdarryl]

4. My mistake this isn't the same Blumenthal that was in the Clinton Administration

http://www.ct.gov/ag/site/default.asp

[Mass]

10. I was wondering if you had lost your mind. Blumenthal can win this. This is good news.

[sellitman]

5. Dodd was going to loose us a seat. I was hoping he would do this.

He fell on the sword for his party.....Excellent!

[flpoljunkie]

6. I hope Dodd, as head of banking committee, will work hard to pass real banking reform, as well.

[karynnj]

7. He has real incentive to do so now

Senator Dodd will be partially remembered for stepping down because he knew he could not win due to the sweetheart mortgage and at least the perception that he favored the banks.

He actually has many real accomplishments, including the family leave act that he proposed and got passed in GHWB's presidency which became real when Clinton pushed him to reintroduce it and signed it. He was a strong liberal and most issues and was said to be Kennedy's closest friend in the Senate for years.

He leaves at a point where he could be Chair of HELP, Banking or Senate Foreign Relations because of his seniority. In 2005, he was reportedly the liberal wing's choice for Majority leader. It takes years to garner that level of status in the Senate and, representing at least a somewhat blue state, he would have been Senator for life if he were perceived as clean. On the sweetheart load, I suspect the standard of what was "ok" moved - and he got caught.

As a young man, completely a peace core assignment in Latin America, he lived through his father, who had been a prosecutor at Nuremberg, being censored by the Senate. To leave somewhat under a cloud would hurt. I would suspect that the best and maybe only way to keep that from being his legacy is to be the strongest, best advocate for the most effective banking reform achievable. He is positioned well as chair of that committee and as someone with a very long history on this issue.

Watching the Senate and seeing how hard the better Senators work, it is sad to realize that for many their last moments are sad - either losing or quitting to avoid a loss.

[bigwillq]

8. Good.

I will now vote for the DEM candidate. I wasn't going to vote for Dodd, but I am ok with voting for Dickie B!

[ProgressOnTheMove]

9. At least they are learning that if re-election chances are slim take one for the team and find a...

candidate that may stand a better chance. Is he a Clintonite not that I'sm sure it always matters, isn't that another Blumenthal. His wiki profile seems reasonably progressive as CT, AG. Hell, he's not Lieberman let's get him office all the shiny happy people out there. He's compared to Spitzer in his wiki profile as far as job wise in how he went after the white collar crooks, that's a good thing it sounds to me get him in.

WIKI

Blumenthal AG has frequently been compared to former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

[Jennicut]

12. I don't think he ever worked for Clinton. He has been our AG since I was in high school!

I am 34 now so that was a long time ago. I think he has been the AG since 1990.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

14. Thanks always nice when I get my facts right. He sounds the real deal overall given Lieberman is CTs

other Senator they can certainly improve things with this candidate.

[Jennicut]

16. Blumenthal has had a good rep in this state since I was a kid so that is a good thing

I think he will take this race.

[PA Democrat]

13. Blumenthal has aggressively gone after health insurance companies

who were wrongfully denying coverage. He was irate when the head of the state of Connecticut's Dept. of Insurance failed to impose financial penalties on one company with a pattern of corrupt practices. Because of his intervention, the company was fined and their practices were publicized. When the same company denied payment for my cancer treatment, I was able to get reimbursement thanks to Blumenthal's work.

[CTyankee]

17. Stories like yours are the real reason that Dick is gonna win this thing.

I have heard similar stories over the years. My next door neighbor, who calls himself an "Independent" but is really RW, admires the way Dick took on United Illuminating's screwing of my neighbor and lots of other residents here. He saw Dick in action, fighting for the same things he was fighting for. Lots of people in the state have their own reasons for liking Dick Blumenthal. He is seen as going to bat for them against the special interests...

And here's the kicker...my next door neighbor is about as anti-abortion as you can get, but Blumenthal's unabashed support for Planned Parenthood and his other progressives stands will be understood in the context of his consumer advocacy.

[jtylerpittman]

18. I would rather he took Joe's seat

[quiller4]

21. Great news and he is already 40 points ahead of Schiff and 32 points over

McMahon. Blumenthal is very popular in CT and would have an easy race.

[hileeopnyn8d]

24. That's impressive!

:thumbsup: