Dodd says he, not Clinton, can pass healthcare

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Dodd says he, not Clinton, can pass healthcare

Chris Dodd took his share of shots at Hillary Clinton during this week's debate, questioning her electability and forcing her muddled reply on whether she supports driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Now, in the first sort-of negative ad of the campaign, the Connecticut senator gigs Clinton again, suggesting that she is too polarizing to follow through on universal health care.

In the 30-second ad, John and Jesse, fictional barbers in Winterset, Iowa, see a snippet of a Clinton healthcare ad, then wonder aloud whether it's a new plan and whether she can pass it. "Why not Dodd?" they exclaim simultaneously.

The ad, which will air in Iowa, then goes on to brag about Dodd's ability to bring Democrats and Republicans together and his record in the Senate passing the family leave law.

"Results for a change," the ad concludes.

"People across Iowa and all of America, are frustrated with the bickering and fighting that have defined our recent political history and that have prevented us from solving the big challenges that face the country -- like health care," said Dodd communications director Hari Sevugan said in a statement. "What sets Chris Dodd apart from the field is that he offers a proven ability to bring people together to produce results."

NEA Contribution to Anti-Voucher Campaign Is... $3 Million

NEA Contribution to Anti-Voucher Campaign Is... $3 Million

Utah's lieutenant governor hasn't posted the latest disclosures online yet, but the state media outlets are already reporting the totals spent on Referendum 1, which would create the nation's first statewide school voucher program.

The National Education Association contribution is $3 million, just as EIA reported exclusively back on August 20. There are additional in-kind contributions, tens of thousands from NEA state affiliates, and help from NEA's front group, Communities for Quality Education. There is still a week before the election.


EIA will have full details in next Monday's communiqué.

Minnesota Senator Backs Giuliani

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER – 6 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman said Thursday he's backing Rudy Giuliani for president, throwing his support behind a fellow moderate Republican and former mayor.

"The shared vision as mayor of getting things done, tied in with his strong stance on security, Rudy gets that," Coleman told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday. "So you tie those two together and it's a pretty powerful combination."

Coleman also called Giuliani "ultimately electable," a pitch that Giuliani has made throughout the campaign.

The two men got to know each other when Coleman was mayor of St. Paul, Minn., and Giuliani was mayor of New York, and they have a lot in common. Both are natives of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Both are former prosecutors. And both are former Democrats.

"We have similar records — making cities safer, creating jobs, lowering taxes," Coleman said, adding he's known Giuliani for 13 years.

Coleman said he didn't know how much the endorsement would help, but noted that Minnesota will be in play in next year's campaign.

"I represent the pragmatic wing of the Republican Party, getting things done," he said.

Separately, on Friday, Republican Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri plans to formally endorse Giuliani at a news conference in Washington.

"Senator Bond believes that Mayor Giuliani has the record of executive leadership we need to move our country forward," Jason Van Eaton, Bond's deputy chief of staff, said late Thursday.

Coleman is trying to improve his standing with swing voters in the run-up to a tough re-election campaign next year.

He noted that Minnesota hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1972, and said he thinks Giuliani has a good chance to carry the state.

"I'm also on the ballot, so that would certainly be a good thing for me," Coleman said.

He said he would not consider serving as Giuliani's running mate.

The state's Republican governor, Tim Pawlenty, is a national co-chairman of Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.