WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- The so-called "second tier" of Democratic presidential hopefuls is campaigning on the issues and experience.
The Washington Times reported Monday Sens. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Joseph Biden of Delaware, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson are hoping one of the top three candidates falls aside in the way that Howard Dean lost the lead in 2004.
Aides to the second-tier candidates told the Times they believe neither Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York nor Barack Obama of Illinois can sustain the momentum they've shown so far. Meanwhile, their candidates are trying to get attention and campaign money without directly attacking Clinton, Obama or former Sen. John Edwards.
"With all the profound challenges facing America, you'd think we'd be talking about the very real issues before us," Dodd wrote supporters in a weekend e-mail, the Times reported. "Troop cuts, not haircuts; energy choices, not song choices; Baghdad, not Paris."
Biden has campaigned on his experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his Iraq plan. Richardson, meanwhile, often uses the line, "I'm not a rock star," when asking voters to consider him, the Times reported.
