1.11.2007
Democrat Dodd to Jump Into 2008 White House Race (Reuters.com)
Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:35pm ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a five-term Senate veteran and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will enter the 2008 presidential race on Thursday, party officials said.
Dodd, who considered a White House bid in 2004 but decided against it, will announce his candidacy on an early-morning radio show just hours after President George W. Bush's national address on Iraq.
Dodd has been a frequent visitor in recent months to states with influential early nominating contests like Iowa and New Hampshire as he pondered a presidential bid. Officials said he would formally declare his candidacy and make a visit to Iowa later on Thursday.
"He said he is getting right in the race rather than form an exploratory committee," said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan, who spoke to Dodd on Wednesday. "He will bring a lot to the race."
Dodd, who is little known outside of his home state of Connecticut, enters a Democratic presidential field with three declared candidates -- former vice presidential nominee John Edwards, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich -- and more expected in the next few weeks.
Likely candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York leads early polls of the race, while rising party star Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has garnered heavy early attention.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware also are expected to join the race to succeed Bush.
(More ... Reuters > Politics)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a five-term Senate veteran and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will enter the 2008 presidential race on Thursday, party officials said.
Dodd, who considered a White House bid in 2004 but decided against it, will announce his candidacy on an early-morning radio show just hours after President George W. Bush's national address on Iraq.
Dodd has been a frequent visitor in recent months to states with influential early nominating contests like Iowa and New Hampshire as he pondered a presidential bid. Officials said he would formally declare his candidacy and make a visit to Iowa later on Thursday.
"He said he is getting right in the race rather than form an exploratory committee," said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan, who spoke to Dodd on Wednesday. "He will bring a lot to the race."
Dodd, who is little known outside of his home state of Connecticut, enters a Democratic presidential field with three declared candidates -- former vice presidential nominee John Edwards, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich -- and more expected in the next few weeks.
Likely candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York leads early polls of the race, while rising party star Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has garnered heavy early attention.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware also are expected to join the race to succeed Bush.
(More ... Reuters > Politics)
Labels: 2008 election, Dodd, Reuters
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