Former New Jersey governor McGreevy agrees with Senator Dodd.
Posted on 07/23/2006 12:32:32 AM PDT by peggybac
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd believes Florida is a must-win state to become president, and he made a good impression Saturday talking to party activists in his first major appearance since announcing he'll explore a 2008 White House run.
He warmed up a luncheon crowd by talking about his friendship with popular Florida Democrats like former Sen. Bob Graham and the late Gov. Lawton Chiles, mentioning the state's 2000 presidential recount and his efforts to fix voting problems and encouraging the crowd to take back the governor's seat this year.
"Everybody's talking about 2008," he said. "If you do not get 2006 right, there will not be a 2008."
He then roused the crowd with a speech that criticized the war in Iraq, called for a minimum wage increase, stressed the need for alternative fuels, declared education as the nation's most important issue, promised to protect Social Security and pointed out problems in the health care system.
Dodd also said people are "nauseated" by the country's polarization under President Bush.
"He talked about being a uniter, and not a divider. He did just the opposite. He's divided the country and we're paying the price for it," Dodd said.
He encouraged Democrats, though, to not just complain, but to give people a positive message about issues that are important to them. He said people worry about having jobs, health care and Social Security available.
"That's what the average person does in this country and they want to know whether or not you and I are listening," he said. "I hear it everywhere I go: 'Please listen to me. I want you to listen to me. I want you to know what it's like to suffer the things I'm suffering today because of lack of leadership in this country.'"
Dodd was well received by the crowd of 175, part of a group attending a two-day event that raised $300,000 for the Florida Democratic Party. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson spoke Saturday night and retired Gen. Wesley Clark was scheduled to speak Sunday morning. Both also are considering presidential runs.
But was Dodd impressive enough to be considered for president?
"Oh God, yes!" said Casey O'Harra, 65, who chairs the Lake County Democrats. "I would definitely be able to support him as president."
Jacqulyn Mack, 36, of Sarasota said she likes New York Sen. Hillary Clinton but questions whether she can win the presidency. She would love to see a run by former Vice President Al Gore, who lost the presidency in 2000 after Florida's five-week recount gave Bush a 537-vote win, but she can see herself supporting Dodd because he is electable.
"I've got my options wide open," she said. "I want somebody that's going to win. Sen. Dodd's history and his experience and his background give him a great deal of appeal to people across the political spectrum."
Other Democrats looking at 2008 include Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the party's presidential nominee in 2004; John Edwards, Kerry's running mate; former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner; Delaware Sen. Joe Biden; Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold; Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh; Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack; and former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle.
Not everyone at the lunch, though, knew Dodd's name was on the list of potential candidates.
"I thought of Clinton and Kerry and Edwards and Biden and Feingold. I haven't thought about Dodd that much," said Pat Hogan, the Highlands County Democratic chair. "I probably will. It was a great speech."
Richardson largely focused on international problems and improving the United States' standing with the rest of the world.
"Iran thumbs its nose at the U.S. and threatens to develop nuclear weapons, the Middle East is on fire, North Korea shoots missiles and threatens to defy the U.N., the Congress fails to create a sensible and realistic immigration policy, sectarian violence threatens to destroy Iraq and undermine the new government," said Richardson, who is a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The United States needs to win back the respect of the world through diplomacy and dialogue, including direct talks with North Korea and Iran, he said.
"Military power and diplomacy are not alternatives to one another, but rather are complementary sources of strength. What this administration has failed to understand is that while diplomacy without power is weak, power without diplomacy is blind," Richardson said.
Dems never, ever define what they mean by this "divided" crap--probably because they just use it as a slogan. When was this mythical time when all Americans agreed on anything?
Ah, go tip another waitress.
Is America that full of whiney babies begging for someone in Washington to rise up and show them how to live their lives? I doubt it. I think even the people who whine like this are only doing it because they want something to say to a person like Dodd, who has as much chance of becoming president as I do.
Dodo is REALLY nauseated over his hatred of Bush. Dodo can't get over the fact that the GOP is in charge of virtually everything, while the rats can't get traction with any issue.
I'm not saying it's fantastic that the GOP runs everything but it's nice to be able to gloat when rats lose congressional seats. My wish is that conservatives were in charge. Too bad for you rats, but you don't have anything better to offer. It's as simple as that.
Must suck to be you, Dodo! I predict another big win for the GOP in 06.
I would like to know who these people are that are 'suffering'. I've never seen people of all income groups spend money like they do today!
If we're divided with one side against the left wingers such as Dodd, well that's a good thing.
The left has never defined what their platform is except for criticism of President Bush.
No kidding. I got panhandled the other day by a woman who was dressed a lot better than I was, so where the heck are these suffering people?
If I have been nauseated at all, it's been at the disgusting way the Democrats responded to gracious overture after gracious overture from President Bush with nothing but vitriol, nastiness, backstabbing, betrayal and partisanship beyond measure in response.
To paraphrase Ann Coulter, Chris Dodd complaining about partisanship is like Hugh Hefner complaining about bawdiness in our national magazines.
Chris Dodd is a joke. I hope he keeps up his insane line of bull, as he is turning stomachs left and right..
Former New Jersey governor McGreevy agrees with Senator Dodd.
Finally, we've found the one stupid Floridian who was confused by the butterfly ballot in 2000!
Where have I heard that before?
Was it from a prominent Democrap?
.... Oh, ... yeah ... it was Der Shlick-Meister as he was shaking his finger at the nation, denying he "never, not one time, laid a, er, cigar on that woman, ah, Monica ........
.....I'm starting to recall where I heard that line before, and it hasn't been all that long ago......
Easy. They vanish into thin air, like all other problems this country faces, when a Democrat is in the White House.
I've never seen people of all income groups spend money like they do today!
Boy is THAT true. The poor suffering Hispanics in north NJ here are packed into the malls 7 days a week and loading up their SUVs to the roof. What we consider poor here is living like a king in half the world outside of the US.
I'm just as successful now as I was under the Clinton presidency. Success isn't defined by what government does or doesn't do.
The Dems think we were "united" when they held control of the House, Senate and Oval Office and thought that everybody agreed with them. If you didn't all you had to do was turn on the evening news.
Another classic misleading headline from NewsMax.
Dodd is blithering idiot ping.
1. Take your own sweet time when doing ANYTHING.
2. Pronounce all one-syllable words as if they had two syllables.
3. When giving directions, finish with "it's right down yonder on the left." Confuses them no end!
4. Talk REAL slow, and (even when you hear them the first time) always ask them to speak more slowly so you can understand what they're saying.
5. When they talk nostalgically about the North, tell 'em "Delta's ready when you are!"
6. Talk loudly and often about SEC football or ACC basketball.
7. Refer to every soft drink as a "Coke."
8. Always order sweet tea and/or grits. When they don't have it, raise a ruckus.
9. Offer to send 'em a bottle of fresh air.
10. Insist on being addressed by your first AND middle names. (e.g. Lisa Marie, John Michael, Jim Bob, etc. . . .)
11. Frequently bring up "The War of Northern Aggression" in conversation. If anyone ever says the words "Civil War", always interject that "there was nothing civil about it."
12. Address all males as "son" and females as "little lady".
13. Correct their pronunciation of certain words. For example: It's "Pah-kahn" not "Pee-can".
14. Put Tabasco on everything.
15. For New York Yankees: Act as if the whole state of New York is New York City. In other words, if they say "Yo, I'm from upstate New Yoik!", say "Well I'll be, my wife has always wanted to see a Broadway show!"
16. When invited to dinner, offer to bring dessert. Show up with a box of Moon Pies . . . preferably the banana ones.
17. Name all of your children "Bubba".
18. Use the word "reckon" in a sentence and watch their reaction.
19. "Mash" buttons. "Cut off" lights. "Carry" the kids to school. Always remember (especially in Texas) it's not a "pond", it's a "tank."
20. Never simply "do" something. Always be "fixin' to do" something.
21. Tell them you don't have an accent, they do.
22. Be sure to include "yes/no ma'am/sir" in all conversations . . . Offends the devil out of 'em.
23. Only use landmarks and ramble on when giving directions. "Now go down Jeff Davis Highway and turn left at where the Chevron station used to be. I think they turned it into a Amoco. Or maybe a BP.
Anyway, turn right there . . . " "You said left." "Did I? Well, turn left there and follow it until you see a big fish on your left. I remember when that fish used to be on the other side of town . . . "
24. Ask them if it's still snowing up North. Then tell 'em you went driving around in your convertible this weekend.
25. Call 'em a yankee. Works every time!
Democrats nauseate me.
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