(Updated 4:07 p.m.) With president-elect Barack Obama in the White House and a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, the possibilities for some of Connecticut’s top-elected officials seem endless.
When asked if he would accept a position in an Obama administration, U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-CT, said Wednesday morning that “I like the Senate job.”
And with U.S. Sen. Joe Biden as vice president-elect, Dodd’s choices within Senate leadership open up. With Biden in the White House, Dodd is next in line to become chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
“I haven’t made up my mind,” Dodd said Wednesday morning. “My intention probably – I want to wait a few days to decide this – is to stay with the Banking Committee.” The financial issues here and abroad are paramount, Dodd said.
What does the Democratic majority mean in the U.S. Senate?
“I think sometimes those numbers get overstated,” Dodd said of the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. “It doesn’t guarantee things.”
“I can tell you that you don’t get anything done in the United States Senate unless there’s a bipartisan effort,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen.”
Will Joe have to go?
Some Democratic members in the state and other outside groups would like to see U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, tossed from the Senate Democratic caucus for his participation in U.S. Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign.
“I’m hoping to speak with Joe in the next day or so to find out what Joe’s plans are and see what he wants to do,” Dodd said. “I want to hear his views about what his plans are.”
“Joe is a Democrat. He’s been a Democrat on many issues – in fact we count on his vote and support,” Dodd said.
A few months ago the Democratic State Central Committee tabled a resolution to censure Lieberman for his participation in McCain’s campaign and speech at the Republican National Convention.
Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said Wednesday that the committee will take the resolution up at its meeting in December. Meanwhile she said she’s waiting to see what happens in the Senate and plans to use that as a barometer.
“I’m gonna stay out of it,” DiNardo added saying the decision to censure Lieberman will be up to the members of the state central committee.
In the House
U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., who currently serves as vice-chair of the Democratic caucus in the U.S. House said Wednesday that if U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-IL, is chosen to serve as Obama’s chief of staff that he would seek the Democratic caucus chairmanship.
