Chris Dodd for President

Here is some video from the "12 Days of Results" kick-off event in Grinnell on Thursday. Dodd addressed a standing-room-only crowd for about twenty five minutes before turning to the audience members' questions. These videos are some of the best I've seen so far. Stay tuned for more video as the tour continues...

Dodd's Speech

Question and Answer Session, Part 1

Question and Answer Session, Part 2

Greetings from Des Moines! Our staff is currently preparing for a big weekend here in Iowa. Connecticut Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Ned Lamont and Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, both of whom have endorsed Chris Dodd, will appear at events all across Iowa starting tomorrow. If you would like to RSVP to any of these events or have any questions, you can call our Iowa Headquarters at (515) 282-3633.

Details for the events are listed below.

Saturday, December 8th

10:30am – 11:45am Meet and Greet with Ned Lamont
Location: Java Joes
214 4th Street
Des Moines

2:00pm – 3:00pm Meet and Greet with Ned Lamont
Location: Hoover House
102 W. Main St.
West Branch

4:00pm – 5:30pm Birthday Party for Congressman Dave Loebsack
Location: Teamsters Union Hall
5000 J Street SW
Cedar Rapids

7:30pm – 9:00pm House Party in Grinnell with Ned Lamont
Location: Home of Sara Adams
1433 Elm Street
Grinnell

Sunday, December 9th

6:00pm- 7:30pm House Party with Congressman Tim Ryan
Location: 1710 Churchill Drive
Dubuque

Monday, December 10th

5:30pm- 7:00pm Young Professional Connection “Candidate Conversation” with Congressman Tim Ryan
Location: People’s
216 Court Ave.
Des Moines

7:45pm- 8:45pm Ames Irish Coffee Event with Congressman Tim Ryan
Location: Olde Maine Brewing Co. – Backroom
316 Main St
Ames

Written and submitted by Kelley Stieh, Field Organizer for the Waterloo Region.

Greetings from Waterloo! My name is Kelley Stieh and I lived in NH for five years before moving to Iowa to be a field organizer for Chris Dodd. Iowa is a completely different world for me except for one fact; they are both the first in the nation for Primaries and Caucuses. Because of this status, two schools, Wartburg College in Waverly, IA and my alma mater, Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH, have joined together to create a program called “The First in the Nation Project”. The students involved in this program host various speakers, and travel to both states to learn about the different styles of voting and politicking that take place.

The program was lucky enough to have Senator Dodd come to Wartburg and speak as part of their series on the 21st of October. The event, which was simulcast at Franklin Pierce, was moderated by Professor Fred Waldstein, the co-director of the First in the Nation Project; many people, students and people from the greater Waverly area, came out to hear the Senator speak about his book and then ask him a variety of questions about issues and about book itself. Senator Dodd happily obliged to all questions which were coming from the audience at Wartburg and at Franklin Pierce. The Senator read some of his favorite letters from the book and exclaimed at one point, “This is how a letter should be written!”

The night was a huge success. Senator Dodd keeps impressing people day in and day out with his ability to keep an audience captivated with his speeches and enlightened ideas about how he feels this country should be run. He never backs down to the tough questions and continues to prove to the nation that he should be the next President of the United States of America.

If you are in the Waterloo area, stop by our office on Kimball Avenue! We love visitors, and always have coffee ready!

Kelley is absolutely right, and I’ve witnessed it myself. Senator Dodd continues to wow audiences with his candor and conviction out here in Iowa. There’s no doubt about it—momentum is building and more and more voters are turning to Chris Dodd for REAL results and solid leadership, at a time when those two things couldn’t be more important. He demonstrated his ability to lead during Tuesday night’s debate and he’s continuing to do it on the ground in Iowa. Now the question is simple: Will you join Chris Dodd in bringing true leadership back to the White House?

Check out the rest of our website for opportunities to volunteer, donate to the campaign, or simply learn more about Chris Dodd.

Written by Eamon Welch, Field Organizer for Mason City.

With 26 years of experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a history of negotiating peace in Central America and Northern Ireland, and the most responsible plan for swiftly redeploying all of our troops from Iraq, it's easy to forget about the extensive and indispensable contributions that Senator Dodd has made to landmark domestic policies in the United States. Senator Dodd's unparalleled record on issues directly affecting working Americans is what especially distinguishes him from the rest of the Democratic field in my opinion. For instance, the National Head Start Association proclaimed him "Senator of the Decade" as a result of his tireless advocacy for children and public education.

On Monday, Senator Dodd toured the Head Start classroom and accompanying facilities at the Washington Early Childhood Center in Mason City, Iowa. The Washington Early Childhood Center is a collaborative project between the North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO) and the Mason City school district, and these organizations have done an extraordinary job creating a caring and enjoyable environment for 3 - 5 year old children to cultivate the necessary skills to succeed throughout the remaining years of their education. It was truly an incredible visit.

Upon arriving at the school, Senator Dodd was met out front by Dick Goerdt, Executive Director of NICAO, and Jay Urdahl, County Supervisor and President of the Board of Directors at NICAO. Senator Dodd was led into the classroom where he was introduced to the Head Start teacher, Jennifer Martin. Mrs. Martin has a remarkable story. As a single mom on welfare, Mrs. Martin utilized the opportunities provided by the government to attend 4 years of college and receive her teaching degree. This is just another example of how Senator Dodd's unwavering support for federal policies that provide opportunity for all Americans produce tangible benefits for real people.

Once in the classroom, Senator Dodd was greeted by a group of buoyant children who were eager to welcome their new visitor. Senator Dodd wasted no time making friends with the students. Sitting in the front of the classroom, Senator Dodd picked up the story "Five Little Bats Flying in the Night" and began to read. Senator Dodd animatedly encouraged the participation of the children by asking them to count the number of bats and identify colors, and I'm pretty sure he was having as much fun as the 15 or so students surrounding him.

Before he left the school, Senator Dodd went outside to view the impressive playground facility and give interviews to local press. Demonstrating his knowledge of both Head Start and community action issues, Senator Dodd emphasized the important role programs like Head Start, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), and Low Income Home Energy Assistance have in our society. These programs provide an incredibly important safety net for America's working families. Overall, Senator Dodd displayed the principles and qualities that ensure he'll be a great leader for our country, and I was once again reminded why I'm so honored to work for his presidential campaign.

The following was written and submitted to me by one of our Polk County Organizers:

My name is Levi Knapp and I am a Field Organizer for Polk County. Below is a short narrative I wrote about my experience over the last few weeks organizing a house party with Senator Chris Dodd for Des Moines’ Latino Community.

Lately, I have been spending my Saturday and Sunday mornings alongside Community Organizer Bernard Ortiz, registering Latino voters and discussing the issues that are of greatest concern. It has been one of my most valuable experiences thus far working on the Chris Dodd campaign. It became increasingly clear to me that these voters have a strong voice, care about healthcare, education, the importance of organized labor, and want a secure nation in which to raise their children and take care of their seniors. I think often times we forget the importance of our families, but spending time with this particular family, the Ramirez family, renewed my belief in the importance of remembering one’s roots. Ignacio Ramirez, the patriarch as well as owner of La Favorita grocery store, (and Godfather to Ortiz) opened his store to the Dodd campaign on Tuesday night. In a strong display of support, his children covered every available surface, including themselves, with Chris Dodd stickers. Ignacio’s beautiful wife, Maria, held her youngest granddaughter as she directed Nick Anderson (another Field Organizer) and I where to hang the Dodd signs around the store. Gricelda Ramirez, paced back and forth practicing her introduction, her cheeks flushed both with nerves and pride. It isn’t everyday a candidate for President of the United States comes to 1700 E. Grand Ave in Des Moines.
Chris Dodd speaking to voters at La Favorita
As the crowd began to build and excitement began to grow, people began to talk amongst themselves as they snacked on a delicious salad that Maria had prepared for the event, it was clear this community was ready to receive Chris Dodd.

I have been fortunate to see Chris Dodd speak in many venues and under many circumstances, but as he entered a packed grocery store in East Des Moines, he lit up the room. To hear him speak in Spanish was as exciting as hearing him at the Harkin Steak Fry speaking to 12,000 assembled Democrats. All that passion and energy being fed directly into this community that was on the edge of their seats. It was truly inspiring. I know that it certainly served as a reminder to me that I am in the right place at the right time doing the right work for the right candidate. As the Senator moved through the room shaking hands and talking with voters about their concerns, the energy was contagious and it was clear to all why this man should be the next President of the United States.

I had lunch today with Mr. Ortiz. We talked about Tuesday’s event, and he said that he was most impressed with how comfortable Chris Dodd looked delivering his speech and interacting with the crowd, all in Spanish, that it was as if he was at home. My immediate thought in response to that statement was, isn’t that what we should expect of our future President? A person who looks like he’s at home all across this country? I am proud to work for someone like Chris Dodd; he leads and produces results for every American.