My Oath of Office

As required by Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, Members of Congress are bound to support the Constitution. We take the following oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."

As the representatives of the American people, our job is in many ways quite simple: to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." There's no question in my mind that Democrats were given a majority in both the House and the Senate based on their promises to change the course of the country. We were elected to strengthen the nation by ending this war, restoring our standing in the world and returning the nation to an adherence to the rule of law. An integral part of that mandate was to reverse and stop the Bush Administration's assault on the Constitution.

Yet, we today are faced with the possibility that the Senate will see a renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that enables the Bush Administration to broadly eavesdrop on American citizens and provides for retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that helped them violate civil liberties and the law.

The Constitution of the United States belongs to the American people, not to the Bush administration. It is our responsibility as Senators and Congressmen to stand up and fight for it.

That's why I announced last week that I would put a "hold" on any FISA reform legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies -- and why, if my hold is not honored for some reason by the Senate Leadership, I pledge to filibuster to stop telecom amnesty from becoming law.

The need to honor our oath of office isn't limited to defending the Constitution. Anyone who has paid attention these last five years knows that there is no military solution in Iraq. We will be more safe and more secure when we get our troops out of Iraq. To continue on this failed course, to continue to fund our involvement in Iraq's civil war is, in my opinion, a dereliction of our oath of office as well.

The path forward is clear: it's time for Congress to set a date certain for withdrawal from Iraq and tie it to funding. If I could, I'd say we start bringing our troops home tonight to the heroes welcome they deserve. At the same time, we have to act to defend the rule of law and support the Constitution.

The truth is, I never thought I'd be running for President on a platform of restoring the Constitution and America's standing in the world or something as elementary as honoring the oath of office we take. But with our security at risk, we haven't any other choice. I haven't forgotten the words I first uttered on January 4th, 1975 and I will dedicate myself to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic until I take the oath of office on January 20, 2009 - this time, as the President of the United States. I hope you'll stand with me and ask your Senators to do the same as they consider further funding for the war in Iraq and retroactive immunity for telecom companies.

Learn more about my campaign at ChrisDodd.com.

Follow Sen. Chris Dodd on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenChrisDodd

Comments

[OfficialA]

Finally, someone willing to go Carville one better: "It's the Constitution, Stupid!"

Thank you, Sen. Dodd. You've got my support!

[GregNewYork]

Chris Dodd.... where the hell is the outrage against Hillary Clinton over this CHINESE MAFIA ELECTION CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION SCANDAL?

I mean come on.. anyone with 2 bits of street knowledge can see right through the explanation and clearly see that these 'Chinatown Waiters' gave Cash / Funds given to them by un-named Chinese Street Organizers , aka MAFIA to then give to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

I have to wonder.. what industry will either be 'let free to do what they want under another Clinton Dynasty in the White House' or ... 'What industry will wind up being sucked out of the US economy and sent over the Communist China' as a result of these ULTRA SUSPICIOUS Mega Donations by people living with 4 other people in 1 room apartments in Crummy run down buildings in ChinaTown?

[Kansas Evans]

Talk as long as you need to, Dodd. I'm sure someone (like the other presidential candidates) will be pressured to bring you some water.

Seriously. Good job, Dodd! Keep it up!

[provgrays]

Kansas Evans, would you call a United States Senator by his last name if you were standing in front of him?

[Kansas Evans]

Sorry, provgrays. Didn't realize I needed to be so formal.

[Jackiegpt]

Thank you Senator Dodd for showing some leaderhip where it is most deperately required! I went on your website and contributed, if you actually fillibuster I will contribute again.
Please continue to take action on this issue.

Why are the other presidential contenders that are in the Senators so silent on this issue?

[ghostsofamerica]

Thank you, sincerely, Senator Dodd.

You have my gratitude and respect.

I hope you know how much we all care about our constitutional freedoms and respect and admire you for standing up for us.


YOU are the true American hero today.

[ghostsofamerica]

Moveon.org and top bloggers and true American patriots, citizens and lovers of freedom everywhere knew from the first moment that Bush's war on Terror was a simple marketing reframing of Orwell's 1984 NEVERENDING WAR, or fascism, totalitarianism, mindbending.

The constitutution is worth defending, always. It is what we have in writing that we are free from the fascists, monach-maniac Neadrathal rule of bloodthirsty tryants.

Moveon.org deserves lots of praise and money to fund more tv time to tell people about Senator Dodd's great moment, and that we the people still own this country, while Bushco. and corporate militarism, along with fatherland insecurity is the way of the beast.

Ben Franklin said it best: "Those who would give up their essential liberties for a false sense of safety to tryants deserves neither."

Read or watch Naomi Klein,about disaster capitialism or what I refer to as disaster fascism.
THE SHOCK DOCTRINE,

http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/short-film

The Century of the Self

The best documentary ever!! A masterpiece from BBC4 that shows the reality of the american identity !!


Edward Bernays, the Father of Propaganda, and the master of the fascism machine:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2637635365191428174

[NicoleAnonymous]

I read the interview with you yesterday in the NYT magazine - thank you for telling us that story about your father and his letters!

It was very touching - he must have been an amazing person.

[Give Peace A Chance]

I thought Gore was going to enter the race to restore rights and liberty that our forefathers fought and died for and for the troops who are mislead into believing they doing so today in Iraq.

While Hillary had a fake conversation and a laugh, I thought, Gore would show how insignificant she is to our future.

Well Gore isn't coming to this calling, even though he wrote a wonderful book, "The Assault on Reason". He apparently has too much to do on the Global Warming Crisis.

Senator Dobb, you have your own book about your father's work on the Nuremberg trials. If you are willing to fight for a government that is for and by the people. I'm willing to meet you on the battlefield.

[WaterRat]

Overlooked in all this political "We'll do this, " and "we'll do that..."
...is
What will you do about the two U.S. Border Patrol agents?
You know, the two that winged a drug dealer after a chase.
That's right, he then got diplomatic immunity of some sort to come back to the States to testify against the two.
Seems besides winging him, they had damaged his civil rights.
Whilst all of the puffin' goes on about Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Israel, seems too bad these two Border Patrol officers are entombed in a damnable dungeon, whilst the druggie is bouncing back across the border.
Ten to 12 years for winging a drug dealer?
Bush thought Scooter's sentence of a few months "too harsh." But as for the Agents, "justice will run its course."
One day, perhaps a year or two from now, we might be able to look back at the joys this administration has given this country.
Perhaps Senator Dodd and a few good men will be able to free the two agents, and free our country again from these travesties of justice.

[FW]

more power too you!!

[FW]

More power to you!!

[PADDYWHACK]

The American Constitution is much admired and copied overseas but at home Cheney has tired of it.If you make a stand I will contribute.

[don]

Whenever Senator Dodd discusses the Constitution with President Bush, he should refer to it as "that God damn piece of paper," as Bush is purported to have called it. That way, he can be sure that they are talking about the same document.

Congress needs to assert their war making powers by declaring peace. Endless war is unsustainable and undesirable. The unitary executive is stacked up on presidential war powers. No war, no unitary executive. There are other, saner ways to counter terrorism that don't entail an executive branch run amok and destruction of our form of government.

[BalancedEgg]

It has become painfully obvious that the majority of congress both R & D are beholden to the corporate overlords. LIke good sheep, they flock and bray waiting patiently for the next financial feeding. The good cop/bad cop game that they play on the left and the right cannot hold up when exposed to the light of truth. A few people corrupted by the sirens of power and money is to be expected. The complete sell out of the United States by the current congress has broadsided the country and will be the subject of may books yet to be written regarding the imminent fall of the American empire.
Constitutional law has been eroded to the benefit of lobbyist, CEOs and career politicians alike. None of the current power mongers in DC are immune to the temptations and all have eaten of the fruit. American Greed is the new store brand and for the hardworking American, the lower shelves are empty.

[bocalou]

Amen BE! The body of congress stinks from the head down, and the head is big money. Money has the election system rigged to keep two parties who are nothing but opposite sides of the same coin in power. Whoever we vote for has already been paid off! Where's the democracy is voting for the lesser of evils?

[springsm]

My guess is that Senators Dodd, Byrd and maybe Leahy are some of the very few that even KNOW the Constitution and how it is. Most don't and I bet none of the Representatives know it. So they go their own way pandering to the corporations of this country, china, japan, saudi arabia and mexico. Fight on, Mr. Dodd and if you don't get to the WH..please continue the fight.

[Sundialsvc4]

Senator Dodd, I earnestly implore you and all of your colleagues in both houses:

"Fulfill your Oath Of Office NOW!"

A solitary light burns brightly in the Christ Church Tower tonight: "One If By Land." The enemy is entrenched within the most hallowed halls of our Government; within all three Branches. "Awake! Awake!"

[thromulese]

It is indeed a sad sad day in America when congress actually may pass a bill that would retroactively decriminalize the criminal actions of our king george and the phone company tools he used to spy on all Americans.

What is really scary is that so few congress people are willing to stand up for our constitution. We do not need our enemies to destroy everything America has stood for, our congress, with the direction of king george are doing a fine job of that.

This should be of little surprise since this congress loudly protested torture only to cave and give our torture-loving king all he wanted. Now we have codified torture into US law. And a king that claims we do not torture. Yea, right george, just like Saddam had WMDs. How quaint.

Now, we are no better than the likes of china, north Korea, or any other oppressive country. In fact we have more people in prison than ANY other country. We are in a race to the bottom with bush driving and the dems in the back seat picking their noses and asking if we are there yet.

Thank you Mr. Dodd for standing up for our constitution and our laws.