In the comments of WTL's angry rant about the Democratic Senate nominee, there was this comment from Polar Donkey:
To all Jr campaign workers, I'd like to ask why you are working for him and why we should support him?
A) Party Loyalty-Jr shows none.
B) Republican control of the Senate-We've heard the boogeyman argument already.
C) He speaks to Democrats-Hah, when not using republican talking points.
D) Jr votes in the interest of his constituents- Bankruptcy, torture, Patriot Act, the Iraq War etc...
E) Inspirational leader-Jr's never had a job, passed the bar, and inherited his seat.
Tell me Jr supporters, why should we vote for him?
Ok, let's hear it. After his votes on the bankruptcy bill, the Patriot Act, his support of the Iraq War and his support for TORTURE, I want to hear from you why I should vote for Harold Ford Junior. Please comment and make me a good argument.
26 comments:
I can't give you one.
Logic dictates that there is no reason to vote for HFJ.
Ok, I'm coming out of the closet on last Sunday's Jr. rally. This was my anonymous post over at WTL. I am really surprised that no one else has commented on this manipulative treatment of Jr.'s Democratic faithful base here in Shelby County.
Doesn't anyone else have a problem with the Jr. rally of Sunday night? The one that was billed to several Democratic leadership groups as a conversation with Jr.? The one that somehow morphed into a chance for Jr. to make a feel good speech which would allow him to cross off his to-do list "fire up the base" and head back to other parts of the state?
Many who were there would never have come if the event had been billed for what it was.
Don't these people realize how used people felt? Don't they realize how many Democrats and progressives are doing their best to swallow their personal principles and vote for Jr. for strategic reasons?
Slapping Jr. bumper stickers on every car in the parking lot without consent was the icing on the cake, and just shows even more their heavy handed bum's rush approach to "handling" their base.
The Fords are incredibly out of touch with this city. And incredibly arrogant. And maybe before too long, if they keep all this up ("this" including running Jake as a serious candidate), they will be totally nonexistent as a political force in this town.
Let me put it this way: if Rod B. is up by 8-10 against Judy Barr-T, I'll vote for Rich Whitney. If the race is close, no matter how much Rod is seemingly a fool, slimy and yet a Democratic version of a "pay to play" Illinois green digger, I'll vote for Rod.
Corker seems like a pale imitation of Baker and Fred. I don't know who Jr. thinks he is or even if he knows who he sounds like. He won't be Jim Inhofe, though, and there's nothing inherently Iago-esque about voting for a Republican if he or she deserves consideration. If you can't take pliers to hold over your nose on election day, vote for Corker. Vote your convictions and the closest candidate that represents those principles.
4 for 4 and NOBODY has stepped up to say why I should vote for Ford, but ALL 4 have good reasons why I should NOT vote for him.
I'm still waiting.
Ooooo Desi, what did you put on in the closet before you came out?
Well, given what George Macaca has done and said recently, and other screw ups by the Repubs, recent polls suggest that democrats can take the U.S. Senate if Ford wins.
Tennessee appears to be the deciding state. (As of today--anything can change on a dime in an election)
The safest thing for our country would be gridlock for the next two years.
Hello Ms. Cobb,
Thank you for responding. If I could, may I ask a follow up question. Do you feel as though Jr's candidacy was forced on Democratic voters? I ask because Kurita was never given a chance to debate Jr and she was pressured by the DSCC to get out of the race. Would Jr having to debate Kurita and won a contested solidified his Democratic support?
Sorry, that last sentence was; Would Jr having to debate Kurita and won a contested primary solidified his democratic base?
Can Harold be counted on as the 51st Democratic vote? Or will Harold take advantage of his being that 51st vote to play power broker for his corporate contributors and his daddy?
I supported Kurita, and even gave her a little bit of money that I didn't really have in the first place...never again. She dropped out less than a week after filing for office. And don't give me the crap about her being "forced" out...Ned Lamont took on an entrenched Democratic Incumbent who had the full support of the National Party. He kept going and going until he came from a seemingly insurmountable lead to win. Personally, I don't think Kurita could've done the same because she was really wasn't all that much of a contrast from Ford. But she chickened out, she decided not to fight for the seat, she gave up.
As for why you should vote for Ford...you shouldn't if you would feel "dirty" afterwards. I disagree with Ford on a host of issues, and I probably agree with Lugo more. But, I am a very pragmatic person, and I know a vote for Lugo is pretty damned pointless. If Ford loses this election because of a lack of Liberal support, that will not be how the party hacks see it. They'll see it as he lost because he was too liberal, and you'll see Lincoln Davis as the next Senatorial nominee. So I'm voting for Ford because he is a slight improvement over Frist, and because we can replace him with Steve Cohen. If going strickly by math, that is a net positive.
I don't understand that; do they not have a clue about the progressives in shelby county? We're not in the millions, but we're sure as hell in the THOUSANDS, enough to make a difference whether Ford wins or loses.
On the other hand, we could have Cohen WITHOUT Ford..
I'm going to say something here: Lincoln Davis' votes are more acceptable to me because of the district he represents in Congress. He is at least closer to representing his constituency than Ford is and he has never thrown THEM under the bus.
NOT, however, that I am remotely advocating Davis for Senator.
Sean, you really don't think the behind the scenes maneuvering to cut off Kurita's funding killed her chances? Emily's List wouldn't return her calls, for heaven's sakes. She's not a millionaire like Ned is...
Ford has set himself up to run statewide...the only upside to this, is that considering he is constantly trying to move up, he will likely moderate himself in order to run for President or something like that.
As for Kurita...sorry, but I don't have an ounce of sympathy for her. She dropped out a week after she filed for office. Did she really think the National Party wasn't going to back Ford? He was the national name, she was a State Senator from Clarksville. Kurita could have tried to run a grassroots campaign an challenge Ford when he was wrong, however, she decided to put her ambition over her ideals, and drop out so as to not tick off the party leaders.
Now, I don't know about you, but I supported her largely because she was opposition to Ford, it wasn't as if she was my ideological kin. So now I have to choose between tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb fuck. Corker isn't a horrible person, but every issue I disagree with Ford on, is an issue that he agrees with Corker on. So I have to look at it on balance, and who will vote the way I want more...Ford or Corker. It won't be often, but Ford will better represent me than Corker.
The possibility of gridlock up in DC is quite attracive to me, too. That, and the fact that Corker is getting a little too cozy with Bush. I'm a bit more centrist than crew here, so ideological purity toward progressive ideals isn't a big deal with me.
Polar Donkey,
I think Kurita was definitely forced out. She's playing ball with the party. I watched her at a Ford fundraiser with Bill Clinton on August 3--she was on stage with them, "showing" what a team player she is.
I was sorely disappointed when she dropped out. I felt like she should have stayed in the race.
Now, all of that being said, the person I most agree with Chris Lugo--almost on every issue. However, this is not the year to vote for a Ralph Nader. Look how it turned out the last time that happened.
We have a lunatic in the White House and voting this year is more about keeping that lunatic as contained as possible.
Our best hope for that is democrats taking back the House and Senate.
Sharon, you and Sean make really good points, but the thought of voting for him makes me feel like an enabler.
it just seems to me that when he gets in there he will do as he damn well pleases and Harry Reid will not be able to control him.
In short, he will replace Lieberman as Bush's favorite Democrat and I just am not sure that we gain anything with him.
Steve,
I know what you mean. Our party has moved so far to the right, especially in Tennessee (cept for a few like Cohen and Kernell)that I almost want Republicans to win to try to force democrats to regroups and become...democrats!
I am of the opinion, however, that the worst president in American history is occupying the White House, and if we don't stop him, we might not make it until 2008. I really shouldn't call Bush a lunatic because I really believe he is seriously mentally ill and if it weren't for his family and money, he'd be a homeless addict. (My apologies to homeless addicts, who are far less intrusive and dangerous)
I certainly understand what you're saying. I guess I am hoping this right wing Ford is just to get elected and when he gets to the Senate, he will move away from the right. I don't think he is quite as bad a Lieberman who has proven he won't move away from the right.
BTW, a little off topic, our boy Ned is losing in the polls to Lieberman. So if Joe wins, the Dems will actually lose a Senate seat to Lieberman!(I) How's that for irony? I digress...
I have visions of Nov 7 being in the voting booth and throwing up.
I'm not kidding. I can see myself agonizing on how to vote on a couple of races.
The only thing I am 110 percent sure of is voting "No" on amendment one. Beyond that, I'm going to be sick to my stomach.
Like Desi, I felt like the invitation I received from Matt was for EC members to meet with Jr. to talk with him about how the situation with Steve Cohen vs. Jake Ford was hurting both Democrats' chances. It was very reminiscent of the "Democratic Unity" breakfast last July just after the convention that morphed into a Jr. rally.
I don't like people putting things on my car without permission. If I put a Jr. sticker on my car it will be my decision.
It's obvious Jr has no clue what goes on in Memphis in his name. There's been a lot of talk about how we will be getting a Democratic Senator from west Tennessee, but at what price? Jr. shouldn't take the Memphis democrats for granted. No one likes it.
Jr, in my opinion for what it's worth, dump Jake and side with the Democratic candidate in D9, and get back where you once belonged as a real Democrat if you want to win. Since winning is everything, get smart and gain the support of Memphis progressives before it's too late.
The only reason to vote for Jr. is to make Sr. richer because Jr. never disapoints in his crappie voting record
and I'm not even mentioning the Ford Family trickery that they call politics
I've supported Jr. in the past but no longer, thanks anyway. I won't be passing out anymore turkey's with ya either because your the only turkey in this race, and wait your brother and your other brother, and your daddy, and your uncle and your other uncle, oh wait and your Auntie... ah heck screw all of ya.......
I also agree with Polar Donkey and Sharon on realigning the party to focus on getting real Democrats in office..
Ok, no one has really given a GOOD reason to vote for HFJr., except the ONE and only ONE reason they can--to help Democrats take control of the Senate and to stop Bush.
Now, given that HFJr has been moving to the RIGHT to get elected, and given that he wants to run for President, once he is elected he will continue to move to the RIGHT.
The women over at TNGuerillaWomen think once he is elected we can force him back to the left. We are not going to be able to change his poitical direction once he is elected folks! He is on a a high-speed train for power and it is going RIGHT, not left. Once Jr. is elecgted we will have an anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-war/militarism, pro-corprate power hungry "Democrat" in the Senate. He will use this position to get more support from conservative Republicans so he can get RE-Elected!
There is no way to "win" by voting for Jr.!
I don't think a vote for Chris Lugo is a waste at all, I will be voting for and supporting progressive/left principles, not rewarding a conservative Democrat for sacrificing liberal/progressive principles just to get elected.
We must move the Democratic Party back to the LEFT, but we are fighting against the current political winds. The Democratic Party is moving to the right to win elections. We have to move the country to the left first, and that will take some time, maybe a long time.
We are not going to change the Democratic Party if we keep voting for them regardless of how conservative they are. That "politically expedient" strategy gets us NO WHERE! Voting for progressive third-paty candidates CAN help because the Democrats think they can count on progressive/liberal voters to vote for them regardless so they can keep "reaching out" to conservative voters. By voting for them, we are agreeing with and rewarding that "centrist" DLC strategy.
I've had it with the DLC, and the "centrist" Democrats who are fucking gays, labor, and "non-Christians" to win elecitons. Fuck them all.. I'm not going to give them another vote.
I'm voting for the best, most progressive candidates, hopefully Demcrats, but I'm not voting for Tanner or Ford Democrats EVER!
The only way we will stop the right-ward movement of the Democratic Party and the county is to VOTE our beliefs and principles, even if it means voting Green, Socialist Party, etc.
HFJr thinks he can win if he kisses enough Republican and conservative ass across the state. He is not even worried about the progressive/left, he could care less aobut us.. UNTIL he looses the lection by 1-2% and learns that we did not ALL vote for him.
I'm late to this confab but I've read over the comments here and I've seen two or three people say "I agree with Chris Lugo" and then go on to say how they are "pragmatic" which, from what I'm reading means that they are willing to invite the vampire (Ford) into their home to bite them.
All this ususally means is that these types of people have bought the old axiom that liberals grow up to be conservatives or something similar.
Over and over, Americans will say that their most powerful tool is their vote. (The veracity of that can be argued later.) But here we stand with the opportunity to show the DLC strategists (professional election losers) that we, the progressives/liberals won't be taken for granted.
We liberals, in Tennessee, have the opportunity to show the middle of the roaders that have hijacked our party and have either supported or turned a blind eye to this regime that is the closest thing to fascism that America has ever seen that we won't be bullied. We won't be the assumed base. We won't be scared into voting for losers who only want to assume more and more power.
Harold Ford Jr has no intention of doing anything other than acquiring "Senator" to add to his resume' and then its on to convincing, cajoling or coercing Memphians, Tennesseans and Americans that he has America's best interests at heart and that he should be the first black president.
That is what a vote for Harold Ford Jr is for in November. I can assure you that no voters in my household will be supporting that.
We, in this house, will vote for what is right, what is decent and what is only a step in the right direction in my opinion. Will we win? Right now, what with everyone trying to look like a grown up and being "pragmatic" and hoping that Jr will throw the left a bone once in while once they've thrown their vote away on him out of fear and trying to show what good little Dems they are, I'd say, "No chance in hell".
But, god dammit, I'll sleep better at night knowing I didn't vote his sorry ass in, knowing that I voted for what I believed in as a Memphian, a Tennesseean, an American and as a Human Being.
Due to the midterm elections,I think I'm having an existential crisis.
I don't mean to criticize TNGuerillaWomen, but they are wrong. You hold politicians accountable before an election not afterwards. If Jr is elected, we will be told it is to important not to support Jr or else we give the Senate seat back to the Republicans. The leverage is gone and once again we the voters will be beholden to Jr, not he being beholden to us as it should be. If you vote for Jr in this election, it will just encourage him to run even further to the right. The only way to get people to change behavior is to give rewards or punishment. Voting for Jr is rewarding him for moving to the right, which only encourages him to do it more. Not voting for him means the next Democratic candidate behaves differently.
After 2000, it's a tough call to vote for a Green, no matter how correct he/she may be. But BECAUSE of 2000, there's a very good reason to vote for Lugo. Here's my letter to Harold Ford Jr. about why I'm a Democrat voting for Lugo in 2006. >> Will we Democrats learn from 2000 or just keep perpetuating a system that's failing to represent us? Democrats say we're about solutions, not just "staying the course". Let's walk the walk. I want to see Harold Ford Jr. come out for IRV and other election process reforms. It's in his interest to do so. We just have to let him and others know how important it is to get this done asap and that we're serious about it.
Cyn
tn4irv
Continuing the theme of "I am not going to answer the original question"... In all of my (nearly) 40 years of voting, I do not recall ever wanting more to have the ability to vote against (i.e. None of the Above) several candidates. I, too, may puke over the choices I will make in the voting booth. If the candidates put forth by our two major parties are truly the best people we have in the state of Tennessee to represent us all, then our troubles are much more serious than any of us can fathom.
It is not enough for progressives to just not vote in this race we must send a clear message to the Democratic Party by voting for the Green Party Candidate Chris Lugo, and send letters to HFJr and the Democratic party telling them why we are voting for Chris Lugo instead of the Democratc. If we just don't vote ("none of the above") your vote is not counted at all and there is no clear message being sent to the Democratic Party. We MUST vote Chris Lugo.
Stop Harold Ford Jr.!
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