Just weeks after suggesting Dodd should be “impeached” on CNBC, Kudlow confirms interest in Dodd's Senate seat

Written by Simon Maloy

Published

Politico reported that Larry Kudlow “confirmed his interest” in running against Sen. Chris Dodd in 2010 and quoted Kudlow saying: “I'm thinking about it, that's all I can say ... it's the kind of thing where I'm talking to friends, talking to strategists, talking to my wife, and praying on it.” Less than three weeks earlier, however, Kudlow suggested in his capacity as a CNBC host that Dodd should be “impeached,” saying that Dodd “has yet to divulge fully his sweetheart mortgage deals with the former Countrywide. He's re-fi'ed his mortgages, but we don't know those documents, either. Instead of being impeached, he's still around.”

In a March 2 blog entry, Politico reporter Josh Kraushaar reported that CNBC host and syndicated columnist Larry Kudlow “confirmed his interest” in running against Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) in 2010 and quoted Kudlow saying: “I'm thinking about it, that's all I can say ... it's the kind of thing where I'm talking to friends, talking to strategists, talking to my wife, and praying on it.” Kraushaar further reported that Kudlow confirmed that National Republican Senate Committee chairman John Cornyn (TX) “met with him over dinner last week to discuss the idea.” Less than three weeks earlier, however, Kudlow suggested in his capacity as a CNBC host that Dodd should be “impeached,” saying on the February 13 edition of CNBC's Kudlow & Company that Dodd “has yet to divulge fully his sweetheart mortgage deals with the former Countrywide. He's re-fi'ed his mortgages, but we don't know those documents, either. Instead of being impeached, he's still around.”

During a February 2 press conference, Dodd stated that he and his wife “acted properly in our mortgage refinancing negotiations. We did not seek or expect any special rates or terms on our loans and we never received any.” In a February 2 article on the press conference, Reuters noted that Dodd “released a report from an independent firm, Cross Check Compliance, which analyzed market data on mortgage rates and fees from 2003 and concluded that the senator's loans were in line with the overall market at that time."

Kraushaar wrote on March 2:

The political blogosphere has been abuzz with rumors that CNBC anchor and syndicated columnist Larry Kudlow is considering running for the Senate against Chris Dodd (D-Conn.)

Kudlow confirmed his interest in an interview with POLITICO this afternoon and said he was talking to strategists to assess the feasibility of a statewide run. He said NRSC chairman John Cornyn met with him over dinner last week to discuss the idea, and the two have since had a follow-up phone conversation.

“He came up to me, and put it right on the table. He seems to think it would be a good race, and a national race,” Kudlow said.

Kudlow, though, said he enjoys his job as a CNBC anchor and commentator -- and it would be tough to leave it for the world of politics.

“I'm thinking about it, that's all I can say ... it's the kind of thing where I'm talking to friends, talking to strategists, talking to my wife, and praying on it,” Kudlow said. “It's all come on very fast, and I don't have any definite thoughts at all other than the fact that I am thinking about it.”

From the February 13 edition of CNBC's Kudlow & Company:

KUDLOW: Now, [on-air editor] Charlie Gasparino joins us now with the latest on Bailout Nation and all the rest of it. Now, we got a great quote from Sen. Chris Dodd, who has yet to divulge fully his sweetheart mortgage deals with the former Countrywide. He's re-fi'ed his mortgages, but we don't know those documents, either. Instead of being impeached, he's still around. Listen to what he had to say today.

GASPARINO: Can't wait.

DODD [video clip]: We're in the deepest economic crisis in the lifetime of any living American, and they're worried about their pay. Our system of economy is at risk these days, and we'll be judged by history as to whether or not we could respond intelligently to it.

GASPARINO: “Judged by history,” huh?

KUDLOW: What a horri -- wait a second. It got even better than that. These horrible people are worried about their pay, Charlie. Imagine that. How materialistic.