It appears that Harold Ford’s strategy to make New York Staters think he’s not a crypto-Republican is something like this:
In his earlier incarnation as a House member, Ford showed a cautious streak, befitting a candidate who planned to run for statewide office from nearly the moment he was elected at 26 to his father’s old seat in 1996. Though he represented a majority black, Memphis district, Ford nevertheless positioned himself as a viable statewide candidate in conservative-leaning Tennessee.
[….]Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester offered the polite and on-message assessment of what cynics see as Ford’s conversion on the road to Zabars.
“Any elected official has to ask, ‘What are the values of your community?'” Forrester said. “Tennessee values would be different than some of those in New York.”
I’m sympathetic to the argument that he had to position himself as conservative in order to make himself viable for statewide office in Tennessee. A Democratic Senator in Tennessee sure would come in handy right now. And maybe that excuses some of his votes.
But a Congressman from a poor district voting for the bankruptcy bill..that seems the unkindest cut of all. I certainly don’t think that the bankruptcy bill was so wildly popular about Tennesseans that it would make much difference in terms of swaying voters, so the reason for the vote was that he wanted to get campaign money from credit card companies and the like.
Of course, getting money from corporate interests is also something that Democratic candidates in conservative states may have to do in order to be competitive. However, at a certain point the line between getting campaign money and taking de facto bribes becomes blurred.
Do you think Harold Ford would be getting a million a year from Bank of America if he’d voted against the bankruptcy bill? I doubt it.
Maude
He’s a compassionate conservative.
Aziz Poonawalla
WHy am I reminded of R.E.M.
“that was just a dream
that was just a dream
that’s me in the corner
that’s me in the spotlight
losing my religion”
Michael
The problem was that too many D congressfolk didn’t understand the BK bill. They wree told that it was the big rock candy mountain, and that it would rid the country of the Florida and Texas homestead havens for wealthy deadbeats. What the lobbyists failed to mention was that it elevated the status of unsecured debt (signature loans, like credit cards) to the status approaching that of secured debt, and that all those obligations set at 29% interest were now much more collectible, all to the detriment of secured debtors holding collateral and 6% notes.
Then there was the giveaway to the bullshit “credit counseling services”.
Lev
Harold Ford is the future of the Democratic Party AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE!
Anyone who doubts this need only look at his unprecedented record of bold career moves and big successes.
inkadu
@Aziz Poonawalla: Don’t bring religion into this thread, too.
Church Lady
Harold had an excuse, at least. With the exception of a few counties in west Tennessee that lean blue, and a couple more around Nashville that are sort of purple, the rest of the state is so red that it hurts the eyes.
What was Joe “Gasbag” Biden’s excuse? Talk about being a whore for the banks, I don’t think anyone can rival him.
Ana Gama
I liked what Anthony Weiner had to say about Harold Ford…
“”If he thinks that its an appealing argument to position yourself as being somebody who will stand up to Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer, well I don’t think we need another Joe Lieberman,” Weiner told Politico.”
tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/weiner-pops-fords-trial-balloon.php?ref=fpb
jnfr
Love that song.
The Grand Panjandrum
Ezra seems to think that this may be a big joke.
Ezra’s point is well taken here. HF is a skilled politician and it is rather suspicious that he would we be that dumb. He may be a ratfucker, but he isn’t stupid.
Citizen_X
Oh, fuck off. Any elected official has to ask, “How can I benefit my community, and my country”? “Values” is a slippery pile of theocratic horseshit.
Besides, judging the Tennesseans I know (my family & acquaintances), the “values” of Tennessee are God, guns, & country…and incest, corn likker distilling, and pot growing.
jenniebee
So he’s telling NY that he’s a humbug, but if they elect him he’ll be their humbug, so not to worry.
And they wonder why so few people bother to vote.
geg6
Oh, bullshit. Harold Ford is a whore for the banks and investment houses, without any values other than how he can best benefit himself, and anyone who says otherwise is either only fooling themselves or is no different than Harold Ford. Look at who is pushing this candidacy, look at his closest personal relationships, remember every pundit moment he’s had on MSNBC and FOXNews, and always remember that Ford is the head of the DLC.
There is nothing about this guy that is genuine other than the fact that he’s stupid, he thinks New Yorkers are stupid, and he’s out to screw us all for his and his banker bosses’ benefit.
maus
@inkadu:
The song wasn’t about religion.
maus
@The Grand Panjandrum:
You’re forgetting about narcissism and his sense of entitlement. John McCain, if you need an example.
scarshapedstar
Hell, maybe it’s just my eyes, but I’ve never even seen that line. Hasn’t this been outlawed in every other modern democracy? Oh, right: WE’RE #1!
RSR
I thought this post was going to be about Lane Kiffin…
New Yorker
Exactly. Do we really need another senator who is a lackey for big banks? Gillibrand may not be perfect, but she’s far less likely to be a flunky for Goldman. There’s something to be said for having one senator from this state NOT being from the 5 boroughs: there’s less attachment to Wall St. on a personal level. The dinner parties Gillibrand attends are probably less populated with GS managing partners.
Timo
Why does that excuse remind me of that dude Tommy Carcetti from the Wire?
HyperIon
“Tennessee values would be different than some of those in New York.”
Yeah, in NY they might know the difference between “different from” and “different than”.
Professor Fate
If memory serves Harold ran an rather inept campaign for Seanator in Tennessee – which makes sense. He has all the problems of our professional polittical class, to wit, a weird sense of entitlement re the corprate gravy train, a serious lack of real people skills, and the politcal instinct of badger carcass. There is a reason he was the only democratic cannadiate running for an open seat who lost and it wasn’t just becuase Tennesse was that dead red.
Sarcastro
Send him to LA… with the rest of our garbage.
Mr Furious
@Michael: Bullshit. Everyone of them that voted for that bill did it for the same reason as Ford. Campaign cash and potential windfall upon leaving office.
Biden is one of the few with something even close to an excuse, since the credit card companies are his constituents.
rikyrah
glad to see so many people waking up to the mile wide oil slick that is Dark Sith Ford.
CalD
@DougJ
Oh, please. This is getting old. You want to rank on Ford, I got no problem with that. He was never my favorite Democrat. Just try to keep it clean.
In 2006 Ford had a lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union of 23.%, which is actually on the low-ish end for the Blue Dog pack. Stephanie Herseth comes in at about 41% currently. She must be a double crypto-Republican by your logic.
The single most extreme liberal Republican member of the House in 2006 (Sherwood Boehlert of NY 24) had an ACU rating of 40%. Middle of the pack for a Republican was around 90%.
So c’mon. “Crypto-Republican?” That’s the kind of nonsense I expect from the Firebagger crowd.