Connecticut's Missing Senator

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd's campaign for President has always been viewed with puzzlement from the start. It is clear he could raise enough money to keep him well stocked and fed as he plodded around the country, spreading a liberal message long past its import.

Connecticut Democrats rolled their eyes, wrote out their $2,300 personal checks and gamely attended his announcement at the old State House with the type of nervous smiles last seen when former Congressman Barbara Kennelly decided to take on Governor John Rowland.

You remember that one?, where the very nice Mrs. Kennelly stood next to a sign that had one word emblazoned with an exclamation mark - "Yes!"

Well, $7 or $8 million later, Dodd is still behind none of the above and the margin of error. He looks like Hell trying to pull off a task reserved for those a few years younger and a few pounds lighter. He is puffy and slit eyed in many pictures and no one really knows why he is still doing it - except to show Joe Lieberman that he can.

Now the missed in the U.S. Senate are catching up with him, according to today's Hartford Courant. Dodd has missed a third of the votes on the Senate floor, including many that are critical to the country's financial operation. Not that we mind that he isn't part of the Democratic ineptitude in Washington, but clearly the people of Connecticut elected him to do a job and that is U.S. Senator.

When Bob Dole began to evolve into a front runner in 1996, he realized he couldn't be a U.S. Senator for Kansas and Majority Leader. Dole stepped down and allowed the people of Kansas to have a full-time Senator working on the issues they care about.

Connecticut deserves no less. Dodd has been somewhat sketchy about whether he is running again in 2010. Sen. Dodd owes it to us, the people who voted for him or didn't vote for him, to choose - either give up the ghost and come home, or file for his pension. No hard feelings no matter what you do, Senator, just end this quixotic request before Englehardt really goes to town on you.