Posted on 10/20/2006 8:03:33 PM PDT by zarf
Ford partisans are suggesting that this stunt takes the focus away from the Ford Family and mutes the potential headlines Corker might have captured. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A Ford partisan sees this video and sees a fightin' Democrat taking the fight to enemy. They would see that if Ford went up and punched Corker in the face, too.
Everyone else, however, sees a foolish young man, an arrogant young man, a man not quite ready for the upper chamber. This is what Ford needs to understand. He is young. He is a bachelor. In terms of coming off "Senatorial", he is already behind in the count.
This press conference by Corker was never going to be a big story. An article in the paper and a mention on the evening news. That's all it was gonna be. Very routine.
This confrontation does take away from whatever it was that Corker actually said at the conference. No doubt. But who comes off better in the confrontation?
If you are watching the same video I am, you have to admit that Corker comes off very well. Even standing several inches above him, Harold Ford comes across the smaller man.
Senator's don't confront -- not like this. They reason and they deliberate. They do not let their blood get up and pull stunts like this.
It may have worked had Ford stayed off to the side and answered questions from the press. However, once Corker came over to Ford to confront him, Ford lost the day.
Corker had previously been seen as running a bit scared -- afraid to stand toe-to-toe with Ford. But today he walked right up to Ford looked him in the eye and said his peace about the inappropriateness of his being there.
Ford got sloppy. No other way to put it. He showed up hoping to take the headlines away from Corker and he instead gave the public an opportunity to see something from Corker that they had never seen before. Toughness. A quiet reserved toughness, but toughness all the same.
Those who think Corker did not win this day, watch the video again. See how Ford reacts once Corker walked away. He clearly didn't see this going down this way.
Ford miscalculated badly here. Again, he got a bit too brash. He got caught being childish and Corker, surprisingly, walked right up and pulled his punk card and put it right in his face.
I expect Jr to be defeated, then take up local politics with maybe a run for mayor. IMO, Jr is a form of Al Gore, a Washington brat, if you will.
I didn't see this mentioned in the local paper. That doesn't surprise me, though. It was on the local news last night.
The first thing I notice about the clip was how much taller Ford is than Corker. That got me to thinking: Ford must using the same idiot image manipulator Algore used in 2000. You know, the one that told him, "You're taller and more intimidating than George Bush--a real macho alpha male. At the beginning of the next debate I want you to stride menacingly over to Bush and intude into his personal space. People won't remember anything about what was said at the debate, but they'll remember how you physically dominated Bush!"
But Bush calmly stood his ground and gave Algore a withering glance of mild disdain. So much for the alpha male gambit.
The same gambit has now backfired on Ford. I guess the next ploy we can expect from Ford is a televised 12 minute tonsil probing kiss with his wife.
These kinds of stunts reveals an adolescent mindset, making it clear that Ford is just too immature to venture too far beyond the confines of a safe Congressional seat. He isn't a national figure (yet, anyway), and it's clear that he just doesn't have what it takes when it comes to maturity and class.
But we knew that already.
There must be lots of crooked deals that's come out of the Ford Family....what's that saying 'he/she protest too much.'
Their next scheduled televised debate should be interesting.
Fortunately for us most D candidates and their handlers don't seem to have picked up on it. That includes Soros and his C.R.E.W. cluster foxtrot that has already begun a backlash. Duh.
Junior is obviously still Junior Varsity and we can't afford to have the JVs in charge at this time in our history.
First Junior would have to get married..maybe we could see such a kiss when Junior pops the question to his rumored fiance.
I just got home, and turned on Fox News...and they showed part of this video...but NEVER mentioned that Ford busted in on Corker!!!
They treated it like a "planned" encounter...and then, after playing the part where Corker says that it is his press conference,....the Fox news chick, looks at the camera and says, "isn't politics fun"...
Personally, my thoughts were "isn't the MEDIA biased?".
That is Catherine Herridge (sp?), and here is what I think about this. She is pretty good when they give her straight news to do. Then her demeanor is serious and straightforward. But she was doing the 2 hour slot that Tony did and now Brian Wilson is doing and has to fill in with some of that girly chit chat, and she is AWFUL at it. When she is put in a situation where she has some leeway, it just does not work.
I think Ford, by the way, has just shot himself in the foot, whichever parts of that encounter they show. He is just as thuggish as the rest of his family. Corker may not be another Jon Kyl, but I don't think he is actually part of a crime family, as is Ford.
I agree about Catherine...but, I read somewhere that Fox was going to make her a studio host...OOPS!
I actually was shocked when I watched the video of this last night...I thought Ford was too smart to do something that dumb...
I am SO glad he did...and proved me wrong...LOL
You can count on it. The state that "Bushwacked" Al Gore is not going to send this "SLIMEDOG" to Washington!
Gee whiz, if you still have Fox on, you just heard Julie Banderas say, of the same Corker/Ford clip, "Don't you love it when politics gets dirty?" Is someone writing the script for them. This wasn't dirty, btw, just stupid on Ford's part. He knows he's losing, sleuthie, and it just tickles me to no end.
I am a die hard conservative and, at first I didn't like Corker getting elected to run on the GOP ticket for senate.
Yesterday's encounter with his opponent, Ford Jr. I have changed my mind.
Corker was ambushed by Ford and, I am totally amazed how he was able to handle the situation.
It proved to me, here is a man who can think fast in a surprise attack and, was able, very able, to stand his ground.
If elected to the senate, I don't think the Democrats will
be able to dominate him as they have many in the GOP today.
Looks as though he will make a good fighter for the GOP.
I just read on another thread...that the three hosts of Fox and Friends this morning (I didn't watch, so I don't know who they were)...were applauding Ford for being bold and inventive!!
And, they said that he probably GAINED polls points!!
What is wrong with people?? (I dare ya to be able to answer that question...LOL)
That was actually mostly Kelly Wright (I know, hard to believe). I actually turned to C-Span when I heard that.
Fortunately I have Fox back on right now because they have 2 guys from the Marines looking unbelievably handsome calender on right now. *thud*
He's already in DC...hopefully TN is smarter enough NOT to allow him as their senator.
LOL...I saw them...and was wondering if Julie Banderas is single...betcha she wouldn't have minded if they had been in studio!!
BTW..I was cleaning out my e-mails a little while ago..and I pushed delete on one before I read it all...but, it said that Dick Morris said that Hillary blew the debate.
Has there been a thread about that today???
Yes, of course. Do we miss anything here :) I'll see if I can find it.
Here is one of the threads. There were at least two.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1723568/posts
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