An American Lion

Senator Byron Dorgan, Left, and Senator Christopher Dodd, Right

Senators Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan are getting out while they still can. Dorgan was not much of a surprise to me, but Dodd? Dodd was a surprise:

Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd will announce Wednesday that he is retiring ahead of his re-election this November, sources told NBC News policital director Chuck Todd.

The embattled Connecticut senator has scheduled a press conference at his home Wednesday, the Washington Post reported Tuesday night.

Earlier, Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota said he would not to seek re-election this year, giving Republicans a good shot at picking up the seat, especially if GOP Gov. John Hoeven decides to run.

I guess this means that the Democrat Party is doing rather well, don’t you think? Retirements come and go. At a time when your party controls the White House and both houses of Congress, 2010 is a rough road for many of these Democrats to have to try to travel. Had they done anything this year worth running on, I doubt neither of these men would leave the Senate at the apex of the Obama Presidency.

For all the bluster about the demise of the Republican Party, never forget that the only reason there still is a Republican Party is because President Barack Obama let it back up off the mat. In the world of professional wrestling, which is practically a political one, that’s a costly mistake for the supposed “good guy” to make. Senator Joe Lieberman then becomes the senior Senator from Connecticut, at least for a few years. How is that going to play in crazy liberal blogtown?