I’M STEVE KOTCHKO.
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF “ON THE RECORD."
FIRST, A LOOK AT THIS WEEK’S STATE HEADLINES:
REPUBLICAN GOVERNORJODI RELL OFFERS A NEW STATE BUDGET WITH DEEPER SPENDING CUTS AND NO NEW TAXES, HOPING TO JUMPSTART BIPARTISAN BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE THE COMING LEGISLATIVE ADJOURNMENT.
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE NOT IMPRESSED.
OFFICIALS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST ASK GOVERNOR RELL TO RECONSIDER HER EXPECTED VETO OF A BILL ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY IN CONNECTICUT, SAYING IT IS WRONG FOR THE STATE TO COMMIT EXECUTIONS.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RICHARD BLUMENTHAL STAYS BUSY FIGHTING EVERYTHING FROM SEX ADS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES TO FINANCIALLY-TROUBLED AUTOMAKERS TRYING TO CLOSE DOWN CONNECTICUT CAR DEALERSHIPS.
BLUMENTHAL IS THE GUEST TODAY IN OUR NEWSMAKER SEGMENT.
AND, A NEW QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL TESTS VOTER SENTIMENT ON POLITICS AND ISSUES.
WE’LL GET THE DETAILS FROM POLLSTER DOUG SCHWARTZ IN OUR ROUNDTABLE SEGMENT.
THOSE ARE THE HEADLINES, PLEASE STAY WITH US.
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>> AND MY GUEST THIS WEEK IN OUR NEWSMAKER SEGMENT IS ATTORNEY GENERAL RICHARD BLUMENTHAL.
DICK, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A HOST OF STATE ISSUES, BUT BEFORE THAT, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A NATIONAL STORY THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA'S APPOINTMENT OF FEDERAL JUDGE FEDERAL JUDGE SOCIETY TOME OR, AS NOMINEE, ON THE SUPREME COURT.
DO YOU KNOW THIS JUDGE?
>> I KNOW JUDGE SOTOMAYOR FROM HAVING APPEARED BEFORE HER, AS WELL AS HAVING MET HER IN FORMALLY.
I THINK HER CHANCES ARE EXCELLENT, BECAUSE SHE'S VERY WELL QUALIFIED.
PUT ASIDE THE HISTORIC ASPECTS OF HER NOMINATION, THE FIRST LATINA AND A WOMAN.
SHE'S A PERSON OF GREAT INTELLIGENCE AND ENERGY AND VERY CHALLENGING.
>> IS SHE THE KINDS OF JUDGE THAT MAKES A LAWYER SWEAT?
>> SHE IS, INDEED.
THERE'S A SAYING AMONG LAWYERS THAT AN ACTIVE PANEL IS A 409 BENCH.
AND SHE IS A VERY ACTIVE, INTENSE QUESTIONER.
VERY SMART.
NOBODY GOES BEFORE HER UNPREPARED, EXPECTING TO BE GIVEN A PASS, NO MATTER HOW EMINENT OR DISTINGUISHED.
AND I THINK SHE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
>> AND YOU THINK SHE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER QUESTIONS THE SENATE HAS FOR HER IN HER CONFIRMATION HEARINGS.
>> I BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL BE VERY WELL PREPARED.
YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CONFIRMATION PROCESS NOW HAS BECOME A KIND OF ART IN AND OF ITSELF.
AND THE AMOUNT OF PREPARATION THAT WENT INTO HER NOMINATION, IF YOU READ SOME OF THE STORIES, AND I HAPPY TO KNOW QUITE WELL THE PRESIDENT'S COUNSEL GREG CRAIG WHO WAS INVOLVED IN VETTING AND SO FORTH, THERE IS A LENGTHY, SEVERAL MONTH-LONG PROCESS THAT LEAD TO HER NOMINATION.
SHE'S ALREADY BEEN CLEARED THROUGH A NUMBER OF VERY STEEP HURDLES.
>> IN THESE TIMES WE LIVE IN, BEYOND THE OFFICIAL VETTING THAT WAY, PRIOR TO THE NOMINATION, AND THEN THE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, YOU HAVE THE VETTING THAT GOES ON, AND CONFIRMATION OR NONCONFIRMATION?
THE GENERAL MEDIA.
IS SHE STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THAT?
OTHER JUDGES HAVE COME UP AGAINST THAT MEDIA HEAT AND BY THE TIME THEY GET TO CONFIRMATION HEARING THEY ARE ALREADY BEAT NEWSPAPER AND THERE WILL BE THAT SAME PROCESS HERE.
ALREADY IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS, THERE ARE PEOPLE QUOTED ABOUT HOW SHE WAS VERY DIRECT IN HER QUESTIONS TO THEM, MAYBE EVEN HOSTILE, HER PAST STATEMENTS WHICH ARE NOW WELL-KNOWN.
SOME OF THEM I AM SURE SHE WOULD RATHER TAKE BACK IN HER CAREER, AS WE ALL WOULD ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE SAID IN LIFE.
AND I THINK SHE WILL BE VOTED VERY SEVERELY AND CLOSELY AND GIVEN THAT KIND OF SCRUTINY.
BUT IN THE END, SHE WILL PREVAIL AND REALLY DO SO VERY HANDILY, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE IS A VERY INTELLECTUALLY ABLE PERSON OF GREAT INTEGRITY, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THAT ALL THE FACTS ARE AS WE KNOW THEM NOW AND THERE'S NO HIDDEN TAX PROBLEM OR SOMETHING OF THAT FINANCIAL NATURE, I THINK SHE WILL DO FINE.
>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT AN ISSUE IN THE NEWS THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AFTER THE BOSTON MURDERER OF A WOMAN WHO WAS KILLED BY A CLIENT WHO RESPONDED TO A SEX AD SHE HAD ON CRAIG'S LIST, A POPULAR SOCIAL NETWORKING WEB SIDE.
YOU AND OTHER ATTORNEYS SAID SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT WEBSITE AND IN RESPONSE CRAIG'S LIST SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH THE EROTIC SERVICES AREA AND CREATE A NEW ASSAULT SERVICES AREA THAT WAS TO BE MORE RESTRICTED.
INITIALLY YOU HAILED THAT DEVELOPMENT AS A GOOD RESPONSE.
BUT IN RECENT DAYS YOU HAVE BEEN -- I WON'T SAY CRITICAL, BUT MORE SCRUTINY, YOU THINK, IS NECESSARY.
ARE YOU FEARFUL THAT CRAIG'S LIST SAID THEY WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING, SO TO SPEAK HERE, BECAUSE THEY WERE RESPONDING TO INTENSE MEDIA PRESSURE?
BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY NEGATIVE STORY FOR THEM.
A MURDER WAS COMMITTED HERE AND THEY WERE LINKED TO IT IN AN INDIRECT WAY, THAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND THEY HOPED THE MEDIA CLAIRE IS REMOVED AND THEY CAN GO BACK TO DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL AND NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE REFORMS THEY HAVE PROMISED.
>> WE HAVE BEEN REVIEWING CRAIG'S LIST FOR TWO YEARS IN MY OFFICE.
MORE THAN 40 ATTORNEYS NOW.
I HAVE HAD AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SOME SEVEN THAT HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE ON THIS ISSUE.
WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THAT LEAD TO CRAIG'S LIST REQUIRING PHONE NUMBERS, AND CREDIT CARDS, AND MAKING OTHER REFORMS, WHICH WERE INSUFFICIENT.
WE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE HERE EVEN BEFORE CRAIG'S LIST AGREED MOST RECENTLY, TO ELIMINATE THE EROTIC SERVICES SECTION AND ESTABLISH, INSTEAD, AN ADULT SERVICES SECTION.
AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, TO MANLY SCREEN THESE AD IS TO ELIMINATE PROSTITUTION AND PORNOGRAPHY OF THE MOST FLAKE RANT TIME.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS SOME PROSTITUTION ADS.
THEY ARE STILL THERE.
MORE SUBTLE, SOMETIMES DISGUISED, USING CODE WORDS, AND THE PORNOGRAPHY HAS BEEN LARGELY ELIMINATED, BUT THERE ARE SOME VISUAL IMAGES THAT SOME MAY FIND PRETTY CLOSE TO OFFENSIVE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND THAT'S THE REASON WE ARE CANNING THESE QUESTIONS OF CRAIG'S LIST, THAT THEY ARE DOING MORE THAN JUST CHANGING THE NAME FROM EROTIC SERVICES TO ADULT, AND THAT THEY REALLY ARE IMPLEMENTING THE MEASURES THEY PROMISED.
WE WANT TO KNOW GOOD FAITH BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THEY CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO OTHER SITES.
AT LEAST THREE OTHERS ARE IN OUR SIGHTS.
>> THIS IS A BUSINESS, AND WHATEVER CRAIG'S LIST OR THESE WEBSITES TELL YOU OR OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, I AM SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THEIR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT SAY DON'T GO TOO FAR WITH THIS, THIS IS A MONEY-MAKING PROPOSITION FOR US AND IF WE ARE OVERLY RESTRICTIVE IN WHAT WE DO, THE INTERNET IS WIDE OPEN.
THERE ARE OTHER WEBSITES THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS BUSINESS AWAY FROM US, AND DON'T LET THOSE ATTORNEYS GENERAL CAUSE US TO LOSE THIS REVENUE.
>> I THINK PORNOGRAPHY IS NOT A PART OF THEIR MAJOR BUSINESS MODEL.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REALLY MAKE MONEY FROM PROSTITUTION.
IT'S MORE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SITTING IN JUDGMENT AND BE PERCEIVED AS CENSORING.
BECAUSE THE INTERNET HAS BEEN ALWAYS A PRETTY WIDE-OPEN PLACE WITH A CULTURE OF ALMOST ANYTHING GOES.
THIS COMPANY, AS INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE AS IT HAS BEEN IN PROVIDING A COUNTRYWIDE, A NATIONAL CLASSIFIED SECTION, SO TO SPEAK, WANTS TO AVOID SORT OF SEEMING TO KOWTOW TO AUTHORITY.
I THINK THERE'S A CULTURAL --
>> LET'S GO TO THAT POINT.
NOT TO STICK UP FOR MY FRIENDS IN THE NEWSPAPER TRADE, BUT THE LOSS OF CLASSIFIED ADS, AT MAJOR NEWSPAPERS IN THIS COUNTRY TO PLACES LIKE CRAIG'S LIST HAS BEEN A MAJOR BLOW TO THEM FINANCIALLY.
WHEN YOU PRINT AN AD IN THE NEWSPAPER, OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS TO BE SCRUTINY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE OBSCENE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SALACIOUS.
THERE IS AN EDITORIAL PROCESS THAT GOES ON THERE THAT PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE THERE BECAUSE OF THE WILD AND WOOLLY NATURE OF THE INTERNET, AS YOU HAVE SAID.
DO YOU THINK THAT IN SOME WAYS THE INTERNET HAS BECOME TOO FREE IN ALLOWING THESE KINDS OF THINGS AND IS THERE ANY WAY IT CAN BE REINED IN, AND IS THE VERY NATURE OF IT OR PROTECTION BY CONGRESS JUST NEVER GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN?
>> YOU RAIDS A VERY GOOD POINT.
THERE IS A FEDERAL PROTECTION FOR THESE INTERNET SITES THAT IS VIRTUALLY UNPRECEDENTED FOR ANYONE ELSE.
IT'S THE COMMUNITY DECENCY ACT, COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT PROTECTION WHICH SAYS, IN EFFECT, THE SITE ITSELF, LIKE CRAIG'S LIST, CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ILLEGALITIES OF ADVERTISERS, OR SPEECH ON ITS SIDE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN GO AFTER -- AND WE DO GO AFTER PROSTITUTION.
WE GO AFTER THE PIMPS, AND THE PROSTITUTES, AND PORNOGRAPHERS, BUT CRAIG'S LIST CAN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABILITY.
THESE KINDS OF OBLIGATIONS ARE MORAL ON CRAIG'S LIST PART AND THERE ARE ALSO LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, AND WE HAVE MADE CLEAR WE WILL ENFORCE THEM.
REMEMBER, PROSTITUTION IS RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CHILD EXPLOITATION AND OTHER CRIMINALITY.
WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> LET ME MOVE TO ANOTHER ISSUE.
THE AUTOMAKERS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE EITHER IN BANKRUPTCY OR ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO HELP THEM COME OUT OF THAT AND SURVIVE.
BUT FROM WHAT I READ BY YOUR NEWS RELEASES, YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT BELOW THE HEADLINE ISSUES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO CHRYSLER OR G.M., THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES BELOW THAT THAT COULD AFFECT CONSUMERS AND AUTO DEALERS.
SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU ARE INTO THESE DAYS ON THAT ISSUE.
>> I AM CONCERNED, IN FACT, I AM OUTRAGED THAT CHRYSLER IS ON THE VERGE OF RECEIVING BASICALLY IMMUNITY, A SHIELD FOR RESPONSIBILITY OF DEFECTIVE VEHICLES SOLD BEFORE THE BANKRUPTCY.
THEY ARE BEING GIVEN A WAS THAT NO OTHER MANUFACTURER WOULD EVER EXPECT FOR A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.
>> WHY IS THAT?
>> WELL, I SUPPOSE, FIRST, BECAUSE THEY HAVE ASKED FOR IT.
AND, SECOND, BECAUSE OF THEIR VERY DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS.
AND THEY FEEL THEY SHOULDN'T BE HELD FOR THE PASSED PRODUCTS.
BUT THE FACT IS THERE ARE CLEAR LEGAL PRINCIPLES APPLIED EVERY DAY IN BANKRUPTCY, SUCCESSOR LIABILITY IS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE DOCTRINES, THAT MAKE COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE WHEN THEY EMERGE FROM BANKRUPTCY UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP, FOR THE LIABILITIES OF THE PREDECESSOR COMPANY.
SO MY VIEW IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS, MOST TROUBLINGLY, ARE BEING USED TO BAIL OUT CHRYSLER.
AND THE NEW CHRYSLER WILL REFUSE TO PAY OBLIGATIONS THAT HAVE HARMED THE TAXPAYERS THEMSELVES.
IN OTHER WORDS, TAXPAYERS BAIL THEM OUT AND THEY ARE THE ONES HARMED BY THIS.
>> WHAT ABOUT G.M.?
THEY ARE NOT REVEALING WHAT DEALERSHIPS THEY WANT TO CLOSE DOWN, RIGHT?
>> AND WE THINK CUSTOMERS AND DEALERS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW.
IF THE DEALERSHIP WON'T SAY, G.M. SHOULD SAY.
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF REASONS THAT CAR BUYERS WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THAT DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO BE IN EXISTENCE TO SERVICE IT, WHETHER OR NOT THE WARRANTY WILL BE ENFORCEABLE THROUGH THAT DEALERSHIP.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW.
>> ANOTHER AREA, GOVERNOR RELEVANT THIS WEEK IN A SUPPLEMENT TARRY BUDGET SAID SHE WANTED TO RAISE MONEY IN CONNECTICUT BY ALLOWING A GAMBLING GAME CALLED KENO.
THE HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTATIVE DARDEN HAS WRITTEN YOU A LETTER ASKING YOU ABOUT THE LEGALITIES OF KENO.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON IT.
>> MY INITIAL TAKE IS THE REVENUE CONSEQUENCES ARE VERY SUBSTANTIAL.
THE RISKS, REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COMPACT AND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MOHICANS TRIBAL NATION THAT SAYS NO ADDITIONAL GAMBLING OR GAMES CAN BE UNDERTAKEN, SO THE RISK IS --
>> UNDERTAKEN BY THEM OR THE STATE?
>> BY ANOTHER PERSON IS THE EXACT WORDING.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WILL BE, THAT WE HAVE TO ANSWER, WHETHER THE STATE IS ANOTHER PERSON.
>> THE STATE ALREADY HAS LOT TOES.
SUPPOSE THE STATE SAYS, LOOK, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER LOTTO OFFERING.
>> THE LOTTERY CORPORATION HAS MADE THAT ARGUMENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTIES THIS STORY AND DIFFICULT LEGAL ISSUES AND WE WILL BE ANSWERING THEM LITERALLY IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
>> YOU ARE SAYING, WHATEVER THE REVENUE PROSPECTS ARE FOR THIS, THEY HAVE RANGED FROM $20 MILLION TO $60 MILLION A YEAR, COULD BE OUTWEIGHED BY OTHER LEGAL CONSEQUENCES, IF, FOR INSTANCE, THE CASINOS CHALLENGE YOU AND PUT THE WHOLE CASINO COMPACT ISSUE AT PLAY?
>> PUTTING THE COMPACT AT PLAY MEANS PUTTING AT RISK THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE RECEIVED FROM THE SLOT MACHINES, WE RECEIVED 25% OF THE REVENUE FROM ALL THE SLOT MACHINES, IF THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS PUT AT RISK FOR THE $20 MILLION TO $80,348 THAT COMES FROM THE KENO GAMES, NEWLY INSTITUTED, IT COULD BE A BAD BARGAIN FOR THE STATE.
>> HOW SOON ARE YOU GOING TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON THIS?
>> WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
>> GAS PRICES IN CONNECTICUT GOING UP AGAIN AND YOU ARE INVESTIGATING AGAIN, DO YOU SEE SOMETHING NEFARIOUS HERE OTHER THAN THE SEASONAL CHANGES.
>> I THINK BEYOND THE SEASONAL CHANGES, LET'S LOOK AT SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
DEMAND IS STABLE, MAYBE SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
>> OIL PRICES HAVE BEEN GOING UP, CRUDE OIL PRICES.
>> CRUDE OIL PRICES HAVE BEEN RISING, LARGELY THE RESULT, ONCE AGAIN, OF SPECULATION, EVEN POSSIBLE MANIPULATION, AS HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE LAST SPIKE HIKES.
I WARNED OF IT.
PEOPLE SAID, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEMAND IN CHINA.
IT'S REFINERY HE BEING DOWN.
IT'S THE COST OF SHIPPING.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE'S NO FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC REASON, BECAUSE INVENTORIES ARE VERY HIGH.
THE SUPPLY IS ADEQUATE.
DEMAND IS PRETTY MUCH STABLE.
WE DON'T HAVE AN INCREASE IN USE JUST YET.
YET, PRICES ARE RISING, I THINK IN THE EXPECTATION OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
>> CAN ONE ATTORNEY GENERAL DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, OR DO YOU THINK YOU NEEDS TO TAKE TO YOUR FRIENDS IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION?
I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO FRIENDS IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, I TALKED TO THE S.E.C. AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK.
AND I'M ENCOURAGED THAT THEY ARE CERTAINLY MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEED FOR TOUGH ANTI-TRUST ENFORCEMENT.
>> LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR TRYING TO BLOCK THE NEW F.A.A. FLIGHT PADDED IN SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT THAT THE FOLKS DOWN THERE SAY ARE GOING TO BE VERY NOISY AND BOTHERSOME.
THOSE PLANES HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO GET INTO NEW YORK.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT PLAN?
>> THE PLAN VIOLATES THE LAW.
THE REASON IT VIOLATES THE LAW AS I ARGUED TO THE COURT OF APPEALS, AND THE D.C. CIRCUIT JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, IT FAILS TO EXAMINE ADEQUATELY ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE MUCH BETTER, LESS ENVIRONMENTALLY HARMFUL CREATING LESS NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION, LESS CONGESTION, AND FOR OTHER STATES, WE HAVE A VERY POWERFUL FIVE-STATE COALITION.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE PLAN, AND I HOPE, AGAIN, MY FRIENDS, IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, WILL BE MORE RESPONSIVE THAN THE PRIOR F.A.A. WAS, THAT IT UNDULY BURDENS PEOPLE AND FAILS TO USE OTHER AIRSPACE.
FOR EXAMPLE, NIGHTTIME OCEAN OVERFLIGHTS THAT ARE PERFECTLY ADEQUATE.
>> WE WILL SEE IF THAT OCCURS.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
FOLKS HANG IN THERE, WE WILL BE BACK WITH OUR ROUND TABLE SEGMENT.
>> JOINING ME FOR THIS SEGMENT IS DOUG SCHWARTZ, POLL DIRECTOR OF THE QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY APPROXIMATELY, DOUG YOU HAD ANOTHER POLL OUT ON POLITICS IN CONNECTICUT.
AND YOUR POLLS OF LATE THE LAST MONTHS HAVE NOT SPELLED MUCH GOOD NEWS AT ALL FOR OUR U.S. SENATOR CHRIS DODD BUT THERE ARE, I GUESS, SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS.
IF YOU ARE CHRIS DODD YOU ARE FEELING A LITTLE BETTER ABOUT THIS POLL, RIGHT?
>> THIS IS THE FIRST POLL IN QUITE A WHILE WHERE WE HAVE SEEN A BIT OF GOOD NEWS FOR SENATOR DODD.
HE IS UP FIVE POINTS IN HIS JOB APPROVAL RATING.
HE'S GONE FROM A 33% JOB APPROVAL RATING TO 38% IN TWO MONTHS.
BUT THE BAD NEWS IS, 38% IS STILL A LOW NUMBER.
>> PRETTY CRUMMY.
>> WHAT WOULD BE -- WE WILL TALK ABOUT GOVERNOR RELL LATER, BUT WHAT WOULD BE AN AVERAGE JOB APPROVAL RATING FOR SOMEONE WHO BASICALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IN THEIR CORNER?
>> ABOUT 60%.
>> 60%?
>> THAT'S WHERE SENATOR DODD WAS PRIOR TO ALL OF HIS PROBLEMS GOING BACK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HE BEGAN HIS RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
THAT'S WHEN WE SAW HIS JOB O APPROVAL RATINGS FALL FROM THE 60% MARK DOWN TO THE 50S, AND THEN THE CONTROVERSY OVER HIS TWO COUNTRYWIDE MORTGAGES THAT BROUGHT HIS NUMBERS DOWN LOWER.
THEN HE TOOK THE BIGGEST HIT FROM THE A.I.G. BONUS CONTROVERSY TWO MONTHS AGO AND THAT BROUGHT HIS NUMBERS TO AN ALL-TIME LOW OF 33%.
>> NOW THEY ARE MOVING BACK IN A MORE POSITIVE DIRECTION.
NOT GOOD-BYE ANY MEANS, BUT AT LEAST HE'S SEEING FORWARD PROGRESS AS OPPOSED TO A CONTINUAL DOWNSLIDE.
OTHER FIGURES IN THE POLL SHOW THE SAME KIND OF MOVEMENT OR NOT?
>> YES.
HE HAS IMPROVED IN HIS MATCHUP AGAINST ROB SIMMONS.
HE WAS DOWN BY 16 POINTS TWO MONTHS AGO, NOW HE'S DOWN BY 6 POINTS.
AGAIN, HE HAS TO BE CONCERNED BECAUSE HE'S WELL BELOW THAT 60% IN THE MATCHUP.
HE'S AT 39% AND NO INCUMBENT WANTS TO BE BELOW 50%.
RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON IS THE DODD NUMBER, NOT SO MUCH THE SIMMONS NUMBER.
RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT DODD AND TRYING TO DECIDE IF HE NEEDS TO BE REELECTED.
>> IF THERE IS A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT THERE, WHAT'S CAUSING IT?
>> TWO THINGS.
ONE, WHEN WE CONDUCTED THE LAST PAUL, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE A.I.G. BONUS CONTROVERSY.
SO I THINK THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING HIM TO HIS ALL-TIME LOW.
SO I WOULD EXPECT SORT OF NATURAL MOVEMENT FOR HIM IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION AFTER THAT.
SO THAT'S EXPECTED.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S WHAT HE'S DONE, THAT HE HAS GONE AROUND THE STATE, TALKED TO VOTERS.
AND, ALSO, HE'S GOTTEN CREDIT FOR THIS CREDIT REFORM LEGISLATION.
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS PRAISED HIM.
THAT'S PROBABLY HELPED HIM A LITTLE AS WELL.
>> HE'S ALSO HAD A PRETTY LOUSY, I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT THE TRUST FACTOR, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THINK HE'S HONEST AND TRUTH WORTHY, VERY LOW AND THAT'S HARD TO GET BACK, RIGHT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE WORST NUMBER I WOULD SAY IN THIS POLL.
STILL ONLY A THIRD OF VOTERS SAY THAT THE SENATOR IS HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH MOVEMENT ON THAT FRONT AND ALSO AS AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION FOR PEOPLE WHO THEY THEY DISAPPROVE JOB PERFORMANCE AND ASK WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY AND LACK OF HONESTY IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON.
>> HOW DO YOU GET THAT BACK?
I CAN SEE YOU HAD IMPROVING JOB APPROVAL BY COMING BACK TO CONNECTICUT MORE OFTEN AND SHOWING UP ON TELEVISION AND PEOPLE SAYING HE'S TALKING TO CONSTITUENTS, DOING HIS JOB, BUT HOW DO YOU GET THE TRUST FACTOR BACK?
>> IT'S TOUGH.
SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A REAL UPHILL BATTLE FOR HIM.
I DON'T NOW THE ANSWER DO THAT.
I THINK THE BEST THING, THOUGH, IS SORT OF CHANGE THE SUBJECT.
YOU KNOW, GET AWAY FROM THESE CONTROVERSIES ABOUT HIS MORTGAGE AND THE A.I.G. BONUSES, AND TO FOCUS ON WHAT HE CAN DO FOR THE STATE.
>> UH-HUH, NOW, SOME OTHER POLITICIANS YOU LOOKED AT IN THIS POLL, GOVERNOR RELL, HER JOB APPROVAL I RATING HAS BEEN IN THE 70S FOR A LONG TIME AND I GUESS SHE CONTINUES IN THAT RANGE, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> SHE'S GOT, WHAT, A 73% JOB APPROVAL RATING?
DOES THAT HELP HER NOW?
THIS IS A SUMMER WHERE SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO DO BATTLE WITH THE LEGISLATURE OVER THE BUDGET.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE ONE AND A DEFICIT REMEDY, DOES THAT MAKE HER POWERFUL IN THAT STRUGGLE?
>> IT ABSOLUTELY DOES GIVE HER POWER AND IT'S REMARKABLE, STEVE, I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD BUT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BE THIS HIGH FOR THIS LONG.
IT IS THE LONGEST POLITICAL HONEYMOON IN HISTORY, OVER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AT THE 70% MARK.
>> WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU MEAN BEYOND CONNECTICUT, TOO, BECAUSE QUINNIPIAC POLLS ALSO WERE --
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WE POLL OTHER STATES AND NATIONALLY AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY NUMBERS LIKE THIS FOR ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL.
>> PRESIDENT OBAMA HOW IS HE DOING.
>> VERY POPULAR, IN THE JODI RELL RANGE AT 71%, EXTRAORDINARILY POPULAR AMONG DEMOCRATS, OVER 90% APPROVE OF THE JOB HE'S DOING.
>> A LITTLE KNOWN FACT, BUT THIS IS THE CASE, THE GUEST WE HAD ON THIS PROGRAM PRIOR TO YOU, ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL, FOR ALL THE TALK ABOUT HOW WELL GOVERNOR RELL DOES IN THESE POLLS, BLUMENTHAL ACTUALLY HAS DONE BETTER.
>> HE IS AT 78% JOBS APPROVAL.
HE IS THE MOST POPULAR ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE.
THAT'S WHY YOU HEARD A LOT OF DEMOCRATS FOR A WHILE TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD RATHER THAT SENATOR DODD STEP ASIDE, NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION, AND HAVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, RICHARD BLUMENTHAL RUN, IN THAT WAY THEY WOULD EASILY WIN THE SEAT.
>> WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR BLUMENTHAL'S POPULARITY?
JUST THE FACT THAT HE'S SEEN SUING SOMEBODY OR GETTING INVOLVED IN A HOST OF ISSUES?
>> ALWAYS IN THE NEWS, ABSOLUTELY AND ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE CONSUMER.
TAKES ON A LOT OF POPULAR CAUSES.
NOTHING VERY CONTROVERSIAL THAT PEOPLE WOULD REALLY OBJECT TO.
>> THE BOTTOM LINE THERE IS PEOPLE CAN CALL HIM A MEDIA HOUND IF THEY WANT TO, HE'S ALWAYS IN FRONT OF THE TV CAMERA LIKE TODAY BUT IT WORKS FOR HIM.
>> EXACTLY.
IT WORKS FOR HIM.
>> GOING BACK TO DODD QUICKLY, HE'S MAKING INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL BE CONSTANT.
DOES HE HAVE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 2010 TO RESCUE HIS IMAGE AND SAVE HIS BACON, SO TO SPEAK?
>> HE DOES.
AND I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
THERE IS A LONG TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION.
WE HAVE A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND DODD IS A VERY SKILLED POLITICIAN, VERY STRONG CAMPAIGNER.
SO I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T COUNT SENATOR DODD OUT.
>> DOES HE HAVE TO KEEP DOING WHAT HE'S DOING OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE HE NEEDS TO DO.
>> HE HAS TO KEEP DOING WHAT HE'S DOING, BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE NUMBERS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR HIM.
ALSO IF THE ECONOMY GETS BETTER, THAT WILL HELP HIM.
>> PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE AS CRANKY?
>> EXACTLY.
>> THAT WILL HAVE TO DO IT.
WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, ON THE RECORD.
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