"Americans Are Tired of this Administration"
Chris Dodd was the first speaker this morning at the Democrat National Committee Winter Meeting. The meeting is considered a key platform for potential candidates for the Democratic nomination.
While the Senator from Connecticut is considered a long shot for the nomination, he arrived to large cheers from his many enthusiastic supporters in the audience. And he gave a powerful speech, mixed with strong passion and occasional humor.
Dodd began by thanking DNC chairman, Howard Dean, and all Democrats for their strong efforts last year, across the country in the mid-terms.
He said it is now time to do the same to re take the White House and on January 20, 2009, the 44th President of the United States will be a Democrat.
Dodd asked for his message to be heard. He believes the the American people are fed up with the incompetence of the Bush/Cheney Administration.
Dodd received a standing ovation after declaring that "We are not going to take fear for an answer any more in America, those days are over with."
On Iraq, Dodd said that "Its time for change in Iraq and we are going to insist upon it." He said that Congress has to do more than just sending a meaningless message to the White House, who will just ignore what Congress says on the issue.
Dodd said a real bill with real teeth is what was needed. And he would bring the troops out of Iraq.
Dodd is nothing if not principled. On the removal of Habeas Corpus and abandoning the Geneva Convention, Dodd recalled a time when America had moral authority in human rights and the rule of law.
Dodd promised today that one of the very first things he will do as President would be to send a bill to the house to overturn the "...horrible torture bill that the President signed into law last fall and to begin to restore America's moral leadership in the world - that we must do."
Dodd promised to ensure that those who finished high school had the opportunity to seek further education. And he also promised to protect the manufacturing base.
On health, Dodd said that he would make sure that at the end of his Administration, health care would be provided to every man woman and child in the United States.
Watch the Chris Dodd speech here.
