Chris Dodd, Iowa City 2/20/2007

Chris Dodd, Iowa City 2/20/2007

11:31 and good morning live from the NY Deli in downtown Iowa City. A coiple dozen folks are here. Dood - I mean Dodd but the typo is priceless - is on the other end of the room doing an old media interview. I'm guessing things'll be low key casual.

Having the usual chronic laptop heat issues so I may get knocked off the air; I have my 74th Iowans For Sensible Priorities pen to take notes with.

11:43 Eileen O'Toole of the Loebsack staff is intoducing, and thanking Dodd for coming here for Dave last fall. Dodd begins with mich praise of Loebsack.

Also praise for Iowa/NH for giving a less known candidate a chance. Giving the bio and the mini-bios of the family. Peace Corps, congressional class of 74, Senate in 80. Calls self proud progressive Dem. Family/Medical Leave Act, call himself "the children's senator". Talks up foreign policy experience particularly Latin America. Pulls out his copy of the Constitution "that I carry every day." A very very fast talker...

Jokes about the youth of his kids: 5 year old asks "what sort of life will I have." Now he slows down a bit so he's zooming in on the message. Our kids will ask "what did you DO to get it right." And I can do a lot in the Senate, but the place to make change is the presidency. And Iowa gives me a chance. Don't believe the inevitability of the pundits.

11:54 and he moves to questions. First question is in Spanish. Dodd asks if he wants answer in English or Spanish. Immigration. Don't want to go back to Know-Nothings and shut the doors - we've been a welcoming nation and that's been a strength. That said, border security is paramount and we need co-op w/ Mexico. I argue for criminal penalties for employers. This would have negative traction to slow it down. Also need a path to legal status, and raise minumum wage so people will do these jobs (Insulting to say only immigrants will do jobs) Uneasy about guest worker programs. Need to consider norther border as well. North Dakota has 19 ports of entry only one is staffed. The other 18 have traffic cones.

Iowans for Sensible Priorities asks about health care for kids vs. military budget, the usual Sensible Priorities rap.

Dodd: This administration has left a bigger deficit than all 42 prior admins, I call it a birth tax. A mess. I want to redeploy forces TONIGHT out of Iraq. I was disappointed in nonbinding debate. Am people want this brought to a close. (first applause lines) Not arguing for unilaterally disarming - in Clinton era we were buying weaponry from third countries. Tremendously reduces risk of accidental launch. Our military has deteriorated because of Iraq - units not ready, troops not reenlisting. Need to make more intelligent investments.

Virginia Stratton-Coulter, now of the Loebsack staff, was on Dodd's staff in the 80s and tells an old story.

Kathy Huedepohl asks about anti-gay discrimination.

Dodd says he has 100% HRC record. How would I want my kids treated? Just as I would. Everyone should be treated equally. Will fight for these issues if elected.

12:05 Question about investigating Bish administration and how, if president, would you handle issues of opennness?

Dodd jokes about broadness of question. (Long ago Sunday talk show: "Senator, we have 30 seconds left. Middle East.") In six years I've seen assault on constitution that's unprecedented. A great victory for the terrorists. I have a bill to reverse on habeas corpus. I've been called "one of two patriots left in America." (Other one must be Feingold). He's touching bases fast, John Bolton goes flying by... Says his vote for war in `02 was a mistake "I wish I could have it back. The Only thing I can do is not compound it." Scattered applause. "Show my why this is necessary before reaching into people's lives." Talks about father's experience at Nuremburg court.

Public part of questions winds down. Applause as Dodd says "Iowa, give me a chance."

12:12 Overheard: "I'm falling in love with them all as they come through." The staffer notices me blogging and stops by to chat. We're sparse on the local electeds, though I do see Tom Gill here. The line of folks wanting to say hi is three or four people deep.

12:24 and he's departed. Got a couple decent pix that I can't seem to download off my phone.