OT: I'm sad to say, Dodd is out of the race

[Luftmensch067]

From the Dodd campaign:

Tonight's Results

I count the past year of campaigning for the presidency as one of the
most rewarding in a career of public service.

Unfortunately, I am withdrawing from that campaign tonight.

But there is no reason to hang our heads this evening -- only the
opportunity to look towards a continuation of the work we started
last January: ending the Iraq War, restoring the Constitution, and
putting a Democrat in the White House.

I know a lot of you came to this email list through a shared desire
to return our nation to one that respects the rule of law, and I want
to make one thing clear to all of you:

The fight to restore the Constitution and stop retroactive immunity
does not end with my Presidential campaign. FISA will come back in a
few weeks and my pledge to filibuster ANY bill that includes
retroactive immunity remains operative.

You've been an invaluable ally in the battle, and I'll need you to
stick by my side despite tonight's caucus results.

So, one more time, thank you for all of your efforts throughout the
course of this entire Presidential campaign.

We made a real difference in shaping the debate, and we'll continue
to do so in the coming days, weeks and years.

I'll never forget you, and what we've fought for, together, over the
past year.

Chris Dodd

A good man and a good American. I'm sorry to see him withdraw from the race, but I know he'll keep fighting to restore our rights and our Constitution.

[sandnsea]

1. Biden too

I don't see a press release, but it was on the news as I'm sure most folks know.

I just hope they don't endorse Hillary, I will be incredibly disappointed to think they were just stalking horses in Iowa.

It also means JK can't use them as a reason not to endorse either, if that's what he was doing.

It'll be an interesting week. I hope my heart isn't broken and the three of them just stay out of it.

[Luftmensch067]

2. I hadn't heard about Biden, thanks for posting

Sorry to see him out of it, too. Another strong foreign policy choice gone.

[sandnsea]

3. I know

I thought Biden would stay in at least to see what happened with Edwards in NH, and to see whether Obama fell off later on. I can't understand why he's quitting now.

[Mass]

10. He is not going to be in the debates because he came 5th. He also will not make it on TV interviews

because he is far from being high enough for that, and he probably does not have enough money for ads.

However, it would be interesting to know what the first count was, to know his real support, but I guess he made his counts and that even that was too low to justify to continue.

Too bad as he was a voice of reason too often.

[Democrafty]

4. Oh, sad! n/t

[JI7]

5. another positive from this campaign

i always liked Dodd but he showed that he could be a real fighter and much better than Harry Reid for Senate Dem Leader.

i now understand much more why John Kerry is good friends with Joe Biden.

i have been thinking. if Biden can somehow end up in the Dem administration as vp or sec of state or something else and Dodd becomes Senate leader, does that make JK head of foreign relations committee ?

[MBS]

6. on some news-type web site (Salon?), Dodd was described as

"seasoned, accomplished, presidential". That seemed a decent description of him. It saddens me that he didn't get more traction, if only to keep the very important issues he raised in the national consciousness. You know, the little things like the Constitution, the rule of law, the concept of national service, and the toughest environmental plan of any of the candidates. But, wait: we and the media have decided to be fixated instead, once again, on things like haircuts, celebrity endorsements, and other truly burning issues.

Biden also was the other adult candidate, injecting depth and experience into the foreign policy discussion.

Well, yuck.

[whometense]

8. I was really sad to read that email,

though it wasn't unexpected. I was moved enough to respond to it, telling him I'd been proud to support him and that I hoped he'd consider becoming majority leader.

Here's hoping.

Here's the Carpetbagger: http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14122.html

Chris Dodd — What Dodd fans are saying: Have we mentioned what a great Senate Majority Leader Dodd would be? What Dodd critics are saying: You gave it your best shot, Chris.

Who’s right? Dodd withdrew from the race last night, but with his stature and reputation at an all-time high.

On the up-side, it's good to know that the voters are quite capable of pushing back against "inevitability." I retain my admiration for the independent-mindedness of Iowans. And hoping NH will be just as tough.

The local tv ads last night after the caucus results were in were Romney, Romney, Romney, Clinton, Romney. Elias nails the Romney ads: http://chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-minutes-of-idle-television-viewing.html

[beachmom]

15. I was thinking about you, Whometense, last night, when I heard the news

of Dodd dropping out. I thought you talked him up with grace and real substance -- the quality supporters of Dodd made him rise in stature, in my view. I wish that Dodd and Biden could have hung around longer, but perhaps with less people on the stage in the next debate, we can get longer answers and more scrutiny of the remaining candidates. It really does come down to the top three. It would be nice to finally learn more about their policies, world view, and what makes them tick (which is easier to discern in a debate with longer answer times). We'll see.

[whometense]

19. thanks, beachmom.

It's nothing like 2004 - I was sorry to see that such good candidates couldn't get any airtime, but it's not like my heart was much in it. It was satisfying to see Obama win, but let's just say I wasn't even close to jubilant.

[rox63]

7. I really like Dodd and Biden

So I'll be sorry to see them leave the Dem field of candidates. They add a lot to the debate, and the two of them have more experience than all the rest put together. But I'm happy with the Iowa results. Looking forward to NH.


Edit to add: And I was glad to see Mittens get stomped on. ;)

[whometense]

9. Yeah.

That was a great, wicked pleasure. :evilgrin:

[Inuca]

12. Yep, it was

Not from MA, so it is less "personal", but he seems a personification of what is rotten at the core of the political system. One of the personifications anyway...

[Inuca]

11. VERY sorry about Biden and Dodd

Not surprised, but very sorry. Newsflash: life is not fair. Under different circumstances, I am sure both would have been extremely viable candidates, and probably winners (well... at least one of them:-)). The unfairness of the current situation is not only the media frenzy over the American idol candidates, but I think (unless I have been brain washed by the talking heads myself, a definite possibility) that there is a real, possibly deep, and almost irrational need/desire for something radically different. Good in so many ways that Biden and Dodd are and, especially in Biden's case in my admittedly biased view, actually quite different from the recent past (and I of course do not only mean Bush) they are generally perceived as "more of the same".

PS: for the first time, I am really glad that Kerry opted out.

PPS: each cloud has a silver lining :evilgrin:

[Mass]

13. I agree for the need for change, and it actually concerns me because it may

flush away some Democrats linked with the system as well as Republicans later this year or make their reelection more difficult if they have to fight against reasonably good opponents that can make a reasonable argument that they are not linked to the DC machines.

It is something our incumbent Democrats should be aware of, because we need this change, but we need it to go in the right direction.

From the 3 running on top, I am really happy Obama won convincingly this first contest, as for me, he is the one who symbolized a change towards the future and the XXI century (just as Kerry was the one in 2004). This said, it is also true that the lack of good coverage for Biden and Dodd did not help either. They probably would have had to walk naked around Iowa to get the media attention (not sure I want to imagine that). Obama must remember that he has to find a way to communicate outside the official media. It seems he has done well until now, but it must continue.

[MBS]

14. I also, for the first time, am glad that Kerry opted out

it would have been a demeaning process, unworthy of him. This way, he continues his fight for what's important, with his integrity, dignity, and spirit intact.
Carry on , JK. I"m with you all the way.

[ginnyinWI]

16. and I have hopes for JK's future

Not so much as a future candidate, in the new Democratic president's administration. Biden too.

[ProSense]

17. There is sadness, but

I'm really glad that we will still benefit from the service and wisdom of these two excellent Democratic leaders, Biden and Dodd, in the Senate.

[Noisy Democrat]

18. I'm sorry to see that, but it makes my decision easier

I'm in Michigan, where the primary has been turned into an empty exercise. Still, there's been much debate over the best way that Michigan voters can band together to spoil Hillary's publicity stunt. I was torn between voting for Uncommitted or for Dodd. Now I know I'll show up just to vote Uncommitted (Edwards and Obama are off the ballot, and in Michigan, they won't even count and report write-in votes if the person hasn't officially filed as a candidate -- so writing in JK or Gore as a protest vote would be meaningless even if thousands of people did it).

[politicasista]

20. I am sad that he and Biden didn't get more recognition

that they deserved. I hope they will continue to do good things in the Senate and as members of the SFRC. :)

[wisteria]

21. The media is responsible for this outcome.

At a time in our nation's history when it is more important than ever to have seasoned, experienced leaders, we are left with a choice of the less than then stealer top three.

I am disgusted and done with this entire process. American's will get what they deserve-just like they have with Bush. Bush, our last candidate running on change from outside of Washington.

[MBS]

22. I agree with you that the media is responsible for this.

Dodd was raising VERY important issues, issues central to the mess our country was in, and deserved more serious attention from the press on this.

I also am disgusted with the entire process. I'll be able to vote for one of the remaining candidates, but by no means with the conviction and enthusiasm with which I voted for JK.

And, yes, I have come to the conclusion that our country deserves its problems. We chose to take the lower, smaller road-- the road of fear-- after 9/11, and we're paying the price.

OK, the 2004 election was our second stolen election, but it shouldn't even have been close enough to steal.
We apparently weren't ready for JK in 2004, didn't deserve a leader of JK's caliber, and shame on us (or shame on half of us).

[Luftmensch067]

23. My conclusions are similar

In terms of the country deserving its problems, I see it as something we have to learn as a nation. JK offered us the very best, but we truly hadn't grown up enough. So, like an unruly adolescent, we now have to go through some hard times.

It's too bad that those of us who are more mature must bend to the lowest common denominator of our greater identity as a country, but I think that's what we have to face: America is a country full of potential and she's had her moments of glory, but despite war and economic privation, she has yet to be fully tested, to grow through the kinds of centuries of experience other nations have had.

We must continue to love and believe in her, in our shared potential, and we must, as those who have seen what can yet be possible, continue to spread JK's message of hope and inspiration, of pragmatic idealism. There will be some difficult lessons ahead, but as I believe JK does, I believe in America. We will learn that we are worthy of better leadership and better dreams, it just may take a little time.

[beachmom]

24. I'm not going to be so quick to condemn my country. People are slow,

you know? They didn't get it back in '04; they do now. And Dodd, who is excellent on many issues we care about, did not do particularly well on TV. I hope he becomes Majority Leader.

[MBS]

25. I never thought that Dodd would go the distance, but

I really wanted his issues to be part of the conversation.