Christopher Dodd
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| Christopher Dodd | |
| Image:Christopher Dodd official portrait 2.jpg
| |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 5, 1981 Serving with Joe Lieberman | |
| Preceded by | Abraham A. Ribicoff |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Incumbent (2011) |
| Born | May 27 1944 Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jackie Marie Clegg |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944) is an American lawyer and politician from Willimantic, Connecticut who is currently serving as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate.
Dodd served as a U.S. Representative from Connecticut from 1975 until 1981, when he became a U.S. Senator. He served as general chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1995 to 1997. He is now the state's senior Senator. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.[1]
Dodd officially dropped out of the 2008 U.S. presidential election, primarily because of unpromising results in the Iowa Caucus.[2]
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[edit] Early life and education
Dodd was born in Willimantic, Connecticut. His parents were Grace Mary Dodd née Murphy and U.S. Senator Thomas Joseph Dodd; all eight of his great-grandparents were born in Ireland.[3] Dodd is a Roman Catholic. He is the fifth of six children;[4] his eldest brother, Thomas J. Dodd Jr., is an emeritus professor of the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University, and served as the U.S. ambassador to Uruguay and Costa Rica under President Bill Clinton.
Dodd attended Georgetown Preparatory School, a Jesuit boys school in Bethesda, Maryland. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Providence College in 1966. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a small rural town in the Dominican Republic until 1968. While there, he became fluent in Spanish. [5] Dodd then joined the U.S. Army Reserve, and served until 1975.
In 1972, Dodd earned a Juris Doctor at the University of Louisville, where he served as vice magistrate of the law school's student body. The following year, he was admitted to the Connecticut bar, and began practicing law in New London.
[edit] U.S. Congressman
Dodd was part of the "Watergate class of '74" which CNN pundit David Gergen credited with bringing "a fresh burst of liberal energy to the Capitol."[6] Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's second congressional district, and reelected twice, he served from January 4, 1975 to January 3, 1981. During his tenure in the U.S. House, he served on the House Select Committee on Assassinations.
[edit] U.S. Senator
Dodd was elected to the Senate in the 1980 election and was subsequently reelected in the 1986, 1992, 1998, and 2004 elections. He is the first Senator from Connecticut to serve five consecutive terms. From 1995 to 1997, he served as General Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. As General Chairman, Dodd was the DNC's spokesman. Donald Fowler served as National Chairman, running the party's day to day operations.
The Center for Public Integrity has criticized Dodd for "being the leading advocate in the Senate on behalf of the accounting industry."[7][8] Political consultant and commentator Dick Morris wrote that Dodd had received more from accounting firm Arthur Andersen than any other Democrat and bore responsibility for trying to shield accounting firms from investor fraud liability in cases such as the Enron scandal.[9]
Dodd briefly considered running for President in 2004, but ultimately decided against such a campaign. He was also considered a possible candidate for replacing Tom Daschle as Senate Minority Leader in 109th Congress, but he declined, and that position was instead filled by Harry Reid.
Dodd has announced in a letter to the Federal Election Commission that he is no longer a candidate for the Senate in 2010. [10]
[edit] 2008 Presidential campaign
| This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election. Content may change as the election approaches. |
On 11 January, 2007, Dodd announced his candidacy for the office of President of the United States on the Imus in the Morning show. On 19 January, 2007, Dodd made a formal announcement with supporters at the Old State House in Hartford.
The watchdog group opensecrets.org has pointed out that the Dodd campaign is heavily funded by the financial services industry, which is regulated by committees Dodd chairs in the Senate.[11][12]
In May, he trailed in state and national polls and acknowledged he wasn't keeping pace with rival campaigns' fund raising. However, he said that as more voters became aware of his opposition to the Iraq War, they would support his campaign.[13] However, his prospects did not improve; a November 7, 2007 Gallup poll placed him in last place among Democratic contenders, behind both Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich at 1%. [14] Dodd dropped out of the primary race the night of the January 3, 2008 Iowa caucuses after placing seventh with almost all precincts reporting.[2]
[edit] Political positions
Dodd favors a one year troop withdrawal timetable to end the Iraq War[15] and is against warrantless surveillance.[16] Dodd has supported amending the Family Medical Leave Act to include paid leave, [17] restoring the rule of law to the U.S. immigration system,[18] and a corporate carbon tax to combat global warming.[19]
[edit] Personal life
In July 1970, Dodd married Susan Mooney; they divorced in October 1982. Afterwards, he dated at different times Bianca Jagger, Erin Carter, and Carrie Fisher.[20] In 1999, he married his second wife, Jackie Marie Clegg, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The couple has two daughters, Grace (born September 2001) and Christina Dodd (born May 2005).
Dodd lives in East Haddam when Congress is not in session.
[edit] Electoral history
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[edit] References
- ^ Moore, Heidi (2007-11-09). Wall Street experts invade Washington. Financial News Online US.
- ^ a b Rhee, Foon (2008-01-03). Dodd withdraws from Democratic field. Boston Globe.
- ^ Battle, Robert. The Ancestors of Chris Dodd.
- ^ Biography of Thomas J. Dodd
- ^ http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2629/1010583.html
- ^ Gergen, David. Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership from Nixon to Clinton. Simon and Schuster, 119. ISBN 074321949X.
- ^ Morris, Dick (2004). Off with Their Heads: Traitors, Crooks, and Obstructionists in American Politics, Media, and Business. HarperCollins, 205. ISBN 0060595507.
- ^ Moon, Freda (2007-11-15). Chris Dodd: PAC-Man. New Haven Advocate. The New Haven Advocate. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ The odd couple: Chris Dodd and Arthur Andersen. jewishworldreview.com. Retrieved on February 25, 2007.
- ^ Sen. Dodd Not To Run for Re-Election In 2010, Uses PAC to Buy NH and IA Voter Files. cqpolitics.com. Retrieved on February 21, 2007.
- ^ Ritsch, Massie (2007-04-18). Financiers, Along with Lawyers, are Underwriting the Race for the White House, Watchdog Finds. Opensecrets.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ Christopher J. Dodd. 2008 Presidential Election Campeign Money. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ Sen. Dodd Calls For End To Iraq War. Associated Press (2007-05-26).
- ^ Newport, Frank. "Hillary Clinton’s Big Lead in Democratic Race Unchanged", Gallup, 2007-11-07. Retrieved on 2007-11-20.
- ^ Help Iraqi government, but exit Iraq by April 1 2008. Chris Dodd on War & Peace. On the Issues (2007-05-20). Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Murray, Shailagh (2007-10-18). Dodd Makes Play on FISA Legislation. washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Economic Opportunity. Christopher Dodd Presidential Campaign 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ Senator Dodd Delivers Democratic Hispanic Radio Address. Chris Dodd US Senator (2007-12-04). Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ Chris Dodd Campaign (2007-05-11). Chris Dodd: Dodd Touts Energy Plan At Biodiesel Plant, Kitchen Tables In Southeast Iowa. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
- ^ Horowitz, Jason (2006-12-03). Can ’08 Race Make Dodd Bedfellows?. observer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
[edit] External links
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert H. Steele | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 2nd congressional district 1975 – 1981 | Succeeded by Sam Gejdenson |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Abraham A. Ribicoff | United States Senator (Class 3) from Connecticut 1981 – present Served alongside: Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., Joe Lieberman | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Mitch McConnell | Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee 2001 – 2003 | Succeeded by Trent Lott |
| Preceded by Richard Shelby | Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee 2007 – present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Debra DeLee | Chairman of the Democratic National Committee 1995 – 1997 | Succeeded by Roy Romer |
United States Senators from Connecticut | |
|---|---|
| Class 1: Ellsworth • Hillhouse • Dana • Boardman • Edwards • Foot • N. Smith • Niles • Betts • Huntington • R.S. Baldwin • Toucey • Dixon • Buckingham • Eaton • Hawley • Bulkeley • McLean • Walcott • Maloney • Hart • R.E. Baldwin • Benton • Purtell • T. Dodd • Weicker • Lieberman Class 3: Johnson • Sherman • Mitchell • Trumbull • Tracy • Goodrich • Daggett • Lanman • Willey • Tomlinson • P. Smith • Niles • T. Smith • Gillette • Foster • Ferry • English • Barnum • Platt • Brandegee • Bingham • Lonergan • Danaher • McMahon • Purtell • Bush • Ribicoff • C. Dodd | Image:Senate cap.PNG |
| Connecticut's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators | Christopher Dodd (D), Joe Lieberman (ID) |
| Representative(s) | John Larson (D), Joe Courtney (D), Rosa DeLauro (D), Chris Shays (R), Chris Murphy (D) |
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United States presidential election, 2008 | |
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| Democratic Party | Straw polls · Primary polls · General polls · Debates · Primaries · Primaries (Results) · Convention |
| Candidates | Hillary Clinton · John Edwards · Mike Gravel · Dennis Kucinich · Barack Obama · Bill Richardson |
| Withdrawn | Evan Bayh · Joe Biden · Chris Dodd · Dal LaMagna · Tom Vilsack |
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| Other 2008 elections: House · Senate · Gubernatorial | |
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Categories: Future election candidates | Chris Dodd | 1944 births | American Roman Catholics | Connecticut lawyers | Democratic National Committee chairs | Democratic Party (United States) politicians | Irish-American politicians | Living people | Members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut | Peace Corps volunteers | Providence College alumni | United States Army officers | University of Louisville alumni | United States Senators from Connecticut | United States presidential candidates, 2008
