Rep. Kennedy endorses Dodd

US Representative Patrick Kennedy yesterday endorsed the presidential campaign of his father's old friend, Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd.

In a statement released by Dodd's campaign for president, the younger Kennedy said he and Senator Dodd "share a special bond of camaraderie".

Kennedy stressed the decades of experience Dodd, who was elected to Senate in 1980, would bring to the White House.

"Senator Dodd has a breadth of experience in both foreign and domestic affairs and the vision to lead this country," said Kennedy.

Patrick Kennedy's endorsement may not mean all that much -- in 2004, he skipped over family friend John Kerry to endorse Dick Gephardt's unsuccessful campaign -- but it may provide a hint as to who his father might support in the primary for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Senator Kennedy is close to Dodd, but Dodd has so far done little to show that he's a viable candidate. Senator Kennedy has often seemed to relish his king-making role in the Democratic Party, and is expected to give a long look to Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, both of whom serve on his health committee.