Hopes to Ignite Campaign
IAFF Lights Dodd's Fire

By ARI PAUL

The International Association of Fire Fighters, which four years ago revived John Kerry's sputtering primary hopes and played a pivotal role in his winning the Democratic nomination for President, Aug. 29 gambled on an even bigger long shot by endorsing U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut.

ALL FIRED UP: U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd responds enthusiastically to the endorsement of the International Association of Fire Fighters, hoping it can vault him into the first flight of Democratic contenders for President just as the union helped revive the flagging hopes of John Kerry four years ago. Looking on to the Connecticut Senator's right is IAFF President Harold Schaitberger.

In doing so, the IAFF surprised many who had assumed it would back the Democratic front-runner, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has been a powerful champion of firefighter issues since 9/11.

'Dodd a Cut Above'

"We recognized that there are a host of good friends of labor in this race," said IAFF Chief of Staff Peter L. Gorman, who added that the union interviewed the other candidates. "Chris Dodd was just clearly a cut above the other candidates, without saying anything negative about the other candidates."

Mr. Gorman noted that while Senator Clinton, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and other candidates seeking the presidency have pro-labor voting records, the union's vice presidents voted unanimously to endorse Senator Dodd because he was known for writing, sponsoring and fighting for legislation benefiting firefighters and workers.

"His record of leadership on issues that have helped American workers not just keep their heads above water, but to get ahead, is long and distinguished," IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger said in a statement. "It tells us a lot about the kind of President he will make and [is] why we believe he can win."

After the union officially gave Senator Dodd its approval at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, it spent the following three days at events with Senator Dodd in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, three of the earliest primary states.

UFA, UFOA Still Neutral

The IAFF's affiliated unions here, the Uniformed Firefighters Association and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, are not bound by the endorsement.

UFA President Steve Cassidy did not comment on the choice. Mr. Cassidy previously had a high-profile breakfast meeting with possible Republican candidate and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson in Manhattan a day after the IAFF released its video accusing former Mayor Rudy Giuliani of failed leadership on 9/11. The union endorsed President Bush in 2004 when both the IAFF and the UFOA supported his Democratic rival, Senator Kerry.

The UFOA has not announced an endorsement for the 2006 presidential race.

Lags in Polls

In Quinnipiac University's latest poll, Senator Dodd ranked eighth among the Democratic candidates, finishing behind Ohio U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

Senator Dodd's campaign noted, however, that the IAFF's support helped Senator Kerry win his party's nomination in 2004.

"Firefighters have proven that they know how to win in the early states, and are set to go to work to help Chris Dodd," Senator Dodd's campaign communications director, Hari Sevugan, said in a statement.

Del Ali, president of the Maryland-based polling firm Research 2000, contended that because Senator Dodd probably won't win his party's nomination, the IAFF's endorsement could help the Republican nominee, because he or she could say that the Democratic nominee did not have the initial support of the firefighters' union.

Maurice Carroll, the president of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute, didn't see the endorsement as having a positive or negative effect on Senator Dodd's chances.

"Nothing's going to make him President," Mr. Carroll said. "It's a nice tribute to a good guy in the single digits."