Back in December, when it was increasingly clear Sen. Christopher Dodd was not going to win the Democratic nomination for president, he appeared on MSNBC to talk about his threat to filibuster a bill granting immunity to communications companies involved in warrantless government surveillance.
Though no one doubts his sincerity on the issue, it can also be said that his high-profile attempt to frame the debate over how to fight the war on terror helped his campaign for the White House simultaneously. It showed Dodd could do more than talk the talk as Obama, Clinton and Biden watched from the sidelines.
It was seen as a shrewd use of senatorial power. It was a demonstration of how the experience Dodd was touting on the campaign trail could be used to make things happen if there was a commitment to use it. Allison Stewart, the anchor interviewing Dodd, asked whether it made more sense for him to give up his floundering campaign for president in favor of being a “kick-ass senator” on behalf of the American people. That night, Dodd was not ready. Now, it appears he is and just in time.
Popularity Drop
The most recent Quinnipiac poll on Dodd’s approval rating shows months on the campaign trail — and his brief residency in Iowa — did some damage to his relationship with the voters who elected to give him his experience in the first place. A March poll showed his approval dropping almost 10 points in the last year to 51 percent — which is unusually low for a Democratic incumbent in Connecticut.
Since his departure from the presidential campaign, the senator has been spending more time in Connecticut and more time taking on the big issues facing the country. Events in the mortgage and banking industries have naturally put him front and center as a leading voice for reform and critic of the current administration.
He is still dabbling in presidential politics as one of several top Democrats to endorse Barack Obama and urge Hillary Clinton to drop out. If not for his own White House ambitions, Dodd may have been the party elder some Democrats are looking for to end the nomination battle before the national convention. But as an Obama partisan, he can no longer play the role of honest broker.
It has been reported that Dodd intends to seek re-election to the Senate in 2010. At the same time, he might be keeping his options open for a different role in an Obama-dominated Washington. Dodd placed his bet on Obama early when he attacked Clinton on the immigration issue during a primary debate. It was a pivotal moment Dodd might have been penalized for if Clinton were doing better.
As it is, Dodd has successfully highlighted his resume and gray hair in a party that may be about to nominate a candidate whose biggest weakness is his lack of a resume and youth. Still playing the Washington game, even as he tries to make up with the voters back home, Dodd is now in a very good position to be on the short list for vice president, a cabinet position or a higher profile role in the senate leadership, if Obama can beat John McCain in November.
If not, there’s nothing wrong with being the senator from East Haddam, if Connecticut voters allow it. The bottom line: Dodd’s heavy withdrawal from the goodwill bank may pay dividends in January 2009. If not, the loan can be paid back through hard work at home between now and 2010. A no-lose situation.
Dean Pagani is a former gubernatorial advisor. He is V.P. of Public Affairs for Cashman and Katz Integrated Communications in Glastonbury.
