Dodd on the Web: Annoying, Pompous and Unpopular

Right Wing News has its annual list of most anoying liberals, and Chris Dodd makes the list at number 20.

20) Chris Dodd: Dodd, who ran a perfectly awful campaign for President, was one of the few candidates who didn't get an invitation to join Barack Obama's cabinet. Was it because he's so tragically boring? No, it's because not only was he, like Barney Frank, an enabler for the whole financial crisis that has currently engulfed the U.S. economy -- he also got a sweetheart deal from Countrywide and then turned around and helped funnel billions of dollars their way during the bailout. Of course, Dodd claimed that he had no idea he was getting such a great deal because he is a U.S. Senator. He simply thought they were rewarding him for being such a good customer!

That's how it always seems to work with crooked politicians like Chris Dodd: companies funnel in money on the front end and the pols pay them back with taxpayer money by the bank vault full while shifting the blame elsewhere.

Defining quote: "It's not easy being a U.S. senator. People trick you into taking special favors you didn't even know existed. Shame on these unscrupulous people!

...Most alleged victims of Countrywide were gulled into taking loans with onerous interest rates and excessive fees. But they don't know the agony of life as a U.S. senator, when at any moment a powerful, well-heeled interest might take advantage of you with cut-rate loans." -- Rich Lowry

NECN has a story that includes an interview with Dodd. Fast forward to about 0:30 remaining to hear him explain how if only we had listened to him for the last two years, we would not have the problem with foreclosures we now face. Seriously. Watch it, but do so on an empty stomach.



Finally, the Hartford Courant says this about Chris Dodd, a political name to watch in 2009:

After nearly 28 years of consistent popularity, U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd saw his public approval ratings sag to below 50 percent in late 2008 after months of news disclosures about his cut-rate mortgages from banking giant Countrywide Financial and his long absence from duty while he was running for president earlier in the year. Now it's decision time for Dodd on whether to launch a run for a sixth Senate term in the 2010 election. Dodd has denied wrongdoing, but still refuses to release documents related to his mortgages while the Senate conducts an ethics probe.