Harry Reid is going to cry.
I count the past year of campaigning for the presidency as one of the most rewarding in a career of public service.
Unfortunately, I am withdrawing from that campaign tonight.
But there is no reason to hang our heads this evening -- only the opportunity to look towards a continuation of the work we started last January: ending the Iraq War, restoring the Constitution, and putting a Democrat in the White House.
I know a lot of you came to this email list through a shared desire to return our nation to one that respects the rule of law, and I want to make one thing clear to all of you:
The fight to restore the Constitution and stop retroactive immunity does not end with my Presidential campaign. FISA will come back in a few weeks and my pledge to filibuster ANY bill that includes retroactive immunity remains operative.
You've been an invaluable ally in the battle, and I'll need you to stick by my side despite tonight's caucus results.
So, one more time, thank you for all of your efforts throughout the course of this entire Presidential campaign.
We made a real difference in shaping the debate, and we'll continue to do so in the coming days, weeks and years.
I'll never forget you, and what we've fought for, together, over the past year.
Chris Dodd
After Dodd's successful efforts to delay this bad FISA bill in December, Reid made a dismissive comment to the effect that this would have an easier time sailing through in January since the presidential primary would be mostly behind us. In other words -- Dodd would have dropped out by then, and he'd have little reason to "grandstand".
Except it wasn't grandstanding. Dodd is dead serious about protecting our Constitution, and I hope we can all pledge to do whatever we can to support his efforts. I certainly will.