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Newsweek Cover: Harold Ford and 'Not Your Daddy's Democrats'
NewsBusters.org ^ | 10/22/2006 | NewsBusters

Posted on 10/22/2006 10:15:18 AM PDT by Mike Bates

Congressman Harold Ford, running for the Senate in Tennessee, just received free publicity that most candidates can only dream about. With only a couple of weeks to go until the election, he made the cover of Newsweek.

"Not Your Daddy's Democrats" it says next to Mr. Ford's flattering photo, and the accompanying article strongly suggests that Harold Ford is at least a moderate and possibly even a conservative. Yes, the party of Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi has opened a huge tent and today's Democratic candidates - like Mr. Ford - are far from liberal. Or are they?

Once you get past the article's points about Harold Ford appealing to Christians and opposing gay marriage and partial-birth abortion, you learn: "According to Congressional Quarterly, Ford supported his party upwards of 85 percent of the time in most years since Bush took office." Yes, it took more than 20 paragraphs into the lengthy article, but finally it's acknowledged that maybe Mr. Ford isn't all that far away from Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi after all.

Further information on Mr. Ford's transformation to moderate comes from CQ Weekly, which recently tracked how often House members support President Bush. In 2005, Ford supported President Bush 35 percent of the time. This year, however, that level jumped by almost 20 points, to 53 percent.

A skeptic might note that the change took place just as Harold Ford ramped up his senatorial bid.

My view is that today's Democrats are a lot more like your daddy's Democrats than Newsweek and other mainstream media outlets will admit.


TOPICS: Politics
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1 posted on 10/22/2006 10:15:18 AM PDT by Mike Bates
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To: Mike Bates

My daddy can't stand Democrats.......


2 posted on 10/22/2006 10:16:56 AM PDT by isthisnickcool (Sliding butt stock, carry handle, gas operated. Named after a horse. What am I?)
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To: Mike Bates

Corker put the proverbial b!tch slap on him Friday when Ford crashed Corkers press conference. Corker walked out to the parking lot alone, confronted Jr and his throng of aides and press people, spoke to him for about a minute while shaking his hand, and Jr. spent the next 2-3 minutes basically back-pedalling his uninvited arrival. Made Jr look very bad, and it is getting play across the state. The Newsweek article I'm sure was already in the can when this happened, but Corker seems to be surging going into the home stretch, and Jr's little publicity stunt blew up in his face.


3 posted on 10/22/2006 10:21:48 AM PDT by Space Wrangler
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To: isthisnickcool

You had a good upbringing.


4 posted on 10/22/2006 10:27:47 AM PDT by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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To: Space Wrangler

Good to hear, thanks for the info.


5 posted on 10/22/2006 10:28:12 AM PDT by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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To: Mike Bates

Gee, Free Political Advertising immediately before an election. And for a DEMOCRAT no less! I bet no one EVER thought that was going to happen when CFR was passed. (Smirk)


6 posted on 10/22/2006 10:39:33 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: isthisnickcool

I bet your daddy used to asked Democrats "Who's your daddy?" and they didn't know.


7 posted on 10/22/2006 10:40:45 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Enterprise

Barack on Time, Harold on Newsweek. Guess that's what the MSM considers fair and balanced.


8 posted on 10/22/2006 10:44:09 AM PDT by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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To: Space Wrangler
Corker: "Ford, actually I called this press conference to talk about your sorry ideas and campaign. I'm going to hold MY press conference. Now get your raggedy ass down the road."
9 posted on 10/22/2006 10:45:36 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Mike Bates

Tht's so true Mike. Fair and balanced, in the opinion of the Democrat media lap dogs.


10 posted on 10/22/2006 10:46:31 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Enterprise

What was so funny is that you could tell that Ford had never even considered actually seeing Corker. He thought he was going to engineer some 'gotcha' moment, where he bemoaned Corker while Corker cowered inside, and Corker grabbed the initiative by coming out alone and confronting him. You could also tell that Jr has very little actual campaigning experience since he has never had to really campaign for his seat because his seat is nothing more than a Ford family asset that can be transferred amongst family members like a car title. I'd be willing to bet that his little stunt cost him 3-4 points at a minimum.


11 posted on 10/22/2006 10:57:25 AM PDT by Space Wrangler
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To: Space Wrangler
"He thought he was going to engineer some 'gotcha' moment, where he bemoaned Corker while Corker cowered inside, and Corker grabbed the initiative by coming out alone and confronting him."

I think that's very insightful, and it's highly plausible. He would stand outside and accuse Corker of any number of things I guess, and have a great old time doing it. Instead, Corker came out, like a man, and met the challenge head on. Ford ended up looking pretty bad on this.

12 posted on 10/22/2006 11:01:14 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Mike Bates

Further information on Mr. Ford's transformation to moderate comes from CQ Weekly, which recently tracked how often House members support President Bush. In 2005, Ford supported President Bush 35 percent of the time. This year, however, that level jumped by almost 20 points, to 53 percent.

A skeptic might note that the change took place just as Harold Ford ramped up his senatorial bid.



Does this number include all the abstentions? (Usually a US House member running for statewide office misses a lot of votes).....As I recall, Jr. is no exception....







13 posted on 10/22/2006 11:01:34 AM PDT by scrabblehack
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To: scrabblehack
Does this number include all the abstentions?

Doubt it.

14 posted on 10/22/2006 4:14:46 PM PDT by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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