Chris Dodd for President

DavidNYC, in a front-page post at Daily Kos, directs reader's towards Mike Caulfield's endorsement post of Chris Dodd for President on Blue Hampshire. DavidNYC takes the opportunity to use Caulfield's extensive research of Dodd's record of leadership to draw attention to just how Chris Dodd succeeded in passing the Family & Medical Leave Act -- and the lesson Democrats should take away from Dodd's dedication to passing FMLA.

So I see two lessons here. The first is that Democrats need to trust their instincts when it comes to passing progressive legislation. The GOP will always and forever have our worst interests at heart - why would you ever listen to them? Chris Dodd didn't, and his pushback rallied Democrats and sundered the Republicans.
The second is that progressive change takes time. Dodd waited over five years to see the FMLA become the law of the land. It was undoubtedly a long, frustrating wait, a sort we've grown bitterly accustomed to under the current Bush regime. But changing this country for the better has never been easy. We need to take the long view, but remain ever vigilant in keeping up the pressure - just like Chris Dodd.

I think this is spot on. Time and again, Chris Dodd has succeeded in taking Democratic principles and making them national policies. That's no easy task and it's one that has taken time and coalition building. By standing up on principle, Chris Dodd has been able to get the results that America needs throughout his career. It's a lesson that all Democrats need to keep in mind as they work to make America a better place and it's one of the best examples of why Chris Dodd should be our next President.

On Sunday, State Representative Marcia Moody's letter about why she supports Chris Dodd was published in the Portsmouth Herald. You can read the entire letter below.

We'd like to thank Marcia and all of Senator Dodd's supporters who have been writing to their local papers to let their neighbors and friends know why they support Chris Dodd.

"We few. We happy few, we band of brothers" is a quote from Shakespeare's Henry V as he addresses his soldiers at the battle of Agincourt against the overwhelming odds of the French army. We few, we happy "privileged" few here in New Hampshire for over 40 years have had the unique opportunity of getting to meet person-to-person with each and every presidential candidate before they go into battle to win the nomination. This is done by town hall meetings, rallies, picnics, local parades and with that very special event known as house parties.

Even though these parties are held in a person's home, they are open to all. With the help of the Internet, the event is advertised well in advance and all you need to do to attend is RSVP. This is not some "media" event where candidates get up and make a speech before crowds of thousands and get to tell you what THEY think and what they want you to hear. They still give speeches, but afterward we get to grill them, make them be specific, make them clarify statements, catch them in contradictions, and have them be really responsible for what they say. It is the best training a candidate can ever have. It gives them more than a 60-second sound bite that they get in a debate. And it gives them a chance to really have to think for a change and not rely on canned responses.

Senator Dodd, author of the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act, today urged President Bush to sign a bill he authored which would allow the families of wounded military personnel to take up to six months of unpaid leave while they help their loved ones recover. The bill was passed by both chambers and was sent to the President nearly 10 days ago, on December 14, 2007.

"Our wounded servicemen and women and their families shouldn't have the additional worry of losing their job while caring for their loved one who risked their safety for our country. This measure will allow loved ones to care for our warriors in their time of need, helping troops recover from serious war injuries, and preserving critical family bonds. In all of the debates about funding the war, ending the war and continuing the war, we cannot lose sight of the fact that there are servicemen and women continually sacrificing so much for all of us."

Dodd's legislation, which received significant bipartisan support, will implement a key recommendation of the Commission on the Care for Wounded Warriors. In addition to Sen. Dodd's original FMLA legislation, Dodd recently introduced the Family Leave Insurance Act of 2007, legislation that will provide paid leave to workers for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a child, spouse or parent with a serious illness or to care for their own serious illness. Senator Dodd has been a long-time advocate for the health and safety of U.S. troops. From leading the effort to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the safety equipment they need, to fighting to restore National Guard readiness, Dodd has worked tirelessly on behalf of American servicemen and women.