by Rick Pearson
KNOXVILLE, Iowa—Sen. Christopher Dodd made a generational appeal to veterans Wednesday in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, saying “it’s our turn to get it right” and to eschew the politics of money and celebrity.
The Connecticut senator also made a veiled reference to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s candidacy, asking potential caucus-goers the value of supporting a candidate with questionable viability in the 2008 general election.
Speaking to about 50 people inside a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in south central Iowa, some of whom dining on the luncheon special of hot beef and steaming mashed potatoes, the Connecticut senator proposed a series of reforms in health care and benefits for members of the U.S. military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dodd, a former member of the National Guard and Army Reserves, said he was the only Democratic contender “to wear the uniform” as he promised an overhaul of a “broken” Veterans Administration, including policies to make a quicker determination of disability benefits and payments. He also proposed an expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act he authored to provide family caregivers of returning veterans six months’ paid leave from their jobs. The issue of VA health care is significant in Knoxville, which is home to a sizable veterans medical facility, though it has faced cuts in its psychiatric treatment program at a time when Dodd predicts Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among returning troops will be a growing issue.
Dodd also called for a modernized GI Bill that would give higher education benefits to military members who served “in harms way” regardless of the amount of time they served in a war zone. Unused benefits would be transferable to a veteran’s family members.
“Now it’s our turn to get it right and we’re going to be judged, you and I as a generation as to whether or not we have the courage to stand up and face the challenges of our day, to invest in the future of our country,” said Dodd, 63, a 27-year member of the House and Senate.
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“I know how to do this. I know how to get this right,” he said. “I can be elected and I can govern and bring people together.”
But without mentioning Clinton’s name, Dodd raised the issue of her electability—something her rivals have used to try to exploit a weakness among the Democratic frontrunner.
A USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday showed Clinton ahead among Democrats nationally, though 45 percent had an unfavorable impression of her.
“It’s important to make a choice of someone who’s electable next year,” Dodd said. “You’ve got to be electable. If you’re not electable, then a lot of this is a lot of talk.”
And he implored the group to look beyond fundraising and media hype in choosing a candidate for the state’s Jan. 3 caucuses.
“It’s not about celebrity. It’s not about how much money you got. It’s about whether or not you know what you’re talking about, whether or not you’ve got principles and values, or if you’ve got a background and record that can produce results,” he said.
“I may not be leading in the polls today but I got a lot of confidence in Iowans. You’re not overly impressed by polls and money and celebrity,” he said. “I think I’m going to surprise a lot of people on caucus night in Iowa.”