Connecticut's Unpopular Senators

MANIFESTO

The Courant this morning takes a look at how the Constitution State's US senators' approval ratings have taken a nose dive.

The poll by The Courant and the Center for Survey Research and Analysis at the University of Connecticut found that 48 percent of residents disapprove and 42 percent approve of [Senator Christopher] Dodd, a Democrat.

The numbers are worse for Lieberman, a self-described "independent Democrat": 53 percent disapprove and 41 percent approve of his performance ...

"I'm not terribly surprised by it," Dodd said Monday night. "People are angry. This is the most difficult time economically in my political life."

That is just so much crapola: Voters in Connecticut aren't upset by economics vis-à-vis Dodd. Rather, they're irked at the subterfuge he's evinced regarding the sweetheart deals he made with various financial entities. He still refuses to come clean about the matters, charitably stating that he'll decide when he'll be forthcoming about his dishonesty.

Holy Joe, who "could not be reached for comment" regarding his approval ratings, is, of course, beyond the pale.

Here's the problem, however: Neither of these dinosaurs is up for re-election this year. Dodd runs again in 2010—and, I suspect, even though he'll be running for (in best Lewis Black imitation) his sixth freakin' term, he'll run again at age 66—and we're stuck with our junior senator until, God help us, 2012.