December 18, 2002 - Roll Call: Dominican Republic RPCV Chris Dodd Dodd Lining Up Support to Succeed Daschle Amid Signs South Dakotan Will Run for President

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2002: 12 December 2002 Peace Corps Headlines: December 18, 2002 - Roll Call: Dominican Republic RPCV Chris Dodd Dodd Lining Up Support to Succeed Daschle Amid Signs South Dakotan Will Run for President

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Dominican Republic RPCV Chris Dodd Dodd Lining Up Support to Succeed Daschle Amid Signs South Dakotan Will Run for President



Dominican Republic RPCV Chris Dodd Dodd Lining Up Support to Succeed Daschle Amid Signs South Dakotan Will Run for President

BREAKING NEWS: Dodd, Reid Begin Lining Up Support to Succeed Daschle Amid Signs South Dakotan Will Run for President

By Mark Preston

In the latest sign that incoming Senate Minority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.) might run for president, Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have started calling colleagues this week in an effort to lock up votes if there is a race for Democratic leader.

Reid, the current Majority Whip, has been quietly seeking support from his colleagues to succeed Daschle for months. He has stepped up that effort in the past few days in response to Dodd's sudden interest in the job.

Dodd, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee under President Bill Clinton, began calling colleagues this week to ask for their support if Daschle decides to leave his post.

"If Senator Daschle runs for president and steps down as leader, Senator Reid will seek the leadership position," Susan McCue, Reid's chief of staff told Roll Call. "He is confident he has the votes."

A spokesman for Dodd downplayed the discussions the Connecticut Democrat has had with his Senate colleagues over the past week but acknowledged he is not ruling out a run for Minority Leader.

"As he stated time and time again, Senator Dodd supports Senator Daschle as Democratic leader in the Senate, period," said Marvin Fast, Dodd's communications director. "Obviously Senator Daschle is considering other options -- including a possible run for president -- and there have been some Members who have approached Senator Dodd about looking at the leadership position should that occur.

"But that is really all there is to this at this time. Would Senator Dodd consider a possible leadership position? Obviously he wouldn't rule it out, but these are hypothetical questions at best and really nothing more."

But several senior Democratic aides said Dodd has held serious discussions with Senators over the past few days to gauge his support for a run for leader.

One aide quoted Dodd as telling a Democratic Senator: "I am running and I would like your support."

"He was surprised about it," the aide said of his boss's reaction to the conversation with Dodd. "No one expected Harry Reid to be challenged."

Daschle has not indicated what his future plans might be, but he has openly acknowledged that he is mulling one of three options: running for president, staying on as Democratic leader or retiring when his term expires in 2004. Insiders said the early jockeying by these two senior Democrats means Daschle is leaning toward running for president.

Daschle told Roll Call last month that he would not take sides in a leadership race if he stepped down, but added he thought the odds-on favorite would be Reid, his top lieutenant.

"I would stay out of it, but I can't imagine -- I would think that Harry Reid would be the unanimous choice," Daschle said. "He deserves it. I just can't imagine anybody even challenging him. I think he would get it by acclimation. I honestly don't think he would be challenged if I weren't to run."

Dodd is also considering a long-shot bid for president. When told that the Connecticut Democrat was also exploring a run for Democratic leader, a Reid ally snapped, "I thought he was running for president, not leader."

This would be the second time the Connecticut Democrat sought to become the Democratic leader. In 1994, Dodd lost to Daschle by one vote in the race to succeed retiring Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-Maine).

For more on this story, don't miss Thursday's edition of Roll Call newspaper.



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Story Source: Roll Call

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Dominican Republic; Politics; Congress

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