The following article is from the Daily News Journal. The article does a great job in showing the growing support Congressman Ford is receiving from people all walks of life as he travels our great state.
Italzicized are some very positive comments about Congressman Ford and his campaign.
Some of those gathered at the City Cafe Wednesday were there to eat breakfast and drink coffee, others were there to talk politics, some to do both.
U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr. tried his best to talk to all of them during a quick visit to Murfreesboro. After his early morning stop at City Cafe, he spoke to a civics class at Blackman High School and at an MTSU student/faculty roundtable discussion.
"What I hear across the state is the cost of natural gas and oil and rising health care costs," the Memphis Democrat said. "The campaign is broader than those two issues. I don't know any family in Tennessee who is not concerned about gas and health care, but they're concerned about a lot of other things, as well."
The people he talked to at the City Cafe Wednesday validated his observation.
As Ford worked the room, he stopped to chat with Officer Terry Burgess of the Murfreesboro Police Department who was eating breakfast with his wife.
"(Ford) was very nice and seemed very knowledgeable," Burgess said. "He asked me my opinion on what Congress has done on law enforcement and what else can they be doing. I told him how much we've benefited here in Murfreesboro from the COPS program and how sorry I was to see it cut back.
"I also told him I would like to see federal legislation on meth," Burgess said. "He was real receptive. I was impressed with him."
Law enforcement is also on his mind, said Clarence Brandon.
"I want to hear about gun control," he said. "I'm for some type of gun control and I want (Ford) to take a firm position. We're losing a lot of young people because of guns. We've got to do something about it."
Bernard James got a chance to shake hands with Ford and offer his support.
"I think it's important to elect a minority candidate to the Senate to help get the political balance in Washington back the way it should be to reflect the balance of the country," James said. "We need him in the Senate to represent minorities. But I believe because of his intellect and experience, he's got broad appeal. I believe he'll have a lot of support from non-minority voters."
Marissa Campbell of Nashville also thinks Ford can have a broad appeal to voters.
"People want honesty in government," she said. "There's too much dishonesty, too much deception. The reality we see is not the reality that is. (Ford has) worked hard and he has principles. It's unfortunate his family is under attack."
Campbell said she is sure the problems of Ford's uncle, John Ford, the former state senator from Memphis, who was indicted in 2005 for his involvement in the Tennessee Waltz sting, will be repeated often throughout the campaign.
"I know the Republicans will say he's just part of the family," she said. "I think he stands apart."
Harry Watkins of Lebanon, a Desert Storm veteran, was at the City Cafe to let Ford he thinks veterans issues should be an important part of the campaign.
"I like his views on the military," Watkins said. "There's a perception that Democrats are weak on defense, but he's not weak on the military."
Watkins thinks the war in Iraq will have a place in the Tennessee Senate campaign, but doesn't expect finger-pointing on the reasons why to be an issue.
"I think the debate on 'why' is over," Watkins said. "What I'm hearing Ford say is 'We're there, let's take care of business and refine the strategy.'"
Revonda Rucker, a registered nurse who's worked with the VA for 29 years, also wants to know about Ford's positions on veterans issues.
"I'm pro-vet. I want to know what he's going to do to support vets coming back from Iraq," Rucker said.
Amber McKellar, an MTSU student, wants to know where Ford stands on higher education.
"I'm extremely interested — with a big star — in the student loan programs and what he thinks the federal government can do about tuition costs," she said.
More: I think Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary should tell Officer Burgess why they both voted to cut the COPS program.
I am curious to know why and I bet the law enforcement community is too.
Personally, I am proud that Congressman Ford is a strong supporter and a friend to the law enforcement community.
He fully understands the importance of having a strong law enforcement community in our state and around the nation, unlike his opponents.
