With Peter Schiff on the ballot, and Rob Simmons running the best “I’m running by not campaigning and I’m still on the ballot” campaign, Linda McMahon may find herself on the losing end of her quixotic quest to join the 100 club.

Linda McMahon Examining Hubby

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Today’s Connecticut media is atwitter with the NYTimes report that Dick Blumenthal, in their words: “record is the contrast between the many steps he took that allowed him to avoid Vietnam, and the misleading way he often speaks about that period of his life now, especially when he is speaking at veterans’ ceremonies or other patriotic events.”

Really? Whatever you want to say about Dick Blumenthal’s service as Attorney General, it hardly takes some hack New York Times reporter to discover that Blumenthal speaks about veterans issues and often compares the vietnam era’s problems as something not to repeat with veterans serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Earlier the NYTimes was first to say that Blumenthal was suffering from “early bumps” in his campaign. And just how is the Times doing its investigative research? Well according to the Daily Caller, they use Linda McMahon!

McMahon campaign is saying they gave the story to the New York Times, according to a blog post written by a former Republican state lawmaker that the campaign has posted on their website.

The post, written by Kevin Rennie, who writes for the Hartford Courant and RealClearPolitics in addition to on his blog, says the Times story was “fed to the paper by the Linda McMahon Senate campaign.”

“The Blumenthal Bombshell comes at the end of more than 2 months of deep, persistent research by Republican Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign. It gave the explosive Norwalk video recording to The Times. This is what comes of $16 million, a crack opposition research operation and an opponent who … gave them the sword,” Rennie wrote late Monday.

Rennie confirmed in an e-mail to the Daily Caller Tuesday that he had written the post and that the McMahon campaign had told him they gave the story to the Times.

Now let’s cut to the chase. Who cares? Really, if this is the best issue this race can come up with then Connecticut is just doomed. I don’t care what Dick Blumenthal’s military service was. I do care that the next Senator from Connecticut will actually pay attention to the fact that Connecticut is getting shafted by the feds at every turn. Let’s see some stimulus dollars going to our crumbling infrastructure, oh wait. Or enlightened Hartford political flunkies think stimulus dollars should be used to balance the budget. They’ve already spent next years too. The grass on our state highways now tops two feet in Fairfield County. Yeah, I guess kicking up a fuss over 40 year old stories is more important than covering that.

If you were feeling disappointed with the the story line on the Senate race this year – if for you it lacked a certain kind of looniness that you find de riguer for a political season that aspires to hold your interest – help has arrived in the form of lower Fairfield County’s answer to Lyndon LaRouche.

Lee Whitnum has declared her intent to replace Chris Dodd. As evidence of her qualifications for the job, she cites a picture taken of her with Senator Dodd, and the fact that she found him very disappointing to talk to.

I have some pictures of myself with Chris Dodd, and they are much nicer than Lee’s. In a couple, it is just me and Chris Dodd. Therefore I am announcing my intention to seek the seat for United States Senator. My campaign will commence as soon as I can locate my signature zany hat.
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There is a lot in the press about Linda McMahon the last couple days. McMahon’s campaign has, relative to what one can meaningfully spend on a statewide political campaign in Connecticut (about five million dollars will do the job, and its maybe eight million dollars tops), an unlimited amount of money. Her fortune comes from the family business, the very definition of stage-managed storytelling media companies, World Wrestling Entertainment. People tend to go with what they know and, sure enough, McMahon’s pursuit of the Senate seat vacated by Chris Dodd is a tightly controlled marketing campaign, with the star act’s every move – and everything in her vicinity – meticulously attended to by her handlers.

But McMahon and her campaign are not escaping scrutiny. From the cutting edge of online local media right here in Connecticut, to the original innovator that brought us the 24-hour news cycle, Linda2010 is generating controversy.

Start with the local: Valley Independent Sentinel reporter Joe Cole attempted to ask McMahon a coupla questions at a public appearance in Seymour last week, and McMahon “press wrangler” Suzan Bibisi reportedly shut it down. The campaign followed up with a boiler-plate email response to the reporter’s question; followed by a ham-handed attempt to intimidate the local guys with a press release, quoted in a report by veteran investigative journalist Paul Bass of the New Haven Independent:

“Valley Independent Sentinel Report Involved in Head-On Collision with Reality, the Facts,” the release’s headline read.
“The Valley Independent Sentinel’s claim is demonstrably false, contradicted by scores of interviews Linda has given, including more than a dozen hour-long interviews with reporters and editorial boards nationally and in Connecticut,” the release stated, listing selected interviews her campaign has arranged.

The skinny: Gilded Senate Campaign – 0, Gritty Local Reporters – 2.

Then, CNN‘s Anderson Cooper 360 launched its new series on campaign spending – Cost of Entry – with an expose’ on none other than Linda McMahon. Have a peek:

The Center for Responsive Politics says 40 out of 51 Congressional candidates that spent half a million dollars or more on their 2008 campaigns lost, or quit. Proof, perhaps, that even the richest person in the world needs a message voters believe, not just a good act.

Meanwhile, note that former CT02 Congressman and contender for the GOP nomination Rob Simmons got some nice “earned media” in the CNN piece.
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On the Republican side of the 2010 Connecticut Senate race, we have three candidates; former Congressman Rob Simmons, WWE CEO Linda McMahon and broker/author Peter Schiff.

In the primary world of reaching out to the your base, Schiff’s campaign hasn’t quite firgured out the local media network yet, McMahon keeps sending dead tree appeals and the Simmons campaign will talk to you any time, any where, any media. That can-do spirit is evident in this campaign video being sent around by the Simmons camp:

Speaking at the event, McMahon said the next Senator must have experience dealing with China and understanding the culture. True enough. But what experience does she have? In her own words: Setting up a World Wrestling Entertainment office in Shanghai. Seriously.

Rob was next to speak, and thanked McMahon — in fluent Mandarin Chinese. Watch the video.

We have a statement by Rob Simmons and a statement from the spokesperson of Sam Caliguri that they are sticking to the Senate race courtesy of the Courant.

“There has been speculation that in the event of Gov. Rell’s retirement, I or other Republican U.S. Senate candidates may enter the race for governor,” former congressman Rob Simmons said in a statement.�”[M]y experience in national defense and foreign policy as a 37-year veteran of the U.S. Army and as an intelligence officer combined with my skills as a legislator are among the reasons I am best-suited to the U.S. Senate.

“Further, the Republican Party must nominate for the Senate someone who is tried and tested in difficult races, and as the only Republican with a record of defeating entrenched Democrat incumbents, and as the only Republican consistently leading Senator Dodd in the polls, I believe I am the best candidate to lead us to victory in this race.� My plans remain unchanged.”

Sam Caligiuri’s spokeswoman said the state Senator from Waterbury is also�planning to stay in the U.S. Senate race instead of switching gears and running for�governor.

But RollCall is painting a different picture about the Senate race that Simmons and Caliguri might want to pay attention too. It’s all about money and delegates.

With about 1,600 GOP delegates poised to pick the party’s nominee at their annual convention in May, this could be one contest in which spending heavily on television ads has diminished returns.

Five Republicans have lined up to run for the chance to challenge Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), one of the most vulnerable Senators up in 2010. Former Rep. Rob Simmons was viewed as the early establishment frontrunner, but since then at least two of the candidates have demonstrated that they are willing to fund their own campaigns to varying degrees. That means it’s even more likely the Republican fight will be carried on to an Aug. 10 primary — three months after the party faithful select their desired nominee.

According to Republican state GOP Chairman Chris Healy, the task is for candidates to court and persuade as many of the 1,600 delegates from the 169 Republican town committees as possible until the May 21 convention.

“It is a challenge, but we’re a small enough state and these committees are small enough and they’re cohesive enough that they do it by meeting with town committees in their regular meetings,” Healy said.

According to RollCall, Linda McMahon has already put $3.5 million into her Senate campaign coffers. She’s been making the rounds of local party flunkies.

“Since I announced in mid-September, I’ve done over 100 events,” McMahon said. “I’m having individual meetings with [Republican town committee] chairmen and further meetings with the town committee.”

McMahon declined to say whether she would drop out of the contest if she did not win the Senate nomination at the convention or if she would continue to pursue a bid if she got enough support to get on the ballot without the nomination. Even if she didn’t have enough support at the convention, McMahon would have the funds to support a petition drive to get on the ballot.

The other deep pocketed candidate is Tom Foley, former ambassador to Ireland, who has put in $539k into his campaign coffers seeking the senate gig. Rounding out the Republican field is Peter Schiff who according to his web site out raised Chris Dodd’s $900k.

Meanwhile, the Connecticut GOP hasn’t picked yet the majority of its delegates since party rules call for the election of new party chairs in each RTC. Darien perhaps is the poster child of warring factions within its RTC locally, but the rise of teabaggers within the state doesn’t bode well for many RTCs.

source:�RollCall, GOP Senate Hopefuls Court Audience of 1,600 in Connecticut, By Shira Toeplitz, Nov. 10, 2009,

Dodd supporters have been emphasizing the work he has been putting in on several major issues in Washington for the benefit of middle class consumers and taxpayers.

Senator Dodd continues to hammer away at issues, intent on driving home the message that he has returned to his origins and is fighting once again for middle class families and consumers who are struggling to make ends meet:

The Advocate has decided to lead with a story on how Senator Chris Dodd is looking old these days. Funny, I thought newspaper� journalism was supposed to cover things like politics, policy and issues instead of succumbing to the People Magazine subjects of looks, likes and who wore what. But tellingly, buried in the article was this factoid:

At 64, Dodd falls in the middle of the Senate, where ages range from 42 for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to 91 for U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. Three are in their 80s, 21 in their 70s, 34 in their 60s, 21 in their 50s and nine in their 40s.

Only 9 Senators are in their 40s? What’s the significance? It means that only 9 Senators, have lived in the post industrialized information age economy exclusively. It means that only 9 Senators don’t automatically insert the world new-fangled to describe tweets, blackberry, WIFI, or Tang. It means that GM gets bailed out with tax dollars while IBM’s money losing personal computer division got sold to a Chinese manufacturer.

Back to Dodd:

“He seems to have aged within the last several months,” said Gary Rose, a professor of politics at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. “His face seems more stressed, and he just seems as if he doesn’t have that youthful appearance many have always associated with him.”

The second paragraph of� a Dodd story, is a professor of politics discussing Dodd’s facial features? It’s farcical!

Richard Hanley, a journalism professor at Quinnipiac, said that Dodd is not alone in feeling the stress of the times, pointing out that President Barack Obama is showing more gray hair just two months into his term.

“The weight of the economic collapse is falling particularly hard on him because he is in a pivotal position in the Senate, but he is not alone. Stories have already been done about the graying of Obama’s hair. It is a stressful time for a lot of people,” Hanley said.

For Dodd, who has had a headful of thick white hair for more than a decade, the stress may be showing in deeper furrows in his brow and darker circles under his eyes.

What no suggestions of botox? Don’t expect Allure to be calling with freelance gigs.

Dodd’s hair was salt and pepper when he was first sworn in to the Senate back on Jan. 5, 1981. It had long since turned fully white by the time he assumed the chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee on Jan. 4, 2007. He replaced Alabama U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, who remains the ranking Republican on the committee and is 74 years old.

Shortly after taking the committee’s reins, Dodd went on the presidential campaign trail. During that campaign, Dodd changed his hairstyle and seemed to have trimmed his weight. Dodd’s campaign employed a make-up artist on at least three occasions, including spending $225 for makeup application when he officially threw his hat into the ring.

Now what was it that Jon Steward said to Jim Cramer about Cramers penchant for not covering the financial news? Oh yeah, something like — cover the friggin news! Dodd is the chair of that Banking Commitee, which makes news on a daily basis when it doesn’t provide overight and regulations on how tax payer money is being used to bail out all these bansk. Instead:

Shaw, who runs a Web blog (http://bagnewsnotes.typepad.com) that focuses on the political and media use of visual imagery, said the perception may be the result of weight gain.

“He is carrying about 15 more pounds now than when he was running for president back in August and November 2007,” Shaw said. “When you look at recent photos — over the AIG hearings and the craziness of two weeks ago — you are looking at a guy with a lot more gobble under the chin and more skin under the eyes.” As people have focused in on Dodd, that extra weight has left an impression that he is somehow older looking than a year ago, Shaw said. Another factor is the media itself, which typically selects its images to match the story narrative.

What next, a recommendation that Dodd write a diet book on how to lose weight while being stressed over the economy?

source: Advocate, Does Dodd look old? Blame it on Hi-def TV, By Peter Urban , 04/11/2009

Just when the pundits thought it was over for Chris Dodd, Joe Lieberman rides to the rescue. Excerpt:

Lieberman’s embrace of Dodd is the latest indication that the once-icy relationship between the Independent senator and the Democratic Party is beginning to thaw. Lieberman’s endorsement of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president last year, coupled with his speech at the Republican National Convention last summer, infuriated Senate Democrats and nearly cost him his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. …

“The 2006 election was a terribly awkward time,” Dodd told The Hill. “We’ve been great friends for 40 years, so this was one of those moments when two people who had had a great relationship ran into a very awkward moment. He had to do what he had to do, and I was sort of stuck with what I had to do � But we just have a longstanding, deep friendship that goes beyond collegiality.”

During the 2006 campaign, Dodd was quoted saying his decision to back Lamont was “very difficult.” …

Today, Lieberman’s support denies the GOP the opportunity to drive a wedge between Dodd and Lieberman and feed a scenario that could split the vote against Dodd. It was just such a scenario that eventually defeated Lamont in the 2006 general election — he won 40 percent of the vote, compared to 10 percent for Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger and 50 percent for Lieberman. …

Simmons did not respond to a request for comment, and another possible opponent, CNBC host Larry Kudlow, would not comment, according to a CNBC spokeswoman.

A senior GOP Senate aide pointed out that it remains to be seen whether Lieberman will show enthusiasm for helping Dodd, such as by cutting advertisements or appearing with Dodd on the campaign trail.

Bit of GOP wishful thinking there at the end, and its interesting that Caligiuri isn’t on The Hill reporter’s screen.

This isn’t such a surprise. To the dismay of Lieberhaters, and the consternation of Democrats in general, Dodd was a member of President Obama’s whip team supporting Lieberman’s retention as Chairman of the upper chamber’s Homeland Security Committee a few months ago. Without it, Lieberman would have been relegated to back-bencher status and probably made an early and ignominious exit from the Senate.

That decision by the new President and Connecticut’s senior Senator has already paid some measurable dividends on the Administration’s policy agenda. Now it may prove to be a meaningful factor in stabilizing Dodd’s flagging political popularity.

We shall see.

Source: J. Taylor Rushing, “Frenemies Dodd and Lieberman make nice” The Hill 11 March 2009. Continue Reading