Chris Dodd for President

THE CANDIDATE: U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a Democrat.

THE PLACE: The Iowa State Fair.

THE NEWS: Dodd didn’t plow much new policy ground during his first-ever visit to the Iowa State Fair. He marveled at the number of food offerings on a stick as he stood with his wife, Jackie, and their young daughters Christina and Grace.

Dodd reiterated his vow to make college more affordable if he’s elected president. He would offer federal Pell Grants, traditionally for low-income students, to middle-class students. And Dodd said he would offer matching grants to states with the goal of making community college tuition-free.

“In the Dodd administration, higher education will not be linked to the amount of money you have in your pocket,” Dodd told a small group who gathered to hear his fairgrounds remarks.

OTHER NEWS: Dodd is among several lesser-known hopefuls who are vying to get noticed by Democratic voters. He argues the race is far from settled.

“I don’t think the race has been decided,” Dodd said. “I think Iowans want to make up their own minds.”

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd pitched his plan to expand public service programs and lower college tuition costs Monday during his turn atop The Des Moines Register's soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

THE RACE: Dodd, a Democrat overshadowed by the larger and better-financed campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, insisted that he could still win the race. Dodd said his campaign planned to have eight offices open and 60 staff members in Iowa by Sept. 5.

ISSUES: A key theme of Dodd's 20-minute speech was education. He pledged to expand the federal government's Pell Grant program, make community college tuition free through a federal matching grant with states, and get rid of subsidies for private banks that charge high interest rates on loans.

KEY MESSAGE: Dodd painted his would-be administration as a chance to restore respect for the United States abroad and promote involvement in public service programs, such as AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. He repeatedly mentioned the middle class as a group that needed help paying for college and health care. . . .

Eight presidential candidates have stops at the Iowa State Fair on their schedules this week.

On Monday, Democrat Chris Dodd made a trek to the fairgrounds. During a speech at the Des Moines Register's Soapbox, Dodd vowed to make education his number one priority if he's elected president.

"We're going to make community colleges, public community colleges, tuition free. You've got 15 of 'em in Iowa. They've got hundreds of 'em all across the country," Dodd said.

Dodd would have states match a federal grant to bankroll the costs of a community college education for all students.

Dodd, a former Peace Corps member, also stressed his call for an expansion of public service programs for all ages.

"Every generation, in my view, bears a responsibility to give something back to this country. It's very little to ask when you consider how much we've been given," Dodd said. "And so I'm going to provide an opportunity by expanding AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, a Hero's program for seniors."

It was Dodd's health care plan, however, that resonated with fair-goer Marcus Schulze of Norwalk, one of a small group who stopped and listened to Dodd's speech.

"It was nice to see how forceful he was," Schulze says. "He was very insistent about getting a health care plan in his first four years (as president)." . . .

When Senator Christopher J. Dodd finished speaking at the Iowa State Fair this afternoon, he did something that is quite ordinary for presidential candidates here. He signed autographs. He posed for a few pictures. Then, he took questions from an Australian broadcaster.
It’s not only the presidential hopefuls descending upon Iowa. A contingent of foreign correspondents are here, too, questioning the Democrats and Republicans and capturing the spectacle of a presidential campaign.
Mr. Dodd and his rivals spend so much time in Iowa, of course, to meet the voters who will help open the 2008 presidential nominating contest early next year. Their conduit to those voters is the well-established corps of Iowa political reporters. And barely a day goes by when a candidate – or several – don’t make themselves available for interviews.

Today, standing amidst the Iowa pack, was John Barron, who is working on a documentary of the campaign. The old adage of all press is good press is applicable here.

Mr. Barron opened the questioning with a standard: Why are you running?
“Frankly, I don’t like the way I see my country headed,” replied Mr. Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, who ticked through his list of accomplishments and credentials. “I know how to do this. I think the country is ready for experienced leadership and proven success. They are tired of on-the-job training.”
Then, Mr. Barron said: “You’re running against some big names, though, how are you going to beat them?”
“People in Iowa aren’t impressed by names,” Mr. Dodd said. “They want to know what you stand for, what you believe in and if you get elected, what you’re going to do. The fact that you have a big name or a lot of money, that does not overly impress people in this state.” . . .