2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Dodd Campaign In Iowa Announces Statewide Regional Offices

DODD CAMPAIGN IN IOWA ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE REGIONAL OFFICES

DES MOINES – The Dodd for President campaign today announced the establishment of eight new regional campaign offices throughout the state of Iowa.

The campaign has opened regional offices in Sioux City, Council Bluffs, Ames, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Davenport. In addition, a Polk County regional office will operate out of the Iowa headquarters in downtown Des Moines.

“We are proud and excited to be opening office doors all over the state,” said Iowa State Director Marc Beltrame. “Day by day, more Iowans are discovering that Chris Dodd is the candidate with the experience, bold ideas, and proven record of leadership that they are looking for in their next President.

“With these new offices, we can reach out to Iowa caucus-goers right in their communities and continue building a truly statewide organization from the grassroots up.”

Northwest Iowa Regional Field Office
Sioux City

Southwest Iowa Regional Field Office
Council Bluffs

North Central Iowa Regional Field Office
Ames

Waterloo-Mason City Regional Field Office
Waterloo

Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Regional Field Office
Cedar Rapids

Northeast Iowa Regional Field Office
Dubuque

Southeast Iowa Regional Field Office
Davenport

Polk County Regional Field Office
Des Moines

Paul Simon To Campaign With Chris Dodd In Iowa

PAUL SIMON TO CAMPAIGN WITH CHRIS DODD IN IOWA DURING FOURTH OF JULY TOUR

Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Paul Simon will join presidential candidate Chris Dodd and his family for part of Dodd's "River to River" bus tour of Iowa during the week of the Fourth of July.  Simon will campaign with Dodd on July 6th and 7th, appearing with him on those days' tour stops and adding informal performances to Dodd's events.

"I am thrilled that Paul will be joining Jackie, our daughters, and me in Iowa," said Senator Dodd.  "Paul is a long-time friend and one of the most important voices in American music, and he has been tireless in his service to the greater good of people throughout our country and the world.

"His music and his commitment to bettering our world reflect the leadership and optimism that my campaign is all about."

Simon will join the Dodd family at stops in Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Carroll, and Council Bluffs.

Dodd Campaign In Iowa Announces Statewide Field Leadership Team

DODD CAMPAIGN IN IOWA ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE FIELD LEADERSHIP TEAM

DES MOINES - The Dodd for President campaign today announced the statewide leadership team that will head up Chris Dodd's Iowa Caucus field campaign at the Des Moines headquarters and in regional offices throughout the state.

"This is a strong, energetic team that is taking Chris Dodd's Iowa campaign to the next level," said Iowa State Director Marc Beltrame.

"With their leadership in every part of the state, we can reach out to Iowa caucus-goers right in their communities and continue building a truly statewide organization from the grassroots up."

The Dodd campaign's Iowa field operation is overseen by Iowa Field Director Ben Rohrbaugh. Rohrbaugh came to the Dodd campaign following a successful run as the Field Director for Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle. He has previously served on Congresswoman Melissa Bean's re-election campaign, the Christine Jennings recount in Florida, and the John Kerry campaign in Michigan.

David Joseph serves as the campaign's Iowa Director of Voter Contact. Joseph most recently served as the DCCC's Indiana Director of Finance and Voter Contact for the successful campaigns of Congressmen Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth, and Baron Hill. He previously served on John Kerry's campaign in Michigan and Dick Gephardt's Iowa Caucus bid.

Regional Field Directors will be establishing campaign offices throughout the state and coordinating local campaign and volunteer activities in their respective regions.

Northwest Iowa Regional Field Director: Mario Piscatella. Piscatella most recently served as Senior Advisor and Strategic Director for Pete Ashdown's U.S. Senate campaign in Utah.

Southwest Iowa Regional Field Director: Greg Neil. Neil has previously served as a Field Organizer for Indiana Congressman Baron Hill and Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle.

North Central Iowa Regional Field Director: John Yaggi. Yaggi has served on the campaigns of Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Bruce Lunsford, Indiana Congressman Baron Hill, and Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle.

Polk County Regional Field Director: Justin Lindsay. Lindsay has previously directed field and coordinated field programs in Michigan, as well as working on the John Kerry campaign in Michigan and the Christine Jennings recount effort in Florida.

Waterloo-Mason City Regional Field Director: Rich Wilkins. Wilkins has previously served on several state and federal campaigns in Pennsylvania, as well as John Kerry's presidential campaign in that state.

Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Regional Field Director: Ben Young. Young previously worked for Arkansas Congressman Marion Berry, as well as on the campaigns of Indiana Congressman Baron Hill and Arkansas Congressional candidate Jan Judy.

Northeast Iowa Regional Field Director: Kevin McTigue. McTigue previously served as a field coordinator for Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's re-election, Field Director for Virginia Delegate Vivian Watts, and Michigan Volunteer Coordinator for John Kerry.

Southeast Iowa Regional Field Director: Chris Bowen. Bowen, a native of Burlington, Iowa, most recently served as a Regional Field Director for the Iowa Democratic Party's 2006 coordinated campaign. He previously worked for Iowa Governor Chet Culver's primary campaign and for the New Jersey Democratic Party.

Dodd Campaign Releases Two New Ads "Amazing Grace" And "Split"

DODD CAMPAIGN RELEASES TWO NEW ADS
Candidate's Proven Leadership, Bold Vision for the Future Take Center Stage

WASHINGTON - Today, the Dodd for President Campaign announced two new ads, which will begin running today in Iowa and New Hampshire. The ads highlight Senator Dodd's experience and his vision for America as President.
The first ad, "Amazing Grace", which is narrated by Senator Dodd, features Grace Dodd, his eldest daughter, and details why Dodd is running for President. The second ad, "Split", draws attention to Senator Dodd's long commitment to public service, beginning when he was 22 and joined the Peace Corps and extending throughout his career in Congress. Dodd served in the Dominican Republic while in the Peace Corps, where he became fluent in Spanish.
"Chris Dodd is the only candidate who has the proven ability and bold vision to right the wrongs of the past six years," said Dodd Campaign Manager Sheryl Cohen. "With these two new ads voters will begin to see that Chris Dodd has a lifetime of leadership and proven track record of getting things done that America needs in its next President."
In recent months, Dodd has taken the lead among Presidential candidates in urging Congress to use its constitutionally-mandated power of the purse to end the war in Iraq and in his Comprehensive Energy Plan, which has been praised by Al Gore, Bill Bradley, John Kerry and the League of Conservation Voters, among others.

Both ads can be viewed at www.chrisdodd.com. The scripts for "Amazing Grace" and "Split" are below.

"Amazing Grace"
"I was blessed to become a first time father at age fifty-seven. Our daughter Grace was born two days after 9/11 into a very changed world. I want my campaign to be about all of our children and the kind of world we give them. I intend to offer the boldest most creative approaches I can to make our country more secure, to stop global warming and to restore our moral leadership.
"I'm Chris Dodd, I'm running for President, and I approved this message because I know that America can lead the world again."

"Split"
"At 22 he joined the Peace Corps building schools and trust.
"His Family and Medical Leave Act has allowed fifty million Americans to take time off to care for a newborn or sick family member.
"He's worked with world leaders to build alliances and end conflicts.
"Now Chris Dodd is running for President, with the strongest plan to get us out of Iraq, and the boldest plan for energy independence.
"Have you asked what the others have done?"
"I'm Chris Dodd and I approved this message."

Chris Dodd NH Debate Statement

DODD DEMONSTRATES PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP IN SECOND DEBATE
Despite Disproportionate Allotment Of Time, Dodd Highlights Real Distinctions On Iraq, Energy

MANCHESTER -- Despite the disproportionate amount of time alloted each candidate Chris Dodd again demonstrated that he is the only candidate with the conviction and boldness to solve the challenges the country faces.

"There was only one President on stage tonight, and that was Chris Dodd," said Dodd Campaign Manager Sheryl Cohen. "It was clear that only Senator Dodd understands how much is at stake and has the conviction to make the tough choices to do something about it."

"We are not only going to elect a President in November of 2008. We are going to elect arguably the most important, if not the most important leader in the world," said Senator Dodd. The challenges we face are "going to require real leadership based on experience that knows how to bring people together."

On Iraq, Dodd made clear his bold commitment to responsibly end American involvement in Iraq's civil war. "It is incumbent upon us, given the fact that we are less safe, less secure, more vulnerable, weaker today, not stronger as a result of this policy, that we ought to try and bring it to a close," said Dodd.

Dodd, the only candidate who has offered a Corporate Carbon Tax, said "I introduced a plan here that would require, by the year 2017, 50 mile per gallon standards for our automobiles. I believe that can be done. And a carbon tax so you would make those polluting fuels more expensive. "

"Senator Dodd was clear, decisive and strong," said former New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Joe Keefe. "He's the candidate who can provide proven, bold leadership at the time America needs it most."

Dodd was able to demonstrate Presidential leadership and highlight key distinctions despite the disproportionate amount of time in questions alloted to each of the candidates. Below is an accounting of the time and questions alloted to each of the candidates:

Senator Biden: 7:58, 10 questions

Senator Clinton: 14:26, 15 questions

Senator Dodd: 8:28, 9 questions

Senator Edwards: 11:42, 13 questions

Senator Gravel: 5:37, 10 questions

Congressman Kucinich: 9:02, 9 questions

Senator Obama: 16:00, 16 questions

Governor Richardson: 10:48, 11 questions

Wolf Blitzer: 13:24

Dodd Releases New TV Ad Highlighting Bold Global Warming Policy

DODD RELEASES NEW TV AD HIGHLIGHTING BOLD GLOBAL WARMING POLICY

Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd's campaign today released a new television advertisement slated to run in Iowa and New Hampshire. The ad highlights Senator Dodd's understanding of the magnitude of what is at stake because of global warming and his bold energy plan to address the crisis.

"With global warming affecting the health of our planet as well as our national security, we can't afford half-measures," said Dodd Campaign Manager Sheryl Cohen. "Chris Dodd is the candidate that recognizes the urgency of the situation and is offering honest and bold solutions that turn our challenges into opportunities."

Dodd is the only candidate to call for a Corporate Carbon Tax, the proceeds from which -- estimated at approximately $50 billion annually -- would fund research into alternative energy sources in order to make America energy independent while taking the lead around the globe on solving the growing crisis of global climate change, all while creating new jobs for Americans.

Dodd's energy plan has won accolades from environmental leaders, including former Vice President Al Gore, who called the Dodd plan "very creative," and Senator John Kerry, who said it is "a serious policy to address a serious problem ... Americans are better off because of Chris' leadership." "Chris Dodd gets it," said former Senator Bill Bradley. Dodd's Corporate Carbon Tax, wrote the Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein, "sets Dodd apart from the field."

Read Chris Dodd's energy plan at http://www.ChrisDodd.com/energy_independence.

The full ad can be viewed at http://www.ChrisDodd.com.

Full script, "Global":

ANNOUNCER: All the Earth's creatures are threatened by global warming. One candidate for President is doing something to stop it: Chris Dodd. He's the only one with an energy plan that has a courageous Corporate Carbon Tax to transform American industry. It's the plan Al Gore and Bill Bradley call "creative," "honest and bold."

DODD: I'm Chris Dodd, and I approved this message, because stopping global warming is in our hands.

Dodd Campaign Launches It's Second Ad, "Ready To Lead"

DODD CAMPAIGN RELEASES NEW TV AD HIGHLIGHTING BOLD LEADERSHIP ON PRESSING ISSUES, READINESS TO LEAD

Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd's campaign released a new television ad that began airing today in New Hampshire and Iowa. The 30-second television ads highlight Dodd's bold leadership on the most pressing issues facing Americans today, including ending the war in Iraq and global warming.

"At a time when the stakes couldn't be greater for the nation, Chris Dodd is moving the debate away from half-measures to bold solutions on our most pressing issues," said Dodd Campaign Manager Sheryl Cohen. "Whether it's on ending the war in Iraq or meeting the energy crisis, Chris Dodd is demonstrating that he's ready to lead with boldness, clarity and conviction."

Last week, after Dodd reiterated his strong stand on responsibly ending the war in his first television spot, several Presidential candidates changed their positions and supported the Feingold-Reid-Dodd amendment that would set a firm deadline for redeployment that is tied to funding.

As a Washington correspondent for The Nation noted, "It is unlikely this would have happened without the timely intervention of the candidate [who] is moving the Democratic race in the right direction: Chris Dodd."

With his new ad, Dodd is again moving the debate on the critical issue of global warming away from politically cautious, half-measures toward the honest, forward-looking solutions that will affect real change. The ad highlights Dodd's leadership on addressing the energy crisis and points to praise for the Dodd energy plan which Al Gore called "creative" and Bill Bradley called "honest and bold."

Dodd's sweeping energy plan would institute a corporate carbon tax and raise fuel standards to 50 mpg. Chris Dodd "came out in favor of a carbon tax. And that's the good news. The bad news is he's the only one," said New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman in a speech to the Personal Democracy Forum last week.

Full script (Iowa): 30 Sec.

ANNOUNCER (VO): Chris Dodd has been challenging the other candidates to support the Feingold-Reid-Dodd amendment to end our involvement in Iraq's civil war. It worked. Now Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have changed their positions to follow Chris Dodd. Soon Chris Dodd will be talking in Iowa about his plan to stop global warming, the plan Al Gore and Bill Bradley have called "creative" and "bold." Maybe the other candidates will follow Chris Dodd on global warming, too.

CHRIS DODD (VO): I'm Chris Dodd, and I approve this message.

Full script (New Hampshire): 30 Sec.

ANNOUNCER (VO): Chris Dodd has been challenging the other candidates to support the Feingold-Reid-Dodd amendment to end our involvement in Iraq's civil war. It worked. Now Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have changed their positions to follow Chris Dodd. Soon Chris Dodd will be talking in New Hampshire about his plan to stop global warming, the plan Al Gore and Bill Bradley have called "creative" and "bold." Maybe the other candidates will follow Chris Dodd on global warming, too.

CHRIS DODD (VO): I'm Chris Dodd, and I approve this message.

"Civil" Chris Dodd 2008 TV Ad

Chris Dodd For President Launches First TV Ads

DODD FOR PRESIDENT LAUNCHES FIRST TV ADS
Ads Running In Iowa, New Hampshire And National Cable To Emphasize Dodd's Call For Action To End War In Iraq Responsibly

Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd today announced his campaign would begin running television advertisements highlighting his plan to bring the war in Iraq to a safe and responsible conclusion. The 30-second advertisements will run in Iowa and New Hampshire as well as on national cable TV stations.

"This ad draws a clear distinction between Senator Dodd and the rest of the Democratic field," said Dodd campaign manager Sheryl Cohen. "Chris Dodd understands that half measures aren't going to change George Bush's course in Iraq, and he's set himself apart by fighting for a plan that would use Congressional power to require the President to safely and responsibly redeploy American troops and bring an end to the war."

The ad highlights the plan Dodd is supporting, which would bring an end to the war by requiring the President to safely and responsibly redeploy all combat troops by March 31, 2008.

Unlike other proposals, Dodd's plan is the only measure which would use the Congressional power of the purse to end the war by a date certain and responsibly redeploy combat troops.

While Dodd supports de-authorization of the war, as seen during the Vietnam War, when the war continued for four years after the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was de-authorized, he knows it will not bring an end to this conflict. Similarly, while Dodd supports beginning to redeploy combat troops immediately, his plan is responsible in that it does not set an arbitrary number on how many troops would be redeployed today.

Dodd, the only Presidential candidate to have co-sponsored the Feingold-Reid legislation, had indicated that he planned to join Senator Feingold in co-sponsoring a similar measure in the debate on the Iraq Supplemental funding bill.

The ad can be seen at www.chrisdodd.com. The full transcript is below.

"Civil": 30 TV
Chris Dodd for President
Script

CHRIS DODD: Half measures won't stop this president from continuing our involvement in Iraq's civil war. That's why I'm fighting for the only responsible measure in Congress that would take away the President's blank check and set a timetable to bring our troops home.

Unfortunately, my colleagues running for President have not joined me. I'm Chris Dodd. I'm running for President. I approved this message because we can't simply wait for a new President. We should have the conviction to stand up to this one.

Dodd For President Relaunches Website, Announces Innovative Internet Strategy

DODD FOR PRESIDENT RELAUNCHES WEBSITE, ANNOUNCES INNOVATIVE INTERNET STRATEGY

Senator Chris Dodd's Presidential campaign rolled out a new and improved website this morning and plans to continue its innovative internet strategy in the months to come.

The total revision of the site includes a clean look, easy navigation and digestible information about Senator Dodd and his plans for America.

"The Dodd for President campaign will continue to be on the cutting edge in its use of internet technology and outreach," said Dodd internet strategist Tim Tagaris. "Like his Kitchen Table Campaign, Chris Dodd's website reflects his belief in the importance of a direct conversation between voters and the campaign."

The Dodd campaign also announced the hiring of Matt Browner-Hamlin to serve as the campaign's chief blogger. Browner-Hamlin, an experienced blogger whose work has been posted at The Huffington Post, My Left Nutmeg and The Right's Field, will travel with Senator Dodd to offer updates from the field.

"Bringing an experienced blogger like Matt aboard gives us the exciting opportunity to provide Democratic primary voters with the kind of window into a campaign that hasn't been seen before in Presidential politics," said Tagaris. "With Matt's help, the campaign will be able to successfully reach out to the blogosphere and the netroots and engage them in Senator Dodd's bold and exciting run for the White House."

Dodd's campaign has already provided a window to the public, including near real-time behind-the-scenes video during the candidate's appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and a live two-way conversation between viewers and the campaign's policy staff during the first Presidential Primary Debate using technology that, at the time, was barely a month old. The new site will build off those successes, incorporating technology previously unexplored by Presidential campaigns, including:

• Twitter, a real-time blogging tool that will enable live updates from the field, delivering real-time updates to anyone interested in the campaign via the website, SMS and instant messanger technology.
• Ustream, a real-time streaming video and audio site that will allow anyone to join Senator Dodd on the campaign trail from the primary states.
• Social networking platforms, continuing to engage users of MySpace, Facebook and other sites as a means of internet outreach.

"The Dodd campaign is innovating online politics," said Tagaris. "Instead of rehashing the same software and strategies from last cycle, we're inventing new ways to make the campaign available to anyone and to connect with everyone."

Blog post.

"I wanted to tell you about what I'll be doing for the Dodd campaign. As you can tell, we've just launched a redesigned version of ChrisDodd.com. I've joined the campaign to help add content to the site so that Senator Dodd's supporters will know what he and his campaign staff are doing as it's happening. I'll be traveling with Senator Dodd on his campaign trips. My blog posts will aim to give readers a window into the Dodd campaign - what we're doing, where we're going, and what Senator Dodd is talking about.

But my job will go far beyond writing about the campaign. As I travel with Senator Dodd around America, I'll be posting videos from the trail. Lots of video. We're going to be doing exciting things with live streaming web video that will provide viewers an insiders look into what Senator Dodd is doing. This campaign is going to be transparent in real time because we believe that the more people get to know Senator Dodd, the more they will like him.

I'm also going to be posting Twitter updates that are fed directly into the front page of ChrisDodd.com."