Dodd: Dems Have Ceded Process To Cable TV

Former Presidential Candidate Says Race Between Two People Was Inevitable Because "That's Where The Ratings Were"

(AP)  Sen. Christopher Dodd, who failed to draw support in a crowded field of presidential hopefuls, criticized the Democratic Party Monday for "ceding the process" to cable television news programs eager for a two-candidate contest.

"It was pretty much predetermined it would be a race between two people," the five-term senator told a Hartford economic development group. "That's where the ratings were."

Dodd's longshot presidential bid ended after his sixth-place finish in the Iowa caucus. Despite moving to Iowa months before the January caucus to campaign full-time, Dodd battled for attention and campaign contributions and earned less than 1 percent of the vote.

Dodd has endorsed Barack Obama, who holds a commanding lead in pledged delegates over Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Jerry Dunklee, a professor of journalism at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, said the media gave attention to candidates who were successful at the start of the campaign.

"I would argue that there were news judgments made early on that Clinton and Obama raised money early on and national polling showed they were favorite candidates," he said.

"It doesn't mean you'll be a good president, but it means the media will pay attention," Dunklee said. "To argue that these two particular candidates were chosen by the kingmakers in cable TV, I'm not buying it."

Nancy DiNardo, the Connecticut Democratic Party chairwoman, said she understands Dodd's point. During the early televised debates, the spotlight was not on Dodd, Sen. Joe Biden and others, she said.

"The people who got the play right from the beginning were Senator Clinton, Senator Obama and (former) Senator Edwards," DiNardo said.

Messages seeking comment were left with the Democratic National Committee.

Dodd raised $15 million before exiting the race in January, but his efforts were dwarfed by Clinton and Obama who spent more than $80 million in 2007. Obama has taken in an unprecedented $226 million, while Clinton has lagged behind, and lent her campaign more than $11 million.

Gary Rose, politics professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, said Dodd's criticism of cable TV is "not a substantiated claim, but it's an understandable sentiment."

"He just was not an interesting story this year. He wasn't doing anything to attract attention from the public or the media," Rose said. "He's a consummate insider and his party is looking for someone new."

[aldon61]

TRBundro1277: You sound like you''re anti-hispanic, anti-black and anti-woman. Why not be a good nazi and vote republican? Most americans do not want to allign with your bigotry and bias.

[sjc_1]

I think the media is biased towards Obama because they are corporate owned and want him to face McCain. They know Clinton can beat McCain and Obama can not. Ever since Reagan changed the laws allowing huge corporate interests to buy up all the media, things have changed. He knew the power of radio and TV, this is why you know have Rush Limbaugh, O''Reilly and others.

[trbundro1277]

*** Edwards was the most deserving of any candidate! All richardson has done in Arizona is to let illegals get free education and everything else! Richardson shouldn''''t have even ran for president. Let him go and be president of mexico. A latino president is the last thing we would need. We already have too many illegals coming in! Edwards deserved it, but the media wanted a black or woman president!
Posted by TRBundro1277 at 01:00 AM : May 14, 2008
*** Correction..... I meant to say all richardson has done in New Mexico, is to let the illegals to everything! AS energy secretary under clinton, richardson did nothing to help the skyrocketing costs of oil, and switch to alternative fuels. He did a F minus job, He let the oil companies pay him off. I hate richardson, I would never vote for a ticket with that worthless richardson on it! I would vote third party at that point, I still couldn''t vote for Juan Amnesty mccain either!

[trbundro1277]

WE DON''''T WANT OBAMA IN MICHIGAN!!!!!!
Posted by truthyness at 04:45 PM : May 13, 2008
*** Exactly! That Undeclared vote belongs to John Edwards! Not Obama!

[trbundro1277]

It must be snowing in h.e.l.l. today because I actualy agree with rowdytexan2. Both Biden and Dodd, along with Richardson deserved a much better look than what they got. By the way Rowdy, Biden WAS my first choice, Obama was my default.
Posted by aldon61 at 04:18 PM : May 13, 2008
*** Edwards was the most deserving of any candidate! All richardson has done in Arizona is to let illegals get free education and everything else! Richardson shouldn''t have even ran for president. Let him go and be president of mexico. A latino president is the last thing we would need. We already have too many illegals coming in! Edwards deserved it, but the media wanted a black or woman president!

[ranakarimi]

i am an iranian american woman and been Democrat all my life last night my dad called from iran and told me the tehran friday immam prayer has told millions of pple to pray to god to help obama win so the immam mehdi come soon and save the world and desteroy the usa and west thats why i will never ever vote for obama . again in behalf of millions of hard working american women i like to say if Hillary is not on the ticket we will be more than happy to punish our party and hand the presidency to republica

[truthyness]

WE DON''T WANT OBAMA IN MICHIGAN!!!!!!

[truthyness]

WE DON''T WANT OBAMA IN MICHIGAN!!!!

[aldon61]

It must be snowing in h.e.l.l. today because I actualy agree with rowdytexan2. Both Biden and Dodd, along with Richardson deserved a much better look than what they got. By the way Rowdy, Biden WAS my first choice, Obama was my default.

[blackmilitan]

ITS OBAMA WHITE MOMMA AND WHITE GRANDPARENTS FAULT

1. SHE DATED AND LOVED A BLACK MAN AT A TIME WHEN MOST WHITE FOLKS HATED BLACK MEN.

2. SHE WAS A PROPHET AND SHE COULD SEE INTO THE FUTURE, SEE SAW ONE DAY THAT A MAN NAMED HUSSIEN WOULD RUN IRAQ, SO BEFORE THE WORLD HEARD OF HUSSIEN, SHE NAMED HER SON HUSSIEN TO PREPARE HIM TO BE A MUSLIM EXTREMIST. SHE ALSO AS A PROPHET NEW THAT AL QUADA WOULD ONE DAY BLOW UP THE TWIN TOWERS.

3. HIS GRANDPARENTS LOVED HIM TOO MUCH, TOLD HIM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT HIS COLOR THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD CAME FROM ONE GOD..WHY THEY LIE TO HIM LIKE THAT.

4. HIS PARENTS RAISED HIM SO THAT HE CAN MEET WITH AND RESPECT REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATES AND MUSLIMS AND ALL PEOPLE - THEY MESSED HIS LIFE UP, MAKING HIM THINK WHITE FOLKS WOULD ACCEPT HIM.

5. HIS MOTHER GAVE HIM GOOD HARD WORKING VALUES, HE WENT TO HARVARD AND GOT HIS DEGREE - NOW HE TOO SMART FOR BLUE COLLAR WHITE MEN - HIS MOTHER FAULT - SHE SHOULD HAVE MADE HIM A THUG INSTEAD OF A HARD WORKING MAN.

DAYUM WHITE WOMEN FOR LOVING A BLACK MEN AND HAVING HIS SON AND RAISING HIM RIGHT SO ONE DAY HE COULD TURN OUT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT

DAYUM THEM ALL I SAY!