U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut questioned on Friday the electability of Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, saying she sports a confrontational brand of politics that turns off voters.

While Clinton, a senator from New York and wife of the former president, can probably win the general election, Dodd said, "I think people want to move on. The melodrama and all, we need to get behind us."

Dodd, who trails her in polls by a large margin, said the country is tired of continued fighting involving the Clintons and their political foes in the Republican Party.

"Isn’t it time the country came together and we started solving … problems? If it’s just about a fight, a never-ending fight, the country is so turned off to that. They want leadership that will bridge those divides and bring us together as a people," he said on a taping of "Iowa Press," to be shown at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on Iowa Public Television.

Dodd expects the presidential election to be close - not a cakewalk for Democrats as some people assume. That’s all the more reason why electability is important, he said, touting his three decades of experience in Congress and an ability to get things done.

Dodd noted that party rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards have much less experience.

He chastised them and Clinton for saying during a debate Wednesday night they can’t guarantee a pullout of all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.

"The others are not doing enough to lead" on the issue, said Dodd.

On another topic, the Senate Banking Committee chairman said the housing meltdown and credit crunch affecting much of the country could end in a recession.

"I think it’s very bad and it could go a lot worse," Dodd said.

Dodd also touched on his newly announced plans for giving rural America an economic boost through improvements in farm programs, trade, health care, renewable energy and high-speed Internet access.

Dodd said he represents many small communities in Connecticut but conceded, "I’m not a farmer and I’m learning a lot about it."

While Dodd finds himself lagging in the polls in Iowa, he remains confident that he will do well in the party caucuses in January that lead off the presidential nominating process. He noted that many Iowa Democrats have yet to make up their minds.

"You have to exceed expectations, which is not terribly difficult in my case," he quipped.

Source: Des Moines Register