The Truth: Harold Ford Jr. Stands Strong On Security While Corker Fails

As expected, the Corker camp and the NRSC unleashed their attack machine today in response to Congressman Ford's new ad focusing on securing our nation. They have already issued a handful of attacks which are nothing but lies.

The Corker camp and NRSC henchmen would love for everyone to believe that Congressman Ford voted against the 9-11 Commission's recommendations, is against the Patriot Act, and is a cut and run Democrat. However, as the record shows, none of those assertions are anywhere close to the truth.

As the DSCC recently noted:

Ford Is Consistent Supporter Of War On Terror, Troops Fighting It

Congressman Ford has supported over $5 trillion in funding for the Defense, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies since 9/11 and introduced legislation to improve our efforts in the war on terror. He has supported every funding and appropriations bill requested by this Administration to fund the War on Terror.

[H.R. 1559, 4/3/2003; H.R. 3289, 10/31/2003; H.R. 5122 05/11/06; H.R. 2863, 6/20/2005, Passed 398-19; H.R. 4613, 6/22/2004; H.R. 2360, 10/6/2005; H.R. 3673, 09/08/2005; H.R. 1815, 05/25/2005; H.R. 1817, 05/18/2005; H.R. 2360, 5/17/2005; H.R. 1268, 5/5/2005; H.R. 1268, 03/16/2005; H.R. 4567, 10/9/2004; H.R. 4200, 10/09/2004; H.R. 4567; H.R. 1588, 11/07/2003; H.R. 2658, 9/24/2003; H.R. 2555, 9/24/2003; H.R. 2555, 9/10/2003; H.R. 2555, 6/24/2003; H.R. 5010, 10/10/2002; H.R. 4547, 07/24/02; H.R. 4775, 7/23/2002, Passed 397-32; H.R. 1383, introduced 3/17/2005]

Now, on to the fun part. Making a fool and a lair out of the Corker camp and the NRSC. Below are lies that they are telling about Congressman Ford, followed by the facts.

Lie #1: Congressman Ford voted against the 9-11 Commissions’ 41 recommendations

The Truth: The two chairmen of the bi-partisan 9-11 Commission Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton, were opposed to this particular piece of legislation (HR 10) and believed it to be a flawed.

Their letter repeatedly stressed the fact that the Senate version S 2845, which Congressman Ford voted in favor of, was much more preferable to the Commission. (http://www.9-11pdp.org/press/2004-10-20_pr.pdf)

In the end, the record shows Congressman Ford rejected the weaker version of the intelligence reform bill, HR 10. Voted YES on agreeing to the Conference Report of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, a bipartisan reform act which earlier passed in the Senate 96-2. This bill would reform the intelligence community and the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, and for other purposes. (S. 2845, 12/7/2004, Passed 336-75)

Moreover, Congressman Ford supported strengthening HR 10 by adopting provisions from the 9/11 Commission and President Bush endorsed Senate version of the bill. Congressman Ford Voted YES on the Menendez Amendment, an amendment in the nature of a substitute numbered 1 printed in House Report 108-751 to merge two bills endorsed by the 9/11 Commission: S. 2845 and S. 2774.

The amendment establishes a National Intelligence Director and makes improvements in intelligence activities, modifies laws relating to intelligence community management, establishes diplomatic means and provides foreign aid to combat terrorism, provides an integrated screening system and improves counter terrorist travel intelligence, enhances transportation security, provides resources to improve national preparedness and assist local first responders, and establishes a Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. (Amdt to HR 10, 10/7/2004, Rejected 203-213)

Lie #2: Congressman Ford opposes the Patriot Act’s surveillance program, therefore he is soft on security

The Truth: Congressman Ford has been to Iraq and Afghanistan four times since 9/11 and experienced first hand the courage and toughness of our troops in battle. Congressman Ford has consistently voted to ensure that our military is fully funded. He has supported every funding and appropriations bill requested by the Bush Administration to fund the War on Terror. Total, he has supported over $5 trillion in funding for the Defense, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies since 9/11 and introduced legislation to improve our efforts in the war on terror.

Below are just a handful of votes that show Congressman Ford's strenght on securing out nation:

• Voted YES on Patriot Act Reauthorizing Amendments: Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would amend legislation reauthorizing expiring provisions of the 2001 anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act to clarify that, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, individuals who receive orders to hand over business records could challenge nondisclosure requirements after one year, those who receive national security letters would not be required to disclose the name of their attorney, and that libraries would not be considered wire or electronic communication service providers when functioning in their traditional roles, including providing Internet access. (S 2271, 3/7/06, Passed 280-138)
  
• Voted YES on Roving Wiretaps Amdendment: “Issa, R-Calif., amendment that would require authorities to notify the issuing judge of a venue change of a surveillance facility or place within 15 days or at the earliest reasonable time as determined by the court. It also would require authorities to specify the total number of electronic surveillances that have been or are being carried out. (Amdt to HR 3199, Passed 406-21)

• Voted YES on Anti-Terrorism Authority Legislation, which was designed to expand law enforcement's power to investigate suspected terrorists (H.R. 2975, Passed 337-79, 10/12/2001).

• Congressman Ford has authored legislation to protect the Tennessee National Guard: His bill calls on the Department of Defense to consult the nation’s Governors and Congress before making any changes to the Guard. A current Pentagon proposal would reduce the Tennessee National Guard by 10 percent and cut as many as 1,000 Tennessee guard slots.

• Voted YES on joint resolution to authorize President Bush to use the U.S. military as he deems necessary and appropriate to defend U.S. national security against Iraq and enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq (H.J.R. 114, 10/10/2002, Passed 296-113).

• Voted YES to create the Department of Homeland Security (H.R. 5005, 07/26/2002, Passed 295-132).

• Voted YES on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act that established Director of National Intelligence (S. 2845, 12/07/2004, Passed 336-75).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2003 War Supplemental, which provided $77.9 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations including $62.5 billion for military operations in Iraq, $4.2 billion for homeland security and the war on terrorism (H.R. 1559, 4/3/2003 Passed 414-12).

• Voted YES for the $87.5 billion in emergency Fiscal 2004 spending Supplemental Defense Bill for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan (H.R. 3289, 10/31/2003, Passed 298-121).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report. The bill that would appropriate $94.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2006. It would provide $70.4 billion for defense and foreign aid and $19.8 billion for hurricane relief. It would provide $2.3 billion for pandemic flu preparations, and $1.2 billion for border security efforts. (HR 4939, 06/13/06, Passed 351-67)

• Voted YES on the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007. The bill appropriates $35.97 billion for the Department of Homeland Security in FY 2007, including $7.85 billion for the operations of the United States Coast Guard, $6.44 billion for customs and border protection, including $115 million for the Secure Border Initiative, $4.70 billion for aviation security $4.39 billion for immigrant and customs enforcement (H.R. 5441, 06/06/06, Passed 389-9)

• Voted YES on National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. This House bill authorized $512.9 billion in defense spending for the 2007 fiscal year. (H.R. 5122 05/11/06, Passed 396-31)

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Defense Appropriations Conference Report: Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $453.5 billion for defense spending, including $50 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The total includes $123.6 billion for operations and maintenance, $76.5 billion for procurement and $72.1 billion for research and development. It also includes $7.8 billion for ballistic missile defense and $97 billion for military personnel, including a 3.1 percent pay raise for military personnel. The total does not include a 1 percent across-the-board cut to all fiscal 2006 discretionary spending except Veterans Administration funding that was added to the legislation. It also would provide $29 billion for disaster assistance to hurricane-damaged areas and $3.8 billion for flu preparedness. (HR 2863 12/19/2005, Passed 308-106)

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Defense Appropriations bill that would appropriate $408.9 billion, including $45.3 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The total includes $116.1 billion for operations and maintenance, $76.8 billion for procurement and $71.7 billion for research and development. It also includes $7.6 billion for ballistic missile defense and $84.1 billion for military personnel, including a 3 percent pay raise for military personnel (H.R. 2863, 6/20/2005, Passed 398-19).

• Voted YES on passage of FY 2005 Defense Appropriations. This bill appropriated $417 billion for defense programs for fiscal 2005, including $25 billion in emergency funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan (H.R. 4613, 6/22/2004, Passed 403-1).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations conference bill that appropriated $31.9 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Homeland Security Department and related agencies. The bill included $6 billion for customs and border protection; $5.9 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, including fees; $7.8 billion for the Coast Guard; $1.2 billion for the Secret Service and $2.6 billion for response and recovery efforts conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (H.R. 2360, 10/6/2005, Passed 347-70).

• Voted YES to appropriate $51.8 billion in fiscal 2005 supplemental spending for disaster relief to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. The bill provided $50 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, $1.4 billion for the Defense Department and $400 million for the Army Corps of Engineers (H.R. 3673, 09/08/2005, Passed 410-11).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Intelligence Authorization. The bill authorized classified amounts in fiscal 2006 for U.S. intelligence activities and agencies including the CIA, the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency (H.R. 2475, 6/21/2005, Passed 409-16).

• Voted YES on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which appropriated $441.6 billion for the Department of Defense (H.R. 1815, 05/25/2005, Passed 390-39).

• Voted YES on passage of the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which authorized $34.2 in appropriations for fiscal year 2006 the Department (H.R. 1817, 05/18/2005, Passed 424-1).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations to provide $31.9 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Homeland Security Department, including $22 billion for security, enforcement and investigation activities, such as the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It provided $5.7 billion for the Transportation Security Administration and $3.6 billion for the Office of State and Local Coordination and Preparedness, including $2.8 billion for state and local homeland security grant programs. It also withheld $310 million from the department until it implements new air cargo screening measures and deploys more explosive-detection technologies at airports around the country (H.R. 2360, 5/17/2005, Passed 424-1).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations’ Chemical Plant Security amendment that increased funding by $50 million for state and local grant programs to improve security of chemical plants. The amendment was offset by a $50 million cut for the Office of the Under Secretary for Management (H.R. 2360, 5/17/2005, Passed 225-198).

• Voted YES to recommit Fiscal 2005 Supplemental Appropriations to the conference committee with instructions to include Senate language that would provide for the highest levels of funding for immigration and customs enforcement (H.R. 1268, 5/5/2005, Failed 201-225).

• Voted YES on the $82.4 billion Supplemental Defense Bill in 2005 that made emergency supplemental appropriations for Department of Defense, the global war on terror and tsunami relief (H.R. 1268, 03/16/2005, Passed 388-43).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report that appropriated $33.1 billion in fiscal 2005 for the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies. The bill included $6.3 billion for customs and border protection; $5.2 billion for the Transportation Security Administration; $7.4 billion for the Coast Guard; $1.2 billion for the Secret Service and $5.5 billion for emergency preparedness and response, including $3.1 billion for the state and local programs (H.R. 4567, 10/9/2004, Passed 368-0).

• Voted YES on the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, the conference report authorized $445.6 billion for the Defense Department and Energy Department’s national security programs, including $25 billion in additional funds for operations in Iraq and more than $2 billion for increased protection of U.S. troops there (H.R. 4200, 10/09/2004, Passed 359-14).

• Voted YES on Information Access amendment that directed the Homeland Security secretary to ensure that all security screening personnel have access to law enforcement and intelligence information maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. The Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to provide Congress with an overview of all department agencies, databases, and other capabilities relating to terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, screening, investigations, and inspection of goods or individuals entering the United States (Amendment to H.R. 10, 10/8/2004, Passed 410-0).

• Voted YES on motion to instruct House conferees for Fiscal 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations to insist on a conference report that would include the highest possible funding levels for homeland security first-responders, domestic preparedness, emergency management performance grants, fire grants, flood maps and disaster mitigation programs (H.R. 4567, 10/7/2004 Passed 395-16).

• Voted YES on FY 05 Intelligence Authorization Act , which authorized appropriations classified amounts in fiscal 2005 for U.S. intelligence activities and agencies including the CIA, the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency (H.R. 4548, 06/23/2004, Passed 360-61).

• Voted NO on an amendment to reduce funding for intelligence programs – such as the CIA, the General Defense Intelligence Program, the Joint Military Intelligence Program, and the Army Tactical Intelligence and Related Activities Program – by 25% (Amendment to H.R. 4548, 06/23/04, Failed 149-270).

• Voted YES for 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations to provide $33.1 billion in fiscal 2005 for the Department of Homeland Security, including $2.5 billion previously enacted for Project Bioshield. It would provide $20.6 billion for security, enforcement and investigation activities, such as the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It also would provide $5.1 billion for the Transportation and Security Administration. It also would provide $4.1 billion for the Office of State and Local Coordination and Preparedness, including $3.4 billion for state and local homeland security grant programs. The bill, as amended, would prohibit the use of funds to privatize or contract out services provided by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (H.R. 4567, 6/18/2004, Passed 400-5).

• Voted YES on the $401 billion Defense Authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2004 (H.R. 1588, 11/07/2003, Passed on 362-40).

• Voted YES on passage of Fiscal 2004 Defense Appropriations. The bill appropriated $368.7 billion in fiscal 2004 for defense and national security (H.R. 2658, 9/24/2003, Passed 407-15).

• Voted YES on Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report the bill appropriated $30.4 billion in fiscal 2004 spending for the Homeland Security Department and related agencies, about $1 billion more than the administration’s request. The measure included $5.8 billion for customs and border protection, $3.7 billion for immigration enforcement, $4.6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration and $6.8 billion for the Coast Guard (H.R. 2555 , 9/24/2003, Passed 417-8).

• Voted YES on motion to instruct House conferees for Fiscal 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations insist on inclusion of the highest possible level of funding for Homeland Security, preparedness and disaster response programs within the bill and to insist on House language that would bar the use of funds for any aviation cargo security plan that allows the transporting of unscreened or uninspected cargo on passenger planes (H.R. 2555, 9/10/2003, Passed 347-74).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2004 Intelligence Authorization. The bill authorized classified amounts in fiscal 2004 for U.S. intelligence activities and agencies including the CIA, the National Security Agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency (H.R. 2417, Passed 410-9, 6/26/2003).

• Voted YES on Intelligence Overhaul Conference Report, a bill that reorganized 15 U.S. intelligence agencies and created a new director of national intelligence to oversee all U.S. intelligence activities and determine the intelligence budget. The National Counterterrorism Center will serve as the primary organization for analyzing and integrating all U.S. intelligence pertaining to terrorism and counterterrorism. The measure would also authorize approximately 10,000 additional border patrol agents over five years, and new programs and pilot projects to upgrade airport and airplane security (S. 2845, 12/7/2004, Passed 336-75).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations, which provided a total of $30.4 billion, including $29.4 billion in discretionary spending, in fiscal 2004 for the Department of Homeland Security (H.R. 2555, 6/24/2003, Passed 425-2).

• Voted YES on amendment to Fiscal 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations that would bar the use of funds to approve, renew or implement any aviation cargo security plan that allows the transporting of unscreened or uninspected cargo on passenger planes (H.R. 2555, 6/24/2003, Passed 278-146).

• Voted YES on FY 2003 Defense Appropriations, which provided $355.1 billion for the Defense Department for fiscal 2003, an increase of $21 billion over fiscal 2002 regular and supplemental funds (H.R. 5010, 10/10/2002 Passed 409-14).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2003 War Funds Authorization. This motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would authorize $10 billion for operations conducted as part of the war on terrorism in fiscal 2003, and add that to the fiscal 2003 Defense Department authorization bill. The bill would authorize $3.5 billion for operations associated with the war, including domestic air patrols and military operations in Afghanistan, and $1 billion to replace equipment lost during operations. The president would have wide latitude to designate such funds. The bill would authorizes $3.1 billion for a variety of procurement, research and development, and operations and maintenance programs previously authorized in the House-passed Defense Department authorization bill, but now contained in this bill. The measure also would authorize almost $2 billion for classified activities, including $1.6 billion for procurement, $302 million for operations and maintenance, and $60 million for research and development. The bill also would authorize $200 million for ammunition replacement, $182 million for combat pay, and fund transfers once the Defense secretary has alerted Congress. (H.R. 4547, 07/24/02, Passed 413-3)

• Voted YES on legislation that would provide approximately $28.9 billion in supplemental appropriations for fiscal 2002. The agreement would include $14.5 billion for the Defense Department, $6.7 billion for homeland security programs and $5.5 billion for post-Sept. 11 recovery efforts in New York (H.R. 4775, 7/23/2002, Passed 397-32).

• Voted YES on passage of the bill that would establish a program in which commercial pilots would be deputized as federal law enforcement officers and would be allowed to carry guns aboard airlines (H.R. 4635, 7/10/2002, Passed 310-113).

• Voted NO on Tierney amendment to Fiscal 2003 Defense Appropriations that would cut $121.8 million for construction of silos at Fort Greeley, Alaska (Amendment to H.R. 5010, 6/27/2002, Rejected 112-314).

• Voted YES on passage of the Homeland Security Information Act to require federal agencies to develop within six months procedures for sharing both classified and non-classified information on homeland security threats with law enforcement and other state and local officials (H.R. 4598, 6/26/2002, Passed 422-2).

• Voted YES on the $383 billion Defense Authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2003, which included the President’s request of $7.8 billion for missile defense systems and $7.3 billion for counter-terrorism programs (H.R. 4546, 5/10/2002, Passed 359-58).

• Voted NO on an amendment that would have prohibited any funding for space-based national missile defense programs (Amendment to H.R. 4546, 05/09/2002, Rejected 159-253).

• Voted YES on Fiscal 2002 Defense Authorization Conference Report, which authorized $343.2 billion for defense programs (S. 1438, 12/13/2001, Passed 382-40).

• Voted YES on Anti-Terrorism Authority Legislation, which was designed to expand law enforcement's power to investigate suspected terrorists (H.R. 2975, Passed 337-79, 10/12/2001).

• Hosted the first homeland security summit in the State of Tennessee. (Memphis Commercial Appeal, 05/07/05).

• Ford seeks to make Tennessee a homeland security role model for the entire nation. “Frustrated by what he perceives as a lack of focus in Washington on the issue of Homeland Security, Ford has been pushing hard for Tennessee to develop a comprehensive model he would be able to promote on a national stage. In May, Ford hosted a first-of-its-kind meeting on Homeland Security in the FedEx Center auditorium on the University of Memphis campus. Over 200 men and women representing law enforcement, the medical community, city and county governments and fire departments across Tennessee attended” (Dyersburg State Gazette, 07/08/05).

• Appointed by U.S. Joint Forces Command to serve on the Transformation Advisory Group: This group of political, military and academic leaders are working with the Pentagon to transform the armed forces into a more flexible and agile fighting force.

• Led the fight to bring $10.07 million in homeland security funding to Memphis. The funding is part of $725 million that Congress approved for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) for fiscal year 2004.

• Helped secure $6.07 million for Memphis in funding from the Department of Homeland Security to protect against terrorist threats.

• Introduced the Homeland Security Strategy Act. This bill creates a comprehensive four-year review for national security similar to the Defense Department’s review. This plan would put federal, state, local and private-sector leaders in the homeland security fight together to develop a comprehensive strategy and enable national security leaders to methodically assess priorities, assets and resources every four years to ensure the nation is best able to prevent and respond to terrorist attack (H.R. 1383, introduced 3/17/2005).

• Co-sponsored the Call to Service Act, this piece of legislation would link the Corporation for National and Community Service with the newly created Office of Homeland Defense to expand AmeriCorps to include new homeland security and safety positions.

• Co-sponsored the Intelligence Transformation Act, a bill that creates a Director of National Intelligence who will have full budgetary authority over all intelligence agencies. The bill also creates the position of Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, who will also serve as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence.

• Introduced H.R. 922, a bill to improve treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans of service in Afghanistan and Iraq and the war on terrorism (introduced 2/17/2005).

Lie #3: Congressman Ford Supports A Premature Withdrawl From Iraq

The truth: Congressman Ford has said over and over, time and time again, that he supports staying in Iraq until the job in completed. What he has called for is a new course and new strategies to be chartered in Iraq.

• Just this weekend the Chattanooga Times free press wrote, “neither Democrat Harold Ford Jr. nor Republican Bob Corker supports a timetable for the removal of American troops from Iraq, the U.S.” (Chattanooga Times Free, 08/20/06)

• Since the beginning of this conflict, Ford has consistently voiced opposition to premature withdrawal.

• Ford knows we can’t just pull-out, but options and a new course needs to be debated: “But Ford indicated that leaving Iraq now has a huge downside. He didn't advocate setting a deadline for pulling out. "If we leave, the Iranians win, al-Qaida has the best recruiting tool they could ever have, gas prices go out the roof, and Hamas is strengthened (in its struggle with Israel)," Ford said. "We have framed this debate in Iraq as either pull out or stay the course. I think there are a body of options between that we ought to pursue or at least discuss or debate. ...We need to make clear our presence is not indefinite. ... Our money is not infinite. Our resolve to just stay and die and spend money also is not infinite. ... If they want three separate (regions), which is what their behavior suggests, then I think we have to be willing to entertain that." Kingsport Times News, 07/09/06

• "No timetable for withdrawal with our only guidepost being winning,": “Ford did not set a time on when U.S. forces should withdraw from Iraq. "No timetable for withdrawal with our only guidepost being winning," he said. "The Democrats say 'deadline for withdrawal.' The Republicans say 'stay.' But there are other options out there. There are a lot of ideas that are being bounced around that we are not having hearings on in Washington.” (Johnson City Press, 07/07/06)

• Ford does not want a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq but he does advocate a "different strategy": "The gimmick was a bad gimmick because it calls for unqualified support for the Iraqi government and they want to provide amnesty to insurgents who have attacked and killed US troops." Ford "said he is not in favor of a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq ... but he does advocate" a "different strategy" and not just "staying the course." On GOPers, Ford: "If they want to defend staying the course, then I'm going to let them defend it" (Rodgers, Nashville City Paper, 6/19/06)

• “The war is there now and we have to finish it regardless of where you started with this thing. Regardless of your thoughts about President Bush and Don Rumsfeld, I mean this is now much bigger. If we leave and I know there are some that are urging this. If we leave today the real winner would be the Iranians, the real winner would be Hamas.” (“Imus In The Morning,” MSNBC, 6/16/06)

• “Democrats and Republicans, our message has to be to the president, don't withdraw prematurely.” [“Hardball,” MSNBC, 1/12/06]

• “I hope we don’t withdrawal prematurely. It would be bad for us in the short and long term.” [CNBC News Transcripts, 1/12/06]

• “I happen to think we need a different policy in Iraq, not to cut and run.” [“Crossfire,” CNN, 3/11/04]

• Ford Repeatedly Broke Ranks To Oppose Premature Withdrawal. Harold Ford has repeatedly broken ranks with most Democrats and voted against prematurely withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. Last year he supported a GOP amendment that stated “it is U.S. policy to NOT withdrawal U.S. forces prematurely from Iraq.” Most Democrats opposed it. Also last year, Ford voted against a Democratic amendment to express the sense of Congress that “the president should develop a plan for withdrawing U.S. military forces.” Once again, Ford broke with most Democrats. [CQ Vote 397, 7/20/05; CQ Vote 220, 5/25/05; Emphasis Added]

No Wonder The Corker Camp Resorts To Lies and Distrortions; Corker's Record On Security Is One Of Failure

If I were working for the Corker camp or the NRSC, I guess I would lie about Congressman Ford too considering Bob Corker's record of failure on security.

As the DSCC noted in a press release:

As Mayor of Chattanooga, Bob Corker oversaw a 911 system that allowed tens of thousands of emergency calls to go unanswered, year after year. Even after promising to reduce the dropped call rate, Corker presided over an increase of dropped calls during his four years in office.

“Corker didn’t get the job done when it came to dealing with his city’s biggest security problem,” DSCC spokesman Reid Cherlin said. “Corker has already failed once at emergency response—how can we be sure he won’t fail again? The need for top-notch security is too important to entrust to someone with Corker’s record.”

• Corker Promised to Fix the Dropped Call Rate. During his 2001 mayoral campaign, Corker promised to improve the city’s disastrous 911 system and reduce its dropped call rate.

• But Corker Broke That Promise. Corker broke his promise to fix the 911 system and rejected efforts to do something about the dropped call rate. In fact, the Hamilton County 911 Board released an independent study just yesterday confirming that Corker turned down the Police Department’s repeated request for more resources for the 911 call center.

• And Left Thousands of 911 Callers In The Lurch. By the time Corker left office in 2005, the dropped call rate had risen more than 92 percent. That year alone, 31,000 calls went unanswered.

In Conclusion: The Facts Clearly Show Harold Ford Jr. Is Tough On Security And Terrorism, While Bob Corker Is Clueless

By the numerous votes above, you can see that Congressman Ford is tough both on security and the war on terror. He has funded our military every step of the way and is dedicated to giving our government the tools they need to combat the terrorists that seek to do our nation harm.

Further, throughout this whole campaign, the Congressman has made security a top priority. He took on President Bush when he sold our ports to the United Arab Emirates. He called on our government to strengthen it borders to stop the inflow of illegal immigration. And now, he is urging our government to act quickly to enact the measures that will protect our nation from another terrorist attack.

Bob Corker on the other hand, has nothing but a record of failure on security and has yet to even mention it in his campaign.

As Congressman Ford exclaims in his new ad, there is nothing more important than our security. This fall, lets not gamble with it. Vote for someone who actually has a track record of protecting our nation; not for someone who has a track record of incompetence.

A vote for Ford is a vote for security.