Firefighters Union To Endorse Dodd

By David Lightman, The Hartford Courant, Conn.

Aug. 28–WASHINGTON — The International Association of Fire Fighters Wednesday will endorse Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd for the presidency, an important boost to his underdog campaign.

The 280,000-member union, whose backing was sought by most major candidates, will provide Dodd with an instant network of local workers throughout the country as well as some potential for more fundraising.

The union, which in 2004 endorsed Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, has long been close to Dodd, who wrote major legislation in 1999 to provide more federal dollars for training and equipment. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he pushed for state and local grants that would allow fire departments to hire more personnel.

IAFF President Harold Schaitberger, a well-known figure in political and Washington insider circles, is expected to make the announcement today at a downtown hotel. Dodd will then immediately embark on a multi-state tour with firefighters, who are particularly active in New Hampshire, the nation’s first primary state.

For Dodd, the endorsement was gratifying because it comes at the end of a summer when he’s spent day after day stumping in Iowa, New Hampshire and other key states but continues to lag far back in most polls.

“I feel great,” he said today. “We’ve now got a good, small army who’s going to be helping us in these states.”

Dodd had appeared at a March IAFF forum along with other candidates from both parties who are seeking the nomination. He received six standing ovations and Schaitberger declared, “In Dodd We Trust.”

Only former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who has been at odds with the union, was absent. Schaitberger had outlined his complaints with Giuliani before the forum, saying the candidate had treated firefighters badly.

Since then, the union has distributed a 13-minute video detailing its complaints.

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