I was very privileged to be part of a small group including Vice President Joe Biden saying farewell to Senator Chris Dodd on Monday night at the Irish Embassy in Washington.
I have known Chris Dodd for many years, spent time with him on many Irish occasions and saw up close his key work at a critical moment on the Irish peace process.
That was when he personally persuaded President Bill Clinton, during a golf outing, to take a chance on Gerry Adams coming to America.
Thus it was with sincere sadness that I went along to say a political goodbye to Dodd, one of the great Irish coterie of leaders on Capitol Hill over the last quarter century.
For Senator Chris Dodd the decision to step away from the U.S. senate came in communion with his old friend Ted Kennedy even though Ted had left this world.
It happened on Christmas Eve last year, in Arlington cemetery where he had gone for the first time to see the grave of his oldest and dearest friend.
It was at his graveside with the Washington he loved so dearly visible in the distance that Chris Dodd finally felt at peace with a decision to forego politics and create a new phase in his life.
It was no easy decision as he told us at a small farewell dinner at the Irish Embassy on Monday night. Between him and his father there was over fifty years of service to the country. There to pay homage was Vice President Joe Biden, a long time colleague in the senate
In the past two years alone Dodd, as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, had been on the battlements fighting for health care reform, Wall Street reform and the financial stimulus package.
His voice will be sorely missed as Senator Pat Leahy made clear in emotional remarks about his old friend
Dodd spoke to a group that included Ambassador Michael Collins, Biden. Vicki Kennedy. Ted's widow, Senator Leahy and Jean Kennedy Smith and Congressmen Peter King and Richie Neal.
He spoke of the fierce determination that drove he and Kennedy in their final years in office to pass health care reform.
Vicki Kennedy testified eloquently to the bruderbond between the two men.
When Ted got sick, she remembered, he had told her Dodd could deliver the health care reform package then in its final phase in the senate.The day it was passed was the happiest she could remember.
Dodd's wife Jackie read from a note she found in Dodd's archives from Kennedy after they had returned from a trip to Ireland together in the early 1990s.
In it Ted Kennedy spoke about rediscovering Ireland through the eyes of his old friend and how much that meant to him.
He wrote about St.Brendan, who many believe discovered North America before Columbus and how as he penned this note, sailing on a stormy sea off the coast of his beloved Hyannis Port, he wondered what horrors Brendan must have endured on his voyage a thousand years earlier. He resolved that he and his friend Chris Dodd would celebrate St.Brendan's Day every year.
Ambassador Michael Collins remembered Ted Kennedy's 76th birthday party held at the Ambassador's residence, shortly before he became ill and the 22 foot kayak he had delivered for Vicki's upcoming birthday earlier in the day to the consternation of embassy staff.
Like any good Irish party there was lots of singing as well. Vickie Kennedy became emotional as the soprano belted out 'When Irish Eyes are Smiling" and "Danny Boy" two of her husband's favorites.Chris Dodd too, wiped away a tear.
It was an Irish wake in a way but the body present was hale and hearty and still has so much to contribute. Senator Chris Dodd will leave the senate a poorer place for his departure.
How many of its current denizens could the same be said of?
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.CTRiver | Nov 23, 2010, 08:52 AM EST
Great article. Nice when the Irish recognize the accomplishments of others in the tribe. This man wrote the Family & Medical Leave Act that 100 million Americans have now used to be with a newborn or a sick family member. He would not meet with Adams until he renounced violence and then convinced President Clinton to give him the visa, which started the peace process. He was accused of unethical behavior, however the Republicans unanimously said that the accusation was false. It is time to recognize his service. He left doing more in the past two years than most politicians do in a lifetime. If those that are so negative here need family or medical leave or heaven forbid need their healthcare to be portable because of an illness or get charged too much by their credit card companies, I hope they don't take advantage of the laws Dodd wrote to remedy the situation. It is so easy to be a critic when you don't participate in the solutions. Dodd leaves the Senate one of the poorest members, he did not benefitpersonally from his service. He deserves the accolades.
Monsoonman | Nov 20, 2010, 01:26 PM EST
A crook is the same in any language. Dodd should be on trial for the damage he did to our country, but he is "retirement" is being mourned & he is being honored by the sheep who have had the wool pulled over their eyes.
justhimself | Nov 19, 2010, 11:25 AM EST
Hey Manhatten, Senator Dodd is an american, I am a naturalised US citizen, I am American, my two sons born here, are American, my grand daughter born here is American. If you want to hear one race critise another, go to Ireland, you will hear yanks put down all the time.
justhimself | Nov 19, 2010, 11:18 AM EST
AS e legal Irish immigrant,a Viet Nam era vet,40years of hard work, I used to feel like puking when my senator would say to the media my social security check is an ENTITLEMENT. now in my old age when I receive my social security check,I have to ask myself? DO I DESERVE THIS, I NEVER TOOK HAND OUTS.
MAYOLAD | Nov 19, 2010, 09:47 AM EST
A GREAT MAN, HE WILL BE MISSED IN WASHINGTON
pflynn70 | Nov 18, 2010, 05:29 PM EST
The man is just another horrible politician who saw the $$$$ signs and said to himself,"it's mine for the taking, everyone else is doing it" So rather than be a standard bearer of honesty he choose to be a thief. Good riddance!
maloney | Nov 18, 2010, 05:20 PM EST
southbend...you are right, every word.
Searlit | Nov 18, 2010, 01:54 PM EST
You sound like a lobbyist SouthBendNative.
SouthBendNative | Nov 18, 2010, 06:41 AM EST
Searlit, you are an idiot. Reagan had absolutely zero to do with the financial collapse. Dodd played a much bigger role than you will ever admit. Along with Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Acorn, with Bill Clinton turning a blind eye to their activities. Why is it that you leftists want to take all of the credit for positive things that you have nothing to do with, such as the surplus during the Clinton era, but none of the blame for what resulted from HIS policies? Face it, Clinton greased the skids for the financial meltdown with the CRA and allowing Jackson, Acorn and Sharpton to shake down the banks, who caved in fear of being labeled as racist for not lowering their lending criteria. Blaming Reagan is just about the dumbest thing I have ever seen posted on this site, which takes in a lot of territory.
hancock | Nov 17, 2010, 10:48 PM EST
Corrupt political hack, what he did for peace doesn't change that.
Searlit | Nov 17, 2010, 10:14 PM EST
I'll bet that those of you who blame Senator Dodd for bankrupting the country weren't old enough to know what was going on under the Reagan administration. It was Republicans that paved the way for the financial collapse. There were never many lobbyists until Reagan assumed office. One Senator on the Banking Committee couldn't control capitalism run amok. This collapse has been in the making for 30 years.
maloney | Nov 17, 2010, 07:45 PM EST
Good one newcanaan
willieboy | Nov 17, 2010, 07:25 PM EST
good-bye Mr. Sleaze...
newcanaan | Nov 17, 2010, 06:36 PM EST
he is respected countrywide :-)
peterson | Nov 17, 2010, 06:22 PM EST
I agree with Monsoonman He was bad for the U.S. !!
Monsoonman | Nov 17, 2010, 06:07 PM EST
"Let me ask did Dodd do something horrible to you?" Yes he helped bankrupt my country with asinine banking laws designed to give loans to those who would never repay them.....and the other liberal bookend says:"saving our economy from total collapse". He and his other in power forever cohorts, are who drove our country to financial collapse in the first place. Geesh.
patrickesq | Nov 17, 2010, 03:04 PM EST
The preceding comments to this article about Senator Dodd reflect the ideological divide in the US and elsewhere. People who can only view the world through their ideological lenses cannot concede the positive accomplishments of one who does not share their ideology. Senator Dodd may have had some shortcomings, but that would not negate what he did to help bring peace to the bloody fighting in Northern Ireland, passing major health care reform ,that will benefit millions of people, and saving our economy from total collapse. I recall Christ giving high marks for those who thirst for justice, were merciful and were instruments of peace.
manhattan | Nov 17, 2010, 02:22 PM EST
As usual, the Irish bashing the Irish. Good Lord do any of you ever have a decent thing to say about anyone? So you don't like Dodd or Kennedy this was a very nice column by Neil O'Dowd and you sourpusses ruin it. Let me ask did Dodd do something horrible to you? Have any you ever ever done anything for your country? Dodd helped with the peace process. If any one thinks of getting involved with helping Ireland come on Irish central and see what your in for. My Irish cousin in Kerry said this about her countrymen " If an Englishman was roasting an Irishman in a spit, he could always get another Irishman to help turn it."
moygannon | Nov 17, 2010, 01:54 PM EST
It must make the Senator, and President Clinton, feel good to know that they paved the way for a terrorist from Northern Ireland to enter the U.S. to gather money to continue the strife in Ulster. Glad he is gone.
investoranne | Nov 17, 2010, 12:32 PM EST
Chris Dodd's father left the senate in disgrace and Chris Dodd after following his father's footsteps in corruption, left the senate, I mean retired, when it became clear he would not be re-elected. Far for being a hero to those he represented Chris Dodd epitomized all that is wrong with lifetime tenure in public office.Term limits is the only and best solution. Then we will know the true value of public service.
Searlit | Nov 17, 2010, 11:50 AM EST
Politics is an art of doing what is possible between people who are at opposing ends of the spectrum, ideologically. I have followed Senator Dodd's career as a Senator and found him a steady supporter of civil rights, peace & prosperity. He was a fighter in the senate along with Ted Kennedy for health care and other human rights issues. During the eighties, when Americans turned against their own interests and voted for conservatives, Senator Dodd was still their representing, as well as he could, the people, even though there was a lack of support across the nation for American Idealism. Many people had grown apathetic, they felt they had no voice. The sad thing is that if people don't vote and support the candidates that do represent their best interests - it can become a self-fulfilling prophesy. I can say, I have always supported Senator Chris Dodd, and am sad to see him leave the Senate.
irishfez | Nov 17, 2010, 10:41 AM EST
That's a nice piece, it's good to see that there is still an Irish 'group' still left in US politics!
Monsoonman | Nov 17, 2010, 10:01 AM EST
30 years of service? We use that term on the farm quite frequently and that's exactly what dodd did to the American taxpayers.
maloney | Nov 17, 2010, 09:31 AM EST
The bum is leaving politics because he couldn't be re-elected as he had lost the support of the people and couldn't face losing. He left before he was brought up on ethics charges of sweetheart mortgage loans & Freddie & Fannie corruption. He was run out of polotics & should have been run out of town. Tell the truth o'dowd.
MikeRock | Nov 17, 2010, 09:05 AM EST
DITTO!!!! Good Riddance.
peterrocco | Nov 17, 2010, 06:55 AM EST
good ridance to a man who sold out Irish unity and became a proper Brit. glad to see him go.
Rebelforce | Nov 16, 2010, 11:34 PM EST
Thirty years of service (1981-2011) in the US Senate representing not just the people of Connecticut, but in a sense Irish-Americans across the country as well. During all those years, whenever I have thought of worthy and outstanding Irish-Americans in public life, Chris Dodd's name was always high on the list.