Posted on 02/26/2008 3:14:56 AM PST by markomalley
After a prolonged silence through most of the primary season, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd is rejoining the presidential race on somebody else's team — Sen. Barack Obama's.
The Connecticut senator, whose own presidential campaign failed to draw enough attention to propel him past the first contest in Iowa, is expected to announce his endorsement of Obama this morning, according to a Democratic official close to Dodd. He'll then campaign with Obama in Ohio.
Obama's campaign hopes that the March 4 primaries in Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island will be the victory that clinches the Democratic nomination for him. When he faces Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in another debate tonight — the last before these pending primaries — he'll do it with Dodd in his corner.
It's unclear what Dodd's task will be with the campaign or whether he'll be hitting those last two New England states still awaiting primaries next week. But if Obama eventually gets the nomination, Connecticut's two senators will be in opposing campaigns. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is one of Republican Sen. John McCain's staunchest allies.
After Dodd dropped out of the race, his failure to immediately endorse a candidate drew heavy attention just before Super Tuesday, in which Connecticut had its primary. He made a conspicuous announcement then that he wouldn't be supporting anybody.
Days before that, he had cast some doubt on the very idea of endorsements: "People are smart enough. They can make their own choice," he said. "And I've never been quite convinced that endorsements mean much anyway, and the assumption that I stand for somebody causes a great number of people to otherwise change their mind I think is terribly presumptuous.
"I don't have this exalted view that having been a candidate will somehow bring some unique and special qualities to this."
Still, he said then that he was considering it and had been "back and forth" between the candidates. He said he had thought about which candidate shared his beliefs, but he also said that electability was "certainly a consideration." (In recent weeks, Dodd had casually hinted that he thought Obama wasn't going to be stopped on his way to the nomination.)
Until now, Dodd's final thought on endorsements had been: "It creates news, but does it really affect outcomes?" The March 4 primaries may become a test of that, and Dodd will get to see the inside of a campaign that caught fire in the way he regrets his own didn't.
His support of Obama may clash with his longtime friendship with the Clintons. After the Republicans swept into Congress on a "Contract with America" wave in 1994, President Clinton picked Dodd as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Some pundits had even guessed that Dodd would be a possible vice presidential choice for Hillary Clinton.
The pool of former Democratic hopefuls hasn't been rich in endorsements for either Obama or Clinton. Dodd's support makes him the first major voice from that pack. The meatiest former-candidate endorsement, though, belongs to John Edwards, and he's still holding onto it.
Well, Dodd’s joining in with Hussein should bring an avalanche of votes. /s
LLS
Dodd’s best pal and drinkin buddy is Teddy “bare” Kennedy. Both are fumb ducks.
Re-emerging from where...under a rock?? This poor fool is so desperately seeking relevance (and maybe the Vice-Presidency) that he will do anything for attention. He's not smart enough to see how not-smart he is. Putz!!
Dodd and Kennedy wanna make “an Obama sandwich” this time around?
It says a lot when all Hillary’s fellow senators are endorsing her opponent.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, smiles as Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., makes remarks during a news conference in Cleveland, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, where Dodd endorsed Obama. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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