On September 28th, Conservative icon Bill Bennett said the following on his national radio show:"I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."
Since Bennett's comments last Wednesday, many leaders on both sides of the aisle from across the nation, including our own Congressman Harold Ford Jr., have denounced the comments as being dumb and heinous, among other things. Even the White House came out and said , "The president believes the comments were not appropriate." To most people denouncing the comments was the logical and morally correct thing to do.
However, there has not been one word from U.S. Senate candidates Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, and Bob Corker, all of whom claim to be pro-life, pro-family values, and moralistic conservatives. We must assume that their silence and their unwillingness to denounce Bennett's insensitive comments means that they condone that kind of rhetoric, which is really disturbing.
Why give Bill Bennett a pass? Because he is a Republican? I can about guarantee you if a Democrat would have said what Bennett said he would have been run out of town and scorned for an unforeseen period of time, and rightfully so. It seems to me to be nothing more than a indefensible double standard.
Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, and Bob Corker should be ashamed of themselves. They portray themselves as one thing, but are unwilling to back up their rhetoric with action when the opportunity arises. Simply put, it is poor leadership.
This lack of leadership seems to be a pattern with these three candidates. Until this day Bryant, Hilleary, or Corker have not said one word regarding the job Michael Brown and FEMA did in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. They also appear to refuse to admonish Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay for his wrongful actions which have led to several indictments. (However, we may know why they are unwilling to speak out against Tom Delay. Why bite the hand that feeds?)
The people of this state are tired of this kind of leadership and expect so much more. They want a person who is willing to do the job of the people and won't engage in partisan games such as this.
With Harold Ford Jr., what you get is what you see. He is not afraid to stand up to his own party leaders when they are in the wrong or work with the other side of the aisle to get key legislation passed. Simply put, he is a man of the people.
That is why it is so incumbent on all of us to help get Congressman Harold Ford Jr. elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006.
