MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Chris Dodd told New Hampshire Democrats on Thursday they are the "surrogates for the nation" - and that more of them should be paying attention to him.
Visiting a fundraiser his campaign organized for state Sen. Betsi DeVries, Dodd said the first-in-the-nation primary state should take its role seriously and give everyone a chance, including those like Dodd, who are pulling near the bottom.
"After Iowa and New Hampshire, it goes to 35,000 feet," the Connecticut senator said.
Dodd, who trails in polls and fundraising, said the largesse of the campaign is astonishing. "Four years ago, I would have been the lead pony," he said.
Dodd kicked off his Earth Day weekend visit here. During house parties and speeches, Dodd will repeat his energy policy, which has split him from other Democratic presidential candidates.
Dodd earlier Thursday unveiled an environmental policy that calls for a steep increase of auto fuel economy standards to 50 miles per gallon by 2017 and a mandate for the government to use clean-energy vehicles and green technology in all its offices.
Dodd's proposal sets a goal of reducing 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
He wants to discourage corporate greenhouse gas polluters by imposing a per-ton fee on businesses for carbon emissions.
The tax revenue, which he estimates at about $50 billion annually, would be used to develop renewable energies and to reduce prices for consumer products.
Critics warn such a tax would burden consumers and hurt the economy.
Most of Dodd's Democratic rivals back some form of a cap-and-trade system that sets limits on carbon emissions and makes companies pay for producing greenhouse gases. But none has called for a corporate carbon tax. Dodd backs both approaches.
