At “The Fix”, his Washington Post blog, Chris Cillizza writes:
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.
AdvertisementState 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.)
Without Dodd as a foil, Republicans chances of taking over a seat in this solidly blue state are considerably diminished. Former Rep. Rob Simmons and wealthy businesswoman Linda McMahon are battling it out for the Republican nod but either would start as an underdog in a general election matchup with Blumenthal.
Dodd joins North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan on the sidelines for Democrats. Six Republicans Senators are not seeking re-election in November.
Dodd’s retirement comes roughly two years after his presidential ambitions came to an end in the Iowa caucuses. Dodd, always a longshot in a field filled with better known and better financed candidates, had moved his family to the Hawkeye State in the fall of 2007 in hopes of generating some excitement for his bid. The move backfired on the Democratic incumbent as many Connecticut voters bristled.
Lots more time to enjoy that fabled Irish cottage. It’s probably worth flashing back to this video from December of last year, when the congressional Democrats’ excess and overreach was increasingly accelerating into hyperdrive, complete with a cameo from Dodd almost explaining what caused the financial meltdown last year:
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YouTube Direkt
(For what it’s worth, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd tweets, “NBC has confirmed @thefix‘s scoop about Chris Dodd’s decision to retire rather than face a tough re-election battle.”)
Update: As Cillizza notes above, Dodd’s retirement could likely strengthen what could have been a vulnerable seat for the left in November, and Public Policy Polling (HT: H/A) tweeted almost immediately after news of Dodd’s pending retirement announcement broke, “Our CT polling is confirming a Blumenthal/Dodd swap would make the seat uber safe for Dems.”
Spin? Hypersonic late night insta-polling? Based on previous polling results? I don’t know, but as Ed Carson of Investor’s Business Daily writes regarding how the surprisingly close race for the late Teddy Kennedy’s race in nearby Massachusetts has the potential for awakening the left, “Shh, You’ll Wake Up The Dems.”
Whats Dodd’s payoff for retiring in order for the demorats to increase the odds of holding the seat?
I don’t completely buy the idea that another democrat running in Dodd’s place should automatically be more difficult to defeat. The complete exposure of WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE and what they want for the United States of America should be hung around the necks of every single one of them. Unless they are willing to publicly state that they will oppose the Naneid dictatorship’s continued rule, there is no reason they should be excused or be able to avoid the accusation that they are JUST LIKE DODD:IN PLACE OF DODD.
The libs have been exposed for WHO THEY ARE. The name on the ballot is incidental.
Don’t forget about Peter Schiff, a candidate who is the perfect antidote to fiscal irresponsibilty – the true fiscal conservative in this race. – http://schiffforsenate.com/
Next to retire: new Democrat Arlen Specter.
I hope this is accurate information and I couldn’t agree with Meryl more. They have been exposed for what they really are and what they’ve tried to do. All these politicians have their own private polls and he must have seen that he couldn’t possibly win and decided to cut his losses and get whatever deal he could get before he “retires”. I am of the opinion that EVERYONE that voted to basically take away the rights of our citizens, compromise our country and economy during times of war, and who openly and arrogantly tried to stuff legislation down our throats that we didn’t want, need, that would ultimately lead to the ruin of our nation should be “dogged” for the rest of their lives so that we can make sure they won’t benefit in any way, shape, or form for their treason. What do we do with a cop that we entrust with certain authorities that steals and breaks the law? Why should these guys be treated any different? We know what they’re going to do already. They’re going to promote a candidate whose hands are “clean” that will claim to be “moderate” in the hopes they can fool the voters into voting for another Democrat. We all know, now, that there’s no such thing as a “moderate” Democrat. There’s only Democratic politicians that pretend they are something they’re not so they can get elected or re-elected who will sell us all out in a heartbeat. I must admit that I would have enjoyed watching a career politician get humiliated on election day because of what he did but I’ll have to enjoy the fact that American citizens made him come to the realization that he was either “retired” or fired.
Henceforth from this time and place and in fitting tribute to true comedic genius, the soon to be former senior Senator of the great state of Connecticut shall be known as Lame Duck Dodd. That is all.
U.S. Senator Chris Dodd is a man of contradictions. No doubt, he has at times had the best interests of his constituents and our Country at heart. However, I disdain Dodd’s lack of ethics and I do think he sold out to special interests not once but many times. I am happy to see him leave the U.S. Senate. And yet, if his level of lack of ethics and selling out is to be the standard for not being in the U.S. Senate, then virtually every Republican U.S. Senator will have to resign as well as a significant portion of Democrats, which would be good for our Country and not very likely ~ richard allbritton, Miami
No worry about his future. Dodd has accumalated hundreds of millions of dollars from the American taxpayer and is free to retire to his million dollar Irish castle where he can recall the days of his drinking buddy Teddy and pour the whiskey down his corrupt throat and talk about his “contribution” to society. He is the example of the complete corruption of the American government and his resigning is just a ploy to keep his democrat comrades in power until the Ameican Republic collapses.
#9, I agree. Most of the Senate is composed of a sold out, self serving dynasty.
On a more general note, it would not surprise me if many are guilty of criminal acts. But, who is responsible for their actions? We the voting public are. We keep rewarding them for their disregard of the Constitution and the interests of their constituents by voting them back in over and over. Maybe they get re-elected because they truly represent us. They are us. A very scary thought and one that bodes ill for the continuation of the Republic. So, don’t anybody look for sanity out of the electorate in Connecticut.
I don’t normally comment on things like this, but I can still remember P.J. O’Rourke referring to Dodd as “that human rum-blossom”, which is apparently fairly accurate.
Add in his policies, and all I can honestly say is;
Bye-bye, Dodd. Don’t let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out.
clear ether
eon
Yes, don’t forget Peter Schiff.
The Democrats have exposed themselves to be Communists. Period. Chris Dodd would have gone down in a flaming defeat in November, but just because Dodd is gone does not make the seat an automatic win for the Democrats–unless they have some other voter fraud within the state to tip the scales in their favor.
The Democrats have overreached on so many issues & they will pay one way or another. Expect more retirements to come.
One should not have buy votes of this magnitude. 2012, 2014, etc al is not going to be any easier for the corrupt Democrats.
time needs to be spent, and money of course, on filling Dodd’s seat with not just Republican, but someone that will hold true to what the people need, not what obama wants.
he’s probably retiring to avoid becoming one more putrid piece of political roadkill come election-time.
Obama ran against Bush. If the republican runs against Dodd which is what the Dems stand for, it will help.
Is Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) retiring to spend more time in his fabled Irish cottage?
No, he’s* retiring because he has determined that his chances of holding the Senate seat are diddley squat and he wants his would be Democrat replacement to get the ball rolling.
I’d guess the decision was made amongst the so called “power élite” in Connecticut.
*aka “He who didn’t know he was getting a super good loan deal from Countrywide’s Angelo Mozilla” among other character issues.
Another glib radio announcer joins the club of “fogotten men”. A shame and a disgrace to the family of the late Sen. Tom Dodd. Hoping his example is followed by Leaky Leahey, Upchuck Schumer and Dicky Turban Durban.
Maybe Dodd thinks he’s done all the damage he can do,after all he’s set fiancially for life .
Along with Barney Frank, he (Dodd) practically sunk the entire global economy. That he is getting away with less than a proper hanging is a poor reflection on us, not him.
Nice. Dodd is one of the principles responsible for the Housing collapse, which caused the stock market to collapse, and everyone’s 401Ks turning into 201Ks. In addition to all the shady and/or misguided deals he’s been involved with over his long sorry Senatorial career. And now he just walks away a multi-millionaire to live the good life. There should be accountability when politicians cause so much misery and damage. Jail comes to mind.
dollars to doughnuts…a Dem will win in CT..
..People in the NE wear blinders.. They’re practicing their lockstep..
21.Will:
Certainly true but I welcome his leaving a position of being able to destroy and further and abet Obama and the Democrats (communists)in the destruction of this country!