Dodd Discusses His Future Chairmanship on Banking Committee
CTDODDBANK
New London Day
Margaret Stevenson
Boston University Washington News Service
November 14, 2006
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 —Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) vowed Tuesday to work closely with his Republican counterpart as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and hinted about a possible presidential run in 2008.
Dodd is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in two years.
“One of the things we don’t get to do enough of is get around the country,” Dodd said. “One thing I can guarantee is if I decide to [run for president], is that I’ll get around the country.”
Dodd, who has served on the committee since 1981, will become chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in January.
“I don’t know if anyone has served this long on a committee and not been chairman,” he joked.
Dodd and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the committee’s current chairman, held a joint press conference in the Capitol to discuss the changes expected under the Democratic majority in the 110th Congress, convening in January.
Dodd is also in line to become chairman of the Rules and Administration Committee, but will forego that chairmanship in favor of the Banking Committee. He said that his new position would not factor into his decision on a presidential run.
Dodd emphasized that he and Shelby would work together, noting that the two had come from a breakfast where they discussed future actions of the committee.
Dodd said that Shelby had done a good job as chairman, describing him as “the one [GOP] committee chairman you could count on to get things done.”
Shelby congratulated Dodd and said that Dodd was an old colleague of his from the House and that he looked forward to working with him.
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