The Caucus for Results tour stopped in to the Steamboat Gardens in Waterloo last night. It a huge, energetic crowd came out to support Senator Dodd. Almost 350 people packed into the restaurant to hear Chris Dodd talk about why his experience getting results by standing on principle and his proven record of being a force for change in America makes him the best candidate for Iowa to stand with in the caucuses this coming Thursday.
This was either my third or fourth stop at Steamboat Gardens, which is easily one of my favorite restaurants slash campaign rally sites in Iowa. Seriously - the pork tenderloin sandwich there is as good as it gets!
Megan and I will be providing coverage from events in Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Marshalltown today. Stay tuned for more updates and don't forget to find your caucus location if you're reading this in Iowa.
Comments
I was recently reading what people were saying about the race. There was an interesting article about how 'change' is a big buzz word in this race. Change is very important. For example I bought a 18' sailboat this summer that I have enjoyed sailing on our much lower lake Jordan here in North Carolina. When I am out on the water and a strong gust comes along and the whole boat starts to stand up on her side, the off wind side dips into the water, and the top off the mast is quickly approaching the surface of the water. You know what it is time for, "Time for a change!" I would say this is what condition our country is in right now. Let's say we freeze time and take myself out of the boat and put someone else in. There are several people stand on the shore shouting, "Hey, you, change! Do something different! Change!" Now I could give the sheets, ropes which control the sails, and tiller to the person shouting 'change' the loudest, that makes sense right, or I could give them to someone who is an experience sailor, knows the ropes so to speak. In a calm, steady wind I will hand the sheets and tiller to my eight year old son but the gustier the wind, the more boats there are on the water, the more I rely on my experience and steady hand to not only keep her upright but to blast through the water.
Today the water is choppy, the wind is gusting, and water traffic is heavy. Change is what we need, our course is straight for the rocks, but we need someone who has weathered the storms and someone who can take charge of this vessel we know as the USS America. Chris Dodd is that captain. Chris Dodd is that weathered sailor, and I'm not just saying that because of the white hair, who can change course without tipping her over on the other side. The time has come to bring the USS America up to speed. The wind is strong but if we trim the sails right and come hard into the wind the ride of our lives is just ahead of us.
This is a really interesting metaphor Robert. I think there's real accuracy in the case you're making.
We need a leader with the experience and knowledge to set our country on the right path and restore the damage done by the Bush administration. Chris Dodd is the candidate to do that.
There is an issue which I have given much thought to since it is an event which happened over 5 years ago. The senate authorized Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein did not give up weapons of mass destruction. Now some equate a vote for resolution is equivalent to ordering the bombers to launch. But I believe there was a question of whether to support our leader, Bush, in a time of crisis or whether to get bogged down fighting resolution after resolution. 9-11 changed many things but one of the most fundamental changes it made was that we learned the level of dishonesty a president will go to to accomplish an agenda. From the senate's point of view the resolution was intended to give the president the power he needed to flush out al aqaeda. From the president's point of view it was what he needed to do exactly what he wanted to do. I analogize it as one sends their spouse to the store for milk and eggs and on route the spouse runs over ten children waiting for the school bus. Now you sent your spouse to the store so you must be responsible for all those dead children, right? Well that is what the hard right would like you to believe. It is also what some on the left would like you to believe. Now some candidates might say the Dodd sent Bush to the store but Dodd, more than any other candidate has worked to right the wrongs Bush has done along the way.
Now, more than anyone else, Sen. Dodd knows that we need to get out of Iraq and understand how that is done while also keeping our country safe. This is not perfect world and the decisions that one makes in this world don't always come out the way as they were intended but to accuse Sen. Dodd of being pro-war because of resolution 296-133 is as simplistic as laughing at Sen. Kerry for voting for the war before voting against it. It is playing the game the way the republicans have set it up.
Trading one ideology for another simply means your taking turns. Well I for one am tired of taking turns. What I want is to solve the world problems by looking at them for what they are. I want someone who is not just shouting slogans for their side but someone who is ready to address the issues. It is time to stop trying to fix the world by trying to make downtown Baghdad a parking lot or by trying to plant flowers in every flower box in Baghdad. It is time to help Baghdad be Baghdad in a way in which gives Iraqis peace and Americans peace and everyone peace. There are guns in this world and there is scarcity in this world which means there will be armies in this world, at least for the foreseeable future. Let's not kid ourselves and say hope alone will get us to a better world but let us also not try to kill everyone who does not agree with us.
In the white house we need a tireless champion of the American way. We need hope and we need strength. We need experience and we need a person who can think out of the box. We need Chris Dodd in the White House.
Chris Dodd is a class act.
I was a proud of Senator Dodd when he was willing to fillibuster
for the American people regarding Fisa. Barack Obama
was willing to fly back but Reid finally saw the light
so the fillibuster was not necessary.
Please consider Barack Obama for your second choice.
Obama’s Statement on Dodd and Filibuster
By: Jane Hamsher Monday December 17, 2007 11:32 am
"I contacted the Clinton, Edwards and Obama campaigns last night to ask them if they had statements on Dodd's filibuster against retroactive immunity today. So far the only one to get back to me with one is Obama:
"Senator Obama unequivocally opposes giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies and has cosponsored Senator Dodd's efforts to remove that provision from the FISA bill. Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect. Senator Obama supports a filibuster of this bill, and strongly urges others to do the same. It's not clear whether he can return for the vote, but under the Senate rules, the side trying to end a filibuster must produce 60 votes to cut off debate. Whether he is present for the vote for not, Senator Obama will not be among those voting to end the filibuster."
Both the Edwards and Clinton campaigns said they are working on statements.
It would be wonderful if Obama came off the campaign trail to support Dodd.
http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/obamas-statement-on-dodd-and-filibuster/
Robert,
The neocons had been pushing Clinton and Bush to go into Iraq
prior to 9-11.
Check out this letter to Clinton in 1998 and note the signatories.
http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm
No question contracting buddies of Bush and Cheney profitted greatly
off the war. But look at the thousands of people who have played the price
in blood. It was mistake not to allow the weapons inspectors to finish their job,
not to protect ammunition storage areas, not to send in enough troops, not to provide soldiers with proper pay, medical treatment, and equipment, Meanwhile private contractors recieved the best pay and equipment. It was mistake for Americans to
listen to chickenhawk talk radio host. It was mistake to elect George Bush.
Pres. Clinton saw this letter and presumably Sen. Clinton saw this letter if she was a involved in the government as she claims she was. Ironically Sen. Clinton seems to be about the only democratic candidate who doesn't regret her vote for the Iraq war resolution.
I think that you, I, and Chris Dodd all agree with your statement. The question is now what do we do. How do we go forward? I put my faith in Chris Dodd because a president can't just worry about Iraq but every other country in the world and take care of America first and foremost. I just don't think Obama is up to the job. He may be a wonderful person but it is presumptuous of him to think he can step into the White House and day one and work on all the problems that will confront him.
I welcome your opinion if you think Obama can.
I guess that pretty much sums up why Chris Dodd did not get equal debate time.
Robert,
Hillary also bought into Bush's Iran saber rattling.
Obama said wait a minute we heard all this before.
In my opinion based on his wisdom, judgment and foresight, he is already
ready to be president. He was right about, Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Pakistan,
He's right about health care, education, energy, national security, and our troops.
Visit his website see where he stands on the issues and check out his speeches.
I am sure some people doubted he had what it took to become head of the Harvard Law Review, a lawyer, a Consitutional Law professor, a State Senator, or a Senator. In his book Audacity of Hope he tells how his wife was less than excited about his decision to go into politics, and how his first appearance in a parade was St. Patricks day, just in front of the sanitation trucks. Today his wife is known in Iowa as The Closer. I am sure the St. Patricks parade committee will move him up a few notches.
Mr. Unite Us,
You state the Sen. Obama was 'right' about Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Pakistan. Meaning his opinions proved true which, ok, let's say he had wise opinions. Was his course of action appropriate. Well now, we don't know that do we. You say he's right about health care, education, energy, national security, and our troops. Do you mean you believe his opinions will prove true or that his course of action will be correct. If you means his opinions I would not argue with you. If you are saying his course of action will be appropriate I would have to ask you what you base that on.
If you want to go head to head Obama to Chris Dodd one can not help but realize the obvious choice. Unfortunately this race so far as been more about dancing with the stars than a serious evaluation of qualifications.
The most notable difference between the two canidates is one was born in 1961 and was born in 1944, and I was born after both of them. Obama held a job for one year in 1983 and then went back to school until his next job as associate attorney in 1993. (Obama graudated in 1991 but his first job is listed as '93 by Wikipedia. There is reference to a voter drive I don't know if that took two years.) In comparison Dodd served two years in the Peace Corps, eight years in the Army National Guard, six years in the United States House of Representatives, and was in his third term as US Senator by 1993. So right there we are comparing someone fresh out of school with juris doctor with someone who has been using his juris doctor for eleven years. And although graduating magna cum laude and being elected head of the Harvard Law Review are very notable accomplishments they have to be weighted against the drug use Obama admits to as a young adult. The republican attack machine is going to have a field day with that and to think otherwise is foolish.
So now if we compare experience in public office Obama has been in state legistation for the eight years and then in the US Senate since being sworn in January 4, 2005. Obama announced his candidacy for president on Febuary 10, 2007. That would give Obama a full two years of national politics experience. So while Obama has heard about health care, education, energy, national security, and our troops he has not actually spent real time working with the issues and the people behind the issues. Wikipedia states: "Obama sponsored 152 bills and resolutions brought before the 109th Congress in 2005 and 2006, and cosponsored another 427." That is very impressive, that's 579 bills and resolutions in two years. In other words Obama has no national experience. He would like to change the world, I would like to change the world. He is extremely smart, ok, he got me there. My point is that just because he can talk the talk just because he wants to do something really bad does not mean he has the qualifications. If there is one thing that Bush has taught us is that qualifications matter. I am all for Obama being president. I think he would be a great president. Just not right now. We need someone who can get Humpty-Dumpty back together again and it is going to take all the kings horses and all the kings men and for someone who has never lead horse or lead men to attempt the task, well, I feel for poor old Humpty.