A Powerful Prologue

Thomas Jefferson once said, "Whenever you are to do a thing, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly."

In his book, "Letters from Nuremberg: My Father's Narrative of a Quest for Justice," Senator Dodd introduces the letters of his father with over sixty pages of his own commentary. His long remarks eloquently capture the importance of his father's work at Nuremberg, as well as the United States' decision to put Nazi officials on trial in a world still devastated by their crimes:

"By trying those who carried out a criminal war, a complete record of their actions could be shown to the world, therefore announcing once and for all that such behavior would not be tolerated by the community of civilized nations. And, in giving the defendants a chance to hear the evidence against them and to defend themselves, the Allies would take the moral and legal high ground."

In our era of the Military Commissions Act (of 2006) the precedent set at Nuremberg seems long forgotten. The Military Commissions Act states:

"No alien enemy unlawful combatant subject to trial by military commission under this chapter may invoke the Geneva Conventions as a source of rights as his trial by military commission."

Undoubtedly, among the prisoners we're holding at Guantanamo are those who seek to kill Americans and destroy our way of life. However, for the reasons that Senator Dodd cites, Guantanamo's "enemy combatants" should be given the opportunity to "hear the evidence against them and defend themselves" just like those who were responsible for the deaths of over 6 million Jews.

Under the imprudence of the Bush administration we have become a nation that no longer abides by the enlightened hand of justice, and have instead fallen under the control of fear—the same fear and anger that prompted the British and Russians to call for the swift execution of those at Nuremberg, not the fair, albeit arduous, trial that they were given.

I read on....

Dodd Goes Obama

I got a supporter email this morning from Senator Dodd with "Barack Obama for President" in the subject. Of course I knew what the message was about, but I was surprised by the impression I was left with after reading through the entire letter.

Senator Dodd didn't say anything particularly new or eye-opening, but he didn't just repeat the Obama talking points in his endorsement as Ted Kennedy did last month. Instead, Dodd subtly applied a few of the key points from his own presidential campaign and spoke about how Obama possessed them too. Dodd touched on national service, the current economic crisis, and, as a clincher, argued that Democrats have to come together now around a nominee and prepare for the general election:

And while both of our Party's remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make excellent commanders-in-chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision.

Put simply, I believe Barack Obama is uniquely qualified to help us face this housing crisis, create good jobs, strengthen America's families in this 21st century global economy, unite the world against terrorism and end the war in Iraq - and perhaps most importantly, call the American people to shared service and sacrifice.

That is why I believe the time has come for Democrats to come together as a Party and focus on winning the general election. The stakes are too high not to.

After Super Tuesday I was frustrated with what I read as the Obama campaign's attempt to claim victory in the nomination and subtly suggest Hillary abandon her run. Now I am starting to pick up on a nagging feeling that Ohio and Texas will and should be the final test for Senator Clinton; even if Hillary Clinton can win in Pennsylvania (which I think she can), I will start to resent her continuation of the battle with Obama. If Texas AND Ohio don't both pick up on whatever message the Clinton campaign has now, then it's over.

From a larger perspective it's rather unfortunate that such a tight election should be considered so close to finished by the end of February, but if moving on to the general election is the most important thing for the Democrats this election, then it's hard to make a case for dragging out the primary season any longer.


I would still rather see Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee and the next president, but Dodd's endorsement this morning is personal for me. Here's a guy whose campaign stood for ambitious environmental, national service, and educational initiatives, and whose recent career has been focused on restoring Constitution protections and opposing wiretapping and torture. In short, I respect him. With Dodd's endorsement today, I no longer feel a wide division between my political and personal beliefs and those of Obama.

People often discredit endorsements as having little potential to shape the way voters think, but Dodd's endorsement today speaks to me strongly, just as his candidacy did.



(all photos: © 2008 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

The Story Goes On

I find it funny at times that my Chris Dodd story keeps on going long after his campaign came to a close on January 3rd. It's hard to stop taking about this guy, especially when the autographed photo and message (see below) showed up in my mailbox this weekend:


Having thoroughly combed through his positions on every issue during his '08 campaign, I've moved onto Senator Dodd's most recent release, a wonderful collection of letters between his father—a lead prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials after WWII—and his mother. From reading just the first ten pages this afternoon, I'm looking forward to a read that will engage my mind in ways other political biographies and campaign books haven't.

Senator Chris Dodd

In 1:10:05.



All this reminds me why I liked Dodd from the start and why he's better than the three Democrats left standing...yes, even my current favorite Hillary Clinton.

Continuing a Different Fight

The Dodd bus rolls back to Washington—where the Senator will go back to fighting for the things his campaign has been about since the beginning.

My hat goes off Dodd for a campaign of civility, leadership, and courage.




(photo credit: © 2008 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Sticking to the Message of Unbeatable Experience

INDIANOLA, IOWA:

Even with state polls showing hip at only 1%, Senator Chris Dodd sure isn't giving up.

Stopping at Signature's Restaurant this afternoon, Dodd was greeted by nearly a hundred supporters who had gathered in the tiny dining space. By the Senator's side were his wife Jackie, IAFF President Harold Shaitberger, and local Congressmen and Senators from Connecticut.

With eloquence and conviction, Jackie Clegg Dodd highlighted her husband's Senate leadership over the past year despite running a national campaign. Though not explicitly, she criticized Senators Clinton and Obama for skipping key Senate votes and devoting all their time to campaigning, saying, "How can you be an 'agent for change' without standing up for change when it matters." Mrs. Dodd listed off the Senator's achievements this year, specifically filibustering the FISA bill, enacting legislation to combat genocide in Darfur, and for fighting for tighter efficacy testing of pharmaceuticals on children. While candidates like Governor Bill Richardson hold daily "Job Interview" sessions with voters to tout their list of political accomplishmenAFts, few come close to the leadership Dodd has provided in the past year. All in all, Dodd's 2007 resume is tremendous.


The black and gold IAFF endorsement bus that Senator Dodd arrived in is an indication of one of the biggest strengths of his campaign. Having the support of America's firefighters' union represents not only a demographic of nearly 300,000 voters, but adds a weighty level of credibility to his campaign. The IAFF's backing of John Kerry in 2004 may have been rooted in a more sincere belief that Kerry would place among the top of the field than the chances of a Dodd election win, but firefighters have remained behind Dodd since their formal endorsement this past September. Interspersed throughout the Indianola crowd were a handful of t-shirt-wearing firefighters cheering and nodding along with the Senator.

In response to fellow Democratic nominee Dennis Kucinich's second-place backing of Barack Obama in Iowa, in which he urged his supporters to vote for Obama if Kucinich receives under 15% of the vote, Dodd refused to throw his weight behind any other candidates and instead promised he was fighting for the values of his own campaign, not the values of another. As the caucus deals that are struck between campaigns are likely beginning to take shape, Dodd's insistence on not encouraging his supporters to vote for another candidate is a bold move.


The strength of Dodd's campaign rests ultimately in his experience, a point he underscored touchingly by bringing up the issue of Pakistan and the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto. A few weeks ago while campaigning in Iowa, Dodd said, Benazir Bhutto called him on his cell phone to seek his assistance on the situation of martial law in Pakistan and her own house arrest. Dodd joked that he doubted few other candidates received a call for help from such a high-profile figure, and that George W. Bush laughingly answered that "some general" was the leader of Pakistan during the 2004 campaign. The seriousness of Dodd's comments was immediately felt. Dodd makes hundreds of public statements every year on a wide range of issues, but it's clear from his depth of knowledge on issues, like the threat of nuclear proliferation into dangerous hands, that Dodd really knows what he's talking about. You believe him when he says Pakistan is more a threat to global and national security than Iraq is or ever has been.

It was no surprise that "I Won't Back Down" and Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" played as Dodd left the restaurant; Dodd's in the hunt with the rest of them right down to voting day, sticking to his message and counting on his supporters to stand up for him.


(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Before Everything's Lost in the Rush

With a Mobile car mechanic inspecting my car on the way to New Hampshire, I settled down in one of four grease-stained folding chairs inside a stuffy and dark waiting room. A phone in my hand and the tantalizing closeness of a New Hampshire teeming with political excitement on my mind I made the call I had been meaning to make for a long time now.

I recently turned eighteen years old. Often a meaningful birthday for other reasons, I anticipated this milestone for the ability to donate money to a political campaign. Though unintentionally, I had donated money to Mike Huckabee and John McCain by purchasing t-shirts at various functions; now it was time for the real thing.

Opting to speak with someone directly instead of using a generic online or mail form, I 411'd the Washington D.C. headquarters for Senator Chris Dodd's presidential campaign. I held my debit card in my hand and read the number into the phone as quietly as I could. When prompted to chose a donation amount I doubled my intended contribution of $18 to $36.

I realized after the call ended that my contribution probably didn't have any effect on Dodd's campaign; surely his staff on the ground in Iowa and New Hampshire have the materials they need for canvassing over the next week, for signs to hold on caucus night and primary day, and I can't see my $36 going towards a new hiring or office opening.


My decision to give to Senator Dodd's campaign was rooted in my belief that my vote, my voice, and my support of the Senator is just as important in his eyes as everyone else's. With Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards, the dreams they promise are as far from reality as the high-roller fundraisers they hold are from mainstream America. What the Dodd campaign represents is an America moving away from the stranglehold of foreign oil through bold but realistic initiatives, the return of the rule of law to the executive branch and the protection of the Constitution, and a new era of national service. Not only are Dodd's positions achievable, but they're initiatives already being undertaken by the Senator; from October to mid-December it was Dodd who singlehandedly led the fight against retroactive immunity for the telecom industry on the FISA bill.

After crossing the Massachusetts border into New Hampshire on Saturday, I decided to visit Senator Dodd's Manchester field office to pick up pamphlets on his efforts to introduce new legislation on the Iraq war in Congress this summer. I was greeted by a Dodd volunteer and mentioned to her my recent donation to the campaign, noting my skepticism that offering support so late in the game would be of any use. In the same personal tone that Senator Dodd extended the invitation to join his campaign as a volunteer this June, I was touched by the sincere gratitude my donation was welcomed with at the Manchester office and by the promise that my $36 would in fact be put right into distributing more yard signs throughout New Hampshire.

Surrounded by negative ads, newspaper attacks, and broken promises from our frontrunners, the act of voting and acting on conscious is more fulfilling than betting on the odds of victory and angling for an election win.

On caucus night in Iowa I'll make sure to check in on the festivities for Romney, Huckabee, Clinton and Obama, but at the end of the day I'll stand beside Chris Dodd.

It's Iowa time...let's go.

Closing In

The The POV Magazine's quest for obtaining an interview with Senator Chris Dodd for the upcoming Fall '07 issue may be coming to a successful conclusion this weekend.

During the Senator's campaign swing through the Granite State this coming Friday and Saturday, there's a legitimate chance Dodd's New Hampshire campaign will be able to squeeze in a few minutes for the Senator to answer a handful of questions regarding the issues that matter most to young people in America.


The POV Magazine is run entirely by students, and it's only fitting that Senator Dodd be the subject of one of our main interviews--Dodd's greatest strengths as a Presidential candidate lie in his pioneering national service proposal, his progressive proposals for energy and the environment (including being the only candidate to support a corporate carbon tax), and his unprecedented defense of the Constitution and the rule of law. All of these issues are vitally important to my generation and young people around the world.

So...why do I care so much that this magazine gets its interview? It could be that I currently serve as the editor of The POV Magazine and that I'd be making the trip up to New Hampshire for the interview this weekend.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for Saturday!



(photo credit: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Two Democrats Show Where Their Priorities Are

Some representative from the Edwards campaign was on Hardball this evening trying to defend the former Senator's criticism of Hillary Clinton's cozy relationship with Washington lobbyists and $1,000 luncheons--the Carolina Senator's latest reason for attacking the frontrunner. I use the word "trying to defend" instead of "successfully defending" because even the liberal-friendly Chris Matthews was able to poke some pretty serious holes in the campaign's distinction between the millions of dollars Edwards has received from trial lawyers and Clinton's soft money.


To be honest, I don't consider myself anti-John Edwards, but I'm not pleased he and his wife have chosen to divert much of the energy of their grassroots press organization towards attacks on Hillary Clinton's fundraising, and most recently her health care plan. It is truly unfortunate if Clinton's proposal is just a more highly-publicized copy of what Edwards has been saying for months, but instead of playing the "imitation is the highest for of praise" card, John and Elizabeth have tried to paint Clinton's actions as somehow wrong.


On the other side of it all, waging that pleasant kind of "from the ground up" political activism network around supporting the Habeaus Corpus Restoration Act are Senators Chris Dodd and Patrick Leahy. Sure, Dodd is a current member of the Senate, while Edwards stepped down a few years back, but the fact he is engaging in some productive measures during the work week and campaigning as hard as he can on the weekend says a lot about his character. The strategy of balancing the two tasks could hurt Dodd's chances of coming out on top this primary season, but it is comforting to know where his true priorities lie--in serving the people. While Dodd and Leahy aren't competing for the same job, their ability to stand on common ground on an important issue make you wonder why Hillary's unveiling of a very comprehensive health care proposal is worth Edward's criticism.

Am I right in thinking Edward's focus isn't on campaigning on the weekends only, but taking every opportunity to get an edge over the competition.

A New Dodd

I spent the car-ride back from New Hampshire this morning trying to figure out how to write up this post. I started to absorb all of the things I had experienced in the past hour and thought about ways to distill it. I was tempted to elaborate on what it felt like to have goosebumps again at a campaign event (the last time that happened was a John Kerry rally in New Hampshire I attended only two days before the '04 election), or whether I should talk about the humbling feeling when you find yourself surrounded by hundreds of firefighters.


Just this Wednesday, two Boston firefighters--both veterans in the department-- were killed in an area fire. Warren Payne and Paul Cahill were remembered at the start of this morning's rally for Senator Chris Dodd in Manchester by a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" played by a firefighter's honor guard. A sea of firefighters wearing the IAFF's signature yellow t-shirts gathered silently to pay their respects This would be the first of many moments the crowd would gather in communion throughout the morning.


The IAFF's President, Harold Schaitberger, took to the platform and explained the union's rationale for endorsing Senator Dodd. Though Schaitberger's comments on the matter have been widely publicized--that Dodd was not picked to avoid confrontation with any of the top tier candidates--he again outlined that his organization looks beyond the polls and considers all candidates for their endorsement. Schaitberger reiterated that Chris Dodd is the closest ally of firefighters nationwide, and if he's only polling at 1% than they just have to work harder to put him in the lead.

I realized then that firefighters approach their job in a similar manner: thinking not which lives are worth saving easily and giving up after that, but instead committing themselves (and occasionally losing their lives) in a fight to do whatever they can to save anyone in danger.


It wasn't until Schaitberger's introduction of Chris Dodd, however, that I fully understood how important the backing of the IAFF will be for the Senator. In a cheer more often associated with a football game, Schaitberger rallied the crowd by asking if they would do whatever it takes to campaign for Dodd and not rest until the primary and beyond. In unison the firefighters responded with a resounding "hell yeah!"

After attending events for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in New Hampshire, I figured Chris Dodd would never preside over a large, electrified crowd. I was quickly proved wrong when Senator Dodd was welcomed onto the stage.


The Senator articulated what the IAFF's backing truly signifies by underscoring the amount of respect and heroism we associate with firefighters. Whether neighbors, friends, or little league baseball coaches, firefighters are perhaps the single most trusted individuals in any community. If I didn't have access to the news, was never phone banked by a candidate's staff, or never received piles of mail telling me who to vote for, I'm confident I would trust a firefighter to tell me who the best candidate was. It's that level of deference to the firefighter's profession that makes the IAFF endorsement so important for Dodd.


Though I consider myself well-versed on the policy positions of many presidential candidates, I know very little about what the candidates have done that affects firefighters and emergency workers.

In most cases, whenever a campaigning politician mentions or his or her legislative accomplishments or has their career summarized by someone else, audiences don't often get too excited. Even candidates addressing such groups as the NEA receive applause more out of general support for the candidate than for the details of the mentioned bill or proposal. When Chris Dodd's resume of protecting firefighters in his 26 years in the Senate was explained by Harold Schaitberger, however, the audience notably began nodding in anticipation and approval before the words "SAFER Act" (provided departments with the ability to hire more firefighters and thus prevent firefighters from entering dangerous situations with too little backup) and "FIRE Act" (a measure that has provided more than $3 billion for training and equipment upgrades across the country) were mentioned.

So little is communicated from the television screen; the emotions of a crowd are only palpable when you're there in person. Being surrounded by the mass of firefighters drove home the level of sincere agreement and respect for Dodd's bills that the audience felt.


I walked away from the rally this morning in awe. After seeing Chris Dodd on three prior occasions, I agreed with those who were critical of his often-bureaucratic manner of speech, but Dodd is markedly new man now: he's all fired up (pun intended). With a fresh haircut, a raspy voice (no doubt from two consecutive days of IAFF rallies), and a throng of cheering supporters, I can now visualize a different Chris Dodd. Where I previously saw little more than a Washington politician--a kind one, but far from charismatic--I now see Dodd as a candidate capable of both succeeding in his legislative role, but also someone with the spark to lead and inspire the people who hear him.

When I first met the Senator I asked him about youth involvement in politics and what needed to happen to empower younger generations. His answer touched upon a lot of points I can no longer remember, but his last sentence presented a personal challenge to me that no other candidate I've met has asked: "Support me in the primary--we need young people like you."


As Dodd accepted President John F Kennedy's call to national service by joining the Peace Corps, I'm proud to say I have taken up Chris Dodd's challenge to support him in the primary. I'll still cover every candidate and event that lands on the New Hampshire campaign schedule, but like the IAFF, I endorse Senator Chris Dodd.

(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

A Reaffirming Moment

At a time when the election feels increasingly dominated by television spots, cheap pitches for money, and a never-ending stream of debates, it's nice to see America's unions starting to take sides. Though I'm not in a position to predict the long term impact of the recent endorsements by the United Transportation Union and the International Association of Firefighters for Senators Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd respectively (though I know they're both bad signs for John Edwards' continuing viability as a candidate), I'm excited that after months of largely uneventful campaigning things are starting to get moving.

The International Association of Firefighters endorsed Senator John Kerry in September of 2003, and were quickly followed by endorsement decisions by the unions of Steelworkers, Teamsters, Food and Commercial Workers, Utility Workers, and the Laborers Union of North America.


Looking at past union endorsements and the eventual success of their picks may cause one to wonder what role these old-fashioned union endorsements play in a rapidly-changing election landscape. For instance, it was the generally-uninspiring Dick Gephardt who received the majority of union support in 2004 before a disappointing fourth place finish in the Iowa caucus. But it's what IAFF President Harold Schaitberger said about his union's endorsement of Chris Dodd that reaffirms the notion that unions are among the seemingly small group of voters that still understand the significance of a presidential election and don't just tag along with early winners in the polls: "We make decisions that in some people’s view are not conventional. Whatever the D.C. people need to say, so be it. This is for real for us.”

Is Dodd still a long shot? Yeah, but when long shots, especially ones with decades of Senate experience, get at least some of the attention they deserve it's something to celebrate.

If the pictures didn't give it away, it was Senator John Kerry's backing by the IAFF that many credit with his come from behind victories in New Hampshire and Iowa in 2004.

Feasibility vs. Necessity

Senators Chris Dodd and Hillary Clinton were in New Hampshire this past Wednesday for a sweep of the state and two speeches and events of note. In the greater picture of the election the presentations they made weren't spellbinding, but each represents a larger trend in the campaign cycle.

As part of a roundtable discussion on higher education at the Manchester Community Technical College, Chris Dodd took the opportunity to outline his plans for making college affordable for all Americans. It's part of Dodd's "Middle Class Matters" campaign--one that focuses heavily on education.


In front of a sizable gathering at the MCTC library, Dodd proposed a number of measures to guarantee that more Americans have access to higher education. His proposals included a program in which the federal government would match state college tuition reductions, publish an index of college tuitions that rose above inflation, gradually raise Pell Grants, as well as create government auctions for student loans in an attempt to end profiteering off of student credit. As Dodd engaged in discussion with the assembled panel of students, teachers, and administrators, he was quick to admit that while raising Pell Grants by $100 a year is a step in the right direction, he wishes he could do more.

What Dodd has brought and I hope can continue to bring to this campaign is an optimistic message with a strong backbone of reality. It's easy to get caught up in the pioneering proposals heard throughout the election cycle, but it's often those that admit their imperfections (even the slightest ones) that are the most achievable and encouraging. His speech comes at a time when more and more people are aware of the growing problems with the system of higher education in America and we are increasingly looking for someone to take a stand and fix things.

Fifty miles North, Hillary Clinton was in Rochester, NH to unveil her "Rebuild America Plan." In response to the Minneapolis bridge collapse, the Clinton campaign must have scrambled together some staffers to prepare a hearty response to the problems that the disaster made the public aware of. It was an opportunistic move to use her high profile status to gain an edge on this issue, but she did so with grace and the clarity.


While her words and phrases capture our attention and cause audiences to nod in agreement--"Something is very, very wrong when, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, in the richest country on earth, people are actually nervous about driving over bridges for fear that they’ll collapse. Or they’re worried that their levees may burst, or their highways may buckle"--her numbers may not add up. It's the risk politicians take when they try and stand out on an issue. One can only remember President Bush's plan to put Americans back on the moon and Mars in coming decades and the lack of long-term commitment that the proposal received from his administration.

I sense that a Hillary administration would follow through on an infrastructure overhaul more than space programs, but it is unnerving to read the specifics of her proposal--the numbers she states are pocket change when you're talking about rebuilding an ailing system of roads, bridges, tunnels etc.

One major part of Clinton's address was an Emergency Repair Fund whose funds would renovate or reconstruct among other things, the 60,000 bridges across the country that are "structurally deficient" for $10 billion over 10 years. That figures to nearly $160,000 for each bridge--a figure more often associated with home renovation than critical infrastructure repairs. And we're just talking about bridges...


Her ideas cover a wide range of necessary issues, but I'm dismayed at Clinton's decision to unveil the opportunistic side of a necessary proposal instead of making it clear to Americans what the real costs and sacrifices of charting a dramatic new political course will be.

Both Dodd and Clinton's highlight policy-driven approaches to tackling the '08 campaign--an approach that distinguishes the two from the likes of Barack Obama--but it's the job of us voters to judge the feasibility of the reforms we're promised and the character leaders we're offered.

(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Changing Gears

Tonight's debate was not as revolutionary or record-breaking as CNN likes to make it seem, but it did seem to mark a new period in the months leading up to primary season. Previous debates have seen a rush by the press and many voters to identify winners. Now, after a few rounds of no real movement, things are starting to change as real losers--the second tier candidates who still can't break out of their anonymity--are being slowly left behind. I'll take two candidates as examples here to show what's changing.

Chris Dodd

Here's a guy with experience and some great ideas that addressed a number of the issues raised in tonight's debate. Save perhaps his brief mention of his national service plan, Dodd failed to break from the rambling oration that he's so used to and get down to talking about the things that make him strongest. I was sadly unimpressed by his ability to articulate the plans I know he has for the environment, the Iraq war, and health care. Post-debate surveys show that 3% of viewers believed Dodd won tonight's debate (the lowest of all candidates), and 12% believed he lost (the second highest behind Mike Gravel). Dodd's campaign has changed a lot since the first debates--he's brought on some new advisors, picked up some endorsements, hit the trail in Iowa and New Hampshire as hard as anyone--but when it comes time to make a name for himself on the national stage nothing seems to happen.

Joe Biden

Polling only one or two percentage higher than Chris Dodd going into today was Delaware Senator Joe Biden. Biden has had difficulty establishing himself on the national stage in the past few months as well. There was a different energy in the air tonight because of the new debate format, and Joe Biden adjusted, and succeeded as a result. People saw his strong and no-nonsense speaking style and his ability to address the point on hand. At times he even responded in a quiet, emotional manner when appropriate. And what did viewers think? 14% said he won--putting him only 1% lower than Barack Obama and higher than Senator Edwards.

It's hard to say what the long-term reason behind these changes we're seeing now is. One explanation is that voters are picking up on smart energy: the ability to passionately speak about your position on an issue--even if it's not the best position. Chris Dodd might win an election on paper, but he's not doing enough to get us inspired enough to read about them at his website. Don't be surprised, however, if Joe Biden sees a surge in online donations, a small increase in media coverage, and it's not unrealistic to predict that he could start to move up a bit in the polls.

There's a cushion that people like someone like Hillary Clinton enjoys; she doesn't have to worry about the endlessly annoying "thank yous" she gives to anybody that asks her a question or does anything immediately before her. The same luxury doesn't exist for someone like Chris Dodd or Joe Biden because Hillary Clinton can count on waking up tomorrow with 40% of all Democrats supporting her.

It's that 5-10% undecided vote right now that is looking for an energized candidate that they think has a shot of making a mark on things. And to give him credit for the way he's handling himself, Joe Biden IS that passionate, sensible, experienced candidate that seems to show the hope of having some election-class mobility that makes me start to like him more and more.

All in all, it may not have been the element of YouTube that did the trick tonight, but we're finally seeing some changes in this election. To me, I'll sacrifice two hours of my time to see it unfold on CNN.

RE: Yesterday's Post

...connecting with (not deporting) America's Latino community is also a skill of increased importance and benefit in the American political world:



There's got to be a better video out there, but none showed up on YouTube:



Amen.

Looking Cross-eyed at Two Energy Policies

To be fair, Tommy Thompson is an intelligent man with significant experience in politics, and it would be misleading to believe his entire plan for energy and the environment is as short as it appears on his website (see above). But as the signs of serious harm being done to our earth are visible all around us, America (and the world) can't afford four more years of neglect to our environmental problems.

Tommy Thompson throws his three sentences of policy at the very bottom of the issues page on his website, below "marriage," "abortion," and "Second Amendment." I've been hyping Chris Dodd a lot recently, but for good reason. Anyone serious about running for president needs to have a plan for all the big issues--George Bush has shown us that deferring policy decisions to your best friend appointees is more harmful than having to read a dense 16-paragraph energy plan.

Considering A New Era of National Service

Since I was a young child I've occasionally dreamed of a career in the military, and among my friends I'm one of a few who isn't completely shut off from the idea of pursuing such a path later in life. However, the pros of fighting in today's military are fewer than ever before: the state of veteran's health care is under extreme criticism, the potential for a positive outcome in the current Iraq conflict is uncertain, and many of the traditional positions in the military, especially the Reserve and Guard, are no longer 'one weekend/month' commitments.

Senator Dodd has mentioned recently that he believes Americans possess a unique capacity and willingness to serve their country in whatever way they can. Although I speak for just myself, I'll answer in agreement to Mr. Dodd there; I'm fortunate enough to attend a high school where community service participation is a part of the graduation requirement, and while I've seen a share of people complain their way through forty hours, there's another share of people that like the thing they're experiencing and take it up outside of any requirement later on.

As the conclusion of my high school years looms less than a year away, I've considered taking a year off before college to work on a campaign, learn a language, take special interest classes, and get some sleep. After hearing Chris Dodd this past weekend and considering his national service proposal I've realized that he's talking about people like me. His speech inspired me to look for an opportunity to join an organization like the AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. This morning I emailed the local chapter of AmeriCorps and requested information about the programs they offer for rising college students; it's an option for a year of my life that I'm now seriously interested in. Dodd seeks to inspire a call to service that would echo the 1960's. Although my generation is slow to respond, I am still hopeful that my contemporaries will rise to the occasion.

JFK characterized the American spirit better than anyone else:

"The American, by nature, is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly."

Whether or not Chris Dodd is the John F. Kennedy of our generation, he's beginning to tap into the pulse of America that has been ignored for years, and that's something for which I applaud him.

Vice Presidential Option #1: Chris Dodd

Chris Dodd had a busy day yesterday--two house parties, a major policy speech, a mural painting, and a volunteer action day event. I joined a number of others at the home of New Hampshire State Senator Lou D'Allesandro for a uniquely New Hampshire candidate lawn party to have a chance to meet him. The youthful organizers of this event and the Dodd NH people were some of the most cheerful and attentive campaign staff of any of the candidates I've seen so far and the crowd that assembled to hear the Senator from Connecticut was diverse, concerned, motivated, and knowledgeable.

Dodd's speech covered his initiatives for solving the challenges posed by global warming as well as his new proposal for increasing national service in America. The latter being a continuation of the speech he gave earlier in the day in Nashua. Dodd's proposal lays out 6 ways of increasing service such as a mandatory 100 hours of community service for every high school student, a doubling of the Peace Corps, and a Senior Heroes Program which rewards senior citizens who volunteer in schools with a small payment towards the cost of education for their grandchildren or relatives. The proposal that stuck me as being one of the best was Dodd's idea of a Rapid Response Corp of citizens to assist in emergency and disaster response--a role that used to be played by the National Guard before they became active duty combat troops under the current administration.

It's these types of ideas that set Dodd apart from the rest of the Democratic presidential field. Dodd's proposals for ending the Iraq war and solving the energy crisis and dealing with global warming were well thought-out and were soon imitated or followed by the other candidates. Similar to what he said in his speech, don't you think they'll follow him on his national service proposal as well?

To be fair, bits and pieces of Dodd's proposals have been taken up by the current Congress. For instance, increases in the fuel standards for American automobiles. But none of these proposals have taken into account all of the factors that contribute to the many difficulties posed by changes to the current energy policies. Some of these difficulties include the cost of researching alternative energy technologies and the high cost of paying for new energy sources for all Americans. Dodd uses the idea of a carbon tax to provide for billions of dollars in funding for technology research as well as tax incentives for families and companies that invest in new energy sources.

Chris Dodd made the point that John F. Kennedy, the man that inspired him to serve his country in the Peace Corps, spoke on the same steps in Nashua where Dodd spoke yesterday. While Dodd's ideas provide for significant changes in the field of national service, Dodd's personality is less dynamic than Kennedy's. Vice presidents are often the figures that quietly churn out brilliant ideas before passing them on to the president to act on them, but they need not be the most poignant and persuasive characters of their time. Dodd's poll numbers suggest an almost impossible road ahead in terms of the presidential primaries, but his creative solutions and sensible leadership are desperately needed in America, and we'd be lucky to have someone like him on the Democratic ticket as a vice president.

(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)