Harold Ford Jr on Cover of Newsweek - Not your daddy's Democrats

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15366095/site/newsweek/

The sun is just rising over Chattanooga when Harold Ford Jr. begins to pray. A young African-American congressman from Memphis, Ford is running as the Democratic candidate for Senate in Tennessee. Here, in the shadow of Lookout Mountain, an audience of 300 has come out of the early-morning darkness into the historic Read House hotel to hear Ford praise the Lord and lecture man. Dressed in dark suits and hats fit for a Sunday service, they bow their heads and thank a God who "even now has dipped us in fresh, anointing oil." They shout Hallelujah as a soprano sings "Amazing Grace." And they cheer and clap when Ford welcomes them, and the spirit of Jesus, into the room. "I love Jesus, I can't help it," the congressman tells the crowd. "We serve such a big God," he shouts, and a chorus of Amens agrees.

It is a storied place to pray. "Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain in Tennessee," Martin Luther King Jr. cried in his "I Have a Dream" speech, and four decades later, the diverse crowd that has gathered here suggests that in many ways, freedom has. Looking out at his audience, Ford offers political pronouncements in the cadence of Scripture. "The politics of destruction," he shouts, "the politics of those who define and malign people, that's all coming to an end." He asks the audience to "heal and make whole this great country of ours" with "a renewed sense of faith." Pointing to the sky, he tells them that "as long as your faith derives from up there, and not down there, we're going to be OK."

Ford's intertwining of the secular and the sacred would make many urban liberals squirm. So would much else that comes out of his mouth today. From the podium, he says he gets "in trouble with my party because I believe a government is only as good as its ability to defend itself and protect itself." (That stance wouldn't actually trouble most Democrats, but the implication that Democrats are weak on defense might.) Later, as he makes his way out of the room, he spots a Fox News Channel correspondent who's flown in from out of town. "Mr. Cameron!" he yells, throwing his arms around Carl Cameron, the network's political correspondent. "So good to see you again." Before the day is done, Ford will reiterate his opposition to same-sex marriage and late-term abortions.

Ford, 36, believes these conservative stands, coupled with an unrelenting attack on his Republican foe's positions on Iraq, homeland security and immigration, is the only way a Democrat can win in today's conservative Tennessee. "If I was doing the textbook thing that Democrats do," he tells NEWSWEEK, "I'd say, 'Republicans want to short Social Security, they want to rob poor children of their college education, they want to deny families the education system.' Don't get me wrong, there's some truth to that. But that's not me. Just let me be myself."

[Demit]

1. Thanks, I didn't know much about Harold Ford before.

Can't say I'm crazy about what I learned. I'm getting mighty sick of family dynasties in politics, though, and it seems there's no end in sight.

[fasttense]

2. One of the things I really like about Ford is he is a people

person like Bill Clinton. He will come out, shake your hand and give you a hug if he thinks you need one. If Cindy wanted to meet with Ford, there would never have been this stand off as there was with the bushes. He would have met with her, hugged her and would have tried to help her. He is not afraid of confrontation either. He will stand up for what he honestly believes. Unlike the bushes, he is a seriously religious man. He's not using religion it is that he honestly believes his religion. As compared to Corker/Porker, Ford is the much better choice.

[leesa]

76. Great. We need more illegal war loving, torture loving Democrats.

Also more Corporate whoring Dems...gotta have those too.

And we wonder why people think there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats!!!

[Toots]

3. Eventually this country is either going to heal itself or die

I think people like Obama and Ford that are speaking of this healing process, you have to throw Bill Clinton and Al Gore in there as well are the hope of the future. While I don't agree with some of their, for lack of a better word, let's say compromises, I do agree we are going to have to learn to get along. Half the country is Republican and we are just going to have to find the things we agree upon and work with it. Divided we Fall and I am getting so sick of the division. It has to stop and for that reason alone I support wholeheartedly this Conservative Democrat....

[Nimrod2005]

4. Well said, thank you...Ford and Obama are right for us.

Clinton belongs with them too, not sure about Gore.

[BootinUp]

6. good post.

:)

Agree with you.

[Armstead]

41. There is one battle-line we should never compromise on

The real issue in politics is Wealth and Power.

The Democrats have to stand on restoring a more broadly-based distribution of both. That means calling the GOP and the Corporate Oligarchy out and challenging the increasing concentration of power and wealth of the last 30 years.

We can argue about abortion and same sex marriage til the cows come home. But unless Democrats get back to "My Daddy's Democratic" values on the core issues of wealth and power, then politics will continue to be a meaningless game played out among two competing servants of the Elite.

[Radical Activist]

70. I don't think there is much comparison

between the mild comments Obama made about Democrats not offending Christians, and the blatant pandering and outward display of faith that Ford is shown doing in this article. There is a world of difference.

[Cobalt Violet]

5. He sure isn't my Daddy's Democrats.

My daddy would've been pissed off over any Democrat the wanted to pander to the religous nut jobs, or any Democrat that didn't believe in equality or women's right to choose.

[Clark2008]

7. No - I'm hoping your Daddy would have understood that

not everyone who is religious is a nut job, including Ford and many of his supporters.

Can't you people make a distinction between the fundies and deeply religious people? If you can't, maybe that's why this party keeps losing the South and mid-West.

My Daddy and GrandDaddy understand that.

[Cobalt Violet]

12. My Daddy was against any religion shoving their shit down our throats.

I take after my Daddy. It's offensive. It has no place in government.

[Clark2008]

15. No one forced people to be at this meeting with Ford - no one.

They CHOSE to be there. He CHOOSES to practice his faith. He has that right whether as a private citizen, a public servant or even as a dog catcher. That's the beauty of the First Amendment.

People govern using their faith all the time. And, as far as I know, Ford isn't asking that I convert to Baptist (I'm Catholic). He's never asked my Jewish husband to convert to Christianity either. We respect each others' faith (or lack thereof). Not a thing wrong with it.

[CTLawGuy]

23. my daddy goes to church every sunday

he knows that Jesus said zippo, zilch, nada, zero, NOTHING, about abortion or homosexuality. My father is very liberal because of his faith.

People who spend their time talking about abortion and gays are fundies. People who talk about what Jesus talked about are religious.

[Eric J in MN]

14. My daddy would have voted against the Iraq War Resolution.

Harold Ford boasts about it, saying it shows his willingness to use military force.

[Clark2008]

16. And your Daddy wasn't a congressman from a red state, either.

A state whose nickname - the Volunteer State - was derived from so many young men 'volunteering' to join the service.

[Cobalt Violet]

21. Your right. He was a Massachusetts Liberal. n/t

[Clark2008]

59. Not a thing wrong with that - I'm married to a Masschusetts liberal.

:)

P.S. A Mass liberal who voted for Ford yesterday, too. :7

[madrchsod]

8. he`s another "jesus is my friend" politician

jesus said one is known by one`s deeds not one`s words, yes this "shout`n methodist" democrat doesn`t think much of harry. ford is their problem in tennessee, i`ve have obama to worry about

[Clark2008]

17. Well, Ford gives all his speaking fees to charities, so he's

not just a "shoutin' Methodist." He actually volunteers a lot of time and money to charitable causes.

[wyldwolf]

9. Not my daddy's, but definitely my grandpa'sDemocrats

Defintely a Truman/Kennedy era Democrat.

[wyldwolf]

10. Heard a similar report about Heath Shuler on NPR yesterday

[Kolesar]

11. Poor writing by Newsweek about the Iraq War

Democrats, even liberal ones, will let Ford be whoever he wants to be, for one simple reason: he may deliver them the Senate. Two weeks before the midterm elections, the Democrats' fate lies not in the hands of the party's much-dissected antiwar left but with a handful of careful, calculating centrists like Ford. Just a few months ago, Republicans were heralding Ned Lamont's defeat of Sen. Joseph Lieberman in Connecticut's senatorial primary as the end of the Democratic Party, its surrender to the angry extreme. But spend a few minutes with Sen. Charles Schumer, the strategic mastermind behind the Demo-crats' effort to win back the Senate, and Lamont's name barely comes up. (For the rec-ord: Lamont is trailing Lieberman, who is running as an independent, by as much as 17 points in the latest polls.) Instead, Schumer is talking up the "common sense" candidates running in states like Tennessee, Missouri and Virginia—candidates who don't sound much like Democrats even when they're assaulting Republican opponents over the war.

For two years the Democratic political establishment has been unabashedly applying one litmus test to candidates: their ability to win. In the Senate, Schumer took flak from activist groups when he backed candidates like Pennsylvania's Bob Casey, who is anti abortion rights. In the House, Demo-cratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rahm Emanuel corralled a group of Iraq and Afghanistan vets to run as "macho Democrats" against Republican incumbents. At Howard Dean's Democratic National Committee—well, who's even heard anything from Howard Dean? He's largely taken a back seat to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in making the Democrats' prime-time case. "The days of Democrats' having to check 28 boxes before they run are over," Schumer says. "We want to win."
...
Dumbshits. The war is why the gop is losing this year.

[Eric J in MN]

13. Harold Ford is so strong on defense that...

...he voted for the Iraq War Resolution, which got our military into a quagmire. And increased the number of terrorists. And provided a training ground for terrorists.

[Clark2008]

18. Yep - and he's also supported a change in course, and an

upping of veterans benefits.

Look, I don't agree with Ford on tons of issues, but I voted for him yesterday because he's about 90 percent better than the rubber-stamp Republican running in Tennessee.

[Eric J in MN]

19. If I lived in TN, I'd vote for Harold Ford.

He is better than his Republican opponent.

[Clark2008]

22. Thank you. I get very tired of his being bashed on this board.

I hate the DLC - most people who've read my posts know this. I don't care for the way they pander to corporations; however, many of these people doing the bashing don't live in my state and don't seem to understand the choice structure here.

If Ford wins this Senate seat - and he's poised to do so - then it will be a massive step up from the Cro Magnum Republican rule we Tennesseeans to the left have had to endure for 12 plus years.

Ford may not be as liberal as someone from California or New York or, heck, even Vermont, want him to be, but he's very much a breath of fresh air after having the likes of Alexander and Frist and after having to endure the embarrassment of our state NOT voting in favor of its favorite son Al Gore and for that imbecile sitting in our White House.

[CTLawGuy]

24. If he would stop endorsing non-democrats in other states

(Joe Lieberman) I would stop bashing him.

[Totally Committed]

27. I undserstand (painfully) where Clark 2008 is coming from....

while I agree with you about Ford's arguably too-friendly rapport with the Republicans. I hate that he endorses Republicans and their like (most recently, Joe Lieberman!) No matter whom she votes for down there in TN, she's getting one flavor of Republican or another. The only upside (and I'm sure this is probably what Clark 2008 is thinking of...) to a vote for Ford is that his win will bolster our balance in the Senate. Her vote, if I understand her, is a pragmatic one, and not one she'd make if that state were running a more progressive Dem than Ford. As is usual with our Party, the choice they offer us cynically, and all too often is a choice between the "lesser of two evils". That has to change before we can fault voters like Clark 2008 for her vote.

I dislike Ford, and his DLC -- A LOT, and he's lucky that he isn't counting on me for a vote. I'm not sure I could be as pragmatic (Hell, I KNOW I couldn't be) as pragmatic as Clark 2008 is being.

Once we win back the House, the Senate, and the WH, it is time we start showing DINO's like him the door, and elect some REAL Democrats.

TC

[Daylin Byak]

53. Oh i'm sorry but that will never happen

How many times must this get explained on this board, TENNESSEE IS A CONSERVATIVE STATE. Yes TN has alot of Dems in it but alot of them are conservative Democrats and will only vote for Democrats if they have come conservatism in their blood. This is Harold comes in, he's bright, young and has alot of conservative views which will get him alot of support in this state and he's a Democrat. And he's such a better candidate than Bob Corker.

Hom many times must this get explained, TN does not elected full blown Massachussetts style liberals, get it through your head please. I'm not trying to call anyone out or to be rude but i'm tired of the Ford bashing, he's a damn good candidate and I would be honored if he would serve in the Senate with the elite, I just you would wish so to.

As for him supporting lieberman, who cares. Really who gives a crap it ain't like he can vote for him. It just makes him look good for his supporters cause he's the kind of guy that would reach across the aisle to support a follow brother in need.

He a good candidate, not liberal enough for your taste fine, but he's a damn good candidate for the great state of Tennessee, you will all realize that one day when he wins.

[indepat]

72. If recollection correct, voted for W's tax cuts, patriot acts and torture,

suspension of habeas corpus, and dictatorial powers for Bush, in fact, most of what has caused so much damage to this Republic that Gore Vidal recently indicated it would take two generations for us to overcome the damage done in the past six years.

To Ford's credit in running for the Senate, he knows the politics of the mostly either ignorant/brainwashed/brain-dead Tennessee voters, knows he has to be for strong defense, never mind that hundreds of billions of dollars of money borrowed for defense are squandered annually, tough on terra, tough on crime, tough on drugs, blah, blah, blah.

[Clark2008]

20. Oh - I wanted to add this: his stance on "late-term" abortions

is moot in this state.

Abortions after viability have been illegal in Tennessee for years and years and years. I actually don't have a problem with this. If a woman needs an abortion after 21 weeks, then her doctor makes the decision with her. It's one born (forgive the pun) of necessity at that point - the life of the mother is in jeopardy, for example, or the fetus is dead and/or dying. That's the law here and has been since well before I was old enough to care about the issue.

Ford is pro-choice otherwise and not for restrictions on doctors' recommendations past the age of viability. He, like most people, wishes abortions didn't happen, but understands the need - and I've heard him repeat the Clinton mantra - for them to be "safe, legal and rare."

This issue is not black and white - never has been - and lumping him in with the anti-choicers is completely misleading on Newsweek's part.

[gully]

66. Absolutely.

nt

[Totally Committed]

25. He's no one's Dad's "Democrat", fercripessake...

He's the perfect example of the quintessential DLC DINO: Conservative, collusionist, corporate-friendly, cagey, cynical, and out only for his own viability.

He's in an attractive and charismatic package, but make not mistake.... this is as much a Republican as your Daddy's Republicans were, and maybe more.

TC


Edited to add: Thanks to Jim4Wes, who caught the typo, I am stating here that the Title of my post should have originally been "He's no one's Dad's "Democrat", fercripessake...", but I left out the "Dad's", and it made it ludicrous. Obviously, he's SOMEONE's "Democrat" (be still, my heart...) in TN now, or he wouldn't be in office. So, I am going to change the title to what it should have been before a bunch of other heads explode here.

[BootinUp]

28. If he gets over 75% of the Democratic vote

you will still stand by that statement?

Certainly it is their choice and not yours.

[Pithy Cherub]

29. Not everyone who votes for DLC DINO's like Ford

has to be happy about it. Just because the vote total is high among Democrats many so-called centrists believe that vote was given happily - it's not. It's politics for the Greater Good - not inspiration by his brand of politics. Ford is definitely one who has a lot of people holding their nose to vote for him. Next time you see the totals of Democratic votes, please remember not everyone did it because they wanted to, but they were forced into it.

[BootinUp]

31. Who forced them to choose Ford?

Primaries are for choosing a candidate.

[Totally Committed]

33. The lack of other candidate choices, DLC backing, Ford's family "pedigree"

which has a history of delivering the pork to TN now for two generations. Primaries are for choosing candidates, for sure, but the right people have to run to give a true "choice" and who the hell wants to run against the list of benefits Ford enjoys?

Are you following me around in this thread, trying to pick a fight with me, or is this just how it's working out? You wanna go a few rounds on the DLC and how they're ruining the Party, tell, me, and I'll put the gloves on. Usually, when I see a "friendly face" I figure I don't need them, but... just say the word. Ford is the cynical product of the DLC and how they're ruining this party by forcing it so far to the Right, we have no other choices, but the titular Republican and the DINO.

IM me if you are having a problem and don't want to straighten it out publicly.

TC

[BootinUp]

37. ...do I wanna go a few rounds?

I guess thats what we are doing.

Here are some questions for you:

Have you ever lived in the South for a significant amount of time? I have for 19 years btw.

Do you want Democrats from the South to enjoin a strategy of ridiculing Northern Democrats as not voting for their values? In effect doinwhat you do in reverse? Instead of the DLC they could pick some other scary organization and claim it twists elections into fals choices and thats why you elect who you do.

[Totally Committed]

39. That's not what we're doing... we're sparring at the moment.

I lived in Texas for five years.

I lived in Arizona for two years.

I spent 4 consecutive summers in Mississippi and Alabama doing voter registration of African Americans for the Democratic Party.

I know the South. I realize there are different "values" at play. Do I ridicule them for those "values"? -- Do they ridicule me for mine? Probably, on both counts, although I feel "ridicule" is the wrong word for what I'm doing. Do you feel I'm ridiculing you? Is that why you feel the need to go "a few rounds" with me? I reiterate, we are only sparring at the moment, out of my respect for our past relationship. If you feel I am "ridiculing" you and your fellow Southeners for you values, I'm not -- it's different. I'm telling you I find candidates like Ford the sorry product of a Democratic Party that needs to be fixed. Period.

And, the DLC needs to be GONE.

TC

[BootinUp]

42. I agree with you

more time than not on the issues. I was born and grew up in So Cal. However, there is no doubt in my mind that Ford is speaking to the voters in his states both white and black, and that there will be a huge turnout for him. Not a depressed oh he is not our candidate turnout. And yes I think a majority of people who vote for him would think you are slamming their values.

[Pithy Cherub]

36. Incumbency protection racket and Ford's family.

Again here in California the primary voters have spoken and the Democrats are crossing over in droves to vote for Arnie. Have to have a candidate that will keep the base and donut-hole centrists keep forgetting it. Just because they keep the D doesn't mean it's a happy vote in Ford's case it downright depressing.

[BootinUp]

38. The base

The base should consider what will happen in the GE. After all the GE is the election and the final say. If the base doesn't know how politics work it is only their fault.

[Totally Committed]

40. That's the political eqivalent of "she was asking for it".

The "base" is not being given a CHOICE here.

TC

[BootinUp]

43. Are you trying to shock me?

Thats a pretty low blow TC!

The base (primary voters and activists) should take responsibility for the choices they make and not claim its a conspiracy (vote fraud, DLC, take your pick) when that coice turns out badly.

[Totally Committed]

52. Good... got your attention. Sorry for the perceived "low blow", but

felt you needed to expand on that statement, or risk being seen as blase or heartless about the positions most Democrats have been left in by this Party.

It is not a choice when there is no choice. The DLC really IS going to wreck this Party, on e way or another... if they take hold and dominate, this will not be the Democratic Party I grew up with, and wanted to see evolve. Voter fraud exists, and is pervasive... to deny that is to say the other side won fair and square, and deserves to be in power. (I know you don't believe that any more than I do.) To expand my feeling: It is no choice when the choice between the lesser of two evils, my friend. It is nothing but a cynical calculation that the vote will come through no matter who you run, and what their positions on the important issues are.

I am actually NOT insulting the South or their values. I'm saying, given A REAL CHOICE, those like Harold Ford WOULDN'T be in power. I think they're better than that. I may be naive, but I think ALL DEMOCRATS are tired of this shell-game called elections and would like a real choice. I always feel better about an election when I feel the choice was made by the voters. REALLY made by the voters, and not some backroom deal between the DLC and whatever corporation they are representing in a certain state. I'd feel better if I felt that everyone who deserved to vote, got to vote, and had that vote counted. I would feel better about a lot of that's happened to this Party if I felt it was a real reflection of what Democrats -- ALL DEMOCRATS -- really wanted. It isn't.

I have to go get Sunday dinner out of the oven now. So, peace to you. I'm glad I finally got your attention.

Again, peace...

TC

[Pithy Cherub]

44. As a member of the most reliable voters for Democrats,

that 20th century thinking is why Democrats cross-over. No strong principles to adhere to except to say politics is pragmatic in the end.

The candidate with corporate support and insider establishment winks and nods are given pride of place and agrees to keep their milquetoast sellout agenda in tact in exchange for that support. As an African American with roots from the DEEP South - Mississippi, now living in California, we are sick of it! The dynamic you mention is why Democrats have difficulty keeping the base. The white folks that left are called Reagan Democrats, couldn't keep those votes reliable either. Ergo, the smart money going forward will be for those people with principles who stand for doing what is right in the face of adversity. Ford's dumbass vote for IWR among other things undercuts his arguments that he stands for something - only if Bush thought of it first - see his weak social security creds. Due to a structural flaw (not addressed by DLC McAuliffe) in the Democratic party of now building strong party structures in all 50 states, the DLC was able to brand itself as representative. Thank goodness most of those loser DLC candidates lost this year because people are sick of it. Ford is the last of a dying DLC breed and he wanted to keep the dream alive that the DLC and its vaporware ideas and wishy washy ideals are still relevant. The voters are saying no - especially the base.

As a gospel record says, Hold On Change is Coming.

[BootinUp]

45. Change is coming...

Sure, change is a constant. He who claims credit for change in a country's political makeup is a fool. He who takes advantage of it is a genius.

[Pithy Cherub]

46. Ah but to be a member of the old guard and continue

to support it is ignorant.

[BootinUp]

47. Change may not be what you expect though

Currently we have extreme partisanship on both sides. Driven by the right but the reaction from the left has resulted in both sides sounding shrill to the middle. So the first new guard will likely be another Bill Clinton type. I predict a slow movement left as the baby boomers age and retire.

[Pithy Cherub]

48. The murky middle has already shifted Left, for now.

Ford badly wanted to be thought of as presidential timber. Obama the stated Liberal with a populist message has eclipsed him and Obama didn't even want his name sullied by affiliation with the DLC. Obama eats anything a Clinton takes for granted because we are back to my people voting for one of their own as much love as there is for Big Dawg. The only other person who attracts faithful Black voters is my fave Clark, also a noted Liberal. The Left is where the energy, passion and action is the middle is for those too tame to engage.

What you term extreme partisanship is not shrill but a fully joined battle of those who are standing up. Murtha is considered Left now. The Fighting Dems when elected will be Left. The middle you depict has evaporated and is not a place to build long term support. Warner figured it out - he played to the vapor middle ala Clinton 1992 and no sale.

[BootinUp]

49. I think you should

listen to Obama more closely.

Warner could not win a primary thats why he dropped out.

Extreme partisanship is when both base's punish those that try to deal with real problems in a divided government.

[Pithy Cherub]

50. Your definition of partisanship is sadly lacking

because you look at only one conclusion. And those who fail in protecting the Constitution should be punished by those who are most affected - the base. Sheesh, if one of your kids failed to do their required chores or homework or endangered your home and the neighbors are you an extreme parent for holding them accountable. Or just a parent that doesn't practice oversight?

Good Grief. You made me :rofl: On that ridiculous notion, I am outta here.

[BootinUp]

51. Let me analyze your example

The republican moderates would be punished if they did not go along with their base and Bush. Hence they voted for the Military Commission Act, (is that the one you were thinking of?).

Why don't you give us your definition?

[wyldwolf]

56. on the contrary... the "progressive activists" are the least reliable

and they've proven it time and time again.

[Pithy Cherub]

63. Catch a clue

[wyldwolf]

68. Learn history

[Clark2008]

57. Actually, there wasn't a choice in the primaries.

Kurita dropped out well before the vote.

[Totally Committed]

65. Thank you.... proving my point exactly.

If there is no choice, no CHOICE other than the pragmatic one can be made.

TC

[BootinUp]

69. I still wouldn't say

there was not a choice. I don't know what happened with this candidate, but the reality is that there was not strong opposition to Ford.

[Totally Committed]

73. With all the DLC $$$, and corporate support for Ford, any "little guy"

that might have run for the nomination would be sufficiently discouraged against going against him. That's what I'm talking about -- NO CHOICE = a forced pragmatic choice for voters and trumped up "support" for candidates like Ford.

TC

[BootinUp]

74. People who don't like Ford

evidently didn't put their money up.

[Totally Committed]

75. It's not "people" who concern me... it's the DLC $$$ that is always there

to shore up their best and brightest with all their corporate moolah. Makes it sort of impossible to run anyone against them. It's sort of like soemone have a large enough pot in a poker game to buy their way to a win of any pot. The "fix" is in the chips on the table.

TC

[BootinUp]

77. It does take money

Its a reality that every politician and active participant in politics has to deal with. I assume there are people in Tennessee that have Tennessee democratic values and have made enough money to contribute.

[Totally Committed]

35. Thank you, Pithy!

That's exactly what I'm saying, and exactly what seems not to be resonating with Jim4Wes this morning.

TC

[wyldwolf]

55. or far left nutcase DINOS like you prefer.

[Pithy Cherub]

64. Irrelevance is thy name ...

DLC DINO's have that branded and locked up! :rofl: You have greatly amused me, now off to have lunch.

[wyldwolf]

67. yet, they're facored to win in November... hmmm...

[Totally Committed]

30. Oops.... That is a Typo of a problem!

What the title of my post SHOULD have said was "He's no one's Dad's Democrat, fercripessake!" Thanks for catching that!

If he gets 75% of the Democratic vote, I am in the wrong Party. Obviously, it's TN we're talking about, and the Democrats are still giving us their patented "lesser of two evils" cynical choices, assuming we all want the Bushistas out so badly, we'll even vote for a DLC DINO over a Republican. That's will probably work progressively less and less for the next two elections, and not at all after that. People like me will become progressively (pun intended) less and less able to make a "pragmatic" choice, and either go to another Party or stop voting altogether.

Thanks again for catching the typo. I appreciate it.

TC

[BootinUp]

32. You dismiss the fact

that the majority of peope who vote for him actually agree with him on the majority of the issues. You have a flawed view of reality.

[Totally Committed]

34. Okay, see message #33... IM me, or tell me we have a problem.

I discount nothing, so if you have a genuine problem with me this morning, and want to slug this out, either IM me, or throw down the gauntlet, and we'll turn this from a thread about Harold FOrd to one about the DLC, and their conservative candidates being the only choices in some states.

TC

[THUNDER HANDS]

26. sometimes being right isn't good enough

Ford was wrong on Iraq, but if he wins us a Senate seat, who cares? It's not like he cast the deciding vote anyway. Just get into office and lets see what happens.

[DeepModem Mom]

54. K&R!

[The Count]

58. MSM seems to sell us the most RW Dems...Whith Warner gone, Ford, Obama

are featured... Making up choices for us again.

[Celebration]

60. the Ford family

I am making it perfectly clear that I plan to vote for Ford. As a native Memphian, I know a lot about the Ford family, and, without going into detail, most of what I know is less than admirable. Having said that, I generally don't like to blame someone for the people he happens to be related to. His dad was a fairly decent representative, but mostly because he had good people running his office. His public behaviour is/was another story. And okay I won't start on John Ford the uncle.

I'm actually pretty disgusted with Ford for not supporting Steve Cohen, the Democratic party selection to run for Harold's seat in Congress. That's right!! In my district we have another Lieberman (independent) running to fill Harold's seat, only he didn't enter the primary. I am not a huge Steve Cohen fan, but he is the D after all. Well, it so happens that Harold's relative is running as an independent for Harold's old seat against Cohen, so he (Harold Jr.) is taking NO STAND in the race, and Harold's dad is endorsing the family member. This could result in a big enough split in the vote here that we could actually have a Republican elected for Harold's old seat.

I also don't think Harold is all that intelligent.

Still, oh, my gosh, against Corker, he gets my enthusiastic vote an thumbs up!!

[greeneyedboy]

61. more nonsense about how the Democrats have to move rightward.

why no comparable article about the mouthbreathers in today's GOP who are not your daddy's Republican? (in contrast to Lincoln Chafee et al., who *are* traditional "small government" Republicans--driven from the party in the Reagan RetroRevolution)

[autorank]

62. I'm all for Ford. Just imagine for a second... KR

...what its like to be Ford in that state during the time he's matured politically. We had 12 years of Reagan-Bush and now our current nightmare. I don't agree with him on all of his positions but I greatly admire how he carries himself in general and his perseverance. That's something to be noted and encouraged. He does not give up.

[Radical Activist]

71. I'd be more happy if he was a William Jennings Bryan Democrat.

That is based in Christianity, leads to better policy than Ford's conservatism, and there is a real market for that message in Tennessee.

[Geek_Girl]

78. I really don't want to vote for him

But Corker is such a crook I would really hate to see him win.