New Haven Independent

Posted by: fedupwithliberals | December 30, 2009 8:59 AM

"Dodd got a respite from the hostility he has encountered in Connecticut and nationally over the past year thanks to a series of mini-scandals and protests against the health bill."

Tanking the world economy for generations to come is considered a mini scandal? What rises to the level of a major f@#k up in your book?

Posted by: Hates Dodd | December 30, 2009 9:26 AM

Agreed this Dodd is an absolute disgrace, along with Harry Reid's bribes and the Senators that took them! The Liberal Democrats are on a mission to destroy this country fast and we have yet to see what will happen with Cap and Tax the creation of them traitors Waxman and Markey. I say vote every single damn Democrat out of office and make their party extinct! Let a new third party emerge or actually elect Conservative Republicans that stand by morals be born!

Posted by: rfm | December 30, 2009 9:58 AM

Dodd owes a big debt to Lieberman for being so awful that he almost makes Dodd look good by comparison. What a motley set of senators we have.

Posted by: streever | December 30, 2009 10:28 AM

Dodd really isn't bad: he got great interest rates on his loans, but is that really the cost to buy a senator? I mean, if I'm a mortgage company, and a seasoned veteran Senator wants a loan, it's a pretty sure thing he's going to pay it back.

His competition is a joke, and while they're currently outperforming him, I do think he can rally & take it. McMahon & Simmons both steal money from CT--is this the type of Rep you think will "save" us from Dems? They own and operate their companies here but have them based out of places with lower taxes so they don't need to contribute financially to CT--the state they claim to want to serve.

The reality is that running a state costs money, as Rell discovered, and for two individuals who claim they want to serve our state to steal money from it is disrespectful. Both have received financial benefits from being in this state, and both need to pony up and pay their share.

Posted by: cba | December 30, 2009 10:39 AM

Dodd is extremely adept at spin. During the last thirty-six months, he relocated his family to Iowa,had financial scandal, bought a piece of land in Ireland under suspicious circumstance, and forgot about his constituents" needs Now when faced with unemployment, he is everywhere telling us how we are fortunate to have him in Washington. Fortunately,his defeat is on the horizon and no amount of puffing and smoke will alter the fact that he is a clown. Its time to send him to the circus where he belongs!!!!!!!

Posted by: JayMagoo | December 30, 2009 12:07 PM

To repeat Dodd's challenge, I am curious about what the Republicans plan to do. Do they plan to repeal health care to 31 Americans who are now brought into the system by the bill? Are the Republicans going to make it easy again to deny coverage to people after a couple of legitimate claims because of "pre-existing conditions" represented by the claims? Are they going to repeal the provisions in the bill that eliminate the obscene bonuses and overhead costs taken off the top by insurance companies before they even consider paying doctor bills?
Dodd, as a good politician should, put it succinctly, point by point. All the tea-party background noise and the payoff-induced shenanigans by guys like Joe Lieberman require explaining. Dodd, it appears, covered his points well. Let's hear what the other guys have to say to Dodd's points.

Posted by: Serious Dem | December 30, 2009 12:33 PM

Gate-crasher? That doesn't sound right. Yep, just re-checked Mr. Alpert's website, and it says that he was specifically invited to the New Haven gathering last night - a minor clarification that speaks volumes: Connecticut Democrats are calling for Mr. Alpert's presence; are supportive of his campaign.
And if what the New Haven Register reported on this event is true - that Sen. Dodd exploited the death of Ted Kennedy again with a story about visiting his grave after the Health Care Reform bill passed the Senate floor - then the weakness of Sen. Dodd's campaign should be even more undeniably apparent. No candidate with any self-worth and dignity would use his colleague's unfortunate death to help validate and propel his candidacy. Simply unedifying and disgraceful. Anything to win another reelection, eh? I suppose Connecticut Democrats can see where Sen. Dodd's self-serving priorities lie.

Posted by: James D | December 30, 2009 3:28 PM

You write: "It was his first local appearance since he helped lead a successful 24-day effort to pass a sweeping health care reform law through the U.S. Senate."

Do you mean "sweeping" as in "sweeping the real problems under the rug?"

A so-called "reform" bill that leaves 20 million Americans uninsured (a number that is destined to increase as health care costs continue to rise); that does virtually nothing to address the problem of those rising health care costs; that forces Americans to buy over-priced private insurance products that many won't be able to afford; and, worst of all, that strengthens an insurance industry which is committed to profits over people ---- this is the best that Dodd can hang his hat on??

Time for a third-party challenge from someone who can be the voice of the people - not of corporate interests...

Posted by: streever | December 30, 2009 4:28 PM

Serious Dem:
While I agree that "Gate-crasher" does not accurately describe Merrick's presence, I can't agree with you that he had strong support at the event. Dodd was invited to speak & was clearly the star of the show last night--I was there. It felt a little awkward, actually, with Merrick there looking on.

Posted by: AndersonScooper | December 30, 2009 10:59 PM

Streever--

Dodd has flat-lined, for almost a year, at steady re-elect numbers of less than 40%.

Look up the history of past candidates who have been in such dire straits. It ain't pretty. And that's the reason that prognosticators Stu Rothenberg, Charlie Cook, and Chris Cilizza all rank Dodd's Dem Senate seat as the #1 most likely to change hands ten months from now.

So yeah, Dodd may pull this one out. But I wouldn't bet on it, not with the national back-drop and the millions of dollars of negative advertising, to which Dodd is tragically wide-open.

Personally I think CT Dems are nuts if we go with Dodd as our nominee. Dick Blumenthal has approval ratings of 75-80%, (literally twice those of Dodd), and although we haven't seen the polling, most of us believe he'd be leading the GOP field by at least twenty points.

Finally, I hope you'll ponder how very costly 2010 could prove to Democrats. Not only might we witness GOP Chair Chris Healy's first real victory party, but we'd also be treated to national headlines, touting the resurrection of the Republican party, here in Connecticut.

And we could also lose one, two, or even three of our recently won House seats as the result of the money and motivation Republicans are about to pump into their tickets. Not to mention that the "Will Dodd Survive?" story-line will most likely bury coverage of the governor's race, where we hope to win for the first time since 1986.

Please give it some thought, and note that all the things we like about Dodd won't be worth much if he loses as expected.

Posted by: Anne Hoff | December 31, 2009 3:29 PM

My understanding is that Merrick Alpert was invited and was not a gate-crasher as described by this article. My recommendation to CT Democrats is that they take a good look at Mr. Alpert as an alternative to Dodd.

He is an attorney, has served in the military, was involved in health care reform during the Clinton administration, has traveled all over the world meeting many world leaders in his work for Gore and Clinton, has created two successful businesses, and is on the right side of the issues. He wants campaign funding reform to eliminate corporate lobbyists from running our government, he wants an intelligence-based operation in Afghanistan to eliminate terrorist strongholds rather than a large military buildup, and he wants this money to be spent in Connecticut to help create jobs.

Posted by: not a dem anymore | January 3, 2010 12:51 AM

Dodd has ruined this country for years and needs to go. He can leave with all the money he stole and live in Ireland. I know the same people will defend him and those are the ones who should just drive around and throw their wallets out the window because voting these same politicians back into office just continues our problems. All state and federal politicians need to be changed. This state has lost alot and Lieberman, Delauro and Dodd has done nothing for us NOTHING!!!
Dodd wants to think his dead friend from Mass is going to save him with supporting the healthcare bill well go live in Mass. Mr. Dodd has stole from us and benefited his own pockets and should be in jail just like all the other politicians this state had that did the same. Lets all find the right people with common sense who is willing to run for office and fight for Connecticut. Not be like Rep. Chris Murphy who gets in and just stands with his party issues not with the people of Connecticut issues. This party alliance needs to end and fight for our childrens future. Vote Dodd and his big mouth out!!!!

Posted by: robn | January 3, 2010 10:15 AM

Here is a pretty distilled list of pros and cons for the healthcare bill.

http://squashed.tumblr.com/post/166890864/pros-and-cons-of-the-healthcare-reform-proposal-s

Posted by: DingDong | January 3, 2010 12:06 PM

When's the primary?