TN senate: Ford (D) does best against Corker (F) but trails all repubs

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/May%202006/Tennessee%20Senate%20May.htm

Bob Corker (R) 43%
Harold Ford (D) 39%

Ed Bryant (R) 44%
Harold Ford (D) 36%

Van Hilleary (R) 47%
Harold Ford (D) 38%

Support Corker until the Repub primary!!!

isn't the vote split though?
you have ,what 3 republican candidates and one dem?
if anything some TN peeps need to get off their collective a$$es and start campaigning for the dems. MINE included.

All the other polls are showing Ford in a dead-heat when compared to each of the three candidates.

I don't have links right now, but you can watch them posted on Ford's site: www.fordfortennessee.com

(edited to add hyper-link)

who is running in the primary.

it would be interesting what the black voters think of him after he declared his mother wasn`t black..
these people have no use for ford and give reasons why

http://www.blackcommentator.com/

to find articles google harold ford jr.

Ford is MUCH better than the people he is running against. Is he a Feingold or Boxer? No. But he is running in TN, not CA or WI.

But, your facts are incorrect, anyway. The dispute is about his grandmother, not his mother, and the dispute is familywide, not just something Ford Jr. came up with on his own:

But no one was more surprised -- and shocked and angry -- than Barbara Ford Branch, one of Vera's daughters and Harold Ford Sr.'s older sister.
She vehemently insists that her mother was black and is absolutely baffled as to why her nephew, Harold Jr., would try to rewrite his family's history.
But former U.S. representative Harold Ford Sr. says he's talked with the rest of his siblings and they all agree: Vera was white.

SNIP

Harold Jr. dodged my phone calls, but he did ask his father to call me.
Vera's race wasn't anything the family ever discussed, Harold Sr. says, but they knew she was white.
"It was a foregone conclusion" that didn't require analysis around the dinner table, he says. "My uncles didn't want to come to the house because my father was brown-skinned."
Some family members have had DNA tests, Harold Sr. says, that back up his assertion that his mother was indeed a white woman.

Story in http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/cda/article_print/0,1983,MCA_25341_4553713_ARTICLE-DETAIL-PRINT,00.html
">Memphis Commerical Appeal

And, to address your other concerns, yes, he's better than the people he's running against. I can't stand the DLC, to be honest, but I realize that Ford Jr. is much better than Corker, Bryant and most certainly Hilleary. Ford Jr. actually has a very liberal voting record on most abortion rights issues (except he's for parental notification, but he's ultimately for a woman's right to choose), on civil rights and on education. The only thing he's really DLCish on is economic factors - and, in some of his more recent statements, he's beginning to back away from the DLC line. In other words, he's been backing small business over corporations.

Sadly, most people equate being a DLC lackey to being moderate. That's not necessarily true. DLCers are corporate shills and not populist candidates. One can be a moderate Democrat without being DLC, but, because of our idiot media, most people would automatically assume that if a candidate is DLC, then he or she is moderate - and that translates into votes in places like Tennessee. It's a political move for Ford Jr. and probably nothing more.

BTW, I can drive over to the traditionally "black" side of town and see NOTHING but Ford Jr. yard signs and bumper stickers; therefore, it's my personal opinion that, yes, Ford Jr. is popular amongst the black community in, at least, East Tennessee.

...it always does hit jobs on some of my favorite young african american leaders -- harold ford, cory booker to name a few. I recognize that the magazine in of itself makes no bones about it being editorialized -- its in the name. Still, it seems that they are poorly researched, that they have a very narrow definition of acceptable policy views, and, most of all, a very narrow contruct of who can lead black america. (btw, i would say someone who can lead all of america is the best bet).

Although he's not even in the Senate and no one asked for his opinion - he issued a press statement criticizing the effort to filibuster the anti-civil rights nominee. It's hard to trust someone who would go that far to undercut the efforts of his fellow Democrats in order to curry favor with the worst element of the Republican base.


For Immediate Release

Friday, January 27, 2006


Ford supports up or down vote on Alito

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. today called for the United States Senate to conduct an up-or-down vote on whether to confirm Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to the Supreme Court. In a statement, Ford said:

"I do not believe that Judge Alito’s nomination should be held up by a filibuster. Absent extraordinary circumstances, nominees to the Supreme Court deserve an up-or-down vote. From Judge Alito’s testimony and from all of the information that has come to light during his confirmation hearings, it does not appear that there is any reason to hold up a vote. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will move quickly to bring this process to a dignified end."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tn09_ford/morenews/060127_voteonalito.html

During their "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" segment. If THAT's true, then we would certainly have taken PA, RI, OH, MT, and MO. Which means we win the senate back. Woo.

the motivation level of gop voters to go to the polls on election day. administering phone polls and elicting quick opinions is a little different that making a point of going to the polls and pulling the switch. If anything, it's why Dems are and should be optimisic. Morale among the rank and file GOP is very low right now.

Ford will win in a close election by a couple of points, and it will be historical and a national story.

Meachum is from Tennessee and still has a lot of ties there. He also kind of comes across as a moderate Republican when you hear him being interviewed.

Why would any Republican concede a Senate seat in a red state so easily?

Chris Matthew's Sunday show.

Regarding Meachum being a Republican, he has never stated that cause in his position he's suppose to come across as neutral. It's just a matter of my reading between the lines: he is often interviewed on the Imus show, as is Harold Ford. Meachum usually comes across as low key and somewhat fair minded.

As for my listening to Imus, (which for me, is like hiding in a men's locker room), I often do it because his show is pretty popular among red state types; and I see it as another barometer to read in regards to the National discussion.

I wish I knew if I am spelling "Meachum's name right. LOL

James Webb is a military veteran and is challenging George Allen.

and he loves them back. That's why he gets so much hype. Ford should have watched Obama's convention speech and realize you can be a serious black leader without being a conservative sell out.

He's been kissing up to Holy Joe to beat the band.

Now, Barack Obama seems to be fully in the thrall of the Dark Side. He’s rushing to the defense of Senator Joseph Lieberman, who was voted Senator Most Likely to Be Mistaken for Emperor Palpatine by progressives last year.

It’s hard to believe, but Barack Obama is actually campaigning for Joseph Lieberman, against Lieberman’s progressive Democratic rival, Ned Lamont.

On every issue of importance, Joseph Lieberman has spent the last five years being George W. Bush’s pet Democrat. Joseph Lieberman has stood against almost every good progressive effort in the US Senate since Bush first occupied the White House.

Barack Obama ought to be ashamed for aligning himself with a politician like Joe Lieberman. It makes one wonder if Barack Obama is really a progressive after all, or if he’s just playing us all for a bunch of suckers.

Fortunately, when Barack Obama went to Connecticut to praise Senator Lieberman in front of a crowd of Democrats, nobody seemed to take Obama’s admonitions to support Lieberman seriously. Instead, the Connecticut Democrats booed and hissed when Joseph Lieberman took the stage.

http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2006/04/04/obama-lieberman/

However, Ford Jr. is starting to sound less and less like a corporate shill:

Last year, Congress passed a personal bankruptcy reform bill aimed at preventing individuals from using the bankruptcy system to avoid creditors. It is now time for Congress to reform the corporate bankruptcy system to prevent companies from resorting to bankruptcy to rid themselves of their pension obligations.

AND

· Government has grown to its largest levels in history, and our federal deficit has totaled more than $1.6 trillion. This year alone, we will run a record deficit of $423 billion.

· The federal government has borrowed more than $1 trillion from foreign governments and has grown the national debt to $9 trillion with the signing of the debt ceiling increase bill by President Bush earlier this week.

· In the eight years before 2000, the U.S. economy added 22.7 million new jobs, or 237,000 jobs a month. Since 2000, job growth has slowed to a total of only 2.3 million jobs, or 38,000 a month.

· From 1992 to 2000, the number of unemployed people fell by 3.3 million. Since 2000, the number of unemployed Americans has grown by 1.2 million.

· Since 2000, the number of Americans living in poverty has grown by 5.4 million, and the poverty rate has increased 12 percent. In the previous eight years, the number of people in poverty declined by 6.4 million, and the poverty rate fell 25 percent.

· The number of Americans without health insurance has increased by 1.5 million every year since 2000, compared to 145,000 each year between 1992 and 2000. Today, 45 million Americans and 778,000 Tennesseans are without health coverage.

· Since 2000, private college tuition has risen 18 percent to more than $21,000, and public college tuition has increased 40 percent to more than $5,400.

· Working Tennesseans now pay more in taxes as a share of their income than many millionaires.

http://fordfortennessee.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=41

Obama is being respectful of a Senate colleague, which will help him get things done in the Senate. That doesn't indicate he has changed his position on a single issue. For his entire career in the State Senate he was a reliable progressive that worked well with those who have very different views. He still is. The fact that he isn't backing a long-shot primary opponent doesn't indicate much of anything.

By the way, which sitting Senators are supporting Lieberman's primary opponent? Oh that's right, none.

with your opinion on Harold Ford Jr.

I, however, can and will, vote on him, so your opinion is useless.

where he's too much of a Democrat to win Republican voters and too conservative to win the area liberals. Perhaps Ford should care that a lot of people there feel the same way.

be if he can distance himself from the TN waltz sting operation.
that and get the votes

You keep popping up in these threads to slam his polling (which is actually very good given how red Tennessee started to become since 2000). And you keep bringing up an issue that, frankly, isn't even peeping much in Tennessee. The Tennessee Waltz scandal involves his uncle, but most people in middle and east Tennessee simply aren't connecting the two (I know, I live here).

What's your beef?

can't stand van hillary either.
I want to look at all the possibilities if not for any other reason to combat them with regards to discussions here and to help his campaign.
don't shoot the messanger please.

I realize the GOP will try to tie Ford Jr. to his uncle and the Tennessee Waltz arrests, but, Harold is already on the pro-active offense on this issue, disconnecting himself from his uncle while still showing his love for his family.

Since Ford has no Democratic opponant, I'm half a mind to go out and vote in the GOP primary for Corker. I think ALL Dems should go do this. Corker is the Republican candidate most palatable to Democrats should he win, but least palatable to fundies and neo-cons should he be the nominee (possibly keeping them AWAY from the polls on election day, ensuring a Ford Jr. win. Fundies can't bring themselves to vote for a pro-choice Republican, you know).

That's the strategy, if you ask me: get Corker in as the nominee and the rest won't be as uphill as it is now.

:hi:

We're sometimes a little too skeptical of newbies around here and it shows. We have Republican troublemakers and troublemakers from specific campaigns that try to cause discourse in the conversations. Forgive me if I jumped to conclusions.

Where in Tennessee do you reside? I'm in K-Town.

a little past Lake City.
LOL Thanks for the welcome:spank:
I understand. I'm on the RRMB and the cretins are getting worse. Three were bounced off this weekend alone. And they're all hateful.
On the voting it may backfire, dunno, and I pray not.

as the other two Rethuglicans: a neocon and a fundie. At least Corker's moderate.

If it can't be Ford Jr., I'd rather have Corker.

different Corker ads rather frequently in the a.m. news, and I'm curious if he's feeling heat going into the primaries or from Ford. I think it's a little strange that he's spending quite a bit of money here on his 'home turf' from late April into early May in anticipation of the August primary.

I Google it.

The only polls I find have how each Republican would stack up next to Harold Ford Jr. I guess, while we can't tell how each is doing (I keep hearing that's a dead-heat, too), it is good news to think they're frightened enough by the Democratic prospect that the only polls they're producing are to show Republicans which candidate would be most successful against Ford Jr.

:shrug:

I want Corker to win.

Weren't you chastisizing me for even mentioning crossover voting for Corker just a few days ago, LOL! I won't do it because we have Aug. primaries for too many local candidates, but for those who don't - knock yourselves out - I guess.:shrug:

And being a moderate Democrat (reads not a DINO) is appropriate politics for Tennessee.
I wish people would understand that liberal/progressive politics doesn't play in Tennessee. If we want to win in red states, we have to put up competitive candidates for the region.

I like Harold Ford. I don't agree with all of his positions, but he's a bright, articulate guy, and a good Democrat.

...that Van Hilleary leads him by the most. He's pretty much a FReeper-esque nut from what I remember (from reading the book The Freshman which focused on the '95 freshman U.S. Reps and focused quite a bit on Hilleary). Then again, the other guys (Bryant and Corker) could be just as bad (I'm not familiar with them) as Hilleary. I was hoping TN's drift into red state status wouldn't continue to solidify, but those polls aren't that encouraging. Still, Ford's chances don't look too bad, especially if Corker is the nominee.

since they are the originals.