Did Obama Put The Skids Under Dodd?

Ben Smith of Politico says the White House should get some credit for easing Sen. Chris Dodd out of office. If true, the next question is: What’s in it for Dodd? A post in the Obama administration perhaps? Or an ambassadorship? Dodd is in Peru – visiting.
And some of his staff have found jobs as lobbyists:

“Among the high profile staffers-turned-lobbyists are Andrew Lowenthal, the former minority staff director of the Senate Subcommittee on Securities, who once served as a key staffer for Sen. Chris Dodd. Nate Gatten, the former top banking aide to Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), later jumped to become a lobbyist for Fannie Mae, and Joi Sheffield served as the Democratic staff director of a Senate Banking subcommittee, now a lobbyist for financial regulators…

“Members linked to multiple staffers-turned-lobbyists include Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), as well as Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).”