Dodd's '08 Advantage

I caught up with Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, who announced Monday that he's doing everything necessary to "seek the presidency in 2008," early yesterday morning as he was convincing his 4-year-old, Grace, that she had to wash her hair. I asked how you could run for president with two little children. "There's never a good time but at this age, Jackie (his wife) and I can bring them along," he said. "It's easier than with teenagers."

Of the 11 people considering a presidential bid in 2008, Dodd has one great advantage: He doesn't have to position -- or reposition -- himself each morning. While many in his party are straining to color themselves red, wishing to be reborn in a border state, Dodd's a traditional Democrat from way north of the Mason-Dixon line and happy about it. "I'm a Sam Rayburn Democrat -- without prefix, suffix, or apology," Dodd said, recalling that former Senator Dale Bumpers forgave him for being a "a northerner because he had a southern sense of humor."

Read the whole column here.