- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Struggling Chris Dodd Wins Coveted Firefighter Endorsement
Email
ShareAugust 28, 2007 5:26 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis, Donna Hunter, and Jan Simmonds Report: Democratic Senator of Connecticut Chris Dodd has scooped up the key endorsement of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Dodd campaign announced Tuesday. Dodd receives the organization's support at a morning event Wednesday in Washington, DC.
The endorsement of the nation's 281,000-member firefighter union is a highly coveted one in Democratic politics. The union's endorsement of a lagging Sen. John Kerry D-Mass., was instrumental in helping him come-from-behind to win the 2004 Democratic nomination for president. Dodd owes his endorsement to his long record in enacting legislation pertaining to the firefighters. He authored the FIRE Act, which gives fire departments the ability to purchase new equipment and initiate education and training programs, as well as the SAFER Act, which gives fire departments the ability to alleviate critical shortfalls in professional and volunteer personnel.
The IAFF have had a well-publicized campaign toward diminishing former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s bid for the presidency. A few months ago they began running a web-page entitled Urban Legend and have released a 13 minute video outlining how Giuliani failed fire fighters before and after 9/11. The Giuliani Campaign contends that their attacks are purely partisan, backed up by their history of endorsing Democratic candidates.
Dodd wlll use this much needed endorcement to try to improve his weak national poll numbers. Dodd and Union President Harold Schaitberger will begin a three day tour through Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
With a hint of nostalgia John Kerry, who keeps a picture at home of Union Leaders Harold Schaitberger and Dave Lang, told ABC News he'll always be grateful for the Fire Fighters Union's intense loyalty and friendship. "They were by my side in good days and bad days. There's no doubt in my mind that when they endorsed my campaign early – when I was lagging in the polls, during some real bumps in the road – they helped keep my campaign going and helped spread our message," Kerry said.
August 28, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (1)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Looks like the nations firefighters know which side their bread is buttered on, unlike Giuliani.
Posted by: gc | Aug 28, 2007 8:02:07 PM
Post a comment
