MyDD :: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Vetting Chris Dodd

No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Vetting Chris Dodd

by Todd Beeton, Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:44:02 AM EST

Considering Barack's cave on FISA came just 2 days ago, yesterday's revelation that he is currently vetting Chris Dodd, anti-retroactive immunity crusader, for VP seems convenient.

Barack Obama's presidential campaign has requested information from Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd as part of its search for a possible vice presidential candidate.

The former White House hopeful and Connecticut lawmaker indicated Wednesday that he has been approached by the campaign. "There's been some inquiries, yeah," Dodd said. "They ask for a lot of stuff. I'll leave it there."

While Chris Dodd is certainly a hero to the left for his principled fight against FISA and retroactive immunity, the goodwill Barack Obama might engender by choosing Chris Dodd -- or ooking as though he might -- for VP is actually microscopic compared to the reaction he'd have gotten had he instead voted against the bad bill, or better yet, fought fiercely against it himself. Sorry, Senator, it's going to take a lot more than surrounding yourself with real leaders to convince us you are one.

Update [2008-7-11 12:28:19 by Todd Beeton]:While it would appear, according to this story, that Chris Dodd has made Obama's shortlist, if Howard Wolfson is to be believed, Hillary Clinton has not.

Via Ben Smith:

On Fox, former Clinton chief strategist Howard Wolfson indicated that Hillary Clinton is not being formally considered as Obama's running mate, in that she has not been asked to undergo the formal vetting process.
"Not as far as I know," Wolfson, who remains close to Clinton, said in response to a question from Sean Hannity.
He continued to say that the lack of formal vetting wouldn't necessarily rule out the possibility that Obama would choose her.
"There is more information available about Hillary in the public record than just about any other public figure in America," he says, citing in particular the tax returns that Obama's campaign demanded she release.
"That may be sufficient for him to make whatever decision he wants to make," said Wolfson, a newly minted Fox contributor.

This doesn't strike me as quite as decisive a statement of fact as it does to some but let's say it is true. That means no Clinton, no Webb, no Edwards...no offense, Senator Dodd, but the prospects outside those three are, to me, less than inspiring.

Tags: 2008 presidential election, barack obama, vp, chris dodd (all tags)

Permalink :: 44 Comments :: Post a Comment

Dodd (2.00 / 1)

may be a total smokescreen anyway. The downside Countrywide stuff is too rich for the GOP and likely outweighs any of the upside.

by Blazers Edge on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:47:18 AM EST

total smokescreen (2.00 / 1)

you don't pick long time senate seat holders in a change anti-DC election

McCain - a serial Opportunist, from marriage to policy positions

by TarHeel on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:48:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I doubt (none / 0)

he's going to blow a VP pick just to soften one bad decision. Assuming he even thinks it WAS "bad".

by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:50:41 AM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because (2.00 / 2)

I am sick and tired of hearing about FISA. I am not a one issue democrat. If I was, I would be in an angry tiff all the time. LOL. I just donated $100 to Obama's campaign. Winning the presidency is way way more important than one issue: Universal health care, the war in Iraq, my job and your job, the eonomy stupid.

by Spanky on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:53:29 AM EST

Dodd, no please! (2.00 / 1)

Not anything against the Senator; I do not think he will bring one single vote to the Sen Obama.
No, with the excitement in Sen Obama waning a bit;
Sen. Obama will need somebody who can get people
excited again. Even Edwards is better than Dodd in that respect.

by ann0nymous on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:54:28 AM EST

Hope this is a headfake (none / 0)

Dodd is tainted by the Countrywide scandal, and he would hand a Senate seat to the GOP. An Obama-Dodd victory would mean the Republicans pick up TWO seats in Connecticut. Not a great way to start a potential Obama presidency.

Hope it's Hillary or perhaps Gov. Schweitzer.
Not Dodd!

by esconded on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:55:21 AM EST

Foolishness (2.00 / 1)

Dodd is not "tainted" by the Countrywide "scandal."

It's been pretty clear that the smear merchants were going after him on only the lightest of allegations so as to pre-emptively take him out of the VP race.

Now, I don't think Dodd'll be the VP nominee, but I don't think Obama gives a rat's ass about a fake scandal like that.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:58:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Dodd is tainted by the Countrywide scandal (none / 0)

Dodd is tainted by his bad judgement in voting with McSame to invade Iraq -- along with everyone else who chose to follow Bush/Cheney into disaster.

Obama can't select one of them without forfeiting the judgement issue, which leaves McBush free to exploit the experience issue unanswered.

by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:20:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

MONEY MONEY MONEY (none / 0)

My biggest concern about Dodd, which many have failed to look at, is his tenure with the banking and finance committee. It's quite a mixed record. Though he voted against the Bankruptcy Bill and assisted with Sarbanes-Oxley in 2002, much of early cash for his prez campaign was direct from banking execs which benefited from his earlier support for kind legislation.

by danIA on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 05:10:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sometimes coincidence are just that..... (2.00 / 4)

Yeah, Obama got up in the morning, realized JUST how pissed the netroots are, and decided to molify us by vetting Dodd?

Wow, this is right up there with Jesse Jackson intentionally made his off-mike statement on Faux just to give Obama cred with the Whiteys!

Man, we look at this stuff so closely, we turn into the tin-foil hat crowd sometimes.

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player

by WashStateBlue on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:56:51 AM EST

Re: Sometimes coincidence are just that..... (2.00 / 1)

I am very liberal and I could not get worked up about FISA when the supreme court is going to throw this law down anyway. I think the dems were smart to go along with the repugs because they knew what will happen down the road. The current FISA bill will never make it past the courts.

by Spanky on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:02:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Tinfoil, eh? (2.00 / 1)

Wow, this is right up there with Jesse Jackson intentionally made his ofF-mIke Statement on FAux just to give Obama cred with the Whiteys!

Please explain your subliminal propaganda, sir.

by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:37:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tinfoil, eh? (none / 0)

Well, if you play my comment backwards, it says

"Dick Cheney is an A-Hole"

But, then, I embed that message in ALL my posts.

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player

by WashStateBlue on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:17:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Ve (none / 0)

Edwards!, Edwards! Edwards!

It's gotta be Edwards!

by ArkansasLib on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:00:23 PM EST

Pretty weak (2.00 / 3)

Todd, I usually like your stuff, but this is kinda sad. Obama is going to choose the person who A) doesn't hurt his ticket due to real reasons, and B) is qualified to suceed him if something happens to him.

He's not interested in pandering to the netroots with his VP pick. He's not interested in pandering to us at all. If he chooses Dodd, it will be because Dodd is both the best person for the job and someone with whom he shares ideas on governance.

I consider this a good thing.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:00:49 PM EST

Is this about Obama or Dodd? (none / 0)

I think it's just that Dodd wouldn't be radical enough to make up for it. If he was going after Russ Feingold, it might make up a bit MORE for it. But yeah, he needs to make a definitive pledge and take a firm stance towards adding legitimate safeguards once he's in office. Make it so that we wouldn't need to sue companies to learn what's going on in the government. THAT would at least help make up for it.

That's the biggest problem I had with the whole FISA argument, that suing companies to find out what happened was a dumb way to go about it.

Look, once Bush is out of office, we will see far more books like Scott McClelland's that tell us everything we need to know. It might not get us revenge in the form of criminal punishment, but it will be enough to permanently cripple his legacy so that nobody ever makes the mistake of thinking he was ever good for this country or that he was the victim of circumstances beyond his control.

If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.

by vcalzone on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:02:30 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Ve (2.00 / 2)

wow, my very first negatively rated comment. I'm no longer a virgin. i'm running to the mirror to see if my eyes look different.

by Zorkon on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:02:43 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Ve (2.00 / 3)

You're obviously being rated on the netroots scale, as proven by the diary itself. Heck, you get one decision wrong, your no longer fit to be called a leader. good times.

by Dog Chains on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:16:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Most awesome comment (2.00 / 1)

so far today. Your Irony-Fu is strong. Mojo.

by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:28:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ironically (none / 0)

I was going to respond to your first comment with something like "wow, poor baby". Then I saw this.

props for consistency.

by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:30:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Uhhh, ok. (2.00 / 1)

Wow, someone took a wild leap on their Jump to Conclusions<sup>TM</sup> mat. It's like Twister<sup>TM</sup> logic.

Unseen, in the background, Fate was quietly slipping the lead into the boxing glove.

by fogiv on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:06:46 PM EST

Re: Uhhh, ok. (2.00 / 1)

ugg, superscript didn't work. Oh well.

Unseen, in the background, Fate was quietly slipping the lead into the boxing glove.

by fogiv on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:07:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uhhh, ok. (2.00 / 1)

Try this: &trade.

If that worked, it's & t r a d e. without the spaces.

by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:37:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uhhh, ok. (2.00 / 1)

™

also, add a semicolon. I always forget that part.

by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:38:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uhhh, ok. (none / 0)

Thanks! You da awesome. :)

Unseen, in the background, Fate was quietly slipping the lead into the boxing glove.

by fogiv on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:22:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

All Is Not Forgiven (2.00 / 2)

I'm sure Obama is sitting by his phone waiting for your absolution call.

by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:16:59 PM EST

All Is Not Forgiven (2.00 / 3)

Todd, we all hate the FISA vote but did Jerome steal your password this morning?

by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:23:19 PM EST

Re: All Is Not Forgiven (none / 0)

Actually I take that back: just because there have been approximately one billion diaries on FISA does not mean that you penned them all. You have as much right to vent as anyone.

by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:30:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: All Is Not Forgiven (none / 0)

I have so much appreciation for Todd, because I feel like he really tries to not get negative and inject personal anger into the process. I know he was not a fan of Obama at all for a long time, and I don't necessarily think that he is now. But dammit, he is RESPECTFUL and OPTIMISTIC. Trying to be objective from the standpoint of the left hand side.

If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.

by vcalzone on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:23:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because (2.00 / 4)

Um, whoever said that Dodd's vetting had anything to do with FISA?

The connection drawn here is quite odd.

by rfahey22 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:29:16 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Ve (none / 0)

"I'm so tired of hearing complaints about the erosion of our 4th amendment rights."
Thats what i'm hearing from the "HUSH And Get In Line!" crowd
I just threw up in my soul a little bit there.
Yum, I can taste soul bile.

by Zorkon on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:30:04 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven (2.00 / 1)

There's no reason why Hillary should be giving Wolfson daily updates on the VP thing. If anything is brewing on that front, it's going to be kept under wraps to avoid leaks.

by Scan on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:30:19 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven (none / 0)

Yeah, and I'm sure the first person they will let know is Wolfson, I mean really, his employer is such a friend to the party and all. i still find it odd that one year, Bill is wagging his finger talking about the bias, the next year, some here think they are the Clintons best friends. Wolfson is now a water carrier, no more, no less, I'm almost positive Barry would want him to be the last to know.

by Dog Chains on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:33:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Howie (2.00 / 1)

Let me get this straight:
Wolfson his still tight with the Clintons & gets direct dope on inside moves.
Wolfson is now a staffer at Faux & makes big bucks dishing insight to Hannity.
Wolfson is expected to freely share what he knows about something as delicate & confidential as the Veep search?

January 20 & sricki join with The engels in love!

by January 20 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:46:31 PM EST

Ditto Last Couple Of Comments (2.00 / 2)

Todd, are you really going to consider Wolfson a reliable source for this information?

There's enough resentment toward Obama happening on this site as it is.

by Hatch on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:51:41 PM EST

Re: Ditto Last Couple Of Comments (none / 0)

In a conversation with Hannity, no less.

by NewOaklandDem on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:23:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Another time waster from Todd (none / 0)

Has anyone ever seen Todd and Jerome in the same place at the same time? I'm just sayin'...

Let's elect a Dem President!

by SpanishFly on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:02:30 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven... (none / 0)

Oh, you mean Webb who also vote for FISA and immunity?

Considering that Obama and his handlers evidently think that he won't get elected without Republican support, I wouldn't be surprised if a true Blue Dog or even a Republican is chosen for the Veep spot. It's evident they don't really care for Dirty Fucking Hippies.

Republican-lite is the in thing, I guess.

"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." -- Denis Diderot

by Stoic on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:06:00 PM EST

Smokescreen (none / 0)

That what this is. Hell, he may yet choose Clinton. Or maybe he's thinking way outside the box here - I'd like to think he'd choose someone that no one's though of before, like, say, Warren Buffet? Jim Hightower? (I can dream, right?)

Also, I trust Wolfson about as far as I can throw him, which isn't very far. He's a Flack/Hack.

by NewOaklandDem on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:27:05 PM EST

Yeah, I'm going to believe Wolfson... (none / 0)

If I didn't believe all of his propaganda before, I'm certainly not going to believe it now that he sold his soul to fox news for a cash payout. It sounds like a manufactured controversy to me. Perhaps, she didn't pass the initial vetting stages but that wouldn't mean that she hadn't been considered.

by Tenafly Viper on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:22:54 PM EST

Re: Yeah, I'm going to believe Wolfson... (none / 0)

Wolfson is a tool.

On Hillary, I think the Clintons would refuse to be too deeply vetted. She kept saying she was "fully vetted" the entire promary season but the fact were different. Not much is known about Bill and Hill's finances since he left office. I'm not sure she'd want Obama digging around in there either. If she assumes he's going to lose and she'll be running against him again in four short years, she isn't likely going to want to hand him anything.

Let's elect a Dem President!

by SpanishFly on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:52:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: All Is Not Forgiven... (none / 0)

Although I'm a rabid anti-FISA person, and have withheld my June contribution to the Obama campaign as a manner of protest, I don't think that this is the reason that he is looking at Dodd.

I would like to think that Obama is looking at Dodd for his expertise as chair of the Senate Banking committee. Dodd. Gets. It. On. The. Economy., and the housing crisis. To paraphrase Jim Cramer, Dodd understands that he Republican 1849 laissez-faire attitude of the Irish have no potatoes, let them starve, does not fit in today's economy.

Hearing Dodd speak on the economic troubles and what he sees needs to be done demonstrated to me that he has a grasp and deep understanding of the breath and depth of the current economic crisis. He also has concrete solutions that can get this country back on the right path.

I hope that is the reason he is under consideration, not just because of the FISA issue.

by NvDem on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:00:02 PM EST

Re: No, All Is Not Forgiven Just Because You're Ve (none / 0)

An Obama/Dodd ticket would get me REALLY excited about the prospects for UHC.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Sat Jul 12, 2008 at 12:28:18 AM EST

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