Chris Dodd for President

If you were able to watch it, you caught a great event! If not, here's the recorded video.

Learn more about the endorsement of America's Professional Fire Fighters of Chris Dodd for President at ChrisDodd.com.

Due to my extensive travels from coast to coast over the weekend - including a lot of time in parts of New Hampshire that didn't have great internet or cell phone service - I haven't been able to update you on the blog coverage of Senator Dodd's travels in Nevada, Utah, and New Hampshire. Dean Barker of Blue Hampshire has been impressed by the Dodd campaign so far.

Dodd has by far been the biggest surprise for me this year. While I remain undecided, he is high on the list. He's progressive and he's leveraging his candidacy well with his senate seat to hasten the end of this war now. He's also got a bold energy plan, and isn't afraid to say "carbon tax." Some people like to judge a candidate by the campaign he keeps. To those who do so, it's gotta be Dodd by a mile. He does so much more with so much less free press and money. His rapid response on local NH issues is better than the big three, and he's got the hardest working online team going, one moreover that understands the netroots because they come from it. If we lived in a world without 24/7 infotainment news channels, and one where Time magazine doesn't resemble People, would Dodd be the front runner right now?

Steve Freiss of Nevada Today has a write-up of Dodd's talk in Las Vegas at the opening of the campaign office in Las Vegas. Freiss liked the Senator's talk, "He offered soaring rhetoric about encouraging volunteerism and national sacrifice, about restoring “American prestige” around the world, about becoming great global citizens again." Blogger Bryan Bissell was in attendance on Monday at Senator Dodd's talk to the Sierra Club in Concord, New Hampshire. Bissel encapsulated Senator Dodd's point about how voters in New Hampshire are in an important position and have an important responsibility, "More importantly, Dodd told the crowd to demand answers. Don't let the other candidates simply re-state the goals that we all agree with, like becoming more energy independent and reducing greenhouse gases." On a side note, Bissell and I graduated from Wesleyan University together in 2004. It was great to see him on the road and covering the election on his blog Quabbin Quontry Queries. Go give his site a read. Brian Kramer of Caucus for Priorities has posted an account of his time playing baseball with Senator Dodd on the Field of Dreams in Iowa. Shorter version: It was fun! Lastly, Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post was on MSNBC yesterday morning, praising Senator Dodd for his leadership to end the Iraq war.

“My question now is which of these democrats is going to provide more leadership in getting us out of Iraq. That's really what I'm looking for. So far, you know, Senator Dodd has a plan which is the most thorough plan for getting us out, with very clear time lines and deadlines. And that's really what Democrats need to be looking for now – very, very specific plans from the Democratic candidates for getting us out. And leadership, real leadership in exerting every influence they can to get us out.”

You can watch the video of Huffington's appearance here.

Molly Ball of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

IF THERE IS A CONSTITUENCY IN NEVADA THAT WEARS SUNGLASSES IN THE DARK and enjoys dry toast and hot jams, Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd is aiming straight for it. At the opening of Dodd's Las Vegas campaign office last week, a white board in the main room was taken up by a well-rendered drawing of Jake and Elwood Blues, the Chicago duo played by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in a movie this reporter has seen at least five times and can quote at some length. Above the Blues Brothers was written: "We're on a mission from Dodd.

The Senator made a swing through Nevada last week – stops along the way included the Grand Opening of our Nevada Headquarters, where he was joined by State Chairman and Senator John Lee. Friday the Senator visited Reno and Carson City to visit with members of the Culinary Union and Democratic Activists. The response to his appearances was terrific, several individuals wrote contribution checks on the spot and committed to helping our campaign for the next 7+ months. The following are some pictures from the Senator’s visit. State Senator (and NV Campaign Chair) John Lee with two Peace Corps Veterans – his mother and Chris Dodd From the grand opening of the NV State Headquarters Addressing Culinary Workers in Reno. Meeting activists at Fuji Park in Carson City The Senator at the Silver Peak Brew Pub in downtown Reno

Senator Dodd was in Las Vegas yesterday to open the campaign's office there. At the opening, attended by about 100 people, Senator Dodd spoke about why he's running for president and the issues his campaign has focused on: ending our involvement in Iraq's civil war, fighting global warming, restoring our standing in the world and calling Americans together through national service. Molly Ball of the Las Vegas Review-Journal was in attendance and has a great write-up in today's R-J, titled "Stumping in Las Vegas: Dodd: U.S. must withdraw".

Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd said Thursday that recent developments are reinforcing his view that the situation in Iraq is intractable and the U.S. military must be withdrawn. Pointing to reports that al-Qaida is gaining strength while the Iraqi government fails to meet benchmarks, Dodd said that Iraq "has become the petri dish for the jihadists." The Connecticut senator said the situation was best illustrated by a serviceman he befriended shortly before he was killed in the Iraqi city of Karbala, Army Capt. Brian Freeman. Dodd met Freeman last year; the West Point graduate told him, "This is not sustainable. I want you to know it," Dodd said. An Army investigation disclosed Thursday found that Iraqi police colluded with insurgents in the Jan. 20 attack that killed Freeman and four other U.S. soldiers. Such stories, Dodd said, show that even those the United States is trying to help in Iraq are not supportive. "What more do you need to know?" he said in an interview. Dodd said he differs from other candidates in his views of the war and terrorism. "Back in one of these debates, John Edwards was asked if terrorism was real; he said no, it's basically a bumper sticker. I disagree. I think it's real. My colleague from New York (Hillary Clinton) was asked whether we're safer today or not. She said we were; I don't think we are," Dodd said. Edwards, in an April debate and elsewhere, has termed the phrase "global war on terror" a bumper-sticker slogan. Dodd said Thursday afternoon's vote in the House of Representatives to require a pullout of combat troops from Iraq by April 1 was proof of momentum to end the war. He predicted the Senate will be "moving very fast" to take similar action.

Ball's whole piece is worth a read. Congratulations to the Nevada staff for the Las Vegas office opening!