It’s for the good of the party, comrades:
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…
Dodd’s troubles were politically ironic, coming at a time when his power on Capitol Hill had reached a breath-taking level that most legislators dream of but never come close to achieving. In the last 18 months Dodd has been the primary author or co-author of legislation re-writing housing mortgage rules; the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street; key portions of the $787 billion stimulus package; a consumer protection bill overseeing the credit card industry; and the nearly $900 billion health-care legislation that has passed the Senate is in final negotiations with the House now.
You’re heard of “dine and dash”?
This is “spend and sprint.”
One is tempted to quote the old saw …
Don’t let the door hit your on your way out.
Hard to sprint though with a boot up your ass. He was pushed out by that “Democratic establishment.” Odds are he would have lost the election. The popular state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal will likely slide into his spot and will have a much better chance in the general election. With Democratic incumbents dropping and switching like flies, the vote counting is starting early. However, I would bet his accrued political clout will be parlayed into a nice little lucrative lobbying job. Par for the course.
And he will not be investigated for the Irish “cottage” and other crooked deals that made he and his family rich.
He’s aq crook. His father was a crook. The Republic is better off without them both.
“spend and sprint.” Couldn’t have said it any better. Why stick around after the portfolio’s in place, and any other work you might do would be redundant?
Besides, after your best bud, Teddy, is gone, who’s left to get hammered with and go around sexually assaulting lovely young women with? The situation must really suck after that kind of influence goes out of your life.
There are a whole slew of them that are retiring rather than face what seems at this point almost certain defeat in November. Still, we are a long way off and I am a bit surprised that they are bowing out of power this early, given that Dems will benefit from any “dead cat bounce” in the economy.
Loved the last paragraph’s evident cluelessness. “Dodd’s troubles were politically ironic coming at a time when his power on Capitol Hill had reached a breath-taking level…” Yes, his power was breath-taking, and, to his discredit, he either used it for his own gain, or to screw things up, possibly beyond repair. THAT is why he faced a very probably defeat in the election and THAT is why he is “retiring”. Finally (to continue the rant with capitalized that’s), THAT spin/cluelessness is why the MSM is in a death spiral.
I could mention ‘rats and sinking ships’ and other cliches but I won’t, Flatlander. As someone said elsewhere, when these really egregious stinkers get out early, their substitute Democratic candidates might be harder to beat later this year.
Ahh well… I’ve become a cynic in my old age.
Marianne
Old age has a tendency to cause that Marianne. We see far too much of the human condition.
Marianne, it is hard for me to understand how anyone even superficially knowledgeable of politics over the past few years could not be cynical.
QM -seeing, watching and hearing the world turn by over the course of numerous decades absolutely does have that tendency.
Regards,
I’m sure the residuals will keep him well fed and satisfyingly bloated.
Worked for Al Gore, anyway.
I’m sure you’re right, Marianne. They were probably pushed over the side by Obama’s good buddy Rahm.
Hmmm, Gov. Ritter(D)of Colorado just made it official. He’s not running next year for governor. Got to wonder what’s goin’ on with the Dems. there’s a small locxal scandal ghere in Colo.; but, nothing to cause him not to run. We’ll see…..
Yeah, Guy C., if it’s that prosecutorial misconduct scandal over illegally firing that civil servant which reaches up into the WH it’s only “small” and “local” because the MSM is studiously ignoring it.
Just pretend you didn’t see the spelling and gramatical errors. Sure miss thge edit key.
Stephen is right – Blumenthal announced his intention to run almost as Dodd’s speech ended. And he’ll win easily – this state loves him. This is of course planned as such. Dodd knew he couldn’t win – he was greeted in Bradley Airport just before Christmas with someone saying to him “You aren’t gonna win in 2010″.
The handwriting has been on the wall for months; his polling numbers have been approaching single digits for a year.
I had hoped he would run – his ego is as big as Obama’s – making a Republican win pretty easy. I am actually saddened by this announcement as it means my state will likely stay blue.
Which means I’m still trapped in the liberal wasteland.
Kris, I remember in the way back when Dodd’s father Tom crashed and burned over ethics issues…appears to run in the family…that said Dodd and Blumenthal have been politically joined at the hip for years… a good canadate and a savvy Republican campaign should exploit this relationship to their advantage…so don’t despair… there’s hope. Best
Snake – from your mouth to voter’s ears – please. There are a couple of good Republican candidates – Peter Schiff in particular. Blumenthal will be a juggernaut. Exploitation will need to be at an all time high for CT to have any hope.