HARTFORD, Conn. -- Interrupted by chants of "We Want Chris," Connecticut's senior senator reaffirmed that he's running for president.

U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., kicked off his presidential campaign from Connecticut on Friday. He first announced his candidacy on a New York radio show last Thursday.

Watch Dodd's Speech In Its Entirety

Also this week, Dodd's campaign indicated that the senator will not seek re-election in 2010.

Dodd held his first rally in the state before taking a road trip to campaign in Nashua, N.H., over the weekend.

"I'm proud to stand before you -- a son of Connecticut -- with family and friends present this evening, on this site, to tell you formally in my home state, in front of my family and friends, that I'm a Democratic candidate for president of the United States," Dodd told the assembled crowd.

Dodd, 62, held the rally at the Old State House in downtown Hartford, saying it's time for experience and leadership to bring change in Washington.

"We are more isolated than at any point in our nation's history," Dodd said. "The principle reason for the sad decline is because the administration of George Bush has squandered much of what has made America remarkable from our prosperity at home to our standing around the world."

"We can't afford four more years of on-the-job training in the Oval Office." - U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.

Among the issues the senator addressed on Friday included improving education so American students can better compete with the international community.

Dodd said the country needs a change in its energy policy that includes "ending dependency on Middle Eastern oil."

He also pledged to improve relations with the world community and pointed to the president's recent plan to send more troops to Iraq.

"I think it's terribly wrong to send 20,000 more young Americans to Baghdad," Dodd said. "Our extraordinary men and women in uniform should not be hurled into the cauldron of a civil war in that country."

Dodd said he will use his leadership position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee "to try and put a stop to this very, very bad decision."

Dodd said he will make it a priority to get the government and the people of Iraq to take responsibility for their own future.

Friday night's event in Hartford further demonstrated the senator's intent to run and a letter received by the Secretary of the Senate on Wednesday indicates Dodd intends to win in 2008.

"In 2007 and 2008, I believe experience is going to matter. We can't afford four more years of on-the-job training in the Oval Office," Dodd said. "We need an American president who is ready to lead from day one, and I am and I'm ready to lead this country, and with your help, I will."

"We cannot survive much longer divided 51-49. We need to become Americans, all of us, again with common goals and common destinies for our country," Dodd said.

Since his initial announcement last week, Dodd has spoken to various media outlets and spoken with supporters.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Senate received on Wednesday a letter from Dodd's campaign. The letter is dated last Thursday -- the same day Dodd announced his presidential bid -- and is penned by Dodd's campaign attorney.

The letter states that Dodd will no longer be a candidate for re-election to the U.S. Senate when his term expires in 2010.

The New York Times reported on Friday that Dodd's Senate campaign committee reported it has almost $2 million cash-on-hand as of last September.

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