Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd made a stop on Sunday morning at 4 Brothers Bar and Grill. Dodd, sporting a Le Mars lapel pin, spoke to a crowd of about 25 during his hour long visit. Standing behind Dodd is Harold Schaitberger, the President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, a union that has endorsed Dodd. [Click to enlarge]

If Chris Dodd has learned one thing about campaigning for President in Iowa, it's that Iowans take a long time to make up their decision about who to vote for.

"I courted my wife Jackie and got a marriage proposal in less time than I've spent campaigning here in Iowa," laughed Dodd during a Sunday morning visit to 4 Brothers Bar and Grill in Le Mars where nearly 25 activists, supporters and on-lookers listened to and met with the senior Senator from Connecticut.

Though Dodd is trailing more notable names like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in the polls, he's confident that he could surprise a lot of people on Thursday night when Iowans head to their local precinct caucuses.

"I think you love proving those national pundits wrong," said Dodd.

But if Dodd does surprise people on Thursday night with a strong showing, it won't be because of a lack of effort. He's been travelling the state during his "Caucus for Results" tour in a big yellow bus that advertises his endorsement from the International Association of Fire Fighters.

"I'm sorry I don't have Oprah or Bill Clinton," joked Dodd. "But I do have Harold Schaitberger with me," said Dodd in referencing the President of the union who introduced Dodd to the crowd.

Dodd said that it isn't about all the celebrities endorsements you might have, and instead it is about the background, the knowledge and the leadership that a candidate can bring to the equation.

"You better be ready to do this job, take on the responsibilities during these perilous times," noted Dodd who said that he has spent over a quarter of a century fighting for the middle class, authoring important legislation like the Family and Medical Leave Act in the Senate, and travelling the globe establishing relationships with foreign leaders. "I know how to take Democratic principles and turn them into policies. Having the right intentions doesn't mean you can achieve results," he continued.

(Advertisement)

Dodd believes he can enact results and says he has a track record of working across party lines with Republicans to achieve meaningful public policy victories. Dodd believes that health care is the number one domestic priority and that job creation is going to be very important too. He called the current administration the most fiscally irresponsible ever.

"I don't know how we can spend 10 billion dollars a month in Iraq and not take care of the children here in Iowa," said Dodd referencing President Bush's veto of the SCHIP children's health care policy. Though domestic issues are important, Dodd still believes that the election will come down to who has the most experience with foreign policy.

"The events in Pakistan this week has really caused a lot of people to re-evaluate things a little bit," said Dodd. "There's a lot of Iowans who have reassessed their decisions in the last few days. This is not a time for on the job training," he continued.

Dodd says that he was a close friend with recently assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto.

"I lost a friend and the U.S. lost a friend," said Dodd. He said that Pakistan needs to find stability soon and he believes it is time to get the troops out of Iraq and re-deploy them to areas where the real focus should be.

"I believe we need to cut off the funding for Iraq," noted Dodd. "That's where I disagree with a lot of my Democratic friends who are running."

But Dodd's first priority, should he become the next occupant of the White House, would be to restore the Constitution, something he believes has been abused by the current administration.

"On January 20, 2009, I'm going to give you back your Constitution," roared Dodd to the applause of the crowd.

Dodd's discussion of restoring the Constitution really hit favorably with Duane Lang of Hinton. He and his wife Arlene have narrowed their decision down between Dodd and former Senator John Edwards. The Langs met Dodd's wife Jackie when she came to Le Mars in August and were impressed by her. They'd seen Edwards when he came to town and they made an attempt to see Hillary.

"She was so damn late, that we didn't want to wait," said Lang of Hillary with a hearty laugh.

"I liked what he said, he's still in my corner," said Lang of Dodd after the Senator's remarks. "If he can get us back our Constitution, we've got it made."