Monday, January 11, 2010
Politics / Woods Ford's Press Goes from Bad to Brutal: 'A Clown Bringing His Act to New York'
Posted by Jeff Woods on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 6:39 AM
Ford is a "clown bringing his act to New York," according to this guy who probably tortured kittens as a child.
As the GOP imploded, and Democrats got elected in places like Virginia and Montana, Ford ran in Tennessee on the What-A-Friend-I-Have-In-Jesus platform and got race-baited out of the job by an non-entity named Bob Corker. So much for being a Rising Star and all. James Carville sure can pick 'em, can't he? (More than one person has told me that Ford looks at Barack Obama the way Salieri looked at Mozart.) Now, though, with some Wall Street grifters behind him, and his support running from one side of the MSNBC green room to the other, this clown is bringing his act to New York.He'd make such a bad candidate that a grateful Gillibrand probably hopes he'll run as the one sure-fire way to unify Democrats behind her, according to this blogger.
You really have to wonder if this is going to concern the campaign staff of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, or make them really, really happy. It looks like Tennessee transplant Harold Ford Jr is staffing up for a potential Senate bid. In something that is sure to play well with the Democratic base, it appears that two of his first three major hires came from the campaign squad of NYC's Republican Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.
Lots of New York's power players are trying to talk Harold Ford Jr. down from the ledge regarding his potential primary challenge to Kirsten Gillibrand, starting with Gillibrand's mentor Charles Schumer. Rep. Jerry Nadler, who came around late to supporting Gillibrand but is firmly in her column now, also joined in the chorus telling Ford (who's been huddling with advisors from Michael Bloomberg's coterie) to back off. The campaign against Ford almost seems to write itself, starting with his pro-life proclamations and the fact that he's been registered to vote in New York for only six weeks.
To imagine Ford might represent New York as a Democrat is such a grotesque proposition it took me a while to be convinced that I even needed to address the story.He appeared like a UFO in New York's sky:
You can't run against an incumbent with the slogan: "Vote for me, I'm a more fascinating personality." Gillibrand's weak spot had always been that she shifted to the left only when it suited her political needs. But she shifted with extreme ardor. And she was not as far to the right as Ford to begin with. It's hard to conceive how he could pull the trick off.This blogger gets right to the point: "He's an opportunistic asshole."
This has all of the indications of an elaborate shakedown of the Democratic Party by Ford who will no doubt want some form of "compensation" or "consideration" for not running a divisive campaign that he can't win considering his conservative voting history. He just wants to be treated like the political royalty he thinks he is. So, asshole.Update: On the Today Show, Ford backs gay marriage. Asked by Matt Lauer if he was changing his position, Ford replied, "Maybe in the language."
Comments (6)
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I love this sentence in today's NYT's story about Ford's Senate bid.
"(While he described himself during the 2006 Senate race as “pro-life,” a Ford adviser maintained that it was an attempt to take back a term that he felt anti-abortion groups had unfairly appropriated. Mr. Ford, the adviser said, has always supported abortion rights.)"
Truly Orwellian, or actually just stupid and arrogant.
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It's difficult to understand Mr Ford's notion concerning his viability as a New York Senatorial candidate. Okay. Hilary pulled it off. So did Rob't Kennedy. (Rumor was rampant at the time that Bobby's residency made it impossible for him to vote for himself. May or may not be true—don't know.) However, Harold Ford Jr truly does seem determined to commit political hari-kari with little benefit to himself beyond momentary notice in a flaming, bloody political demise. At least David Duke in Louisiana made money for himself with his improbable presidential candidacy. Cant see Ford doing anything but putting himself in peril of political (and probably economic) bankruptcy with his boondogle.
Granted, Charles Schumer is a classic New York scumbag. Kirsten Gillibrand is probably cut out of the same piece of string. And Bloomberg could very well be sabotaging Ford with his people. Stranger things have been known to happen in the Big Apple. (I know it well.)
Admittedly, Ford would be more dignified than someone like Al Sharpton if he can express himself un-Ebonically. “Axt him 'free or 'fo times,” as Sharpton would say, somehow doesn't fit the New York Times—New Yorker image. But that doesn't equip Ford for a foray into what is almost impenetrable New York politics. When you have Hilary's, or Kennedy's clout it can be done, obviously. But Harold, you ain't no Hilary, or Bobby. And New York's political chipper is warmed up, revved and waiting to chop you into bits and pieces.
Give it up before you permanently fuck yourself up.
Yikes. Looks like there's not enough left of Junior to draw a chalk line around!
Kudos to New York pundits who saw the man for what he is, a shallow opportunist.
That's all. Move along. Nothing to see here.
