Dodd Keeps Campaign Alive During Christmas

December 25, 2007 9:40 p.m. EST

Des Moines, IA (AHN) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) continued working to keep his struggling campaign alive during Christmas even as his rivals went on a two-day break for the holiday.

Dodd was the only White House contender to hold an event on Monday and Tuesday, when downtown Des Moines was suddenly free of the raucous noise of politics.

On Christmas Eve, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee visited a park shelter and filled boxes with presents and goodies together with his wife and two daughters. The packages were sent to Iowa National Guardsmen in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Well hello, everybody. Merry Christmas!" Dodd told the crowd of about 50 people who came to see him for the event. "I'm sorry I didn't bring Oprah and Bill Clinton along. But I brought Jackie and the girls. They're my celebrities."

Dodd, who took up residence with his family in Iowa last month to strengthen his struggling campaign, has been going around the the Hawkeye State on a "Twelve Days of Results" tour. The blitz, which refers to the "Twelve Days of Christmas," features the five-term senator's programs such as "Results To Protect Homeowners."

On Christmas Day, Dodd invited reporters to go ice skating with him, his family and staffers. The unofficial event was followed by hot chocolate at Dodd's rented 1929 Tudor home.

Dodd last month said in an interview that he was relying on this campaign's unusual if not awkward schedule of having the primary season open so near the holidays.

"The earlier caucus date, particularly the proximity to that and the holiday season is going to add a dimension to this that we haven't really thought about in the past," Dodd told the Associated Press. "I think there may be one more, there may be four tickets out."

Caucuses in Iowa on January 3 begin the presidential nominating contests.