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Posted: October 3, 2007 3:56 PM
Dodd Pushes for Iraq Redeployment Deadline
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Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd’s campaign took another step on Tuesday to add his Iraq war stance to the simmering debate on the conflict among the Democratic field of presidential candidates.

“We cannot wait until 2013 to end this war, or even 2009,” Dodd said in a statement calling on leadership in the Senate to allow a vote on the Feingold-Reid amendment. The legislation would set a firm deadline for the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq and would cut off funding for combat operations after that date.

On Friday, Dodd criticized New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards for not promising to end the war in Iraq by 2013 during a nationally televised debate last Wednesday. Dodd said it was “shocking” that the candidates could not tell the American people they would end the war, and “indefensible” given the “tremendous cost in terms of human life and … treasury.”

In the presidential fundraising primary, the Dodd campaign announced this week it raised $1.5 million in the 3rd quarter. The amount put him further behind Clinton, who brought in $27 million, Obama, who had a haul of $20 million, and Edwards, who ended up with $7 million for the quarter.

Dodd has raised $14 million for his campaign to date, and has $4 million in cash left on hand. The campaign’s strategy is to focus its resources in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. The Dodd camp has opened 11 field offices in Iowa and six in New Hampshire. Dodd campaign spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan said, “It’s important to note that while campaigns and candidates need to have money … no campaign can buy voters or buy votes, especially in these early states.”

On that note, Dodd will campaign in Iowa this weekend. His schedule of events includes the Johnson County Democrats Annual Barbecue in Iowa City on Saturday, and a community forum in Washington on Sunday.