Chris Dodd for President

Support Chris Dodd's call for an immediate suspension of Chinese toy and food imports under WTO health and safety rules: Sign the Petition!

Blogger Cliff Schecter comments on Dodd's call for immediately suspending Chinese imports of food and toys:

I think this is why Chris Dodd was judged by many to be the winner at the YearlyKos forum. He actually speaks like a human being and stands up for what he believes in. How shocking. I wouldn't be surprised to see him make a run at the top tier of Dem candidates because he is willing to take on issues like this, that are important to everyone but the political class in DC. Needless to say I am a huge fan of this move. I have a baby. And two pets. And once products from China are able to sicken or KILL my kids and/or my pets, I think putting the corporate interests of Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Blue Dog Democrats aside so that we can protect our families is just a wee bit important.

Experience and leadership with conviction matters. Senator Dodd likes to remind audiences that our country may well be face by an issue on January 21, 2009 that is never discussed during the campaign. But voters need to judge who will make the best President based not just on what they talk about during the campaign, but on how they think they'll respond to challenges and crises based on who they've shown themselves to be over their years of public service.

Here's the latest update on Senator Dodd's call for the US to immediately suspend imports of Chinese food and toys. Yesterday he sent a letter to President Bush asking him to exercise his powers under the WTO to do suspend Chinese imports and ensure American consumer safety. From our press release:

In a letter sent to the White House yesterday, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd called on President Bush to use his executive powers and his rights under the WTO to suspend imports on food, toys and pet food from China. Wednesday at the Iowa Federation of Labor, Senator Dodd called for a suspension on imports of food, toys and pet food from China, citing safety concerns. "While it is clear that many US businesses who choose to locate their manufacturing facilities outside of the United States have failed to guarantee the safety of their products, it is also clear that the US Government's current inspection system is simply inadequate," said Dodd in the letter. "Therefore, I urge you to work with the US Congress to devise a more robust and effective inspection mechanism, so that we can make certain that all products imported to the United States and used by American consumers are safe, regardless of where these products originate."

This afternoon Senator Chris Dodd called for immediately suspending all imports of toys and food from China while addressing the Iowa Federation of Labor.

This is an issue of safety. Parents should be confident that the toys and food that they give their children have been inspected and are safe. That's why I am calling on the President to use his authority to immediately suspend all imports of toys and food from China. It's not enough to simply talk about working for fair trade agreements. We need leadership that will act to enforce fair trade. We have the legal right and power under the WTO to keep products out of our country that threaten the health and safety of our families, and I'm going to do all I can to ensure we do so.