Posted on 11/30/2005 3:55:10 AM PST by mcg2000
Opposition to Gay Marriage Causes Delay of Event
Rep. Harold Ford Jr.'s opposition to gay marriage may win him votes in Tennessee, but it's costing him money in San Francisco where a fund-raiser was postponed after Bay Area politicians got wind of Ford's stance.
The fund-raiser, scheduled for Saturday at the trendy Bubble Lounge, was put on ice after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and others backed away from the event.
Newsom, who made headlines for conducting gay marriages, urged Ford to cancel the event after he learned Ford voted for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, according to the Bay Area Reporter, a weekly devoted to gay issues.
The fund-raiser is one of dozens Ford has been holding around the country for his 2006 bid for the U.S. Senate. Newsom was billed as an honorary co-chairman of the event, as were former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown and Dist. Atty. Kamala Harris.
"It came to my attention that there were a few people in San Francisco concerned about my opposition to gay marriages," Ford said Tuesday. "Out of concern for local politicians, we decided to push the event back to mid-January."
Newsom and Harris, through spokespersons, said they were unaware of Ford's position on gay marriage when they signed on as co-chairs for the event.
Supporting a politician who voted for the amendment could be politically poisonous in the Bay Area, said Ed Walsh, a journalist for the Reporter.
"A lot of people would accuse (Newsom) of being a hypocrite," Walsh said. "They would say, 'How could he be so strongly in favor of gay marriage and raise money for someone who voted to ban it?' It would definitely be looked upon as a negative. The left wing is very powerful in San Francisco and the politicians don't want to do anything to alienate that support."
Ford was one of 36 House Democrats to vote for the amendment, which gained a majority but failed to win the two-thirds necessary to pass.
"This is the first time I've heard this issue raised and my position has been pretty consistent on this," he said.
Ford said he doubts his vote will hamper his fund-raising in more liberal states.
"I haven't, to date, had any problem raising money in red states or blue states," he said.
Ford has raised about $3 million for his Senate race with a stated goal of $12 million.
He said he hasn't met Newsom and wasn't concerned about the mayor's decision to back away from his campaign.
"He's not an (eligible) voter for me," Ford said. "Gavin Newsom has his politics in San Francisco and I have mine in Tennessee."
-- Oliver Staley: 529-6515
to hell with san fran..they have bailed America already anyway
to hell with san fran..they have bailed ON America already anyway
I can't stand that little creep.
I understand that if you give Harold's uncle enough cash money, he'll get Harold to support anything you like.
You can't be against rectum-love and be a good democrat.
Little Harry Jr. must be a hatemonger! Oh no!
It must be tough being a PC leftist scumbag bootlicker. Can't offend anybody. Can't restrict the rectum-rights, and can't criticize the Islamofacists when they mass-murder a rectum-wedding-party.
It's tough being a leftist bootlicker. You get kicked in the face every which way you turn.
BWAHAHAAHAAAHAAAA! Newsom- Nolo contente'!
Harold, Jr. is a chip off the old block in the Ford political machine in Memphis headed by his uncle, John, who has been indicted and resigned the state senate for influence peddling among other offenses. He's raising money around the country because he can't raise it in Tennessee where he's running. He can raise all the liberal money he can. He still won't carry Tennessee.
Does this guy stand a chance of winning in TN?
Guess that's the way they do things in San Francisco...
Harold, remember, Mon always told you, "You never know where's that money's been..."
I'm happy for this. It shows Dems are the party of gay-marriage that cannot accept other life styles. Like usual, tolerance for them only works one way.
Why, are homosexuals out of season in January?
That's the scary part. Just as in the Grand Jury system, in politics a ham sandwich can get elected.
Bay Area fund raising? Isn't he running for Senator of Tennessee?
The question that comes to mind is :How does HF jr think he will carry all of Tenn.? This guy is as phony as any other rat and the Volunteer State is gone to the evil donkey thanks to algore. The only real support he has is from Fox and Friends.
This needs to stop. We don't have state senators anymore, we have national senators from various states. A senator is supposed to represent the interests of their state in the senate, but that no longer applies. This is why our forefathers set up the senate to have senators appointed by the various legislatures and not by direct election.
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