Dodd: "I am not happy until you are unhappy"

by: Scarce

Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 09:14:31 AM EDT

Joe Lieberman (D?-CT) was on this morning, with reports that his views on Iraq are softening. Right...

Imus speaks with Senator Chris Dodd (D) CT about his colleague Joe Lieberman's run for re-election:

Imus: "Sen. Lieberman...did you see that debate?"

Sen. Chris Dodd: "I did. Absolutely. Joe did a great job, a terrific job. Yep and your endorsement and support of him has been a guarantee of a big victory on August 8th. We are counting on it. As long as you stick with him now. We hope you are going to stick with him."

Imus: "No, no, I'm going to stick with him. I don't agree with his idiotic position on the war but that is not a reason to vote somebody like Joe Lieberman out of the United States Senate in my view."

Sen. Dodd: "I agree with you. I agree with you."

Imus: "I wonder what happens if he doesn't win this Democratic primary."

Sen. Dodd: "I'm shocked that you are asking me that question. I can't imagine why you'd ask me that question. Harold Ford Jr. did a great job by the way."

Imus: "By not answering the question."

Sen. Dodd: "Yeah, well, well he did a good job. Bill Richardson will do as good a job when he comes up at 8:30. Now let me tell you what people are doing obviously this is a big question..first of all it's complicated by the fact that you've got to have to have these signatures done by the day after the primary in Connecticut, August 9th which has this created the problem more than anything else so had there been more time after the primary then it might have been a different story. I believe that taking a position for or against what happens after August 8th actually hurts Joe and in fact I think he'll make this case to you in some ways tomorrow. If you make the case that you are going to be for the Democratic nominee and some have done this already, I think it practically undermines Joe's ability to win that primary on August 8th. If you take the position that you are going to be for Joe no matter what happens then a lot of people may not show up to vote on August 8th and that will cost Joe the nomination in my view. Because he needs the turnout better than two or three percent is what you have in Virginia. So the right response here even though your motto is, you are not happy until we are unhappy..."

Imus: "No, I'm not happy until you are not happy."

Sen. Dodd: "Exactly, I agree. My view is I am not happy until you are unhappy and all of this that it's better just to probably wait after the primary on August 8th to make a decision like that if you are interested in seeing Joe get re-nominated, I am, I am going to be working very hard, have been over the last number of weeks for him. I think he is not only the strongest candidate, he's been a good Senator, he's been terrific for our country and the state and I hope the people in Connecticut, Democrats, six hundred and fifty thousand of them, a good percentage of them will come out. It's unique, almost unique to have a primary on August 8th, but with the notoriety and notice around the race, I think it's a good chance that we'll get a good turnout. If we do I think Joe has a very good chance of winning this. It will be close but I think he wins it."