If you ever had any doubts that the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate was a weasel, I am about to eliminate them.
According to this Memphis Flyer article from Jackson Baker, Harold Ford Jr told Steve Cohen the following:
"I can support you, but I won't endorse you."
WTF? Look, I know that his little brother is in the race, BUT HE SHOULD NOT BE. What about the fact that this tightrope-walking act is pissing off Democrats all over the state, and making them uneasy about getting on the Junior bandwagon? If Junior hasn't grasped this yet, then maybe he should have stayed where he was and just pissed off Democrats in Memphis.
THIS WILL HURT HIM AMONG HIS BASE. PERIOD.
Is making sure Daddy has a base of operations for his lobbying firm worth losing a US Senate seat? I would think not.
As Jackson points out, this also allows him the ability to refuse to take a stand on the Lamont-Lieberman race (gee, three guesses who he's REALLY for there?), so he never has to take a stand about anything except God & apple pie (which, apparently, he's for both).
This is the type of cowardly politician that we are trying to RUN OUT of this party, the weasel who refuses to take stands then sells out to the highest bidder upon election. (See Lieberman, Joe).
I do not want to read ever again that "well, that's the best we can do in Tennessee. BULLSHIT. Ever hear of Estes Kefauver? Al Gore, pere et fils? Hell, Jim Sasser looks like FDR compared to Junior! There ARE progressives who can win in Tennessee, like Steve Cohen; we just have to support them.
As long as Junior tries to walk the tightrope, I have no reason to do anything for him. If you can't trust some one to do the right thing, why vote for them?
5 comments:
Not necessarily Steve, but someone between Steve & Junior could win, I believe, if they did it right.
As to Unlisted's question, I am certainly sympathetic to the "hold-your-nose-and-push=Ford's-button" position, and I would go there myself, if he just were someone I could trust.
He's not.
It's all about money Sr. Ford wants his cake and eat it too. If it come to an important vote in the house he calls daddy to see where his lobby group stands then votes according to pop. we don't need that in the senate! I'm 100% dem but will vote for Corker because I've seen some of the things he did over in Chattanooga.It looks better than what Fords done in Memphis? He wants people to vote for his brother in the ninth when he's only a little more civilized than a Troglodyte. I'll bet Sr. is the one that has started people demanding race play a factor in whom holds the congressinial seat. saying it should only be a black to represent the people of district nine. With that logic he should never be elected to the senate?
Once A Ford always a Ford, right Uncle John aunt Ophelia!
Actually I do think Cohen could win statewide. He'd get beaten up on a few issues, certainly, but who wouldn't.
The problem: the right has framed a lot of issues Democrats should be proud of in a way that makes candidates surround said issues in rhetorical bubble wrap. If a candidate looks like they are trying to distance themselves from an issue in any way it reads as shame or flipflopping. Any candidate that can embrace his platform and use the controversial WEDGE issues as a bridge to the all important bread and butter issues can win. eg.
"It's true that I am a believer that all Americans black, white, yellow, red, gay and straight should equally share the fruits of liberty--- that's why I support civil unions, and that's why I will fight with every fiber of my being to preserve Social Security, to make sure every American has access to medical care, that... blah, blah, blah."
The problem is that we've ALLOWED the wedge issues to bog us down when we should simply say, "sure, now let's talk about something that directly affects each and every one of us gathered here today."
WE INVARIABLY RUN AGAINST OUR WEDGE ISSUES RATHER THAN RUNING ON THE WINNING ISSUES. It's partly our fault, partly the fault of the media, and almost entirely the result of excellent GOP political strategy.
If Cohen ran an issues based campaign without flinching he could score big in West and Middle Tennessee, and show in the East. I ain't saying he Would, but that it's not as impossible as some might think.
The reason most people duck liberal issues is because they've been conditioned to duck them. A bold, unflinching progressive with money would seem particularly fresh these days.
Concern trolls will welcome this strategy certain it's a death knell. But they're afraid of it. If they weren't why would they work so hard to knock us off the most universally important issues and hang us with God, guns, and gays?
However much I would love Democrats to retake the Senate, I understand the long term health of the party is stake. Jr, in the long, term weakens the Party and I will abstain from voting in the Senate race. If Corker wins, I think he is an improvement on Frist. Plus, the wingnuts may very well stay home again in 6 years when he runs again. A stronger Democratic candidate could beat him then. I worry about the Supreme Court some, but hell, Jr wouldn't even support a filibuster of Alito. What good would Jr be in opposing Bush nominees. A
50-49-1 republican majority in the Senate and Democratic majority in the House puts Dems in a good spot to retake the Senate and the White House, especially with two of the biggest Bush/Repub enablers gone (Lieberman/Ford). I say good riddance to both of them. I'm not afraid of the Corker boogeyman, especially when wingnuts don't even like him.
Nice pic Unlisted.
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