In yesterday's Washington Times, writer Donald Lambro showed his smarts, or lack there of, by saying, "Few election forecasters expect Democratic Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr. to win the open Senate seat for Tennesse." The only problem with that statement is that it is a total lie.
The fact of the matter is, dozens and dozens of political experts and people in the know have said Harold Ford Jr. can win this Senate race.
Lambro's own paper, the Washington Times, has even said that Ford is a Democrat that the Republicans should fear:
- “A young, black politician with deep Tennessee roots, Mr. Ford is the kind of Democrat that Republicans should fear. In a caucus that lacks both ideas and energy, he is full of both.” -- Washington Times, 11/12/02
Many, many more agree with that assesment as well:
- The non-partisan, highly respected, Charlie Cook, of the Cook Political Report, calls the Tennessee Senate seat "Highly Vulnerable" for the Republicans. -- National Journal, 05/05/06
- Charlie Cook also exclaims that Harold Ford Jr. may be the Democrat's strongest recruit in 2006: “Their Tennessee nominee, Rep. Harold Ford, may be their strongest recruit of the cycle in terms of raw talent, political skills, and fundraising ability.” --National Journal, 05/05/06
- The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza says Harold Ford Jr. is running a terrific campaign and has raised more money than any one thought he could: “I am not sure a win by Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D) in the Tennessee open seat would be a total shock but it would certainly be surprising given Democrats struggles in the South of late. Ford is running a terrific campaign and has raised more money than any one thought he could while republicans are headed for a divisive August primary.” -- Washington Post’s, The Fix, 05/03/06
- Time Magazine Says Republicans Could Lose The Tennessee Senate Seat: "Republicans could even lose the Tennessee seat of retiring majority leader Bill Frist to Representative Harold Ford, a Democrat." -- Time Magazine, 03/27/06
- Respected Vanderbilt professor says "Ford has a legitimate shot to be our next senator" and that the Republicans are worried: "I think the congressman (Ford) has a legitimate shot to be our next senator," [John] Geer (a Vanderbilt University political science professor) said. That the Republicans "are doing fancyford.com tells you they are worried." -- Tennessean, 03/27/06
- The Hotline's editor, Chuck Tood, believes Harold Ford Jr. may be the Democrats best candidate in the entire nation: "On pure political talent, Ford may be the best candidate in the country for Democrats,’ writes Chuck Todd, editor of the political newsletter Hotline.” --USA Today, 12/22/05
- Potential Republican opponent Ed Bryant calls Ford formidable and someone who should not be taken for granted: "Ford is formidable and should not be taken for granted." -- Ed Bryant, Knoxville News Sentinel, 12/24/05
- Potential Republican opponent Bob Corker says “Ford will be a difficult candidate to beat": "It looks like Harold Ford will be the (Democratic) nominee and he will be a difficult candidate to beat with all the national attention he is getting,” Corker said." -- Rogersville Review, 01/20/06
- The New York Sun writes that a Ford victory is totally within the realm of possibility: “In Tennessee, Rep. Harold Ford Jr., a Democrat, could win the seat being vacated by Senate Majority Leader Frist, who is keeping his pledge to leave the Senate after serving two terms. Mr. Ford, 35, would be the first African-American ever elected to the Senate from that state. At the moment, Republicans are splintered in a hotly contested three-way primary.” -- New York Sun, 12/29/05
- Scripps-Howard News predicts a Ford victory in 2006: “Upsets: Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., beats impossible odds to defeat Republican Bob Corker for the Senate seat. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., is defeated.” -- Scripps of Howard News, 12/23/05
- According to The Hill, Harold Ford's candidacy is giving Republicans heartburn. "Tennessee, which has twice backed President Bush, is giving some Republicans heartburn, with the GOP Senate contenders attacking their opponents' conservative credentials while Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.) out fundraises his Republican rivals and aggressively canvasses the state." -- The Hill, 10/05/05
- Republicans fret over Ford's potential like no other: "Despite it all, Republicans fret over Ford's potential like no other Democrat seeking the seat being vacated by Majority Leader Bill Frist."-- AP, 06/12/05
- Top Republican advisor says "it's going to take a significant amount of resources to keep Senator Frist's seat from falling in Democratic hands": Sonny Scott, an adviser to Mr. Bryant, said Rep. Ford has an impressive national spotlight and will be well funded in the race. "It'll be a huge race for Republicans," he said. "It's going to take a significant amount of resources to keep Senator Frist's seat from falling in Democratic hands."-- Chattanooga Times Free Press, 07/25/05
- This week top Republican strategist Frank Luntz stated that if Harold Ford Jr. was a leader in the Democratic Party, the party would be heading towards a majority because Ford understands that you have to stand for something. "Truth is, if they had Rahm Emanuel [of Illinois] or Harold Ford [of Tennessee], they would be heading towards, in the direction of, a majority because the two of them understand that you have to stand for something - [that] you cannot win just by being negative." -- Christian Science Monitor, 10/26/05
- Ford's message plays well among a wide range of voters: "Ford's young, handsome, well-spoken and can get a crowd going. He's carefully positioned himself as a moderate Democrat, skilled at pitching a conservative-leaning message many think could play well among a range of voters... He's also spoken out strongly in support of the military's effort in Iraq, and sided with "Blue Dog" Democrats on reducing the federal deficit." -- AP, 06/12/05
- Moderate record and demonstrated ability to appeal to votes across racial lines: "Ford, who is black, has compiled a moderate record and demonstrated an ability to appeal to votes across racial lines -- the latter of which will be key in a state whose population is less than 17 percent black." -- National Journal's Congress Daily, 08/05/05
- Conservative on-line publication RedState.org says the Tennessee US Senate seat is "very real risk of Republican loss", "And thus, a Senate seat that should be safely red has now become an absolute toss-up, with a very real risk of Republican loss." -- RedState.org, 08/31/05
- Harold Ford Junior, a congressman from Memphis regarded as one of the Democrats' few bright hopes in the South" -- The Economist, 06/04/05
Lambro should check his facts the next time. It is always better to do so than go ahead and be proven an idiot.
153 Days
Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics
Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.
It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.
It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.
I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!
Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!
