Christopher Dodd and the Need for Experience

Just about all the Democrats running for president would do a fine job and every one of them would do better than the current occupant. But the race should not be reduced to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, though the media seems inclined, for whatever reason, to do just that. This should be a wide open race and it shouldn't depend on Hillary Clinton's deep pockets or Barack Obama's charisma. Both are fine candidates but there's also Christopher Dodd, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Dennis Kucinich, Tom Vilsack, Wesley Clark, Bill Richardson, Mike Gravel, John Kerry, and even possibly Al Gore.

Jackson Willliams of The Huffington Post says we ought to take a closer look at Christopher Dodd:

...unlike Bill Clinton's youthful win in '92, when a clean break from twelve years of Reagan-Bush was just the cure, experience and wisdom really count now, and Dodd may offer both.

A senator for 26 years, a member of the House of Representatives for six years before that, Dodd speaks fluent Spanish from his Peace Corps days in the Dominican Republic, and has often forged coalitions with Republicans on various issues. He spans our modern political history, from Watergate to possible Waterloo.

(snip)

...Only two sitting U.S. senators have won the presidency in over 100 years: Warren Harding in 1920 and JFK in 1960. Many more have tried and all have failed, most not even getting out of their party primaries. Something about that senatorial staccato style of speaking that infects over time (think John Kerry or Bob Dole). Dodd is up against this huge historical trend line, as are other comers from that august body.

Which makes him a dark horse indeed. But he's by and large a work horse, not some prancing pony, and he could surprise. ...

The next election is too important for the media heavyweights to tell us who has the most money and who we're supposed to be voting for. Let's keep the race open until the voting begins and the candidates can make their case.

If you're new to Cold Flute, click on the 2008 presidential race link below to follow the candidates; I have my own take on things but I'm doing my best to follow all the Democratic candidates with a post now and then about the Republicans.